Short Story contest winner!

Hey guys! I bet y’all are wondering who the short story winner is, well I couldn’t decide on them, there are only 2 stories submitted so of course I had to let both win!

Here is story one

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Almost there…..

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The writer of this story is Avery P.! She did a AMAZING job I absolutely loved it, with 415 words! well here it is…… Mae and the seashell

Once upon a time there was a family, and the kids' names were Rosie, Violet, and Mae. One day Mae went to the beach and she was by herself. She saw a super pretty seashell and she picked it up while she was standing in the water, and she turned into a mermaid! She knew mermaids couldn't walk, so she stayed in the water a little bit. She noticed it was getting darker out, so she had to stay in the water all night. Her mother thought Mae was playing late by the ocean. Mae fell asleep by the ocean and drifted off into the water.

She woke up by a big rock and did not know where she was. She started to swim to find home but she just kept swimming farther into the ocean. Then she saw a big splash, so she went towards it, but she couldn't find where the splash had come from, so she turned around and went back to the big rock again. She kept swimming out until she found an island with a big house on it that looked like hers. Then she noticed it WAS hers! She saw the seashell, so she picked it up again, but she didn't turn back into a human. She went underwater and saw a big platform. She started to build a house there because she wasn't turning back into a human. She found a bunch of seashells and stuff like that to build her house, and she found some seaweed for her bed. One day her mother was walking by the seashore and she saw Mae, and Mae told her mom all about the seashell and how she had turned into a mermaid, so her mom started bringing her food. Every day her family came to visit her, and Mae told them everything that had happened. One day, Mae was swimming close to her house and she saw a little sparkle under the sand, so she started to dig it up. She saw it was a giant golden pearl. When she picked it up she turned back into a human! She swam back to the surface as fast as she could, and when her family came to visit her they saw she had turned back into a human, and they were so happy! She told her family all about her adventure, and she kept both the seashell and the pearl, in case she wanted to change to a mermaid and back to a human again.

The End

Next up the other winner! I really loved this story gals! It felt like it brought me to another world, anyway here it is!

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Hearts, Hooves, and Hope

A short story by Hadley S. and Maya P.

Riley looked up from her book at the clock, which read 2:21 pm. She gasped and tossed her book on the bed, jumping up to pull on a swimsuit and put on her tank top and shorts over it. As she dressed, she muttered to herself. “You’re late again! I feel so bad.” Riley turned and grabbed her backpack and water bottle, pulling on a pair of flip-flops as she did so. Running down the stairs, she called out to her mom, “Mom! I’m going to meet Mia now!” Pulling the door shut behind her with a creak, she hopped on her bike and started pedaling down the street. Riley lived on Chincoteague Island off the coast of Maryland and Virginia. The salty breeze whipped back her long, wavy light brown hair into a tangle. She drew in a deep breath as she whizzed down the road. In all of her 15 years, Riley had never lived anywhere but Chincoteage and she wouldn’t have it any different. 

Turning on to a cobblestone path leading down to the beach, she pulled up and threw her bike down. On such a hot and sleepy day, there wouldn’t be many people around. Running across the sand, Riley pulled her backpack onto one shoulder and grabbed her flip-flops in one hand to run faster. Coming to a group of shady trees, she looked both ways to make sure no one was looking before ducking through the brush into her secret entrance. Bursting out of the trees, she stopped and walked towards the small motorboat that was bobbing in the shallow water in the small cove. Her cousin, Mia, grinned when she saw Riley, tossing her blond hair over her shoulder. “Ahh, hey cousin! How’s it going?” 

Riley replied, “I’m sorry I was late. I was in the middle of “Misty of Chincoteague”.

Mia nodded. “Oh, yes! I love that one. Ugh, but it’s been such a long time since I’ve read it. I really should reread it again.” She smiled pleasantly. 

Riley laughed. “And it gets better every time! Now let's go see some ponies!” Hopping in the boat, she sat down next to Mia. The boat roared and pulled out of the cove as Mia steered it slowly. Letting her fingers drag in the water, Riley gently touched the side of the boat. She and Mia had named it The Misty when they were 10 and had gotten permission from their parents to fix up the old boat. Squinting her chocolate-brown eyes, Riley looked across the water. A shiny teal tail seemed to flash out of the water. Probably just a fish. “Mia,” she said, “do you ever wonder if the legends of the Mermaids are real?”

Mia shrugged, trailing her fingers in the water. “I dunno. Maybe, but… I doubt it. It would be super cool, though.”

They pulled up to the beach of Assateague Island and secured the boat. “Let's go find those ponies!” Riley exclaimed. Grabbing their towels, the two girls made their way across the sandy beach, following the hoofprints. A squeal rang through the air as the ponies burst out of the brush and galloped down the beach. Riley grinned. Whenever I see them do that, I feel as free as a bird, she thought. Putting her fingers in her mouth, she blew a loud and piercing whistle. The lead pony turned and charged toward her, crow hopping as he shook out his mane that was as tangled as Riley’s hair. Stopping with sand flying up into the air, he tossed his head and, snorting, stuck his nose into Riley’s palm. 

“Riptide! Be nice silly boy!” Riptide was a sorrel and white pinto stallion. His front socks were sandy from the beach, and his narrow blaze tapered off to his pink muzzle. A single blue eye made him look wilder than he was.

“Oh my goodness, he’s gorgeous!” Mia clasped her hands in adoration. “Ya know, for some reason he reminds me of you.” She winked playfully.

Riley smiled as she scratched Riptide’s neck. “I guess it’s because we’re both reckless and spunky.” Turning, Riley jumped on Riptide’s back. Because of her tall height and his tall-for-a-pony but short-for-a-horse 14.2 hand height, they were a perfect match. Her cousin jumped on her favorite pony, Cloud. Cloud was a palomino mare, with a creamy tan mane and sturdy legs. She wasn’t that tall, only about 13.3 hands. But that made Mia love her all the more.

