Along with teaching short fiction in my 10th-grade English classes here at CORE, I was also invited by teacher (and CORE dad) Scott Bailey to give a quick lesson at Juvenile Hall. Bailey ran his own 99-word story contest within Juvenile Hall. Here is a selection of stories from these incarcerated students. We’ve only included their initials to protect their anonymity. Please beware, many of these stories feature violence, drug use, and events that could be triggering for some readers. But we at the Insider thought it was important that CORE students had a chance to read these difficult, yet quite incredible stories.
Winners were:
First Place (tied):
Clouded Thoughts of Family Matters (M.H.)
Jared had a thousand voices in his head. He never could quiet them. They would roar for hours with no end in sight, and sleepless nights gave him no avail. He was always fighting with his parents. Insomnia created a fog in his days. During an argument with his parent—his father attacked him, slamming him into walls, shoving him, pushing him so hard he flew through the air. Unaware if he was awake, sleeping, or even conscious, he retaliated, grabbing something metal and smashing it against his father’s head. Or did he? He wondered if he was really incarcerated?
A Moment in Abyss (C.C.)
Blinding lights. Loud thumping music. Rowdy crowd jumping and screaming my name. I’ve been dreaming about this moment since I was a kid, fame. I stare off into the crowd, and start to remember what it took to get me here. Pushing through the hardships: poverty, drugs, people who wanted to see me fail. I came from nothing. Section-eight housing, no food, drugs flooded the house. As I close my eyes, I’m overcome with euphoria. I eagerly jump into the crowd only to find myself in the same trapped-out drug house. I can’t dream big when I feel small.
Second Place:
The Last Attempt (F.B.)
Sam couldn’t resist the dare to run through the train tunnel. On his way to school each day, he would try to build the courage to run through the other end before he arrived. Today was different. Today would be remembered. Ignoring all signs of danger like they didn’t exist, Sam was like a cheetah. Making it halfway through before a loud roar echoed across the hollow hole of tracks. A bright light then appeared, but he ran faster than he ever had before. Realizing he was looking down at himself, Sam was slowly drifting into the dark sky.
Other notable stories:
Escaping the Monster (F.F.)
The familiar smell of burning plastic tingles Leslie’s nose as Mommy takes her “medicine.” Mommy hops out of the car and stumbles away with some old man who’s glaring at her with lust dancing in his eyes. Leslie wiggles her bruised body to the radio, a bird spreading its wings when an ad alerted: “EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY, LION ESCAPED FROM ZOO.” She glances at her paw, fur suddenly covering her battered arm. Leslie realizes this is her chance. Lunging out of the car on all fours, the brave lion tearing through her, towards the sunset and away from the monster.
He Didn’t (F.F)
Random beach trips. Donuts in stolos. Cops. Going anywhere they desired. Lines. American Eagle shorts and tube tops. Hennessy. That green beam of his that made her feel protected, until it was used to threaten her. Xanax. The fast life. Kenzie loved that life, until everything changed. He changed. Beatings. The arguments that made the house tremble. Betrayal. He turned into the monster in the closet she hid from when younger. Meth. He grew giant and she grew tiny. Destruction. The bottle shattering over her head, blood pooling on the floor. He almost killed her. But he didn’t. Resilience.
Life Through Glass
Maria watches intently as the two joyful boys dance freely through springing grass, their boyish voices boomed happily through the cracked window that once used to be whole. These are the times the boys will know for certain, as the air turned warm and the eviction notices stopped being posted. Ashamed that these times were shortened. As time went on, Maria saw the boys less, and years passed since she felt the embrace of a motherly hug. She now sits on the other side of a sheet of thicker glass, sadly knowing that the boys will be together forever.
Dine & Dash
The hostess seated them both next to the window. Josh said, “I’m so frickin’ hungry.” Rob’s stomach was growling. As he slid his shoe, his toe popped out from the bottom. The waiter came to them with the calamari appetizer. Josh’s mouth watered as it was delivered. The waiter described the special: steak, mashed potatoes, and bread rolls. Rob held the holes on his hoodie so no one could see. They both agreed to the special. They were so hungry, they started shoveling down, trying not to use their fingers. The check read $190. They knew it was time.