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    Go to Writing a Short Story to learn about the elements that make up a good short story and Writing a Poem to learn the elements that make up a poem. Then go to the Writing Contest and write your own short story or poem and see if it ends up on the Past Writing Contest Winners page!

Current Writing Contest Winners

July 2011 

Poem

She is on her way to work,
but she has made a wrong turn.
She is in a place she has never known before.
It is a place that knows many memories.

It knows childhood,
playing pretend,
hide and seek,
and the tug of a mother's sleeve.

It knows angst,
rebellion and anger,
and the smoke that drifts into the sky
and into the cracks between the bricks.

It knows love,
young lovers beneath the staircase,
confessions and kisses,
and commitments made and broken.

It knows time,
walls torn down and built up,
life begun, lived, and ended,
and many many faces.

She turns around to find her way,
and yet she does not know.
She does not know this place,
but this place does know her.

-Amanda Lake Heath

Short Story

  “Mama! Papa!” I yelled as I ran down the cobblestone alley way. My calloused bare feet pounding the ground and the flower pots flashing by in a blur of rainbow colors and the smell of summer. My wild brown curls were knotted and flying behind me as I sighted the steps to home. I turned my head to check behind me and ran straight into a man who had not been there a second ago. My small eleven year old body crashed into his legs with such force that I fell backwards on to the ground.
            “Papa!” I screeched with excitement. I jumped up and hid behind his long legs. “Luca is after me!” I bounced up and down and peeked behind papa’s legs. I squealed again as I saw Luca round the corner and head straight down the alley way. He looked determined yet bothered, probably because he didn’t like the fact that I was faster then him. Papa stood up straight and took a step backwards. I was careful to match my steps and cover my mouth to keep from giggling.
    “Signore Romano, have you seen Giovanna?” he panted obviously out of breath, hands on his knees. I muffled another giggle and brushed the curls away from my face. Before papa could even answer I jumped out from behind and yelled, “LUCA!” he jumped up startled and I tackled before he could get away. We wrestled and papa stood aside laughing, “Get off me you stupid girl!” Luca yelled as I pinned him for a second, he then rolled on top of me and I bit his hand. Papa came over and attempted to pry us apart. He laughed and called for Mama, “LEILA! Come get your daughter!” Papa kept one hand on Luca’s chest and one on mine as we reached for each other hoping to get a strand of hair to pull or some visible flesh to scratch.
    “Sei un ragazzo morto!” I yelled toward Luca and heard Mama gasp as she had just arrived on the scene and heard my latest threat. She ran down the steps drying her hands on her apron. Papa was still laughing and Luca and I were still lunging at each other when mama wrapped her arms around my waist and pulled me off the ground.
    “No!” I protested, “Luca and I still want to play!” but mama had other ideas as she carried me up the steps. “Arrivederci!” I yelled and waved before she closed the door behind us. Mama muttered Italian under her breath as she placed me on a stool. She grabbed a rag and plunged it into a bucket of water and started wiping the mud off my face. 
    “Giovanna what did I say about fighting with Luca?”
    “But mama,” I started as she tucked some curls behind my ear, “It’s not fighting. It’s just pretend.” Mama kept her serious face and continued scrubbing. Papa came in with his cap in his hand and scratching the back of his head, smile on his face.
    “I’ll take care of this Leila, the neighbors just asked if you were home. Go say hello.” Mama gave me one more look and left. Papa kneeled in front of me and gave me a long look, “Did you really beat Luca all the way home from dock?” I grinned and nodded as he laughed and finished wiping off all the dirt on my face and hands. He asked me about my day and what adventures Luca and I had today. I told him how I was a princess and Luca was an explorer searching for exotic things to give to his mama because he said he didn’t like girls other then her.
    The next day I sat on the steps eating a bread crust and waited for Luca to show. I placed my head on my knees and picked off a few crumbs leaving them on the steps for a mouse when I saw Luca stride down towards me. Luca was the Russo’s boy with grey eyes and matted blonde hair. The Russo’s were the best  fishermen in town. Grandfathers and fathers way back had carried on the family tradition. The irony was Luca’s passionate hate for fish.
    “Where have you been ragazzo? I’ve been waiting all day!”
    “What should we do today then Giovanna?” he said brushing off my question. I shrugged and we started walking towards the market place. Buongiorno! We heard all the merchants greeting towards the adults browsing over fresh fish and other merchandise. No one paid much attention the to children. Seeking out new hiding places and playing pretend,  Luca had found a stick and started hitting things. Listening to the different sounds they made. He made a weird face as he tapped different things that made different noises and shook his body like he was trying to dance. I giggled and pushed him for being so silly, when he fell backwards onto a merchant selling jewelry. The skinny balding merchant groaned on the hard cobblestone with Luca on top of him, I pulled up Luca and kneeled by the merchant.
    “Are you alright Signore?” I asked. He nodded and propped himself up on his elbows. “Una dolcissima bambina” He murmured as he got up, I beamed at Luca as he stood sheepishly with his hands behind his back. The merchant tried to hide his grin as he observed me and Luca. “For such a display of concern, deserves a gift for a wild young lady.” he said as he swiped at the air, twisted his wrist and opened his palm in front of me revealing a locket.
    “For me?” I asked unsure, he nodded and took my hand and placed it inside then closed my fingers around it. “For luck.” he winked and then looked at Luca. With a suppressed smile he told Luca to watch his step next time, then returned to his stand where a woman was examining a piece of jewelry. Luca gave me a scowl for having pushed him, and told me that being rewarded for it too was not right. I just giggled and resisted the urge to push him again.
    Later that afternoon Luca and I sat back on the steps and shared the rest of the crust mama
had given me, I took mental note that the bread crumbs from earlier were now gone. I saw Luca’s eyes wonder to the locket around my neck, his face scrunched up as if he were trying to read something. “Maybe you shouldn’t have accepted that Giovanna.” He blurted.
    “Why not?” I said defensive not wanting to return it.
    “I don’t know, it just seems a little odd.” I brushed it off and finished my bread. “Have you opened it?” I shook my head. “I couldn’t. I tried, but it wouldn’t open.”
    He gave it a hard look then put his bread down and reached for it. I pulled my wild curls to the side and lifted my chin hoping that he would be able to open it. I felt his cold fingers squirm trying to pry it open with his dirty fingernails when suddenly I felt a blast of cool air and my body being pushed against the stairs. I squinted through the light and stood up.
    “Oh mio!” I exclaimed. I held my hand up to my eyes trying to see through the blinding light when just as sudden burst into light, it had disappeared. My eyes adjusted and I saw what looked like a picture, floating in mid air. The picture moved as if it were real life. I slowly put my trembling hand through it and pulled it out again examining it. Nothing had changed.
    I whipped around and saw Luca on the bottom step eyes as big as saucers.
    “Luca try it!” I said grabbing his hand and forcing it through the picture as he flinched his head turned. I returned his hand and he examined it as well. We exchanged looks and a grin spread out on my face.
    “Uh-oh, no. No Giovanna. No.” I nodded and grabbed his hand tightly despite his protest, and with that I leapt into picture dragging Luca with me. Into a place that I would have only dreamed of, but never thought possible.   

“Essere Continuata...”

-Midnight Writer

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