CS Writing Competition - June Contest UPCOMING

[ChillyKitty]

December 2022
Link to Pet:

Pet's name: Finnick
Entry: (750 words)

Finnick was just on the edge of panic.

She turned, eyes scanning the floor. She tapped her hind leg on the ground a few times.

The world is too loud and her fur isn't sitting right against her body and the lights are too bright and she could see too much.

She slammed her eyes shut, ears already pressed firmly to her head, she tapped her foot again and then took to humming. She fought valiantly to keep it into some sort of tune instead of letting it turn into plain whining.

She needed Spots - an ocelot plushie that became her Number One Favorite as a kit and kept that title since.

She needed Spots like she needed air to breathe, limbs attached to her body, and her whiskers on her snout. Spot's fur was the Right Texture and it's spots were a perfectly countable fifty-eight and its paws were filled with beads, giving it the Correct Squish when she pressed her paws against it's.

She turned again, tapping her foot, humming what was mostly a whine this time and forced her eyes open.

Spots wasn't on her bed, but maybe it was mixed in with her bedding. Spots wasn't on her desk, but it could have fallen behind it. Spots wasn't on her floor but it could've been kicked and slid underneath the bed.

Moving from her place in the middle of the room kind of sounded like the worst thing ever.

The bedding's texture was currently Wrong, which she knew was silly but it didn't change the fact that it was, and if she looked behind her desk or under her bed she knew that would get a significant amount of dust caking on the fur in the bottom of her paws, which would send her into a frenzy of trying to get the icky feeling off.

She didn’t hum, she just whined at the back of her throat and tapped and thumped her foot, knowing any creature that walked by her room would know that there was a very irritated rabbit nearby. But the thumping did little to block out the noise the world dared to make, she had run from the initial cause but she could still hear the quiet mumble of the TV in the other room, the birds having a lively conversation outside, the humming of the fridge - seriously, she was in her room with the door shut why could she still hear the refrigerator?

She pushed herself forward through the buzzing wrongness of everything, she reached her desk and waiting for there were her headphones. She could almost physically feel the noise canceling being on but it at least didn't feel bad and mostly blocked the rest of the world out.

She hopped up on the desk and leaned over to see if anything had fallen behind it, a bit over the top but it worked to avoid getting near the dust.

It didn’t matter though, because Spots was not behind her desk.

She hopped down and to her bed. She cringed, the bedding’s texture was still Wrong. Well, rabbits had teeth for a reason. She bit her blanket and tugged.

She scowled, the only thing wrapped in her bedding was her pillow.

She dropped the blanket, shuffling anxiously. That left under the bed. If Spots wasn’t there, she didn't know what she would do.

She dropped low to the ground to peer into the darkness. There was the dreaded dust, as expected, but there was also the silhouette of something in the shadows.

She reached forward with both paws, clinging to the plush. She batted it excessively once it was out in the light and she could see the clumps of dust clinging to it. She shook it and pawed at it until the dust was mostly gone and it was once again the Correct texture, and then she dealt with the dust on her paws the best she could.

She pressed her paws into Spot’s, relishing in the Correct Squish of individual beads. It was almost instinctive to start counting.

Six spots on its head and eight on each leg and twenty on its body. Fifty-eight in total.

Finnick breathed, for what felt like the first time since she entered her room. She wasn’t quite ready to remove her headphones but the unsettling feeling inside her had dropped from a rolling boil to a dull simmer. She clung to Spots, wrapping her entire body around it and breathed.

She’d be okay.

[Misoradream]

December 2022


Link to pet:




Entry: ("How Örn earned his name and his friend, the chicken") (Count: 750) (Please note I'm not a native English speaker, so there might be mistakes!!!!!!)

I am Ornament. I was one of many things named such, but the only one that spun to life on the evening before Christmas Eve, above a comfy fireplace where a wreath had been placed after a long day of decorating.

In hindsight I see that at first, I wasn't just a wish come true... You see, I didn't know anything about Christmas or Yule or anything of the sort when I spun to life. All I knew was that suddenly I was sitting on the floor, dizzy from the blinding light that had sent me there, and marveled at the room around me. There were so many glittering things, evergreens, and decorations with bright colors and beautiful muted shades matching the wooden room and my feathers. It was like heaven! I hurried about the room, laughing, knocking things over, playing with tassels and collecting trinkets into a nest and then rolled contently onto my back there. As I laid in my nest, I looked up and gasped in delight. There were other birds sitting on the mantlepiece, looking at me!

