Texts from the call for entries for the XVI edition of the Radio Lanzarote Short Story Contest 2026 continue to arrive at the newsroom of La Voz de Lanzarote and Radio Lanzarote-Onda Cero. The contest, which began this past July 1st, pays tribute to the Lanzarote painter, essayist, narrator, playwright, and cultural manager Félix Hormiga (1951-2025).
One more year, the Tourist Centers collaborate with the contest, which opens the submission period this Wednesday, July 1, 2026 until August 31, both inclusive.
On this occasion, participants must submit a micro-story that must not exceed 100 words not including the phrase we will provide below. All stories will have the same title "...And in the afternoon it rained". Based on this title, participants must imagine what happens next.
Each author may send a maximum of five stories, which they may sign with a pseudonym, although they must always provide a name and a contact telephone number. Likewise, the stories should be sent to the address: concursorelatos@lanzarotemedia.net.
As the stories are received, they will be published in La Voz de Lanzarote. The author's name will not appear in the publication. Only after the verdict will the names of the winning and finalist authors be known.
A jury composed of journalists from Radio Lanzarote and La Voz de Lanzarote will choose three winning stories and seven finalists. The verdict of the contest will be made public in the second half of September.
This year, the original numbering of the texts will be maintained, also taking into account those that have been disqualified. So far, the following texts have been received:
55) ...And in the afternoon it rained. Disqualified 104 words
56) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
Finally, the earth awoke from its slumber and everything returned to its proper place.
It seemed that the time when rain was enough to make us happy was returning.
The weariness also returned, but soaked in the promise of new life.
Hope was renewed, accompanying the natural cycle of everything without suffering.
Sometimes not much more is needed: just a little water to cleanse the memory and start again.
How good it would be if it rained every afternoon again.
57) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
Dawn is no small thing, the moon told herself after a magical night of hubara songs
in its conquering endeavor.
The salt flats were witnesses to this rite of love, a white and silver seducer, what better place, what better spot?, the celestial body asked itself to be able to fall in love.
Catalina, grandiosa in her fullness, did not notice the ephemeral nature of a cycle that has an end.
Yes.... And in the afternoon it rained, yes and Catalina faded away, leaving in the air a new one and a month of waiting to meet her love.
58) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
No one imagined that that downpour would erase the traces of the forbidden secret.
Elena waited under the old willow tree, while Adrián arrived soaked, determined to defy destiny. He kissed her fiercely and in the fire of their gazes burned the desire for that last time.
When dawn broke, the sun began to shine brightly, however, they walked together, silent, carrying with them a promise impossible to forget, eternal, like the rain that blessed their farewell, although they never stopped waiting for each other through memories, hidden letters, furtive glances… and a forever goodbye.
59) ...And in the afternoon it rained. -Disqualified 111 words
60) ...And in the afternoon it rained -Disqualified 113 words.
61) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
The smell of damp earth was the fragrance that now predominated on the island.
My father thanked God for the unexpected showers. Planting is always better when the ground is wet.
- Thank you Lord for this little shower!
- Thank you Lord for this little shower!
He sang happily while looking out the window, watching the rain fall drop by drop.
He prepared the seedling and the hoe. He took out the chives seeds he had saved. And like a little child, showing happiness on his face, he went out to plant as if it were the first time.
62) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
He had tidied up the room. He packed three boxes and waited for the postal staff to arrive. Only the dusty letters that Julieta had written to him remained, resting with an old-fashioned aroma on the small table.
Hurriedly, he put them in his pocket and ran to the station.
Looking out the window of the bus, he saw the first drops fall. He opened one of the envelopes and a smile appeared as he read: "if one day you decide to leave, do so without looking back." When he looked up, the rain had already erased the image of the town.
63)...And in the afternoon it rained.
- Ana! Ana!
Shouted the pirate, driven mad.
- Ana! Ana!
He shouted again.
The sea roared fiercely. The wooden ship seemed to be swallowed by the strong waves. The headwind did not cease. The furious pirate intelligently used his energy to climb the cliff to access the cave where his beloved was staying.
