Wednesday, October 19, 2011

GOLDEN DONUT CONTEST

I was a Top Ten Finalist in the Golden Donut Contest (Writers Police Academy contest).  We had to compose a mystery based on the picture below in exactly 200 words (title included).  Here is my entry:








 BURIED SECRETS

I blame Grandpa for my current predicament.
He filled my head with bedtime stories after my parents died. Made up stories, he said. But I saw the looks Grandma gave him.

Grandpa tucked me into bed, covers pulled up to my chin. I listened to tales of trickery and thievery. The hero was a clever fellow, pulling off daring heists. For years the stories thrilled me.

I grew up and moved out of the old two story, isolated family home. Grandpa died. I pieced together the clues scattered throughout his tales. I checked out newspaper archives over donuts and coffee. The stories were true. I set out to find his stash of stolen goods hidden somewhere under that neglected house of my childhood.

The overgrown grounds almost engulfed the abandoned building. I sweated and dug in that dank basement. All I uncovered for my trouble was bones.

So many bones.

Suddenly, in between the decrepit house's creaks and groans, I heard the sounds of stomping down those rickety steps, dragging something heavy and cumbersome.
I stood paralyzed. Nowhere to hide and no way out but up those very stairs.

I wondered - who will dig up my bones?

9 comments:

  1. I love this! It's so creepy - chilling. And perfect for this time of year...

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  2. I was going to save it for my Halloween post - but I've got something else creepy scheduled for the 31st.

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  3. Thanks! It was quite a challenge to write it in EXACTLY 200 words.

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  4. Fun! And a nice tight challenge to do it in 200 words exactly.

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  5. Thanks! It was a very interesting experience.

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  6. I didn't even comment on the exactitude of it..200 words only. I think I would faint. I am far too wordy.

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  7. Thanks. It was hard to not only limit my words - but to get the exact number they required (title included!)

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  8. You did an awesome job with those 200 words

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