Top entries:

1^st place:  Rayan Ahmed – 9th grade

My mother called me down to eat, but before I could go, she pulled me into the closet—without a face, her blood dripping down her now muscle-face.  Someone went up the stairs, a bloody skin-pulled floating face that resembled my mom, her bug-filled hair dragging along the ground calling my name again and again until she turned toward our room.  

2^nd place:  Maha Ahmed – 12^th grade

As the clock struck midnight, she heard her own void whispering her name from the mirror, its reflection distorted with a sinister grin.  Frozen in terror, she realized she was alone in the room, yet the mirror continued to echo her cries for help—louder and louder, the closer she got.  

3^rd place:  Rosemary Schaffer – 10th grade

For the first hour, the banging is always the worst; the walls almost crack, the lock almost breaks.  But they are always quiet by the end and blue-faced by the time I get to the door.  

4th place: Noah Menning – 10^th grade

At the hour of midnight, an eerie screech choed through the hallway of my abode, and so I went to investigate.  I headed downstairs and saw my mother and felt relieved from my stress, but when I touched her, my hand passed straight through. 

Honorable Mentions:  

Most mysterious story:  Island Pederson – 9^th grade

How come they have found me?  I swore that I was quiet. 

Most disturbing story:  Taylor Werner – 12^th grade

“Oh my god, you guys have to try this new seasoning!”  I looked horrified at my brother as he ate our grandma’s ashes that he used a steak dry rub. 

Cutest story:  Twinkle Cathey – 12^th grade

The ghost dog ran around eager to find her one true owner.  Finally, she came to a little girl dressed as a ballerina, and she knew she finally found her special person.  

Silliest story:  Maren Toomey – 11^th grade

I wasn’t ever scared. Until I saw the knife man

Shortest story:  DD Cortés Torres – 10^th grade

You think they’ll never catch you.  You were wrong.