Once upstairs, he found his outfits, the lit candles, and a letter that read: “Dog’s head, don’t come back. Set sail with your ship and leave.”
The pirate, sunk in tears, looked up.
The rain had already made his ship disappear.
64) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
The house smelled of nostalgia.
The black and white portrait of the grandparents who were no longer there.
The trunk full of memories of objects that were no longer used.
The walls, covered in grime and dampness, matched the serious faces of those who had inhabited that home.
The granddaughter realized that only one part remained alive; the garden. The tulip, the periwinkle, the poppy, and the jasmine seemed to be celebrating a party in the rain. And she didn’t want to miss it. She took off her shoes and, dancing to the sound of the falling drops, gave thanks.
65) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
The 99-year-old woman did not forget the suffering she carried tattooed on her skin. In Lanzarote, poverty and misery were abundant. There was nothing to eat. The women planted tobacco, and the shepherd took care of the goats and dug the earth, hoping to find some young potatoes.
“How the island has changed!”
She exclaimed.
She opened the shutter, the place from which she seemed to see everything, even the beyond. The sky changed color. She felt the first drops but couldn’t close it. She was on her way to reunite with her loved ones.
66) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
They were large drops that raised small mounds of dust and splashed the anthill. The bar owner slightly pulled aside the slatted blind, while, with his back to the patrons, he stuck his arm out to gauge the intensity of the drizzle.
Once inside the establishment, Gregorito, Ventura’s son, signaled him. Without a moment’s hesitation and seeing his serious expression, he went straight to the point and asked:
“What do you think of the world, Agustín?”
Agustín wiped his forehead, soaked with sweat, with a handkerchief:
“Damn it, Gregorio, I’ll tell you tomorrow…”
67) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
I entered the courthouse ready to tell everything and free myself from the guilt of ten years of silence. In the hallway, I met her gaze: there was no hatred in her eyes, only a tired plea not to stir up the past.
I sat before the judge. I swallowed hard and lied again. This time not to save myself, but to spare her the need to remember.
I went out into the street, not knowing if I had been a coward or a hero. I carried the sky loaded under my eyelids. And in the afternoon it rained.
68) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
It rained so hard that it destroyed the foam board stage. It put out the fire. So many parts of me that I didn't know were exposed… how could darkness bring so much light?
All this time I had been living in a parallel world. Unaware of "real reality". But I wasn't crazy.
And if I was, at least I had discovered that I wasn't the only one.
69) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
And in the afternoon it rained. I remember it perfectly. Those serene drops cleaned the remnants of haze we had suffered those days, but they accentuated the smell of fish from the canneries in the port. I sat sheltered in the entrance hall, watching the factory workers leave with a mixture of exhaustion etched on their faces and the rush burning their feet to get home and continue working. Some took a detour, to avoid passing by the old woman's house who used to insult them when she had a few drinks too many. It kept raining until night.
70) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
And in the afternoon it rained; who could forget a day like that?
In that karaoke bar, the threads of destiny wanted them to share that microphone, without imagining that that song would change their lives forever. Between laughter and shy glances, a love was born that understood only them.
Of that lost young man, afraid to live, she knew how to awaken his best version; she taught him to believe in love, to trust, and to look together in the same direction in search of a shared destiny.
The years passed, but they never extinguished that first chord of that beautiful song.
71) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
The road was muddy. On the roadside... an open ditch, a mass grave... Everywhere dead blood...
The men took their positions.
At the last moment he had changed sides. He had always been a loser
and, for once, he wanted to know what it felt like to win, even if it had cost him
family and friends.
The ones with the rifles to one side. The ones with the chains to the other.
When he pulled the trigger... in front of him... familiar eyes remained open,
brave... And, deep in his “soul,” he felt that he had lost again…
72) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
And in the afternoon it rained! Those five terse words, spoken in a hoarse voice and the
lost gaze, they were the end of the brief story. Then I understood and accepted it. No matter how much I tried to know what the day had been like when my father arrived in Lanzarote, fleeing the hunger and misery of his country, he had erased from his memory any memory before setting foot on solid ground, when he threw himself into the water from the raft. He could only remember of that day that it dawned cloudy although it was hot and that the trade winds were blowing strongly.
73) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
Marta put on her red high-heeled shoes and went shopping, the ground was wet, it had rained, she walks quickly, as the sales have started, suddenly, Marta slips and someone grabs her by the arm, just in time, the stranger smiles at her and asks: are you okay?. It was a boy with a warm and shy gaze, yes, I'm fine, thank you; my name is Pablo, I was going to the cafeteria, will you accompany me? A nice hot coffee would do us good.
Destiny, disguised as a storm, crossed their paths, love arose on a rainy afternoon.
74) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
But the rain was not enough to extinguish that mantle of fire that covered our forests during the infernal solstice. The restless, ambitious flame knew no limit, did not believe in destiny, was not afraid of the end. It ravaged everything in its path. Flora and fauna were not enough to quench its thirst, its greed. That ashen greed is not innate, it is fueled by human simplicity. The strength of the last embers will be consumed when humanity lets the fuel fall from its hands.
75) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
13 years living by your side.
Small body.
Large lumps on your naked body.
Oh my little dwarf!
Sometimes I find it hard to understand you with that little look.
Your barking cough I feel you suffocating.
I feel your moans in my shrunken heart.
How bitter your absence will taste to me.
I know you haven't left yet.
My melancholy opens up.
Heartbreaking emotions that were not contained begin to bloom.
Time is a bad omen.
For goodbyes.
And on top of that, it was raining today.
You have healed so much of my sadness.
What will I do when I get home?
When you're gone, without your joy.
76) ...And in the afternoon it rained. Disqualified 104 words
77) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
That night a mutual friend introduced them when he found her, accompanied by her friends, at the entrance of the cinema. Both were very shy. He, perhaps to be funny, attempted an extravagant bow with his hat, and it fell into a stream of rain. For him, at that moment, the magic was over. Everyone laughed heartily as the water washed away the elegant hat. But her laughter broke his heart. And he swore to God that he would have the last laugh, even if he had to wait a lifetime...
The following year they got married.
78) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
She accompanies me whenever I go out. She hardly ever says "no"; sometimes it's hard to wake her up. Even so, she makes an effort and doesn't leave me alone.
Upon arriving at the market in Plaza del Cristo, I leave her with the other elderly women. On the way back, under a gray sky, she resists going home. I calmly take her by the arms as the first drops of the afternoon fall, getting both of us wet. I get desperate, I give her a pat on the back, and my hands fly to my head:
—You are so stubborn! Yes... we live life in a rush!
Damn it, I have the motorcycle chained up!
79) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
And in the afternoon it rained, but no one noticed. From the bunkers, the drops could not be heard falling.
80) ...And in the afternoon it rained.
In the residence, they went out to collect the memories that were blooming. They would put them in a vase in the common room, hoping they would last longer than the last ones, trusting that they would not fade too quickly.
81) ... And in the afternoon it rained.
The rain meant guests. She gathered her chains and passed through the wall to receive them.
82) ... And in the afternoon it rained.
Thousands of people continued to die as Alicia slipped on the sidewalk and hit her head. The patent documents became illegible on a puddle.
83) ... And in the afternoon it rained.
A party was organized in the town square. After fifteen years of drought, the dead could finally drink and embrace their families. The next day they would prepare the boats. This was the last party on dry land for fifteen years.
84) ... And in the afternoon it rained.
Like a godsend, the promise was fulfilled. A sudden downpour flooded the hillside. Meanwhile, as the law of the fittest, the sun and the cloud fought a duel.
In improvised circles, science prevailed with criteria when the rest, lost in thought, only looked at the sky. In the garden, with mud up to their ankles, we saw the radishes grow; also the chard and the cabbages came out of the hedge and flooded the paths. Free from burdens, the little ones enjoyed splashing semi-naked along the paths.
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