Contest Magazine

ETHOS LITERACY 3rd Annual Short Short Story Contest

2022

Contents 1

Ethos Literacy

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The Contest

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Tuba BEST OF CONTEST WINNER

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- Natalie Martusciello

Top out BEST OF CATEGORY: SKYSCRAPERS -Callie Ann Marsalisi

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Sky's the limit BEST YOUTH STORY

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- McCrae Maddox

1944 BEST OF CATEGORY: TUBAS -Erica Ward

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momento mori BEST OF CATEGORY: CHEWING GUM

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The Missing PEOPLE'S CHOICE PRIZE -Haylee Carlisle

-Jacqueline Parker

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Horror Movie BEST OF CATEGORY: HORROR MOVIES -Joann Severson

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The Authors

Honorable Mentions 12

A Lucky Stop chewing gum

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– Danielle Sheehan

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Tuba Tugging Troubles tubas

– Jessica Going

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– Margaret Johnson

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Felix and his Bubble Gum chewing gum

Anachronism youth

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Wellington Snew chewing gum – Kevin Tabor

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The Building That Scraped the Sky youth – Eva Abergo

Yellow Parachute skyscrapers –Damian Pickering

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– Ananya Anand

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Swan Triumphant chewing gum –Susan Crow

– Healing Glass

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Star-crossed chewing gum

The Way We Met tubas – Jonathan Seyfried

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A True Soldier youth –Kayden Catlin

Ethos Literacy Ethos Literacy is an award winning nonprofit serving the Albuquerque, New Mexico area. Since 2009, Ethos Literacy has provided free, individualized tutoring to adults who want to improve their lives through education. Using customized student curricula, our primary focus is building foundational skills in reading, writing and English language acquisition.

Ethos Literacy

sets in motion positive change for individuals and families.

Ethos Literacy www.ethosliteracy.org

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The Contest The challenge: write a complete story using 100 words on one of these topics: chewing gum, horror movies, skyscapers and tubas. We received 251 submissions from authors living in 32 US states and 15 countries. We thank all the authors who submitted stories.

Stories were judged by panels of community volunteers using a scoring rubric.

The Best of Contest winner was chosen by Ethos Literacy's Board of Directors.

We awarded seven cash prizes to winning authors: Best of Contest Best Youth Story - for writers 14 years old or younger Best of Category People's Choice Prize - a public vote on 2nd place stories.

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Best of Contest Winner Tuba Natalie Martusciello .

I had only ever felt him.

He once held me against his chest beneath the heavy heat of the stagelight, his art and soul navigating my vast brass body. I echoed the emotion he revealed to me. He rinsed me with warm water, the softness with which one would bathe an ordinary human child seeping through his touch.

I am now propped against an unstable folding table, an old towel stained with hair dye beneath me. Unfamiliar people feel me and debate my worth.

He and some stranger heave me into her car. I feel him for the last time.

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Best of Category Youth Prize Sky's the Limit McCrae Maddox .

A minuscule boy dreams of building the tallest skyscraper to the moon. His father, a workaholic, declares “it cannot be done,

especially by some boy”. Not heeding the words of his father, traversing across his yard, carrying his few, mismatched LEGOs, he begins his mighty task. Working for what felt like years, ultimately he managed to reach the moon. The boy practically begged his father to come and see. When he saw, he gave a half-hearted “good job”. Feeling discouraged, he bitterly fractured his skyscraper into pieces.The power of words and their meanings can build up or tear down.

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Best of Category Chewing Gum momento mori Jacqueline Parker When she passes a stick of gum, he fashions the foil wrapper into a

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ring and makes her a promise. On her birthday. At homecoming. On

their wedding day. The birth of their child. And, when she’s fading from a disease that invaded her body long before he met her, he gives her another.

In the closet they shared is a box of silver circles. They are worn, smooth around the curves. Aluminum flecks cover his fingers like glitter.

The last ring goes into the ground. It’s his final vow, a promise to keep.

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Best of Category Horror Movies Horror Movie Joann Severson .

Gripping bagged popcorn, my six-year-old self stared breathlessly at the screen. A carload of teenagers barreled carelessly down the gravel road; rounding the bend at the red stone house, their car tumbled into a bottomless abyss.

I often woke panicked, this scene replaying in my mind.

Now 16, wanting to impress my buddies, I sped with them down an unfamiliar country lane. Suddenly and unexpectedly seeing the ominous red stone house on my right, I slammed on the brakes, fishtailing as we negotiated the curve. Jolting to a halt, my car’s front tires teetered at the cliff’s edge.

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Best of Category Skyscrapers Top Out Callie Ann Marsalisi She’s moving towards everything she ever wanted. Moving upwards,. one floor at a time, the backlit button with the number sixty her North Star. Moving past the debt, the hours, the cancelled plans.

