You guys! I didn’t know what I was in for, having a contest challenging you to write about FREAKs. Every single entry was a contender, and no, I’m not exaggerating. Your stories far exceeded my expectations, and I appreciate your efforts and all the support you’ve given me.
Thank you so, so much.
Unfortunately, I had to disqualify three entries due to slightly high word counts, even though I absolutely cringed over one of them. But it wouldn’t be fair to break the rules. I admit, I kind of wanted to give everyone a prize, but I know that would defeat the spirit of competition.
And please remember, just because you didn’t win doesn’t mean your story wasn’t excellent! The only criteria was to MAKE ME CRINGE, which is purely subjective, and these were the stories that FREAKed me out the most:
saved him, but he couldn’t get a foothold on the sheer rock face.
She
sighed. The climbing vacation had been her idea. It had taken all her
powers of persuasion to get him up here, but she couldn’t decide which
was the harder battle: overcoming his vertigo, or getting three full
days out of his schedule all to herself.
He was taking it all
very calmly. Remarkably so. No sign of his terror of heights. Maybe
high-powered – and wealthy – vice-presidents were made of sterner stuff
than she’d given him credit for.
“It’ll be over soon, honey,”
she called. She fingered the knife at her belt. “But, if you’re going
to, this would be a good time to freak.”
voices follow me down the hallway, a constant buzz in the background,
like the TV tuned to a dead channel, like the tide sucking at my feet,
drowning me an inch at a time.
Weirdo. Freak.
It’s
my own fault. I know I bring it on myself. Long blonde hair dyed black
over a sink in the girls’ bathroom, cut to just below my ears with
scissors stolen from art class, not caring when the roots start to show.
Not caring when the cuts on my wrists show.
Freak.
It
should bother me more: the names, the voices. But it’s so much easier
to ignore them than the others, the voices no-one else hears, and for a
little while after the cold metal splits my skin, they go quiet.
field, blood staining the Astroturf beneath them. Coach Edelman dangled
from the goal post, a thick string trailing from his slack mouth. It
took me a minute to realize it was his whistle. Someone had jammed it
down his throat.
A group of cheerleaders lay in a pile near the
end zone. Their skinny legs with orange spray tans stuck up at odd
angles making it impossible to tell where one ended and the other began.
It
wasn’t until I caught sight of the mascot that something inside me
broke. We were the Shadow High Eagles but the costume looked more like a
freaky chicken. It was upended in a giant cooler of Gatorade. Bright
yellow feet drifted slowly from side to side as the green liquid sloshed
and spilled over.
I screamed my anguish at the sky.
Wore a wig, number unlisted.
Snuff film madame,
Real name, Adam;
Transvestite joke,
Gave head for coke.
Six lines down, rock star clown;
She’ll make you laugh in the worst part of town.
She’ll show you hers and leave a scar;
You won’t make it home if you get in her car.
She’ll get you high, she’ll make you cry,
She’ll freak you out, and then you’ll die.
This was so much fun. Thanks for participating, everyone. You rock!
Congratulations to the winners!
Awesome! Congrats to the winners. =D
Congrats to the winners! 🙂
Congrats to the winners!!!
So many great entries! Congrats to everyone who won!
Whoa! Such talent around here. Congratulations, winners! 🙂
AHH! Wow! Those were SO good!! Congrats to the winners!
Congratulations, you guys! I LOVED your stories!!! 😀
This was one of my favorite contests. Congrats to the winners!
This was a fun contest, way too much fun to worry about silly things such as rules. The winning stories rocked. Congratulations!!!
YEAAAAAAAAA!!! I'm a FREAK!!!! Wait…oh well. YEAAAAAA!!!!!!
THANK YOU!!!!! I loves you like an old lady loves blue hair dye.
Cannot wait to read this, Jennifer. I am so excited I forgot to say that.lol
Congrats to the winners! These are all really good!
Grants to all the winners it was the first time in over 20 years that U had to make up a story great fun.
Congrats!
OMG! Thank you SO MUCH, Jennifer. I can't believe you picked me out of all those awesome – and FREAKY – entries! This was so much fun, too. Everyone who took part is a winner.
Congratulations to the winners!
Congrats to the winners! I loved reading their entries
LESLIE CARON IS A SERIAL KILLER with YOUNGEE?
Congrats winners! They are all great!
*flails like a muppet* Yay, thank you, Jennifer! I can't wait to get my hands on FREAK. Also, do you make a cool contest or what?
Thanks for the honorable mention! Congrats to the winners! Great stories. 🙂
Wow, those were awesome. You have talented reader/writers here, Jenny, I'm impressed!
Those are seriously incredible. Congrats to the winners! Well done!
Serves me right that I had to struggle to pick the winners. I knew the entries would be good, but not this good! Thanks again, everyone! I love reading flash fiction. Now if I was only good at writing it… 🙂
We'll do lavender hair when we're old. Ya know, change it up. 🙂 I loves you too!
Thanks for entering, Cherie! I loved your story. 🙂 It reminded me of Bram Stoker's Dracula, when Dracula is a beast and attacking Lucy. SO COOL.
Thanks for entering, Mattie! You need to finish your story! I want to know what happens next. 🙂
You nerd, making me disqualify you because of the word count. And yet you're the math whiz of the two of us! 🙂
You made me very proud. <3
Your story made me shiver! You're awesome, and I can't wait for your book. 🙂
I loved your story, Casey! It made me laugh. I hope it wasn't true, LOL.
You're a big nerd too. I loved your story and you made me disqualify you! Grrr.
Your story had a succubus! Like, HELLO, I think you have a knack for writing cringe-worthy. It was soooo close. 🙂 Loved it.
John, your story was great! I really really hope you keep writing. 🙂
Thanks for entering, Adam. Your ending was AWESOME.
Your story blew me away. It was gorgeously subtle. Congratulations again. 🙂
Thanks for entering, Elena! I loved your poem, I want to set it to music. 🙂
Thanks for participating, Yvonne! Your story totally resonated with me, thank you. I love it when the bullies get theirs. 🙂
Weren't they awesome? Thanks, Lisa!
Right? We're in good company. 🙂
Girl, you made me work for it. All your entries were great! Well done. 🙂
Thanks so much for entering, Danielle. I absolutely loved the positive message of your story, I thought it was fantastic.
Thanks, Lynda! Glad you enjoyed them!
Thanks, Colene! 🙂
Insanely talented people around here, both writers and non-writer! I was beyond impressed. 🙂
Thanks, Alex!
Thanks, RaShelle!
Great snippets!! And Congrats to the winners!! 😀
<3
Can't wait till FREAK hits the shelves!
Those were some well deserving winners!
Congrats to those who won &!those who entered. They are all wInners. I wanted to enter but had a lit if stuff going on. I would love to read Freak!
Argh @ my app not letting me fix the spelling issues.
Congratulations to the winners! Cringe-worthy indeed. And I don't feel bad about losing; I didn't want a stinkin' dead tree copy anyway. (Skulks off to the corner to chortle something incoherent about Greenpeace…)
Botanist is a very surprising words weaver, he surely deserved your prize, I can hardly wait to read the rest of your nominations. You've created a lovely event here Jennifer :).
Hi Jennifer,
As promised if you might have noted my comment below your comment on Ian's site; I'm absolutely delighted for my good friend. Indeed, I think it's terrific and very proactive of you to have such a contest.
Congrats to all winners and congrats to you, Jennifer on your articulate and eloquent blog.
In kindness and happy writing, your way, Gary 🙂