The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Blowout (04/28/11)
It was the biggest blowout the children of Newbery Township had ever seen. The whole scene was brought about when Stella challenged Jack to prove he was faster, stronger, and more skilled than she. The two had been friends all their life. Neither remembered a day without each other as neighbors, classmates, and best friends. Competition had forever been the only thorn between them. Each believed them to be the most accomplished of the two.

The two twelve year olds had completed the arm wrestle competition the day before. Stella’s thin arm paled to Jack’s muscular one, yet Stella smashed Jack’s arm down on the tree stump that they knelt at. The scarlet flush flowed down the boy’s cheek deep into his neck, matching the red of his hair. “Beginners luck!” shouted Jack. Stella, with much pride and confidence, relented with “best out of three, wins title.” Two more wrestles later, Stella had won the title, Arm Wrestle Champ of Newbery Township. Pride oozed from her demeanor. She felt unbeatable, which brought about the series of challenges to be held the next day . . . the blowout day.

The next morning, several twelve year olds stood looking down at Stella with her long blonde hair tied in a ponytail, as she hunched over the marble at the circled line drawn in the dirt. The marble was posed comfortably in her forefinger with her thumb in shooting position, ready to be shot at the last two marbles in the competition circle. The sparkling red marble belonged to Stella, and the solid black to Jack. All was needed was for Stella to win the title Most Skilled of Newbery Township, was to shoot the black marble out of safe zone. With great concentration she shot her shooter with speed and precision from her forefinger. The red made powerful contact shooting the black clear out of the circle, while making Sarah title winner. Pride welled up in Stella, and with it she lost sight of her best friend. She did not open her heart to his grief in his loss.

As the day progressed, there were other competitions of speed, strength and endurance. Stella came out winner time and time again. Along with the wins her pride grew, and Jack’s pride slumped. Jack felt he was loosing his friend. A challenge he knew he could win had to be made. That is when Jack declared the bubble gum blowing contest.

Stella thought she knew every thing about Jack, but she did not know the fact that he secretly loved chewing bubble gum, and blowing fantastically large bubbles. With this lack of knowledge, and filled with pride, Stella eagerly consented to the Bubble Gum Blowing Contest. It was to be the last contest of the day. It was agreed that the winner of the contest would be declared the best of the best, giving Jack one last chance to redeem himself with his peers, and save his friendship with Stella. Jack prayed, “Jesus, Allow me to be the winner. Amen.”

Both Stella and Jack put two large pieces of bubble gum into their mouths. They chewed the gum until it felt soft and pliable. With their tongues they flattened the gum against the back of their teeth. They then opened their teeth slightly and pushed the flattened gum through the opening with their tongue. Working the gum around the opening until they had a pocket to blow air into, they slowly blew air into the gum until a bubble was produced.

Stella looked at Jack and saw that his bubble was growing faster than hers, so she sped up her blowing. The two watched each other as their bubbles grew larger. The bubbles finally came to look equal in size. Neither children were ready to call a tie, so the contest continued. The onlookers held their breaths in anticipation, until finally they heard the pop as the blowout happened in unison in both bubbles. The pink gum spread across both faces and extended into their hair. Stella looked at Jack and laughed and laughed. All pride filled her as she thought on how funny he looked. Jack saw her pride, and like only a best friend would do, he declared Stella the winner. For to him, Stella was the best of the best. She had never looked so beautiful to him, with gum spread over her face and into her hair.








.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE

JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 844 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
diana kay
05/05/11
great fun and so humorous and warmly written
Mildred Sheldon
05/05/11
Those were fun days back then, but now the children do not enjoy those games that was the rage before TV and Computers came on the scene. Great story and very enjoyable.
Cheryl von Drehle
05/06/11
yes, very sweet and very fun...caught my attention early and carried me through to a rewarding end.
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
05/10/11
This is sweet. I hope Stella learns A lesson in this as well.

I remember being in my daughter's class when she answered a question, the teacher told her she was right and with all the pride a six yo could muster, she answered "I know, I'm always right" she like Stella needed to learn she wasn't always right.

We gotten into this area where are kids should have great self esteem so don't tell them they're wrong, when they play games, there are no losers.

But as Jack knew it's not always about winning. Nice job.