Past mailing wedding gifts and baby shower gifts with “sorry I couldn’t make it” attached; past never receiving any of her own. She was persistent—onwards and upwards, always and always. But as the elevator slides to a stop, she realizes this is the top. There is nowhere else to go, no further floors to conquer. She is finished.

She is thirty-nine.

It’s quiet up here.

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Best of Category Tubas 1944 Erica Ward Grandpa’s tuba looms behind glass doors misted with age. He hasn’t. played it since the war.

One evening as Grandpa nods in his chair, Grandma beckons me to the basement. She whispers the tuba’s tale. . . . The allied forces were besieged in the Ardennes. The 28th Infantry Division band – brave, but inexperienced in battle – were asked to swap their instruments for arms . . . She hands me the cabinet key solemnly, “I’ll leave you now.”

Placing my lips against the tuba’s mouthpiece, only the terrified cries of Grandpa’s fallen friends emerge. I cradle the twisted form, tears falling to brighten the burnished brass.

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People's Choice Prize Winner

The Missing Youth Author Category Haylee Carlisle I walked into class today . . . another kid was missing. That’s the .

third kid this week! Ms. Slapper stood at the board, gazing at us,

grinning. “Chomp-Chomp”, “Ari, stop chewing. She’s going to see you,” I whispered. “She won’t see it through my mask”, said Ari. “Ari, are you chewing gum . . . IN MY CLASSROOM!” Ms. Slapper yelled. Ari’s eyes opened wide. Ms. Slapper rushed towards her. “Spit it Out! No chewing gum in class, EVER!” The next day, Ari was missing. I knew Ms. Slapper had something to do with her disappearance. I sat quietly in my seat, in fear.

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The Authors Natalie Martusciello is from Long Island, New York. She is an English major and creative writing concentrator at the College of Charleston. This is her first piece of micro fiction.

McCrae Maddox is an eighth grader who attends Estancia Valley Classical Academy and lives near Albuquerque, New Mexico. He really enjoys spending time with his family, church group, and just people in general. He also enjoys speedcubing, card tricks, and is learning jujitsu.

Jacqueline Parker lives in Charlotte, NC with her boyfriend, dog, and a lot of plants. Her fiction often explores loss in its many forms, but occasionally she writes something funny. Her work has been featured in Small Leaf Press and Prime Number Magazine, and she has forthcoming work in MacQueen's Quinterly.

Joann Severson is a retired RN, having worked for 45 years in health care. She enjoys reading, walking, flyfishing, and most of all spending time with her five grandchildren. Now that travel opportunities are opening back up, she looks forward to seeing more of the world with her husband and best friend, Steve.

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Callie Ann Marsalisi nearly failed handwriting in kindergarten, because she would print some letters backwards and upside down to fit as many on the line as possible. She has not stopped writing since, and is currently attempting to publish an academic paper, a science fiction novel, and a LGBT+ romance novel. She has a degree in Linguistics from Northeastern University. She currently resides in Delaware and, besides publishing her first novel, her goal in life is to rescue as many pit bulls as the state will allow her to.

Erica Ward. Born and brought up in the UK, in her late thirties Erica and her husband moved their home and photography business to beautiful British Columbia in western Canada, where they now live a happy life in the mountains with an adorable dog Fuji. As a child she was an avid writer, blessed with family and teachers who encouraged my creative efforts. Erica just emerged from a long hiatus to start writing again and is happy to have discovered Ethos Literacy through the micro-fiction contest.

Haylee Carlisle is 9 years old. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with her parents, younger brother and three dogs. She loves playing soccer, writing stories, hanging out with her friends and cousins, and playing with her dog Zoey.

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Honorable Mentions

A LuckyStop Chewing Gum

Danielle Sheehan .

Rita missed her first alarm this morning. The idea of calling out of

work played ping pong in her head. There was a group of investors stopping by the bank today and her boss endlessly reiterated they should be greeted pleasantly.

Rita half expected to be late, almost gleefully anticipated it. Yet arrived at the station on time, stepping in chewing gum as she exited the train.

What a morning. She mumbled, walking into a bodega to grab some napkins for her shoe.

“Did you hear about the shooting of those hedge fund guys?” The man behind the counter asked.

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Tuba Tugging Troubles Tubas

Margaret Johnson .

Tina tugged her tuba traveling container toward Tumble-Briar Hill.

Two-thirds of the way there, time was ticking! She must tackle the treacherous trek to the top to take part in the Tuba Troupe Recital.

Nearby, twenty tuba players tugged their tubas too.

Tina tottered . . . tripped . . . toppled!

Tina’s tears trickled to the turf when, to her total astonishment, a sturdy tenor voice questioned, “Tuba tugging troubles?”

Through tears, Tina detected a totally-toned, United States Marine, tubist.

He tugged two tubas to the top of Tumble-Briar Hill and he and Tina both tuned their tubas on time!

Truthfully, his name was Toby.

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Felix and his Bubble Gum Chewing Gum

Healing Glass Halfway on his walk to work, Felix realized that he was going to be. late. Felix quickly patted his pockets until he discovered a solution.

