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Prompt Two

WEST REGION | First Round

Scraps

Kirsten Rue

University of Washington

Pike place. August 18. 1:33 p.m.

The two women moved through the stalls, against the predominant flow of human traffic.  Shayna wore several layers of blowsy cloth, leggings, fat glasses perched enigmatically on her nose.  Her friend, Ellie, looked like a tube of frosting, unsqueezed: a column with red hair on the top.  Shayna would grab Ellie’s arm and the two would stand to...

Cherry Street. August 18. 5:03 p.m.

...He blinked back at them, almost mirthfully.  With a sense of fear, the girls knew he would be difficult to describe.  He had a melty way about him, an indiscriminate presence that was neither completely threatening nor completely benign; a face that was smooth, but not young; skin tanned to a bright gloss.  He opened his hands in a surrendering gesture, as if they were frightening him.  The two girls in their bug glasses.

“Okay, so send him on his way with forty dollars and we’ll call it a deal.”  Shayna held out the purse to Ellie.  “Just pay him,” she ordered.  “Just pay him whatever the fuck he wants.  Except all I have is forty dollars.”  Ellie jerked the purse out in front of her, dangling it before him.

“A pleasure doing business with you,” the man said, and bowed...

Mr. Cavanaugh

Samuel Otten

Michigan State University

Mr. Cavanaugh's cell phone rang with that same ringtone he had hated from the beginning but had never figured out how to change. He answered. It was her, how could he not.

"Hello."

He listened -- patiently, attentively, almost as if he cared.

She finished. Mr. Cavanaugh said, "Okay, so send him on his way with forty dollars and we'll call it a deal."

Without...

Prompt Two, West Region, Round 1.

"Scraps" by Rue [77.4%]

"Mr. Cavanaugh" by Otten [22.6%]

Go to Round 2