The Writer's Workout

Bursting Free by Michelle Dornish First Place Why can’t they see beyond this mask? I sit at the dinner table, poking my limp green beans with my fork. My body seems to be vibrating in my skin, the skin which has never felt totally comfortable –or right. I am focused on my plate because my eyes are tired from holding back tears. I know if I meet my mother’s eyes, it will all come pouring out of me. I do not want to flood her with my truth. I want to calmly speak the words.

Double Hashbrowns, Plain by Klaus Turk Third Place The paprikash recipe called for diced tomato, so Cheryl pulled the knife from the corpse's eye. Blood waterfalled to the floor. Frowning, she nudged the body over so that the floor by the counter didn't get slippery. She washed the knife off in the sink, scrubbing until her sponge turned from yellow to crimson to pink and back to yellow again. She tossed the sponge. With her implements clean, Cheryl began dicing. The medita