From his pocket, he retrieved a package of stringy bubble gum which he bundled up into a ball, popped into his mouth, then began chewing furiously. He blew a bubble thrice his size, which lifted him from the ground. With precise breathing patterns, and lucky winds, Felix managed to float his way toward work! He was close, until he was stopped by an officer who wrote him a ticket. His crime: traveling with expired gum.

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Anachronism Youth

Ananya Anand

It’s thin but firm, and tacky to the touch. The strip is curled in a little

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ball. Matilda has never seen anything like it, so she eats it to see if it is poisoned. It tastes like pink. The strip turns soft and malleable under her teeth. She likes the sticky sound it makes. When she puts it against her teeth and blows, she makes a bubble.

Matilda goes to show her mother.

“WITCH! THERE’S A WITCH!” “A witch?”

“Only a witch could do that!”

“It popped!”

“Get some rope.”

When she wakes up, her skin is doused in flames.

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Wellington Snew Chewing Gum

Kevin Tabor Wellington Snew loved to chew, and chewing was how he gained fame. But, it’s the chewing gum between his teeth is how everyone

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knows his name. His gum was not bought in a candy store, nor spun from a gumball machine. He created the gum in a home laboratory attempting a more flavorful zing!

However, his gum proved to be as strong as pure steel whenever not being chewed. Demonstrating huge ships could be stuck together and the crowds grew to view. Wellington’s simple advice, said while walking back home: ‘you don’t want that gum under your shoe’!

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The Building That Scraped the Sky Youth

Eva Abergo

I’m Henrietta Bailey and I live in New York. I live a normal life like most. Normal or not let me tell you a story. It was a regular day in the

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big apple. Across the street from my apartment, they were building a new skyscraper. After 5 years, the skyscraper should have been

done but wasn’t. After 6 years the building was so tall you couldn’t see the top from the streets. The tip of it was so sharp and so high that at night you can see the galaxy through the hole that skyscraper scraped in the sky.

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Star-crossed Chewing Gum

Jessica Going

Izzy was supposed to be dead but she never felt more alive. Ms. Hewitt said they didn’t have to keep the kiss in the scene for class but Evan said he didn’t mind. She chewed a whole pack of spearmint

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gum today to make sure she smelled fresh when Evan leaned inwhich he was doing now. Evan was going to kiss her! Her breath caught. His lips brushed hers gently. Then, she felt something unexpected. Realization crashed into her. Evan pulled away... and a long string of her gum hung between their mouths. Izzy wished she was actually dead.

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Swan Triumphant Chewing Gum

Susan Crow

Bitch. How had Suzette managed to squish chewing gum into her toe shoes? Now she felt the seepage as she stood in the wing, tense as a drawn bow, waiting for the opening chord. The conductor lifted his

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arms, then unleashed the orchestra, and her prince whirled across the stage, intent on elevating his swan heavenward.

During the ovation the Times reviewer began scribbling. “Devereaux gave us something astonishing: a Swan Queen who refuses her fate.

An elegant extension cancelled by twisted foot, torso askew over crooked knee, she embodies a rage-filled creature trapped in space.

Shattering!”

Take that, Bitch.

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Yellow Parachute Skyscrapers

Damian Pickering I decided to end it all and leapt from the 100th floor of the Empire State Building. My atheist heart lurched and I begged God for an undo button. Despite my wife's highly public affair, the humiliating divorce, and a crippling legal judgment, I desperately wanted to live..

Talk about buyer's remorse! Then a gale force wind spun me sideways onto a window washer's scaffolding on the 98th floor: sprained ankle, bruised hip, dislocated shoulder. Oh, and I pissed myself. Never thought I'd be so happy to say those words! My name is Bryan. Welcome to my TED Talk.

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The Way We Met Tubas

Jonathan Seyfried

Christopher: Walking home, single, I stop sobbing. Finally, I’m no longer a snotgushing spectacle. I pause in front of an apartment building, and inhale the way my meditation app tells me to. A pile of papers

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flutters around me – hundreds of cut-outs. Cut-outs of tubas.

Sofia: Failing, completely, as a teacher. Even failing at the copier. I leave school, the wasted paper weighing me down. The first grade symphony has failed. At home, I think I can salvage this, so I cut them out. No ideas arrive. I scream. I open the window and throw 150 tubas into the air.

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A True Soldier Youth

Kayden Catlin

When I was fresh out of the wrapper, I heard the words: “Don’t swallow it or it’ll stay in your stomach for 7 years”. Whoever said that was right. I’ve been a chewed-up has-been for three years now, all covered in bile. I used to be so shiny, all pretty in my packaging. Now though, I’ve been digesting everyday, slowly, in agony, but I keep . hope. I know I'll be free soon enough. Now, if you really like gum, spit it out. It’s bad enough when your job is to be gum. Don’t end up like me.

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