Creative Writing Contest -- (Vote now!)

Which submission is your favorite?

Submission #1	16.7%	[ 1 ]
Submission #2	0.0%	[ 0 ]
Submission #3	50.0%	[ 3 ]
Submission #4	16.7%	[ 1 ]
Submission #5	16.7%	[ 1 ]
Total Votes:			[ 6 ]

This poll closed on March 6, 2012.
No longer accepting new votes.

[Ali Wytch]

ToC -

Post 1: Table of Contents
Post 2: About
Post 3: Rules
Post 4: Prompt
Post 5: Where to find each submission.
Post 6: Open!

[Ali Wytch]

About -

This is a creative writing contest in which a prompt will be given. First through third place (with the judging being done by both votes and myself), will recieve small prizes of gaia gold. (Which means that this contest should only be entered by those who have a love of writing, not those who want to make some quick gaia gold. Sorry, but I'm not rich. I'm doing this because I have a love of writing myself, as well as a love of reading.) I would appreciate some real effort being put into all entries. If I read your entry and deem that you haven't put enough effort into it, I will simply not post it. -- You can find out a bit more about this contest by reading through the rules.

Prizes are as follows:

First Place: 10k
Second Place: 5k
Third Place: 3k

[Ali Wytch]

Rules -


1: Send all entries to Lady Alistrine Hawthorne with the title "Creative Writing Entry."
2: Follow the prompt. If your piece doesn't follow the prompt I'll just toss it.
3: Creative criticism is acceptable, but do not criticize someone's work just for the sake of making them feel bad about themself.
4: Remember to follow Gaia's TOS.
5: If you break any of my rules, I will beat you and toss your piece.
6: If you don't like my rules; don't enter my contest.
7: Like I said before, give this some real effort and don't enter if you're only doing it for the gold.
8: Entry must be a minimum of 500 words. There is no maximum number, but please be reminded that "Creative Writing" usually indicates a short story, not a novel.
9: Entry may contain photos/colors/text size changes/etc, just make sure that it is legible. If I cannot read it, I will give you one chance to change it, and then I will toss it. (If you don't make it legible.)
10: Please "sign" your name at the bottom of the submission. (Gaia name only, and the full thing, please.) -- I need to be able to remember who wrote what when it comes down to the end of the contest.
11: You have three weeks, or until midnight (CST) February 28, to get your submissions in, at which point submissions will be closed, and the poles will be open. (Poles will be open for one week, or until midnight (CST) March 5th, so be sure to cast your votes!) -- If the votes come to a a tie between two entires for first place either an impartial third party will be asked to break the tie, or (if an impartial 3rd party cannot be found) both parties will recieve the prize money. If there is a between more than two contestants for first place, the polls will be extended. If there is a tie for second or third place, both contestants will be given the prize money for each place. If there is a tie, between more than two contestants, for either second or third place, a decision will be made between myself and an impartial third party.
12: Title your peice, and put the title at the top of your entry.

[Ali Wytch]

Prompt -

The first prompt is going to be a number. That number is 3,695.

I know it's vague, but I trust that the entrants will be able to produce something heartfelt from such a prompt. -- Use your immagination. The sky is the limit and, no, the piece does not have to be realistic. It can be any genre of writing, any time period, etc. Just give me something good. -- The prompt number must appear at least *once* throughout the story.

[Ali Wytch]

Where To Find Each Submission -

Submission #1: Page 1, entitled "Gone Too Soon."
Submission #2: Page 1, entitled "3/6/95: The day that changed my life."
Submission #3: Page 2, entitled "The Finding of my Creator."
Submission #4: Page 2. entitled "Prepared to Die."
Submission #5: Page 3, entitled "Latte Memoire"

[Ali Wytch]

Open -

You may begin submitting entries at any time.

[Ali Wytch]

}{ Gone -- Too -- Soon }{

3,695 minutes. That's how long it had been. Less than 72 hours since she had recieved the most heartbreaking news in her close to twenty years of life. Just three days since she'd seen the OB, but not the heart beat that she'd been waiting for weeks to see. All that was visible on that small screen was what the doctor had called a "gestational sac." "My best guess is that you're miscarrying," was all he'd said. No condolences, no time to even ask if she could get a second opinion. "I'm going to set up another appointment for you in about two days. I want you to get more blood work done, because your HCG levels haven't really dropped since your E.R. visit, but neither have they risen. It's best that we make sure with a follow up," 'but basically there's no hope for you.' Those last words were only implied, but they hit her with a sense of finality and she felt the tears begin to sting her eyes.

She looked across the room to where her mother was sitting and could no longer hold back the tears that threatened to spill over. Everyone in the family knew, the father had even vowed to stick by her side throughout this whole thing, even though they'd only been dating for a few months. She'd been so close to the end of her first trimester. In two days time she would have been eleven weeks, which would have given her a week or two left until her second trimester and the risk of miscarriage would have dropped dramatically. Now she had to tell everbody, inspite of her own pain, that she'd lost the baby. Now she had to sit and listen to their condolences and telling her "everything will be okay", when all she really wanted was to curl up in a ball and cry until she couldn't cry anymore, not talk to anyone, and do basically nothing.

