Short Story Entries
After receiving a record number of entries, we’re proud to announce our contest finalists! We’ve posted them here for you to read and enjoy. As you read each of them, if you like what you just read, click the “like” button at the top of the page. In addition to the top three winners, as chosen by best-selling novelist, Caroline Leavitt, the story with the most “likes” will received a prize at the GBF on May 18th.
The Space Between Us
School: Centennial High School ● Howard County, Maryland
by Jennifer Baik Centennial High School ● Howard County, Maryland Addie: …I was sixteen the year my brother vanished. Finn: Who is this? Addie, is that you? A: He was so handsome. Wasn’t he handsome? F: Eh…. A: Never mind, that was a stupid question. F: Addie, why did you call? It’s 2 AM. [...]
View Full StoryMy Letter
School: Walter Johnson High School ● Montgomery County, Maryland
by Megan Baldwin Walter Johnson High School ● Montgomery County, Maryland I was 16 the year my brother vanished. Once Eric started to fade around the edges, Mom and I took him to the doctor to find to find out what was going on and how we could fix [...]
View Full StoryThe Hungry Moon
School: Northwest High School ● Montgomery County, Maryland
by Rebecca Danaceau Northwest High School ● Montgomery County, Maryland Every summer, whether he or she wanted to or not, one person was chosen to go to the moon. “The moon” was our name for the cave on the other side of the Wilkinson’s field. It was dark and [...]
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School: Robinson Secondary School ● Fairfax County, Virginia
by Casey Early Robinson Secondary School ● Fairfax County, Virginia Every summer, whether he or she wanted to or not, one person was chosen to go to the moon. We would gather ’round in a circle with candle-shadows on our faces and the Sparrow would write all our names down and put ‘em in a [...]
View Full StoryStarving for Love
School: Washington Waldorf School ● Fairfax County, Virginia
by Mia Harris Washington Waldorf School ● Fairfax County, Virginia The first time he saw her, she was homeless, sitting in Union Station eating crackers from a paper bag. The gray mutt had no collar and no name, no loving family to return to at the end of the day. She snapped up her crackers [...]
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School: Woodrow Wilson High School ● Washington, DC
by Rachel Page Woodrow Wilson High School ● Washington, DC Every summer, whether he or she wanted to or not, one person was chosen to go to the moon. When we were in sixth grade it was our biology teacher Ms. Franco. We read the announcement on the faded sheets of newspaper we kept on [...]
View Full StoryWe Found Eli
School: Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology ● Fairfax County, Virginia
by Nur Simsek Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology ● Fairfax County, Virginia I was sixteen the year my brother vanished. Eli lived with us physically, but his mind existed elsewhere. The family doctor diagnosed him with autism at the age of three. Eli’s beautiful blue eyes would wander around, but they would [...]
View Full StoryThe Moon and the Boy
School: Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School ● Montgomery County, Maryland
by Cary Spector Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School ● Montgomery County, Maryland Every summer, whether he or she wanted to or not, one person was chosen to go to the moon. That’s now at least. 50 years ago there wasn’t much contact between the people and the Bodies, though it depended on which Body. Pluto was [...]
View Full StoryHonors Physics Period Five
School: Walter Johnson High School ● Montgomery County, Maryland
by Caroline E. Steel Walter Johnson High School ● Montgomery County, Maryland The first time he saw her, she was homeless, sitting in Union Station eating crackers from a paper bag. Her hair was mud-brown and greasy, her face was dark and dotted with acne, and a shopping cart teetered solitarily against the tiled wall [...]
View Full StoryWhere Astronauts Go
School: Osbourn Park High School ● Prince William County, Virginia
by Becky Sutherland Osbourn Park High School ● Prince William County, Virginia The first time he saw her, she was homeless, sitting in Union Station eating crackers from a paper bag. Or rather, the first several times he saw her. The thing was, his train was early that day, and he missed it. Rather than [...]
View Full StoryCrackers, Christ, and The Deus Ex Machina: A Spiritual Love Story
School: Northwood High School ● Montgomery County, Maryland
by Devin Taylor Northwood High School ● Montgomery County, Maryland The first time he saw her, she was homeless, sitting in Union Station eating crackers from a paper bag. He was fairly sure they were saltines, but then again, they could have been Triscuits. A lifelong cracker enthusiast and quasi-crack pot, he knew he was [...]
View Full StoryHello
School: Oakton High School ● Fairfax County, Virginia
by Joey Vaughan Oakton High School ● Fairfax County, Virginia The first time he saw her, she was homeless, sitting in Union station eating crackers from a paper bag. From first glance John realized something was off. Her hair was too perfect, the way it curled down and caressed her shoulder. Her beautiful blue eyes [...]
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