CS Writing Competition - July/August Entries Open!

[total solitude]

July + August 2025
Link to pet:

xxxxxGlitchxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx8-BitxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxVirus Vain
Entry:
A frequent traveler down the endless and winding binary code waves between computer networks and internet switches, Glitch wasn't a stranger to all the cracks and crevices in which one may find themselves stuck between as they surfed the web. Growing up between the layers of electrostatic zings and glass panes of old television screens, his family made sure he looked both ways before crossing the whirring Webway streets before he raced off with cash in hand and mischief in his eyes. Frequently he'd meet up with his best friend, 8-Bit, who helped out at his dad's old corner store on the weekends. Unlike previous weekends, though, Glitch had a riveting activity planned for the duo outside of 16-Bit Switches Store.

Dashing through the aisles up to the counter, Glitch slammed his money down in front of 8-Bit’s snoring nose hurriedly. “Good morning, buddy!”

Startled awake from his pixelated nap, 8-Bit jumped up off the counter and yelped. “G-Glitch! My bit rate can’t keep up with you!”

Glitch laughed animatedly, glancing across the candy boxes laid out beneath the counter. Static buzzed between his fingers as he slid a 100 Band bar and a Flickers bar over to his friend, who quickly scanned the barcodes into the register.

“One for you, and one for me,” he grinned slyly. “When do you finish your shift?”

Counting out coins as change for the transaction, 8-Bit chewed on his lip and sighed, “Unfortunately, not 'til later tonight. My family’s been real busy down at the Network Sorting Center ever since more consoles and computers have been gettin’ plugged in to Router Mountain.” Handing back the change, he peeled open the 100 Band and lousily took a bite.

Shrugging, Glitch stuffed the coins into his pocket. “Well, that isn’t all so bad! You know why?”

“Why?”


“I thought of something fun we could do once you’re done here,” Glitch grinned, static bouncing between his eyebrows as he waggled them at his pal. “Have you heard anything about the new podcast trend?”

8-Bit’s shoulders shook with laughter at Glitch’s goofy antics. “Yeah, 4-Bitty’s been telling me all about those things when I pick him up from school during the week. Why? What’re you gettin’ on about?”

Speaking with his mouth full, much to his friend’s dismay, Glitch whipped out his notebook. “The other day when I was on my way home from class, I saw some shady figures on the Webway.”

Rapidly flipping to a crudely drawn scribble of what looked to be a tumbleweed mixed with a squishy rotten apple, Glitch shoved the notebook into his friend’s face.

“What am I lookin’ at?” 8-Bit’s pixelated eyes crossed, chewing on his candy curiously.

“That—” his friend said incredulously, “— is the Data Bandits’ leader, Virus Vain.”

8-Bit’s pixels buzzed with a zap of anxiety. “Huh? You saw Virus Vain?”

“Yes!” Glitch excitedly exclaimed. “Isn’t that so cool?!”

Swallowing nervously, 8-Bit glanced around the corner store to see if any other patrons were listening. “I… I don’t like the sound of that. Isn’t he the most dangerous person on this side of town?”

“Exactly, my friend,” Glitch said matter-of-factly with a curt nod. He took another heaping bite from his candy and slammed the notebook shut. “We need to make a podcast about him.”

Shifting in place anxiously, 8-Bit shook his head. “Why don’t we make a podcast about something more safe? Like… internet safety?”

“The viruses are way cooler than being safe on the internet,” Glitch rolled his eyes. “Come on, pal! Don’t you want a chance to interview the most influential criminal around?”

“No,” 8-Bit said firmly with a final shake of his head. “If we create a podcast together, we should to do it on somethin’ that is beneficial to people like us… And like 4-Bitty. I don’t want him hearin’ his big brother talk about criminals.”

Glitch’s eyes widened. “Wow! I’ve never seen you say something so confidently before! Do you really believe that a podcast on internet safety would do well with the people?”

