Winners section!
Read all our previous winners stories here!
January 2011:
Theme: Fantasy
Word limit: 500
Author: Brand_New_Eyes
Story:
"Honor had been running for hours, and now her weary legs were so tired that they were threatening to collapse under her. But she couldn't rest, not yet - she could still hear heavy footfalls behind her, and branches snapping as her pursuers chased her, greed fuelling their chase. She couldn't let them get their hands on the bundle in her basket.
Taking a large gulp of air, she ran on, ducking as the hands of branches snatched at her hair. Several times she had to reach out to stop herself from stumbling and by the time she reached the glade she was out of breath and bruised all over. Glancing behind her into the darkness of the forest, she put the basket down in the centre of the glade. Moonlight shone like a spotlight on the basket, and Honor stood in front of it, guarding it, as she raised her willow wand and began chanting protection charms, circling the basket. Once she was satisfied, she let her legs fall beneath her, and gently pulled back the blanket from the buldge in her basket, revealing a large, indigo egg.
It seemed like she'd been sitting there for hours, watching from the safety of her protective charms as her pursuers tried and failed to break their way through the wall of charms, into the glade. A number of times, she'd fallen asleep and woken with a start, her feet numb and her heart pounding. But, as the moon traded places with the sun and the first warming rays touched the clearing, she was rewarded. The egg started to crack and, in a puff of smoke, a little violet dragon raised her head..."
Nov 2010:
Theme: Birthdays
Word Limit: 200
Author: Brand_new_eyes
Story:
The horrible smell of antiseptic and rubber gloves filled the room, hanging like fog over the hospital beds. In a room to the side, a girl, named Jenna, was lying on a bed, her eyes closed, perfectly motionless, as if in the middle of a peaceful dream. However, no dream lasts 6 months; no dream requires you to be wired up to a machine that is the only reason you’re still alive...She was in a coma, and had been since six months ago today, when a teenage joy rider ran her over.
There was movement at the doorway and three people came in – her mother, her father and her little sister, Amy. They moved quietly to the bed and sat down, a routine they had been doing for months, only today was different. Today was Jenna’s 15th birthday.
Amy’s eyes were rimmed with red, and puffy, as if she had just been crying. She reached out with her chubby little hand, and caught Jenna’s finger in her fist. “Jenna,” she whispered, “Please wake up and open your presents. Please?”
Jenna’s eyes flickered, almost too quickly to be seen, but eventually they opened completely. “Oh Jenna!” her sister cried, “Happy Birthday!”
January 2011:
Theme: Fantasy
Word limit: 500
Author: Brand_New_Eyes
Story:
"Honor had been running for hours, and now her weary legs were so tired that they were threatening to collapse under her. But she couldn't rest, not yet - she could still hear heavy footfalls behind her, and branches snapping as her pursuers chased her, greed fuelling their chase. She couldn't let them get their hands on the bundle in her basket.
Taking a large gulp of air, she ran on, ducking as the hands of branches snatched at her hair. Several times she had to reach out to stop herself from stumbling and by the time she reached the glade she was out of breath and bruised all over. Glancing behind her into the darkness of the forest, she put the basket down in the centre of the glade. Moonlight shone like a spotlight on the basket, and Honor stood in front of it, guarding it, as she raised her willow wand and began chanting protection charms, circling the basket. Once she was satisfied, she let her legs fall beneath her, and gently pulled back the blanket from the buldge in her basket, revealing a large, indigo egg.
It seemed like she'd been sitting there for hours, watching from the safety of her protective charms as her pursuers tried and failed to break their way through the wall of charms, into the glade. A number of times, she'd fallen asleep and woken with a start, her feet numb and her heart pounding. But, as the moon traded places with the sun and the first warming rays touched the clearing, she was rewarded. The egg started to crack and, in a puff of smoke, a little violet dragon raised her head..."
Nov 2010:
Theme: Birthdays
Word Limit: 200
Author: Brand_new_eyes
Story:
The horrible smell of antiseptic and rubber gloves filled the room, hanging like fog over the hospital beds. In a room to the side, a girl, named Jenna, was lying on a bed, her eyes closed, perfectly motionless, as if in the middle of a peaceful dream. However, no dream lasts 6 months; no dream requires you to be wired up to a machine that is the only reason you’re still alive...She was in a coma, and had been since six months ago today, when a teenage joy rider ran her over.
There was movement at the doorway and three people came in – her mother, her father and her little sister, Amy. They moved quietly to the bed and sat down, a routine they had been doing for months, only today was different. Today was Jenna’s 15th birthday.
Amy’s eyes were rimmed with red, and puffy, as if she had just been crying. She reached out with her chubby little hand, and caught Jenna’s finger in her fist. “Jenna,” she whispered, “Please wake up and open your presents. Please?”
Jenna’s eyes flickered, almost too quickly to be seen, but eventually they opened completely. “Oh Jenna!” her sister cried, “Happy Birthday!”