This story was inspired by my first vipassana meditation retreat at Blackheath in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, and first appeared in Greatest Uncommon Denominator #6. The institution described in ‘Annicca’ is based on the Blackheath dhamma and many of the little moments in the story were my real moments at that retreat – including the magpie and the frog. It received an honourable mention in The Best Horror of the Year #3.