Nodding again, 8-Bit tore grabbed a roll of receipt paper and a pen. “Yes. If people like Virus Vain are lurkin’, then we need to be responsible.” He passed the note to his friend.

“Internet Bits & Glitches, huh? I like it!”

[CyonFir]

Jinx, Kidd, and Goobie

"A... podcast?" Jinx questioned, narrowing his eyes at the much smaller cat, "What would we even talk about?"

The two cats were having an evening stroll, listening to the crickets, watching the fireflies, and overall just enjoying the scenery. The walk had been quiet for a while, Jinx enjoying the rare silence. Of course, Kidd had to break that. He had always struggled with silence.

"Yeah!!!" Kidd yelled, jumping a bit while he walked beside Jinx, "A podcast!!!" Kidd was full of energy, as always. He seemed to never stop moving, preferring to keep himself busy at all times. Jinx was okay with this despite how he may have seemed to others.

Jinx paused, watching Kidd jump up and down as they passed a large oak tree they frequently climbed during the day. Jinx thought for a moment, then asked, "Do you even know what a podcast is...?"

"...no..." Kidd muttered, looking back at Jinx with a pout before immediately replacing it with a grin, "But it sounds like fun!!" Kidd wasn't lying; he only had a very vague idea of what a podcast was. All he knew was that he heard it on Jinx' radio earlier that week. It had something to do with friends talking about whatever they wanted while being recorded, and that was enough for Kidd to want to try it out.

Jinx stared at Kidd for a moment before sighing and continuing their walk. "Of course you don't..." Jinx muttered under his breath before looking up at Kidd and explaining, "It's essentially just a show that's audio-only. There's a host that's in all of the episodes, though there's sometimes multiple hosts, I guess." Kidd was listening intently, having moved closer to Jinx, who continued, "They usually have guests come on, and they talk about… well… whatever. Some podcasts have specific topics; others don't. Think of it like an audiobook but for live TV shows."

Kidd, deep in thought, stared at the ground. He muttered under his breath, "What would we talk about... Wait, guests...?"

"Goobie!!" Kidd shouted, startling Jinx and making his tail poof up. "We should get Goobie on there!! He's on the internet all the time!!"

Jinx shook his head, trying to regain his composure. He was very easily scared and always embarrassed of his poofy tail. After processing what Kidd said, he groaned, "Really... Goobie?" Goobie was on the internet a lot, sure, but they had maybe even more energy than Kidd. The last time Jinx was with both Kidd and Goobie, it ended in disaster. This "disaster" was a surprise birthday party for Jinx. Jinx, who hated unscheduled events, spent the entire time pretty grumpy but appreciated it deep down.

Kidd nudged Jinx with his side, getting the grumpy tabby's attention. He nodded his head, indicating that they were finally home. Jinx let out a sigh of relief, immediately speeding up the steps into their house. Kidd followed behind as fast as he could but lost Jinx immediately upon making it through the door.

Kidd bounded up the stairs, going into his room to nestle in on his favorite spot next to the window. At least he knew what he was doing tomorrow; he needed to call Goobie.

[sugarkiss]

july and august 2025

Amelie and Amber

entry

It was the last day of school, and the two dragon friends were already planning how to spend their summer break.

When the final bell rang, Amelie shoved her notebook and pencil into her backpack, threw it over her shoulder, and ran to Amber.

She came to a sudden (and hopefully dramatic) stop. “Amber, this is it!” she cried, pastel pink blossoms showering down onto the wooden floor. “The time to act has come!”

Her best friend laughed, still packing up her things. “Oh, Amelie, you don’t have to be that excited! We have a whole month of summer to plan and start our idea!” Suddenly, Amber turned accusingly to Amelie. “Unless you’ve ALREADY PLANNED your idea...”

Amelie shook her head vigorously but her bright blue eyes gave her away. “Well, why should we wait...” Her soft voice grew louder and louder, “...when I ALREADY GOT AN IDEA???”

