flash contest

Weekly Flash Contest #1: Write a story told completely through dialogue. How do you communicate the differences between characters? How can you make sure that the reader knows what is going on? Can you make action part of natural-sounding speech? Every week during the COVID-19-related school closures and shelter-in-place arrangements we are running a Flash Contest, based on the first Daily Creativity prompt of the week. The prompt is posted on Monday, and entries are due by Friday. The week commencing March 30th was our first week, and we were delighted by how many of you sent us your work–congratulations to every single one of you for responding so creatively, and for sending us your dialogues. We enjoyed reading each and every one of the entries, and it wasn’t easy to pick a selection of 5 as this week’s winners. But we did it! And they are (in alphabetical order): Eliana Aschheim, 13, Santa Clara, CA Liam Hancock, 12, Danville, CA Gabe Horowitz, 10, Bethesda, MD Matthew-Seungho Jeong, 13, Houston, TX Kat Werth, 10, Bethesda, MD Congratulations to all of them! Visit this page to refer back to the contest prompt, and read on to see what our winners wrote. “Barsem’s Pigeons” by Eliana Aschheim, 13, Santa Clara, CA “Ooh, that looks cool. Natalie, can we go over to that cute temple over there?” “Sure, Eleanor, but no one’s inside. I don’t think it’s open.” “We can check.” “I don’t think it’s closed. I mean, the lights are on and the door is propped open.” “Why are there pigeons in neat rows on the floor?” “Beats me. They’re alive, just really calm. The only pigeons I’ve seen are jittery and stupid and always fluttering around. Really annoying.” “I see a man in the back. We can ask him!” “Whatever.” “Welcome. I am Barsem, Master Meditator.” “Hello, Barsem. I’m Eleanor and this is my friend Natalie. We just wanted to ask you about those pigeons.” “Ah! You have found the crux of the problem, the bane of my existence!” “What is it, Barsem?” “Ah, Eleanor, the pigeons. These street birds invaded my humble temple one week ago. They refused to leave, no matter how much I pleaded. All of my regular visitors left for the Hip and Cool Enlightenment Temple. One woman even had the nerve to say, ‘At least they don’t have pigeons.’” “Barsem, I’m so sorry. Can we help you?” “Yes! Fabulous! My pigeon problems are over!” “What can we do to help you?” “Thank you, Eleanor, for asking. It is simple. You must make them leave.” “You mean by scaring them away?” “You are correct.” “Couldn’t you have done that yourself? It’s literally super easy. Why do you need us?” “Natalie, I am Barsem, Master Meditator. I do not intentionally instill fear in small animals.” “You do you. I’m ready to kick some pigeon butt!” “Natalie! Be kind. We can be nice to the pigeons.” “And politely ask them to leave? No way. Pigeons are dumb and rude.” “Okay, Barsem, we’ll do it.” “Thank you girls! I will be able to keep my karma clean. I am just going to go outside, where I can’t watch.” “All right.” “Selfish dude. Out of his mind. He’s basically saying his karma is better than ours.” “Natalie, I feel bad for him. Losing all his visitors because of some headstrong birds.” “Sure. To not ruin his karma.” “Pigeons! Um, excuse me. Could you please go now?” “Oh, Eleanor, I’ll show you how it’s done. PIGEONS, GET OUT OF HERE NOW. GET! OUT! OF! HERE! NOW! THAT’S RIGHT! TAKE YOUR LITTLE BIRD BODIES OUTSIDE! GO! GOOD! OUT THE DOOR! THERE! “ “None left. That’s how it’s done. “ “That certainly worked. “ “Told you. Gotta have that element of fear.” “Um. Thanks, Natalie.” “All cool, Eleanor.” “I’m going to tell Barsem he can come back inside.” “I already heard. Thank you girls, for saving my temple and afterlife.” “No problem, Barsem.” “I would like to offer you gifts of gratitude. In true simplistic fashion, I offer you negative possessions.” “Negative possessions? Uh, I don’t think that’s a thing.” “No, Natalie, it is. Instead of giving you objects to clutter up your house, I offer you empty space. So it is a negative possession, because you could have gained something.” “So you’re saying you have nothing? We don’t have a present?” “Natalie!” “It is fine, Eleanor. And not quite, Natalie. Your present is nothing.” “So we get nothing as a gift?” “Exactly!” “Thank you, Barsem, for your thoughtful kind present.” “You’re welcome. Thank you for your noble deeds.” “Yeah, um. We have to go.” “Goodbye, Barsem!” “Farewell, Eleanor and Natalie!” “Bye, dude.” “One Boy for Another: A Story Through Dialogue” by Liam Hancock, 12, Danville, CA “Listen…” “I don’t need to listen to a word you say.” “Please.” “You dug a hole for yourself. Why don’t you go lay in it?” “Okay, okay. I deserved that. And I’m sorry. Please… just give me a minute.” “Thirty seconds.” “Forty-five.” “The time’s ticking. Spit it out.” “Okay… by the way you’re talking, I’ll bet you know that… that I used to bully him.” “My brother? Yes, yes I knew.” “And I know it was wrong. And I never got to apologize, you know. For everything I did. He… it happened so fast.” “I know.” “So now that he’s gone, I just have to get things off of my shoulders, you know?” “You think saying you’re sorry to me is going to fix anything?” “No. I think saying sorry will help me sleep at night.” “Well… I just… to be honest, I don’t know what to think. I don’t.” “Then here’s what we’ll do. I say what I need to say, and you can hate me for it, but at least you’ll never have to see me again.” “Sounds like a win-win to me.” “Your brother was a good kid, Elizabeth.” “Don’t call me by my name.” “Fine, fine. Your brother was good was all