FIRST PLACE: Kendall Poe




It was my father's year for spring break, and when I
returned with beach photos my mother lingered on a picture of us holding sand
dollars.  Her heavy thumb fretted ocean, sand dollar, smile.  The
next day I saw the same picture on the fridge but folded in half, minus a
father.  It stuck out from the artwork and newspaper clippings like a
pop-up card.  "Why didn't you just tear it?" I asked pointing to the space
where he should have been. She leaned toward the stove's open mouth. 
"That would ruin it."




SECOND PLACE: Fraylie Nord





Jane's cat drowned on the morning
Hurricane Floyd made landfall. The school had shuttered its windows on Tuesday,
and Jane's mother woke early to mount the whole basement on risers. At
daybreak, the sky hummed with pungent odors of low tide. Jane would not begin
sixth grade for another week. Her mother warned, don't let that damn stray
into my house.



Within hours, the basement filled
with five feet of water. A neighbor entered bearing a canoe. When the flood
cleared, Jane held her waterlogged cat, softly closing the window where it had
entered in fear of the rising storm.




THIRD PLACE: Bailey McCann





"I miss you. I'd like to see you, if
you're free," his text said. "I'd like that," she replied.. He called the next
day. "I'd like to see you," he repeated. "Just so you know, she moved in with
me. I just want to be honest. Do you still want to see me?" "Sure." She had no
idea why she said this. "How's lunch Wednesday?" "Great." They hung up. Tuesday
passed without details on where to meet. She said nothing. Three weeks was the
longest he'd ever gone without contacting her. She braced. On the third
Thursday, it gave way.








Congratulations to the winners, and thanks to all who submitted.  Check back in for a humor contest in April judged by Michael Showalter!



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