Amber shrugged and said, “Well, I’m not sure—” and then she and her backpack were swept into a humongous Amelie hug.

“Amber, I’m SOOO EXCITED!!” Her best friend zipped out of the classroom and into the clear sky (while hugging Amber). “I bet you can’t wait to hear what it is...” Dramatically, Amelie hovered in the air, a sly smile playing on her face.

Amber sighed. Her friend could be really enthusiastic! “Well, Amelie, what is it?” she asked.

Amelie spread her wings, covering them in a dark shadow, and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Drumroll, please...”

Amber smirked and slapped her tail repeatedly against her friend’s.

“We’re gonna do a PODCAST!” Amelie threw them into a somersault and crashed around in the blossoming trees. But sadly, for the senior backpack, it barfed up all its contents.

Amber couldn’t help herself from laughing. “Amelie!” she scolded.

Her friend gasped and immediately shot back down and started cleaning up the mess. “Ohmygod Amber, I’m so sorry!” She shoved the backpack into her friend’s talons, grasped them, and whispered, “but do you like the idea?”

Amber smiled and squeezed Amelie’s talons. “Yes, I do love the idea of a podcast.”

—————

“So what should the podcast be about?”

The friends were sprawled on Amelie’s pink bed, snacking on oatmeal cookies and pink lemonade. Rays of golden sunlight peeked through gaps in the window and landed in stripes on the bed.

Amber shrugged. “I actually have no idea...do you have any?”

Her best friend sipped some lemonade and pursed her lips. “I dunno, maybe something about us? Like our personal lives?”

“Well, we could talk about our experience at our Performing Arts School,” Amber suggested.

Amelie perked up immediately. “Ohmygod YESSS!” She stuffed the entire cookie into her mouth and started typing rapidly on her laptop. “That is such a great idea. Let’s do it!”

In the end, it was decided. They would talk about their school, their various AMAZING shows and performances, and even interview some students there! Amber and Amelie were never more excited for their incoming summer break.

[490 words]

[Charmie<3]

Pet Names: Milo and Whiskers
July + August 2025


Entry: "The Mic Between Us"
Milo the golden retriever had been slowing down lately. His once-bouncy steps were shorter now, his tails wagging slower than they used to. His best friend, Whiskers the orange tabby, had noticed. They’d grown up together- two rescues brought into the same home as awkward, lonely babies- and Whiskers could see it in Milo’s eyes: the far-off stares, the way he rested more than played.
One rainy afternoon, they sat together by the window. The drizzle tapped on the glass, and Milo sighed.
"I feel like I can’t keep up with the world anymore," he said quietly. "Everything’s moving too fast. I don’t have the energy I used to."
Whiskers thought for a long time. Then her whiskers twitched in a way that meant she had an idea. "Then we’ll make the world come to us."
"How?"
"A podcast," she said simply, as though it were obvious. "We’ll talk about everything we’ve learned over the years- about friendship, about surviving the hard stuff, about how to find joy when you think it’s gone."
Milo chuckled, a deep, warm sound. "A podcast? You mean like… with a microphone? And people listening?"
"Exactly. People who need to hear us. Maybe some lonely pup who feels like they don’t fit in. Maybe someone whose best friend just passed away. We’ll remind them there’s still good in the world. And maybe…" she hesitated, "…maybe it’ll remind you too."
So they began. They set up a little desk in the corner of their room- Milo's lucky green blanket, a sunbeam for Whiskers. A microphone stood between them like a tiny tree they both leaned toward. They decided to call it "The Mic Between Us."
Every week, they recorded an episode. Milo would share stories about his puppy days- chasing butterflies, sleeping under Christmas trees, the time he learned the vacuum wasn’t actually a monster. Whiskers would add her thoughtful commentary, sometimes teasing him, sometimes just letting the silence stretch between them in that comfortable way only best friends can.
They had dream guests- Cassius the sea bunny, Flockie, the deer from the park, even the aloof fennec fox from next door, Bambi, who sometimes liked to heckle them from the tree stump in their backyard. But more than guests, they had each other. And everyone listened. Dogs, horses, cats, even a rabbit sanctuary in another state who sent them fan mail.
One night, after they finished an episode, Milo lay down with a sigh. "I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to do this, Whiskers."
Her voice wavered, but she smiled. "Then we’ll keep going until you can’t. And when you can’t, I’ll keep telling the stories. Yours and mine."
Months passed. Milo grew weaker, but the podcast grew stronger. Listeners sent letters about how the show helped them through loss, illness, loneliness. Some said it made them laugh when they hadn’t laughed in years.
And then, one bright spring morning, Milo didn’t come to record. He was gone, his lucky green blanket resting on the chair. Whiskers sat there for a long time, paws folded, staring at the mic.
When she finally spoke, her voice cracked but carried through the room. "This episode is for Milo. My best friend. My co-host. The one who taught me that love doesn’t go away, even when the person you love does."
She kept recording. Week after week, she told Milo’s stories- his favorite snacks, his silly fears, the way he once barked at his own reflection. She laughed through tears.
And somewhere, Whiskers liked to believe, Milo was still listening.
The show never stopped. The world kept coming to them. And though the mic stood between her and the empty chair, the space no longer felt empty.
Because love, like their little podcast, kept on playing.