She'd gone back two days later, but the blood tests and new O.B. revealed the same as the first. "You're having a miscarriage, but your levels aren't dropping fast enough. You've got three options, we can give you pills, do a D&C, or you can do it the longest way and go naturally," he said, not sounding too thrilled with the idea of her letting the miscarriage happen naturally. 'Pills," she thought 'No way do I want to do that. I don't want to do the D&C, either, but if I say that I'll do the D&C I have a few days to decide if I do want something to help with this, and I can change my mind, since it won't be an actual appointment.' "I'll just wait and see what Monday brings," she told the doctor, her tone detached as she starred at him through blank eyes. She just wanted to go home. The doctor prescribed her some medication, but before it could be picked up, the severe cramping had started.

Half the night she stayed up, curled up on the couch and squeezing her boyfriends hand through the pain. The pain that shot through her abdominal area was more excrutiating than anything she'd ever experienced. It was bad enough to keep her mind from focusing too much on the mental anguish, though the tears continued to flow. Finally the meds kicked in and the pain dulled down enough for her to take the pill the new OB had prescribed her to help with sleep. She kept hold of her boyfriends hand as she finally drifted off to sleep, but even with the medication, it wasn't a good night's rest. The morning brought relief from the physical pain, but the mental anguish returned with a vicious onslaught, and it seemed like the tears would never stop.

"I love you baby, and some day you will make a wonderful mother. It just wasn't time yet." An ironic laugh escaped her, and the words did nothing to comfort her grief. Nothing would make her feel better for a long time to come.

[Ali Wytch]

C'mon, really? Is the prompt that bad? =/ I've seen other people with similar prize money offered that have gotten entries.

[Sky Rhapsody]

I'll give it a go, hon. Give me a few hours. m'kay?

[Ali Wytch]

Sure.

[Mid Reuel]

Might give it a go. Just give me some time to brainstorm something. wink

[Ali Wytch]

Sure, not a problem. The end of the submission period isn't over for a while yet.

[TheAmpersandClown]

I'll happily join 3nodding Just give me a while, it should be in later or tomorrow xd

[Ali Wytch]

3/6/95: The day that changed my life.

Today is the fifth anniversary of my father’s death, and my fifteenth birthday.
This day is now remembered more for my father’s death than for my birth, but I don’t mind much.

My father was a fire-fighter, and on my tenth birthday he was called out to put out a fire at the town hall. I asked him not to go, but he said he had to, so he did. The mortician said that he died of smoke inhalation, rather than the flames, when he got trapped. But I knew that he didn’t die of smoke inhalation; he’d never take off his mask.

I don’t remember much about him, though I should. All I remember is that he was my hero, because he saved people.

My mother loved him dearly, and when she found out the news she slowly broke down. She now lives at a psychiatric hospital, and she barely remembers me. When I do visit her she’s usually mumbling things about my father, or so sleepy because of her medication that she doesn’t even speak to me. That’s what upsets me most.

I now live with my aunt and uncle, and they treat me like their own child, as they never had their own children. I’m grateful for their kindness, but I’ll never feel as happy as I did before my father died.

Today I visited my mother at the hospital. Luckily it was one of her good days, and she remembered me. She asked how I was, and if I was still friends with Jimmy. Jimmy had moved to Australia when I was nine, but I didn’t say because I knew she got confused about what year it is sometimes. I had taken her some sandwiches, cheese and cucumber ones; I knew she still liked them.

As my mother was eating the sandwiches, a nurse came in and said I should leave because it was group therapy time. I hugged my mother goodbye and said I’d be in tomorrow.

When I got home, my aunt, uncle and some fire-fighters were there, and they wished me a happy birthday. Most of my father’s fire team were there, and they tried to be happy for me, even though I knew that they felt sad too. My uncle and aunt had bought me a new cage and some treats for my hamster, and the fire team chipped in to buy me a personal CD player. I thanked everyone for coming, despite the fact that I wasn’t feeling social.

My aunt insisted on me having some cake, so I politely blew out the candles and had a slice of cake. I didn’t wish for anything when I blew out the candles, because I knew my wish wouldn’t come true. As everyone was finishing their cake, I excused myself and went outside into the cool night air.

I sat on the kerb for a while, looking at the stars, when I got up and started walking a familiar path, towards the graveyard. Wandering between the gravestones, I picked some snowdrops from the grass and continued looking for my father’s grave. I found it almost immediately, as I went there nearly every week to lay fresh flowers.
I sat at the foot of the gravestone and lay down the snowdrops. I’m not sure why, as this usually didn’t happen, but my eyes watered and I began crying. I sat there for hours, and I’m still sitting here now.

As I hear the sound of my aunt’s car crunching over the gravel, I look at the engraving on the gravestone, and read it aloud:

“Neil Jackman, brave fire-fighter and beloved husband and father; 20th February 1961 - 3rd June 1995.”

My aunt puts her arm around me and hugs me for a while, then walked me slowly to her car.

*Submission by : xXLapineGalloiseXx *

[Gopacksand]

I'm interesting in this :]...
Give me some time. I'll see what I can come up with.