#FallWritingFrenzy Contest 2023
It’s been so long since I’ve written a blog post. Sorry! I have no excuses except LIFE.
I’m coming out of blog hibernation to enter the #FallWritingFrenzy contest hosted by Kaitlyn Sanchez. This year her guest judges are agent Ameerah Holliday and author Ebony Lynn Mudd.
The rules of this contest are pretty simple: choose a supplied image, write a story that’s 200 words or less that relates back to the image, and submit between October 1-3!
The judges choose winners over the next few weeks and there’s a whole list of prizes donated by members of the KidLit community.
My entry this year almost didn’t happen. September was a very hard and emotional month for our family and I wrote this piece as a way to help myself heal. I shared it with a few CPs and they understood my hesitation to submit it but encouraged me to think about it.
Art and healing take bravery so I decided to put myself out there and release feelings I’ve been holding on to.
Thank you for reading.
Image 8 courtesy of Benjamin Suter on Pexels.com
Sam
192 words (TW: Suicide)
He said he was an anchor, slowly sinking to the bottom.
Drowning.
He was in the Navy, sure, but he flew planes.
So shouldn’t he have felt like he was free-falling? No parachute to slow the rush to the ground? No safety net to catch him?
I thought I was that net.
Me.
His sister.
My brother wasn't always the best with words. Or feelings.
But when he described flying, it was pure poetry.
He always said he felt the most alive when he was in the clouds.
Light.
Carefree.
Like he could breathe.
He said someday he’d take me to fly with the birds, feel it for myself.
And now I never will.
Mom said he didn’t want to burden me.
Dad said he didn’t want to worry me.
But what burdens me and worries me is being left behind.
With no explanation.
No reason.
No goodbye.
He was tired and heavy, but I would’ve pulled him up from the depths of the sea.
I would’ve caught him.
His safety net.
His parachute.
So that he could once again soar among the clouds with the birds in the sky.
And breathe.
*If you or someone you love needs help, please dial 988 to speak to someone at the Suicide and Crisis Hotline