Congratulations to everyone who entered the 11 Word Story Competition. It’s been a lot of fun to see so many wonderful stories streaming in. The wide range of events and emotions made choosing a winner very difficult.
The winning entry was:
She took 11 minutes to regain consciousness. She forgave him again. – Jennifer
We decided to award the competition and book pack to Jennifer, as she managed to pack the most story potential into 11 words, implying a difficult, dramatic relationship, a climax and the potential for change.
Here are all the entries:
Eden danced. And they forgot, just for a minute, their troubles. – Kelly
The Magpie knew his sister was dead. The poacher was next. – Harrison
Met a Victoria’s Secret model online! Can’t wait to meet her. -Clayton
Wasn’t winning the lottery supposed to make life better? It didn’t. – Sim.
So light in his arms, I weighed less than his guitar. #11wordcomp – Sheree
Once upon a time, two people lived happily ever after. – Victor
Slipping off her wedding band, she slid her hand into his. – Zohra
Reticent. Retaliate. Retreat. Respite. Recover. Reclaim. Rethink. Reposition. Restart. Resolution. Radical. – Gabba
“Who dat?” Sarah asked, as the man opened the bedroom window. – Georgie
They stood still. Staring silently. Once strangers. Now united forever. Brothers. – Elise
Dreams in abundance foretold. Unmoulded by revenge of listlessness and shame. – Michelle
They clutched their children, praying. But their god wouldn’t hear them. – Ryan
Mr Agreeable: he came, he saw, he concurred. – Rebecca
Frank searched for a better life, he never found one. – Sharon
Here Lies Joe: white male, middle-class, college-educated, employed, serial killer. – Leonardo
Dear John. You have been gone for more than a year. – Danny
He came. He saw. He conquered. He wasn’t the only one. #11wordcomp – Jack
They met. They kissed. It was sloppy. (Awkward silence.) They parted. #11wordcomp – Allison
They met. He kissed her friend. So starts her eternal misery. – @SawHole
Mistaken identity saved my life. It cost an innocent person theirs. #11wordcomp – Darren
A man walks into a bar and is concussed. #11wordcomp – Steven
It burned inside him, like the fire that ended it all. – Brock
Breath stilled forever. Where is she gone? My heart aches so. -David
My heart is ash. You were the fire. – Demi
She must have packed her tiredness in a box marked “garage”. – Dianne
Lost lovers; she surprised him. Mixed emotions transformed into a relationship. – Melanie
Wanted: only one heart; mine broke. – Tammy
Once he loaned her his straighteners. She should have known then. – Miranda
Eleven people traveled eleven countries in eleven days and had fun. – Pamela
Giant tears perched ready to drop, she explained where he’d gone… – Sarah
He cried and opened his eyes, changing my world forever. – Vanessa
This world he offered wasn’t perfect … but it had a library. – Kate
Cathy turned and waved goodbye as she entered a new world. – Jennifer
Stillness speaking, silently pleading ‘Let me go ‘. I let it go. – Deborah
Thinking of Pop, who returned home blind. The vegetables cured him. – Nicky
The Key, His heart Beating, The lonely river, Lay still desperately. – Leiane
Salvador Dali. Not nearly half barmy or loony as he looked. – Kenneth
Dad: an unparalleled logophile until soundless, prowling Alzheimers pilfered every syllable. – Karen
My husband’s death: a dark murky river of no dreams. – Katherine
He promised forever to me, but only rented me six days. – Guan
There is no greater leverage in business, than simply staying connected! – Karen
White dress. Big smile. She’d talked him out of the prenup. – Alexandra
Undeterred Einstein poured his efforts into becoming the Chief patent clerk. – Kerry
Sitting with Dad in the Calvary foyer, they watched, concurring telepathically. – Caroline
It wasn’t being on the stuff, it was the ‘coming off’. – Marty
Caught in a battle with my demons they keep me grounded – Mafina
Soldiers came and opened fire. We surrendered. Yet, we all died. – Hannah
I am alone in the room. He turns, smiles, and approaches. – Lauren
Rapidly approaching the edge of taste a little girl explores pink. – Tanya
Kisses dry the tears. Apologies soothe bruises. Love? My aches. Again. – Tom
Bill’s first internet blind date. His ex-wife’s familiar shriek greeted him. – Joe
Dr Jameson kept talking but Kate only heard one word: Cancer. – Evelyn
I walked a tightrope-I fell. I would never walk again. – Gina
A casual glance… of beauty, erotic and imagery… a surreal hell – Kevin
Playing Beethoven’s sonata opus 111 twice on the didgereedoo is bliss. – Patrick
I said no. No. Quietly at first, but he wasn’t listening. – Jen
I wasn’t long before Ritchie realised; Vietnam was far from home. – Bronwyne
Wish I had kissed you goodnight the eve before you jumped. – Allyson
Ridiculous; why can’t I make muffins like this?! – Joanne
A monkey ate my face. Goddamn simians are taking over everything. – Albert
Reviewing the evidence, Gerald decided that humanity was not worth saving. – Gary
Alzheimer’s? Otto shrugged and said, “Memories were wasted time anyway. – Karen
Sunrise, hopeful. Hillside. Unpack. Freewheel wheee faster FASTER! Rocks dammit ambulance. – Tim
He placed her plane ticket on the kitchen bench and left. – Pascalle