“Let’s ride!” Riley exclaimed. Nudging Riptide’s sides, the flighty stallion took off, snorting and throwing in an extra buck or two for fun. Behind them, Mia and her pony were coming at a canter, less reckless than the wild Riley and Riptide pair. Riptide turned, plunging into the surf, his legs striking out in a rapid pattern. The two girls and their ponies swam in circles, playing tag and racing each other in and out of the water. Finally, they came out of the water. The ponies rolled into the sand and the girls dried themselves off with their towels.

Mia grinned, her ocean-blue eyes shining. “That was so fun! I’ll never tire of riding Cloud.” The two ponies didn’t belong to the girls, but Mia and Riley had tamed and trained them when they were foals. To other people, the ponies seemed wild, but they were gentle and tame when they were around their girls.

Riley yawned. “Honestly, I think we should be heading back soon. Mom said I have to be back in around an hour, so…” she shrugged. “What do you think?”

“Yeah, that’s what my mom said.” Mia frowned, but shrugged it off. “We can always come back tomorrow! And besides, I still want to explore the cottage we’re staying in.” She and Riley’s families were both staying in a cottage next to the beach, and Mia had only been in it briefly since she’d arrived. Usually she stayed in a house in town, but her family was renting the cottage for a fun “vacation”. 

Turning, the girls started back towards the boat. The herd of ponies followed them, occasionally stopping to grab a mouthful of salt marsh grass or itch each other’s backs. Something sprang out of the water, flipping its tail with a flourish. A glittering shower of water droplets fell into the water. Riley stopped with a start. “Did you see that?” she asked Mia. 

Mia turned. “See what?” 

“Never mind, it was probably my imagination.” It looked like a Mermaid, Riley thought. Could it be possible? There were legends of mermaids that had been around Chincoteague for decades. As a young girl, Riley herself had begged her father for the stories before bed. The legends said that anyone who saw a Mermaid would begin to understand any sea or living-by-the-sea animal’s language. Shaking her head, Riley pushed away the idea. I definitely don’t hear Riptide and the other ponies talking, she thought to herself. 

The two girls reached the boat and turned to say goodbye to the ponies. “Bye Riptide! See you tomorrow buddy.” As she scratched the stallion’s ears, his tail swished and his foot stamped. Do you really have to leave already? He seemed to ask. Riley dropped her hand. Had she really just understood his body language? Turning towards Mia, who was rubbing Cloud’s forehead, she watched her cousin’s pony. Cloud’s ears flopped and her eyes drooped. That feels so good. Keep going please! The mare said silently. Riley gasped.

“Mia… I can understand what the ponies are saying!” 

Mia shook her head, confused. “What do you mean?”

“It’s their body language! I can understand what they actually say, not just the general idea!” Riley said. Riptide snorted and nipped Cloud’s rump. Hurry up! We have to go now! Cloud squealed and stomped. No! I want to stay. My girl and her herdmate are still here. Riptide tossed his head and rolled the whites of his eyes. Come now! We will see them tomorrow, they always come back. Herding the mare away, he nuzzled Riley and chased Cloud back to the herd. 

Riley gave Mia a summary of the conversation. Mia’s eyes widened as she listened. Finally, she grinned. “Honestly, it's kinda hard to believe, but that sounds amazing! Do you think it's true?”

“That must have been a real Mermaid I saw! The legends are true!”

The girls climbed into the boat, chattering excitedly as they discussed this new turn of events. “Now we just have to get you to see a Mermaid!,” Riley said to her cousin.Mia moved her gaze to the water as if in a trance. “Wow. So, you can understand horse body language? Ahhh that’s awesome!” She smiled.

Riley nodded and, after climbing into their boat, turned on the motor. The sound of it filled the heavy afternoon air, and the two girls turned to wave to their ponies. Cloud and Riptide were both busy grazing, but Cloud nickered. When she did so, Riptide raised his head and tossed his mane.

Riley laughed. “Riptide just said ‘I hope they come back soon’!”

The two girls guided the boat back to the land, all the while they took turns steering and watching for Mermaids. They didn’t see any more of the mythical creatures, but were eager to spot one. Mia was especially eager, since Riley was the one who had seen the creature.

However, before long, they reached land. With a smile and a wistful sigh, Mia hugged Riley goodbye. Riley hugged her back. “You know, Mia, I bet you’ll see a Mermaid soon. But maybe we should keep this a secret–our parents probably wouldn’t believe us anyway.”

“I agree! And yes–I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for a Mermaid.” Mia grinned.

“Then I’ll be able to communicate with Cloud even better, pretty much!”

“Yes!” Riley nodded, and with a final wave, the two girls parted.

***

Riley and Mia visited each other often, coming to and from the mainland and Chincoteague. Riley continued to study horses’ body language, and eventually, Mia also saw a Mermaid, giving her the ability to read the ponies' language as well. Oftentimes they would spend hours on the island, exploring and riding their ponies, Cloud and Riptide. Riley and Mia never lost their ability to understand animals, and they used that to help with their jobs when they got older. Riley became a horse trainer, and Mia became a part–time horse breeder and vet. However, even when the girls grew up and moved away, they never forgot their adventures on Chincoteague island. Every year or so, they would go back to visit each other and enjoy Pony Penning Day, when all the ponies were rounded up for sale. But never would they forget the myth of the Mermaids, and their two darling ponies. And somehow, there was always the hope that they would find Cloud and Riptide’s foals and colts, and train them and raise them.

But in the meantime, the myth of the Mermaids would forever live in their hearts.

I hope you guys like the stories! Give these writers a round of applause! 👏 until next time….

—Lucy