Story written for competition

It is rare I enter writing competitions on blogs or forums. But I decided to do so this weekend. Janet Reid (find her blog here: http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.co.uk/ ) runs writing contests. This weekend the rules were simple: write a story in 100 words or less, but you must include the following words - lot, heroic, caring, alert, flammable.

It really isn't easy to write a 100 word story and I struggled like crazy getting my word count under the limit. I finally managed it in 99 words and, although I didn't win, I did get a special mention from Janet on her blog, which was awesome.

The version below, though, is not the one I posted. This is one with 123 words before I cut it to pieces.


Sam stared at the old woman as she hobbled towards him. Each tap of her walking stick echoed around the hut. His mouth went dry. She was going to turn him into a frog, he knew it. That’s what witches did, after all. He had to keep alert. Not fall for her sneaky witchy-ness.

Her right eye bulged out of her socket as she leaned forwards. Sam gagged. Her breath stank. A lot.

“Here’s a cookie for being so heroic.”

Sam loved cookies. He grabbed it and gobbled it down, not caring if it did turn him into a frog. A tingling sensation filled his belly. A moment later, he exploded in a cloud of purple smoke.

“Hmm, they really are slightly flammable."