He came to clean the pool. I don’t have a pool. – Seaton
Little girl lost in the woods. – Olivia
And with that he died, like he lived – without a sound. – Krissy Bradfield
My puppy. Twelve joyful years. Now her empty bed brings tears. – Deborah
Don’t believe there’s no place for dreamers. Just stake your claim. – Lalisa
Don’t think I can face another day, but have no choice. – Alistair
A kiss goodbye. Today, again she can taste it. Remembrance Day. – Paula
This hand stretches to hold tight to my two middle fingers. – Matt
A story in 11 words? Impossible, Jack thought, as he died. – Jeremy
“I’m out.” Door slams. Sweet blackness. Damn, your perfume still lingers. – Natalie
At midnight, the phone rings. I hold my breath.“Hello?” – Josh
She was rotten to the core yet could be so charming… – Helen
Karen wanted sobriety, just not enough. Survived by husband, three children. – Deb
Moving house again. I search Yellow Pages for the piano tuner. – Denise
He knew every tiny bone in her hand (not by name). – Jo
On a jewel-coloured beach, an arm disappears into the ocean. – Alyson
A dad, ashamed. The boy; round and soft. Chocolate as solace. – Ari
In his pocket they found a ring and a crumpled note. – Francis
He took her heart in hand. Gently they spent their years. – Karl
Death’s ragged velvet gloves cradle another lover’s cold and bleeding heart. – Claire
Human civilization kills. The complex simplicity of more imagination than skill. – Ken
Scarlet had fallen in love, but Rhett didn’t give a damn. – Bronwyne
He held her gently. It was a good day to die. – Shelley
I looked up to her, until she looked down on me. – Genvieve
27 weeks. 764 g. Coco popped. – Annette
Mornings hated Jim. Jim hated mornings. The cereal wouldn’t take sides. – Sally
In the world of competitive office chair racing, John rode alone. – Mark
Beware; the mute is a liar. – Miguel
Outbreak. Panicked city. Alone he searches for a cure … and her.
It pierced through the dark flesh of his torso – He screamed. – Jayne
A feathered pressure warm and rough. Tingles spreading, what a rush. – R
Tumbling from nest, featherless wings flapped furiously. Gravity won. Offspring nil. – Rebecca
He hit his wife again. Bloodied, she raised the gun. Freedom. – Benjamin
The storm blew off the roof and I saw the sky. – Hannah,
Four diamonds, beating heart, chips stacked, pulse racing, card turning, SPADE. – Jo
If you believe it will hurt, then pain you shall receive. – Georgie
Marriage. Insults. Abuse. Pain. 20 years. Strength returning. Leaving. Divorce. Peace. – Ruby
She spun the wedding ring, splattering escaped dreams on the walls. – Nimmity
“Look mum, the Min Min lights”. We were on Wiradjuri land. – Emma
Guilt lived deep in her bones and surfaced in her sleep. – Amanda
Crying, felt her heart swell, elated. Then, she fell to earth. – Katy
Considering her options she decided to adjourn procrastinating for another time. – Adam
The meteorite flashed past, “Aah” ……gasped the crowd, but shock prevailed. – Kartia
Pack discarded she ran. “Save yourself, save this Orangutan,” she chanted. – Lilli
Missing: Time Traveler. Last seen tomorrow. – Richard
Good gosh I’m pregnant! I wonder who the baby’s father is. – Cecilia
Handsome prince was a Lothario dope fiend. Children heaven. Marriage hell. – Lou
Darkness. Dying. Listening. Stupid Freddie’s forgotten where I hid the money. – Jackie
Crying, felt her heart swell, elated. Then, she fell to earth. – Katy
Bones sticking from the ground, almost ageless, beside an unopened parachute. – Bernhard
Pacing, he heard the dreaded sound. He wept. – Alan
Engaged yesterday, grieving today, but tomorrow….. Well I’ve been there already… – Alison
Here lies John; an inventor and innovator. So close to success. – Damian
Brave Australians fought oppression that we could live free – RIP. – Annie
The memory was never far away; she conjured him at will. – Girlea
A blinding flash! Deafening noise…..the impact. A bright light beckons. – Tracey
I offered you my hand too late for a deeper song. – Alysha
She took 11 minutes to regain consciousness. She forgave him again. – Jennifer
Besmirching caffeinated vegetarians, Harrumphing deactivated politicians. Incredulous zugzwanging journalists, Fabricating Abracadabra! – Debra
Blue jewel sparkling in the velvet of space. Aarrzoook says “Fire!”. – Mark
I waited for the rain to arrive, but it never did. – Anthony
The kind stranger existed beyond limits of remembrance. “Happy anniversary, love.” – Tracy
A razor’s edge, white porcelain, red blood. Free at last. – Geoff
Headache. Nausea. Flashbacks. Regret. Melancholy. Penitence. Teetotal until the next session. – Kev
Rachel’s fall from disgrace surprised Emmett. Prostitution was an unexpected benefit. – Danielle
Arms, legs, lips, hips, all interlocked. Twas a fierce final embrace. – Donna
Diana married Charles. She upset The Firm. She died, broken-hearted. – Laurie
Dropped smartphone. Dead, wait, see something. Eyes first time see sky -David
Bloody, sticky fingers. Cold, cement floor. Eyes closing. Sleep now. Goodbye. – Ali
Epic party, they said. Mum rings; she’s coming home early. FUCK. -Sian
His overwhelming presence made her reluctant to go to bed. – Claudine
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Posted on: 11 November 2011
