Mini-Contest #67
The 67th OTP mini-contest launched in September 2026. This mini-contest asked contestants to write a story between 25 and 50 words long that was formatted as a list.
For technical reasons, we had to bend the rules a bit (bullet points did strange things to our system’s word counts). Also, we got enough entries that used multiple lists to tell a story that we decided to allow that interpretation of the rules. Finally, although it’s normally a rule that mini-contests aren’t allowed to have titles, some of our best entries wouldn’t make sense without a label saying what the list was. So, we relaxed that rule for this contest as well.
We received 180 entries and chose six entries for publication. First we present the three prize-winning entries, then the honorable mentions. Five of the six winners are new to OTP.
Third Place by Susmita Ramani (new to OTP)
• Sign divorce papers
• Drive by M.’s work (don’t stop)
• Steal back Lady Whiskerton
• Buy human-grade cat food (the kind she likes)
• Change social media statuses to Single
• Cancel joint credit card
• Delete M.’s number and block him
• Leave L.W. at parents’ and go on a girls’ weekend
Second Place by P.S. Ayaas (new to OTP)
Things I Carried Across the Border:
• My mother’s hand
• My father’s silence
• One photograph
• The name of our village
• A hunger I could not explain
• A language nobody had written down
• The stubborn belief that one day, “home” would mean a place again
First Place by Kelly Okoniewski (new to OTP)
1. Grocery shopping
2. Pick up glasses for John
3. Mammogram Take car into shop / weird noise
1. Pictures for passports
2. Take Susan to get dress for dance
3. Mammogram Wait for heater repair man
1. Chemo
2. Surgery
3. Radiation
Honorable Mentions (no money, just fame)
Three other entries earned honorable mentions.
• Local waterway: dead fish.
• Local wildlife: deceased or displaced.
• Campsite investigation: three missing persons.
• Water samples: contaminated.
• Unknown organism: reproducing rapidly.
• Source identified: abandoned paper mill.
• Quarantine recommendation: pending state approval.
• Local schools and businesses: remain open until further notice.
by “The Writing John” (new to OTP)
Evidence Bag #1:
1. Handgun, Glock 9mm
2. Shell Casing, 9mm
Evidence Bag #2:
1. W-2, Ironworks Construction
2. Hospital Bill, Seattle Children’s Hospital
3. W-2, SafeSite Overnight Security Services
4. Hospital Bill, Mayo Clinic Children’s Center
5. 1099-K, Uber
6. Hospital Bill, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
7. Lottery Ticket
8. Life Insurance Policy, Mass Mutual
by Mike Lopez (new to OTP)
• Hey Jude
• Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)
• Nothing Compares 2 U
• I Can’t Make You Love Me
• You’re So Vain
• Toxic
• Won’t Get Fooled Again
• Go Your Own Way
• I Will Always Love You
• Proud Mary
by Liz Mayers (published in Issue #45)
Congratulations to the winners and our sincere thanks to everyone who entered the mini-contest.