"Excuse me", I croaked to a big penguin, whom I assumed to be the leader, "but where exactly are we?"

The penguin gave no response, and neither did its friends.

"Strange", I whispered. Maybe we didn't speak the same language, or maybe they were shy? Maybe they didn't hear me from up there.

I preened my feathers and ruffled my wreath with my beak, eyeing my unmoving companions. Could I fly up there? I stretched my clumsy wings and flapped them a few times, even took a few running steps, but only landed on my beak as I jumped. I quickly looked back up, but my companions weren't laughing. All of a sudden I jumped onto my feet from pure fright when something fell with a heavy thud next to me.

A chicken!

"You're like... me!" I gasped. The chicken laid face down and seemed frozen in embarrassement, so I helped her up. "Don't worry, I fell over just there, too. It's nothing to be embarrassed about. We all fall sometimes."

We both froze as we heard someone approaching.

"Hurry!" I squaked to my friend, and pulled her wing so she'd come with me, but she was too heavy. She rolled behind me a few times, then faced bravely the strange two-legged creatures that stormed into the room. I cowered behind a tree and watched as the strange creatures waved colorful papers and ribbons and toyed with cardboard tubes as if they were swords. A few of them noticed the mess I had made, but none but one gave it any thought, most grabbing arms full of toys before rushing off.

The youngling that did notice walked slowly over, kneeled and picked up my chicken friend. I wanted to squak, to scream or hiss, but I was too afraid to. The strange youngling's gaze swept across the room and hovered on my hiding place, and then they turned, and hurried out of the room.

I mustered the courage to leave my hiding place only after a long while. I tried to rally up the other birds for help, but they didn't answer my calls from the floor no matter how I tried.

"Really?" I called out to them. "One of us has disappeared, and you don't care? Is it because I can't fly, like you?"

I climbed onto an armchair using my beak, and spread my wings. Maybe I couldn't fly, but I surely could glide over and make them see sense! I jumped, and felt the air under my wings as I slid through the air... and crashed against the mantle, making the other birds fall over one after the other onto the floor.

I laid there in the pile of birds a little disoriented before a laugh made me jump up in fear.

"Don't be scared! That was amazing", the youngling from before smiled and helped me up. I eyed them warily when they shyly stretched out their hand, a strange tangle of paper and ribbon laying there. "Merry Christmas", they said. "Open it."

"It's your friend, isn't it?" the youngling asked as I looked up to them in surprise. The chicken sat there, a ribbon around her neck, all preened up and clean. "I named her Chia, but you can call her something else."

"No, that's good", I croaked shyly. "What's my name, then?"

"Oh, you're Örn. It means Eagle. Because you just soared like one."

[Lacuna]

Entries for December 2022 are CLOSED.
Judging has now commenced and the winner will be announced soon!

Entries for January 2023 are OPEN.
Please refer to the main post to make sure you are following all rules!

Prompt: New year, new you... right? Tell us about your pet's New Year's resolutions and their plans for achieving them, or how they spent their New Year celebrations!

Judge: Seasonal

Prize:

[Awexx]

January 2023

Link to Pet:
Pet's name: Yogurt
Adopt virtual pets at Chicken Smoothie!
Entry:(Title: Yogurt's New Year's Resolution) (Words: 467)
Yogurt sits down at his favorite spot and starts to think on how next year will be different for him and tries thinks of a resolution to make for himself that he knows he will stick to. He sighs slightly and thinks and thinks as to what to make his resolution. He knows he usually struggles with them, but this year it seems to be harder. He knows what he wants to do but doesn’t feel like he will be ready enough to do it. “What to do. What to do.” He asks himself over and over trying his best to think. He finally thinks of one. “Aha!” He says loudly. “I will be more social and make more friends!” He says happily. “Now, how am I going to achieve this?” He asks himself quietly. He thinks and thinks, trying to think of a way he could be more social and talk to more pets without seemingly scaring them off. He thinks and thinks, trying to come up with an idea. “I could maybe dress up? To not seem as scary.” He says softly. “But then people won’t get to see the real me…” He says, trying to figure out what to do. He keeps thinking as he yawns softly. “Maybe I just try to be myself and put myself out there more.” He smiles softly and stretches. “I'll be myself and just try my best to not scare anyone. I shouldn’t have to try and change myself so that pets can be friends with me.” He gushed as he stood and went to grab a pen and paper. “So,” he declares as he lays back down to start writing. He titles the paper ‘New Years Resolution’ and puts bullet points. “First point, Put myself out there. Go to more events and go out more.” He says, smiling as he writes and moves to the second point. “Be myself. Even if pets and people seem scared of me. I just need to find people who like me for me.” He smiles writing it. “And for my final point.” He exclaimed, going to the third point. “I will not get discouraged. Even if people and pets don't seem to like me, I will keep trying with more pets and people till I find the right people I belong with.” He finishes the sentence, and sits up, happy at the resolution. “Now to put it somewhere where I will remember it, maybe by the door before I go out.” He says as he grabs the list and walks over to the table to grab the tape. “This should be all!” He says, smiling, walking to the door, getting ready to tape up the resolution. “There!” He says proudly. “Now I can’t forget this and I can even start tomorrow!”

