2016 Writing Contest Stories and Winner!!!!!!!!

  Hello everybody!!! This is the post you have all been waiting for! I’m so sorry that it took so long, but I’m completely honest when I say that I’ve been deliberately putting it off. This post has just been taking forever. Anyway, all that aside, I'm going to be including all of the participant's stories, who won, and why I loved their story! So, here are the stories, which I am copying and pasting from the emails they sent me, just so you know that I have not changed them at all. Also, they are not in any specific order.

Hosanna Emily’s emotions: Fear/Desperation

Addy’s emotions: Joy and Sadness

Emily’s emotions: Anger, Shock, and Joy

     Hosanna Emily's Entree

“‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,’ saith Jehovah, ‘thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end. And ye shall call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you.’”
Footsteps sounded against the dirty cobblestones outside of the house, and Afsar’s eyes leapt to the window.  All clear.  She pulled the blinds closer around the window and squinted to read the rest of the words.
“‘And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.’”
Afsar’s deep-brown eyes soaked in the love that the words spoke to her.  She folded her hands and bowed her head to pray.  Yet...the words didn’t seem to come.  Why do my thoughts feel so...mixed up?  She raised a sweaty hand to her forehead.  Her heart was pounding in her chest.  What is wrong with me?  Closing her eyes, Afsar took a deep breath.  It didn’t help.
She nearly jumped out of her skin when a knock sounded on the door.  It was quick and sharp.  Is this my imagination?  Afsar rubbed her head.  Did my headache mess with my thinking?
The knock sounded again.  It sounded urgent.  Afsar covered her face in the traditional Iranian roo-saris, a dark head covering that covered her black curls and slender neck.  Slowly, she stood to her feet, her hands trembling.  
Whoever is out there sounds desperate...
She paused before opening the door.  “Jehovah, protect us from our enemies.”  She knew they were numerous.
A woman stood in the doorframe.   Her face was covered by a black roo-saris, except for piercing eyes.  Looking around quickly, the woman shoved an envelope in Afsar’s hands and fled down the street.   She didn’t say a word.
Afsar’s hands trembled as she tore open the envelope.  What is going on?  She pulled out a small piece of paper with one sentence scribbled in tiny print.  One small sentence.  Afsar turned it towards the dim sunlight to read the tiny print.  
The meeting was broken up.
Afsar’s face turned white.  “No, God, no!”  She leaned against the door, clutching the paper in her hands.  “Why?  Why the one day I wasn’t there to protect them?  Did I do something wrong?”  Tears streamed down her cheeks.  “Was it wrong of me to skip the church meeting this one time?  Was it selfish of me to stay home because of a headache?  Why?”  Sobs shook her shoulders.
A child paused to stare at her.  Afsar lifted her head and wiped away the tears.  I have to keep myself together.  She stood to her feet, smoothing her dress.  Covering her face again, she fled into the streets, shoving the letter in her pocket.  
Laya and Grandmother are safe.  They have to be.  I promised my father that I would take care of them after he died.  Christians keep their word, no matter how dangerous it is.  If the soldiers captured them...the thought trailed off into the wind.
Afsar forced herself to walk through the market place of the small town.  She pulled the head covering tighter around her face.  Cages of live chickens squawked around her.  They made the air foul and pecked at anything in reach.   Children raced around, screaming when the birds pecked at their toes.
Afsar’s head began to pound again.  All this noise, this craziness didn’t help her nerves.  Or her headache.
Vendors yelled out their wares for fruits, fabrics, and caviar—the salt-cured fish eggs that were so popular.  People pushed and shoved to get by.  The air was full of the smells of livestock, food, and unwashed bodies.
I have to get through.  I have to makes sure Grandma and Laya are safe.
Somehow, Afsar managed to push her way through the crowd.  She scrambled into the familiar alleyway, slipping in the mud.  This time, it just didn’t matter.
She hiked up her skirts and ran through piles of garbage and dust.  God, keep them safe.  Her heart pounded with every step that brought her nearer.  
Finally, she turned the last corner.  Her heart jumped into her throat.  Her stomach curled up, as if a hand was squeezing it tighter and tighter.  Why God?  Why?  
She stared at the home church.  It was really only a poor family’s home, but the Christians had turned it into a meeting place.  Now it was ruined.
The windows were smashed, glass littering the dirt.  The door hung halfway to the ground—dented and broken.  One wall had been torn down, and the insides of the building were in turmoil.  Splinters of wood and articles of clothing, torn into rags now, covered the floors.  
Where there should have been a group of believers praising God, toddlers and babies were sitting.  They cried for their parents.  The ones who would never return.
“W—What happened?”  Afsar stood stunned.  “Who did it?”
An old lady cackled admits the dirt and rubble.  She took a break from her scavenging to stare up at Afsar.  Her wrinkled face was pulled tight into a sly smile.  Only one of her eyes looked in the right direction.
“The gove’ment took ‘em ‘course.  Those Christians ‘eren’t any use for us anyhow.”  She smiled a toothless grin.
Afsar caught in her breath.  Her face paled.  The penalty for being caught in a church meeting...they are going to be killed.  Will I ever see them again on this earth?  Her eyes stung with unshed tears.
“And what about these...”  Afsar couldn’t bear to say the word, “these...homeless orphans?”
The woman shrugged. “They’ll survive.  Always do.  Cause too much trouble to care for ‘em.” She looked up at Afsar with her one good eye.  “Be like the rest of ‘em.  No one else cares.  The urchins are useless to ‘ociety.”
Afsar pulled herself to her full height.  “I will not!”  Her face flushed.  “I can’t leave these—these babies to themselves!  They’ll die!”
“Who cares?”
The question caught her off guard.  Afsar hesitated.  “G-God does.”
She turned.  “Children, you are coming home with me.”  As she said it, she cringed.  
My house is too small for just the three of us—Grandma, Laya and me!  I don’t even have money for the evening meal!  What am I thinking, bringing children in my home?  And at this time.  It felt as if a hole had been cut in her heart.  How can I even manage without Grandma and my little sister?  
Her eyes dropped to the cobblestones.  It was a hopeless battle.  
A hand slipped into hers.  “Miss, ya’ gonna bring us home?”  A hopeful face looked into hers.  Dark eyes and round cheeks were framed by curly hair.  The lips were pursed together.  The child had seen too much violence for her few years.
Afsar looked around.  A dozen sets of black eyes peered at her.  Children who didn’t have anyone to care for them.  Orphans.  They wondered if she would offer them hope.  Hope for survival.  Hope for a future.
A dismal feeling overwhelming her, Afsar nodded.  There wasn’t another choice.
God, You said you would give me hope.  Where is it?

