Mini-Contest #46
The 46th OTP mini-contest launched in October 2020. This mini-contest asked contestants to write a story that was exactly six sentences long, with each sentence being exactly six words long.
We received 159 entries. Here are the winning entries, then the honorable mentions. Five of the six winners are new to OTP.
Third Place by Margo Rife (new to OTP)
Rapunzel, don’t let down your hair.
Stay locked in your lofty tower.
Don’t let men climb on you.
Stay safe, be alert, on guard.
Watch this YouTube on cutting hair.
Girl, delete those Instagram photos now!
Second Place by Nancy Clark (new to OTP)
Susan watched Ethan dig another hole. It was therapy for them both. He thought he was planting mines. He’d done that in the army. Her heart broke, yet she smiled. Next spring, tulips would explode gloriously.
First Place by Margaret Peacock (took first place in mini-contest #15)
Headlines read: Infant kidnapped; Nixon resigns. Nixon’s dead, and Corey’s fate’s unknown. My parents are gone now, too. Mama enshrined hope in cardboard boxes.
If alive, my brother is forty-seven. Should I throw away his toys?
Honorable Mentions (no money, just fame)
Three other entries scored highly enough to earn honorable mentions.
The kid was an easy target. Small, introverted, non-verbal, LGBTQ2 and scared. He never fought back, just grinned. Funeral attendees grieved bullying and suicide.The coffin didn’t change him much. Still lonesome behind a dead smile.
(by Bobby Rollins, new to OTP)
You’re tempted to stroke her cheek. She’s so fragile, this tiny human. She stirs, you freeze, she settles. Ignore the headlines: they don’t matter. Your whole world is right here. When baby sleeps, all is well.
(by Amanda Moscou, new to OTP)
“Marcus said six or a half-dozen.”
“I said both, but never mind.”
The miscommunication produced an unfinished quiche. However, Elaina’s shopping wasn’t completely unsuccessful. She also brought back several six-packs. Family brunch was never more fun.
(by Emilee Prado, new to OTP)
Congratulations to the winners and our sincere thanks to everyone who entered the mini-contest.