{631 words}

[Dragonlover18]

July + August 2025
Link to Pet:
Adopt virtual pets at Chicken Smoothie!
Pet's name: Persephone
Adopt virtual pets at Chicken Smoothie!

Pet's name: Radagast
Adopt virtual pets at Chicken Smoothie!
Antonia (guest), Persephone (host), and Radagast (host)

Entry: Pride of the Unique

Radagast was flying around when Persephone almost ran into him.
"Woah there, Persephone," Radagast said. "What's up?"
"I'm starting a podcast," Persephone replied.
"I see," Radagast said.
He looked at his friend, and suddenly he had an idea!
"Hey, can I be part of your podcast, Persephone?" He asked.
Persephone smiled. "Of course!"
The two dragons flew side by side as they discussed the podcast.
"We should have a theme," Radagast said.
"We should," Persephone agreed. "But what should the theme be?"
Radagast thought for a minute. "How about a podcast about unique people? Like people with autism or stuff like that?"
Persephone nodded. "I like that. But who should our first guest be?"
Just then, the two dragons spotted their autistic cat friend, Antonia (Nia to her friends).
"Nia!" Radagast called as he flew down closer to her.
"Hey, Radagast," Antonia called back. "What's up?"
"Persephone and I are starting a podcast about unique people. Wanna be a part of it?" Radagast replied.
"Sure," Nia replied. "But on one condition: Your podcast is about unique people who are proud to be unique!"
"Alright!" Radagast answered. "You've got it!"
A few days later, Radagast and Antonia met up with Persephone to start recording the first podcast episode.
"Why'd you want to start a podcast?" Antonia asked.
"Well, it just seemed like fun," Persephone replied. "Not much else. What about you? Why'd you ask for that condition?"
"Because I've heard and seen all to many things about unique people...but they're all about unique people who aren't proud of who they are," Antonia replied. "I wanted to have something that ACTUALLY portrayed people like me correctly. Most of us are quite proud of who we are."
Persephone smiled. "That's actually really neat, Nia."
"Thanks," Nia replied. "I'm glad you asked me to be a part of this. I don't often get the chance to share my story."
"What is your story?" Radagast asked.
"Well, I've always been autistic, but I was only recently diagnosed," Antonia replied. "I have level one autism spectrum disorder, which is the lowest level of the autism spectrum. Sure, I struggle socially...but when I get friends, I keep them for quite a while."
"Wow," Radagast said.
Antonia smiled. "I tend to think that if someone can't accept me as me, then they're not worthy of being my friend."
"That's really smart," Persephone agreed. "What's one piece of advice you'd give someone else like you?"
"Be proud of who you are," Antonia replied quickly. "Don't change for others; just be yourself. Be proud of what makes you unique!"