Addy's Entree: Mixed Feelings

Ever have that feeling when you finish a book series or a TV show? And it’s all done, no reason to wait up all night to watch a new episode or read an extra chapter...or two.

Well I had that exact same thing, except it was totally different.

My name is Natalie Rivers and I’m 21 years old, now 5 years ago I went to another dimension when I was 16. How it happened nobody knows, I guess you could say that my imagination was so strong I just seemed to make it there. Anyways back to the point, and I’ll try to tell this story in the shortest manner possible.

I went to the dimension in a flash and there I was, in a world where everything was the same yet so very different. This was the world of 2021, government had spiraled, the economy collapsed and everything looked like I’d woken up in the apocalypse. I met some people; Hugh, Don, and Ethel. These kids were my age and older, they were trying to survive in this horrible place yet when I told them I was from 2016 they vowed to help whatever the cost.

I was there for 5 years! I mean, I literally lived in the apocalypse, it was horrible yet super fascinating, anyways so you know earlier I was talking about that feeling you get when you finish something, and it’s like you feel like you’ve known them and have been with them through all the stuff they went through, yeah that describes what happened, after the 5 years of trying to get home we found a way out through an old sewer by a local park. and it was all done, I never saw them again for 5 years in the real world until 2021.

So here is the deal, I felt sad and happy, they saved me, Don died in the apocalyptic world trying to help us before he was shot. Now I see them, in the real world we became friends and I married Hugh. But still I can’t forget what happened in that other dimension, what if there actually was an apocalypse?

As scary as it was, as traumatic as it was, and as realistic it was. I’m actually glad I went through 5 years of that. It’s made me grateful for the real life I have, it’s made me realize how we can want action and adventure and stuff like that without realizing how much it’d cost us. And I’ve had enough of that. So basically that feeling you have, is Joy and Sadness, you’re happy to have been there and done that, and you’re sad to have to say goodbye to the people or a place.. maybe forever. Just be careful what you wish for, or it may come true!

Don’t worry though adventure is bound to come your way!

    Emily's Entree: The Miracle Bibles

“Mama, are you sure they’re really coming today?”

I sighed as my eight-year-old sister, Marisa, repeated the question for the fiftieth time since seven AM that morning—and it was only seven-thirty! But I couldn’t blame her—I was so excited that I was about to bust myself!

It was the long-awaited day: the day that the shipment of Bibles was coming in!

For two years, all of our tiny village had been awaiting the day when our precious Bibles would arrive. There was only one Bible in the whole village, and it belonged to Pastor Morten. It was carefully passed from hand to hand and just as carefully returned. Now, everyone was eagerly awaiting the package of Bibles from America—and it was arriving today!!

We ate breakfast faster than I ever remembered before. And as soon as we had cleaned up, we were on our way to the church. The church was really just a small addition built onto the Pastor’s house, so it was always a bit tight when everyone was gathered there.

As Mama, Marisa, and I approached, we stared in amazement. We had arrived more than half an hour early for the delivery, and yet, every space was taken inside! Mama took Marisa over to the house to find Mrs. Morten, while I tried to squeeze inside. I couldn’t wait to find Pastor Morten and my best friend, Eve, who was the Pastor’s daughter.

