Contests

First Place

Rescue Me

Mario Aliberto III

The water rushed into her mouth, cold, filling her up. Above, sunshine broke upon the ocean’s surface. The man splashed through, blotting out the light. Handsome, strong, swimming towards her. Reaching.

She fell deeper, but in the ocean, it was not called falling. Diving, yes, the man would call it that. But to lure a man it had to look like falling.

His eyes saying, I will save you.

A strong swimmer. When he grabbed her wrist, she grabbed his back. Then she released the breath she was holding, air bubbling up from her neck gills, before falling—diving—deeper.

Mario Aliberto III lives in Tampa Bay with his wife and daughters, and yet the dog still runs the house. Twitter: @marioaliberto3

Second Place

Hang Him High

Jenni Meade

It has rained for days, drops falling on me from the sky, from branches heavy with rot, from his bloated fingertips. My clothes are as ragged as the hope that led me to replace his noose with a chain. Thunder rumbles; prayers rise. 

I kiss his bare ankle. All I need is one strike. The wind howls in fury at my obstinance. 

The crack rends the night—the tree—his limb sunders, the dead of tree and dead of man falling at my feet. 

Neither of us breathes.

“Wake up,” I whisper. 

His hand convulses, cold and pale and alive, alive, alive—

When Jenni Meade isn’t writing, she’s either running a construction company, making pork dumplings, or chasing a feral child. When Jenni Meade is writing, she is the feral child. She can be found on Twitter @jmeadeski or online at www.jennimeade.com.

Third Place

The Chamber

James Hancock

Had I a tongue, I might beg for mercy. But I know my fate; there would be no second chance. My room stinks of blood and sweat, and had I eyes to see, the dancing candlelight would show the shadowy form of my keeper. He who scrubs the rack clean as I fumble in the darkness. My waist chained tight, forcing me to stand, and pain stabbing with every shallow breath. I paw with broken fingers, feeling the cold metal walls of my upright coffin. Eagerly, he approaches and the door before me slams shut. I succumb to the maiden.

James writes stories which are a little bizarre.

 He enjoys taking readers down strange and seldom trodden paths.  Often dark, and always with a twist or two along the way.  Comedy, thriller, horror and weird fairy tales.  Stories to make you laugh.  Stories to make you cry.  Stories to make you leave the bedroom light on.  But most importantly, stories you will want to share with your friends.  But they might not thank you for it.

 He lives in England, with his wife and two daughters.  And a bunch of pets he insisted his girls could NOT have. @jimhank13