The end!

[Mournlore]

July + August 2025

Link to Pets:

Firth + Sliver

Entry:

Static filled the air as it had done for the past two hours. Releasing a sigh she’d been diligently holding in, Firth sunk down on her desk in despair. Her paw lazily reached forward and clicked off her microphone.

“A whole month, and all I have are some goo trails and a few weird sounds recorded,” she wearily announced to herself.

Weeks prior, Firth had been tormented by strange bumps in the night. Her items would be randomly moved around the apartment, and a few times she swore she spotted something slither in the corner of her eye after a thump woke her. But instead of letting a little haunting scare her out, she had decided to monetise on these paranormal experiences. Giving up, Firth tucked her head on her desk and let herself be lulled into a nap. Suddenly, a light click made her ears perk up. Before she could react, a violent screeching sound had begun harassing her ears. With a flailing flash, Firth pulled out her ear buds. Her microphone began to glow a piercing green as it floated above her head.

“Don’t you know it’s impolite to record others without consent?” The voice boomed overhead.

Terrified, Firth could only stare from where she had fallen. This was more activity she had experienced this entire time. She had no idea what to do.

Seeing the clueless look on the foxes face, the ghost sighed so intensely you could feel their eyes roll. The green glow faded, and with that the mic clattered to the floor. Slowly, an apparition of a gooey snake appeared before Firth. Their tongue slipped in and out of their mouth, clearly with agitation.

“Well?” They asked, flicking the tip of their lime coloured tail, “What do you have to say for yourself?”

Some ectoplasm had flung right onto Firth’s snout. The cold gel sent a shiver through her fur. With a nervous laugh, Firth wiped off the substance and got onto all four paws, her claws clacking on the aged wooden floor as she shifted uncertainly.

“I just thought-“ she paused, “Well you see I-“ she tried explaining before being cut off.

“Have you not cared once who I am, or why I’m here,” the ghost questioned in a horrid roar, “I was trying to help you when you moved in! Return items you lost, wake you up for work, and then you turn around and act like I’m just a mindless haunt!”

Firth quivered now, half from fear and half from guilt. The spirit was right, she had never tried to properly communicate. Only stuffed the place to the ceiling with evidence seeking gear. She realised that all this time she never even asked the ghost their name. Peaking out from below her knitted cap, the little fox became a bit more honest.

“You’re right,” she solemnly confessed, “This was your home first, and I do want to know about you.”

Taken aback, the ghost tilted their head in curiosity.

“I’m Sliver, and this old building was built over my old swamp,” They said.

“Hello Sliver,” Firth answered with a kind voice, “I’m sorry for never reaching out.”

Tail tucked between her legs, Firth began picking up all her ghost hunting gear. It was evident as she chucked it into a box that she was to throw it away. Sliver seemed stand offish, but seeing just how regretful Firth was made them feel a bit regretful themself.

“Hang on now,” they hissed, “I didn’t say I didn’t like being recorded at all. I just… wanted a friend, not a paparazzi,” Sliver mumbled while turning their head away.

Ears perked, Firth lightened up a bit. She thought she knew a way to not only get to know Sliver herself, but help Sliver make many more new friends.

“I have an idea, but only if you’re up for it,” Firth chimed through a shining smile.


Weeks later Firth and Silver sat by a computer screen. They both merrily sipped on warm drinks while laughing over a web page decorated with pixelated ectoplasm.

“It’s all finished uploading! Our first episode!” Firth cheered as she clicked submit.

Sliver pulled headphones on over their head, eager to listen yet again to their now official first podcast as roommates. Clicking the spacebar with their tail, both Firth and Sliver smiled at one another as Firth’s voice began.

“I’m here with my new ghostly roommate, Sliver. So Sliver, why don’t you tell us about life on the otherside?”