Writing awards
For the NYCmidnight 100-word flash fiction competition, each entrant is assigned three prompts - Genre, Action, Word.
I was assigned Thriller / Making a Bed / Anything
All competitors must create a story and submit their entry within 24 hours.
Here’s my story (revised based on judges feedback):
Fourth Place
Hospital Corners
She stills. The top sheet sits out of line. Not how she left it.
The postcard rests on the table. Weather holds. Wish you were here. It reads right, but the aitches lean wrong. Not her hand. The microdot in the tittle, gone. Missed, or taken?
Who replaced it? Did he ever see it? Or did they take it from him? Her grip tightens on the card.
Voices slow in the hall. The handle shifts once. Then again.
Where is he?
She smooths the sheet and draws the corners tight.
Anything to hide she knows she’s been made.
Here are excerpts of the judges feedback:
“I loved the woman’s meticulous attention to detail. Noticing that the top sheet is ‘out of line’ immediately reveals her observational nature, and that characteristic develops naturally as the story unfolds.”
“The details surrounding the handwriting on the postcard were wonderfully chilling. The protagonist’s growing unease and uncertainty are conveyed with quiet confidence, creating an atmosphere of sustained tension.”
“The spy tradecraft feels convincing and engaging throughout. The protagonist’s sharp observational skills and quiet determination give the narrative authenticity and keep the reader invested.”