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2020 Halloweensie Contest It's time once again for Susanna Hill's Halloweensie contest. (10 years and going strong!) The challenge: write a kid-friendly story of 100 words or fewer, incorporating the prompt words. This year's words are: skeleton, creep, mask. So, naturally my thoughts turned to these cute little bandits:  THE TRASH BANDIT by Carrie Karnes-Fannin Under a thin, dark moon, the masked bandit creeps (hand over hand) along a thieves’ highway strung above dented and dusty trashcans filled with skeletons of meals past. Gripping the humming, thrumming wires, she stops, (swaying so slightly) and peeks through frosted panes into the (strange, still) wood and stone dens of furless two-legged beasts. A silent shadow, she takes what’s needed, and washes her bandit’s hands of the rest. Then, (unseen by the tame, yawning tomcat), the masked thief shakes her striped tail and steals back into the (singing, thriving) oh-so-wild night. (96 words)
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RED On a new moon night in an ancient wood, Rose, a red shadow of a girl, slipped between trees and spread her hood on the damp ground, waiting for Lupe, who ran with a wolf’s silence through the forest toward her. "People will talk," Rose whispered. "Let them," Lupe replied, her dark hair a shining tangle weaving them together. "We don't have to." And Lupe was right-- no words were needed between them. Night passed as they held hands, and watched stars spin round the sky. When morning was still a rumor, a huntsman, tracking deer, found instead Rose and Lupe, asleep, wrapped in the scarlet cloak. Rose's heart skipped as Lupe leapt to shield her. "What will you do?" Lupe demanded of him, knowing Rose was afraid of her village’s words biting and cutting them. "I will keep your secret," the boy offered. For though a hunter, he wasn't cruel. “Thank you, friend,” Rose replied, borrowing bravery from Lupe’s kisses. "But there's no secret here." They walked homeward, with fingers entwined. A crowd gathered, but no words were said, except one: “Welcome.” For people saw, shining like the full moon, a love that would become legend. (197 words, inspired by photo #6) |