I finally spotted Eve’s dark braids near the front, and began working my way towards her. I finally reached the front, where a makeshift platform had been set up. Pastor Morten was fiddling with some sort of device, and Eve was writing on a piece of paper. She suddenly turned around and noticed me. “Kalina!” she exclaimed. “Can you believe everyone’ already here? It’s only eight o’clock!” “Yes, everyone is really excited”, I said. “Do you need some help?” Eve glanced around, and shook her head. “Not really. Papa’s already got the platform ready, and the Bibles will be here at nine. So we have to wait another whole hour!” I smiled. “Eve, we’ve waited two whole years. I think I can wait for one more hour!” She grinned back. “Yeah, you’re right. We’d better go look for a place to sit down.”

Eve and I chatted and helped our mothers, and before we knew it, Pastor Morten was calling “Will everyone please gather in the church room!” I spied Mama and Marisa coming out of the Morten’s house at that moment, so Eve and I slipped into our spots, pretty close to the front. When everyone was packed in, Pastor Morten cleared his throat. “As everyone knows, today is our long-anticipated moment, because our package of twenty-five Bibles is arriving today. Or, rather, it should have.”

At this moment, Eve and I glanced at each other frantically. It was evident Eve didn’t know what was going on either. Pastor Morten continued. “Just a few moments ago, I received a message instead of our package. Dear friends,” he lowered his head slightly and paused. “Dear friends, our shipment of Bibles has been lost.”

I was frozen with disbelief. This couldn’t be happening! It just couldn’t! Eve was staring with a shocked face at her father. In my shock, I failed to notice why Pastor Morten didn’t look totally stricken. After all, he was the one who had headed this all, so why wasn’t he upset? I could feel the tears coming, and tried to hold them back, but it was no use.

I sprang up and shoved my way out, almost blinded by tears. I sank down beneath a bush outside, and burst out sobbing. Why in the world did God allow this? We had been waiting for two whole years for this day, and now our precious Bibles were lost! I don’t know how long I was under that bush, mentally screaming at God for this tragedy.

Suddenly, someone was shaking me awake. “Kalina! What are you doing under here?” Eve’s voice brought me out of my dreamy state. “Kalina, I know you’re upset, but please listen to me. Papa had more to say! Yes, our shipment was lost, but praise the Lord! You see—“She got no further before I cut her off furiously. “Eve! How in the world can you say that! Everyone in this village saved for two years because no one else will send us any Bibles, and when our Bibles get lost, probably forever, you say thank you to God?”

For the first time in my life, I was furious at my dear friend. I spun around, and ran towards the field behind the Morten’s house, not heading anywhere, just trying to get away. But Eve wasn’t giving up that easily. She took off behind me, and quickly caught up. She grabbed my arm and I stopped so hard that I fell down. Eve sat down next to me. “Kalina, listen to me right now. We have Bibles! Yes, our shipment was lost. But at the same time, Papa received another package. It was a huge box, and when he opened it, fifty news Bibles were packed into it! On the top was a letter, addressed to “Our brothers in Christ”. When Papa opened it, it was from someone in the United States, a pastor. This pastor’s church had raised money to buy a shipment of Bibles to send to a missionary somewhere. They couldn’t decide where to send it, so he sent to an organization in the US that sends Bibles to people in need. Our village was next on the list, but nobody had sent any Bibles lately, so we didn’t get any. Then this huge box arrives, and because we’re next, they send it to our village. And it’s TWICE the amount of Bibles we originally had! Now, Kalina, are you still raging at God, or are you going to praise him?”

I just stared. Surely I was dreaming, and that I was still under that bush where I had fallen asleep. But no, for I could hear the sound of many voices raised to God in the church room, praising Him for His goodness to our tiny village.

I sat up and looked right at Eve. “Eve, I am so sorry for ignoring you. But please, say it with me. THANK YOU GOD!” We both screamed. In just one minute, I had gone from the angriest person ever to the happiest person ever. I sprang up and ran as fast as I could toward the church, singing praised to God the whole way.

Unfortunately, I never got entrees from Chickadee or Morning. However, I am still glad that I got more than one entree this time! Good job to Hosanna Emily, Addy, and Emily! They are all unique stories in their own ways, and to the two that did not win this contest: continue writing amazing stories such as these. I can tell that you guys put a lot of thought into these, and it shows that you take writing seriously. Again, good job!

And now, the winner!

The winner of Guinea Pig Lover’s 2016 Writing Contest is……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………*drumroll*………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………Emily!!!!!

Congrats Emily!!!!!!! I LOVED your story! If you could send me your button through email, that would be greatly appreciated, and I should have it up on my sidebar shortly! Thanks to all of you girls that participated, and thank YOU readers, for reading this post (and waiting so long:/)! Bye guys!