Here we are again with one of Susanna Hill's inspirational writing contests! I'm so thankful for these because they get my creative juices flowing. The rules are plain and simple:
The Contest: Write a children's story, in poetry or prose, maximum 400 words, about the 4th of July in which a secret is revealed or a mystery is solved!
So, here is my entry. Thanks to my critique group I was able to pare it down from 475 words to 388:
The Fourth of July's Surprise!
The frightened kitten darted back and forth in the middle of the street,
dodging the feet of the band members parading by. The onlookers pointed and
nudged each other, aware of the kitten's dilemma. At one point, she froze, and
then, in the confusion, she scurried into the lap of a boy sitting on the curb.
dodging the feet of the band members parading by. The onlookers pointed and
nudged each other, aware of the kitten's dilemma. At one point, she froze, and
then, in the confusion, she scurried into the lap of a boy sitting on the curb.
safe place.
Trevor came home that day with July the kitten. She was always into
mischief. Now July had grown from a scraggly kitten into a handsome reddish-
brown tabby cat. But lately, she wouldn't eat, and laid around all day.
"Meooowwww. . . aaaauuuuggghhh. . . mrrrrrooooow," complained July.
Twitch went her long skinny tail.
The next morning, July couldn't sit still. She paced back and forth. "What's
wrong, July?" Trevor asked. "You're not sick, are you?"
July did not answer. Instead, she curled up behind the couch. At lunch,
Trevor took his hot dog into the living room and sat near July. He watched her
intently as he munched his lunch. She shuddered. She shook. She moaned and
shuttered again. Then, July began to clean her bottom. Trevor saw a
balloon-shaped object under her tail. What was THAT? July licked and licked
until a tiny kitten appeared. Trevor stared with amazement. "Mom, MOM.
MOMMMMMMMM...."
Mom came running. "What's the matter?"
"Look. . . July is having a baby!"
"She'll probably have more, Trevor."
Sure enough, a second kitten appeared. July kept cleaning. The first kitten
was striped and ginger-furred, just like July. The second had gray stripes.
"Do you think she'll have more?"
"I don't know. Let's watch and see," Mom suggested.
A few minutes later, July cleaned a third kitten, all black with a white nose.
"Now, don't touch them, Trevor. July knows what to do. She will be a good
mom, but she'll want to be left alone."
"Can I at least stay to see if she has any more? Please, Mom?"
"Alright, but keep your distance." She went into the kitchen.
Soon Trevor called, "Mom, come quick! Look! This last one is white with
reddish spots. They look almost like, like. . ."
"Well, well. The fourth of July's kittens is covered in stars. Stars and Stripes.
Well done, July! You really know how to celebrate the birth of our nation!"
To see more creative entries for the Fourth of July Secret Surprise Contest click HERE.