[AceThePhoenix]

January 2023
Link To Pet;
Pet’s Name; Raito {Light, in Japanese}
Word Count; 670

Still stuck, or for all he knew abandoned, Raito stretches out, ‘It’s not soo bad!’ He thinks to himself, referring to his current situation, what might that be you ask? Well on 12-23-2011 he had left his home town and ended up…. In outer space, on a completely different planet. But don’t worry! Because each year he made it a resolution to get home! Yes, he knows that it is 2023, but he was still determined nonetheless to at least try. Each New Years he would climb the highest peak and watch the moon fully take over in the sky, he would celebrate and wish everyone back home a good and bountiful year. Raito would then begin to ponder, what would change this year? The natural glow and beauty of this world was slowly leaving him, he was less determined this year but still wanted to do all he could to get home.

Home… How he missed it. Shaking out his fur and staring at the moon, watching another year start he smiles sadly. He would get home… Right? After everything he’d been through, he would get home! He had too! Then and there he made his first and only New Year’s resolution; To never let your light, your hope for this world die. Even with all the odds stacked against you, never give up, bide your time and you will get to where you’re going, pace yourself and you will find the journey fruitful.

It’s true, it will take hard work, dedication, patience… you name it. But in the end it becomes so worth it. He looks to the moon one last time. His last time. Raito soaks it all in, how big the moon is, the palish yellow it is, and how it glows. Sure it glows for a scientific reason, one he didn’t care about at this current time, because this was the last time he would be looking at it.

He had made his New Year’s resolution and would stick to it. He was going home. Sometime this year he would leave this lonely planet, leave it like he had never spent years upon years on it.

Ratio looks down to the grass, watching its faint glow. Yes he would miss this planet, how could you not? It really was stunning, with its beautiful sea foam green lakes, the considerate birds and even the rain! When it rained, well it did in fact pour, but it was seeds! Tree seeds! It wasn’t rain at all.

Standing he shakes out his fur and smiles to himself, he’d write it down, any and everywhere, so that if the same thing ever happened to anyone else, he would give them hope, another reason to hold on. To not be left in the dark. He would yell it if that’s what it took for him to get home, for his one resolution to come true. Though, above all else, he would cherish it. He had made not only the universe a vow, but himself and he would hold himself true to it. This year… This year was going to be different.

Right at dawn, a message was inscribed upon the boulder beside the hill he spent so long looking out into the universe from. At dawn, a sound so loud it broke the sound barrier took place, and, at dawn, Raito was gone. Just as the bright light from the sun began to touch the planet, Raito looked back and smiled fondly, “Goodbye Planet..”

Each New Year had taught him something but this year he finally understood it. Resilience, bravery, kindness, and above all else hope, those four traits had guided him through this entire fiasco, and he would honour this planet always and tell the tale of his escape each New Year from now on.

Just as the sun had finished rising he thought one last thing, “Thank you New Years.. for the hope I didn’t know I needed… And for not allowing me to give up on myself.”

[pandaa]

January 2023
Link to pet:
Pet's name: Areias
Word count: 358

My new year’s was a happy experience for once. I got to spend it with some friends I’ve made over the past few months, and I am so grateful for that fact… except I can’t help but think about the previous years.

When I was first created, it was special. That new year had brought the birth of a new deity, so of course everyone was pretty excitable. But as the years continued, faith in us began to melt away in favor of… them. The new gods. But we still had so many years of being a family. I cherished every moment until they all cast me out. Blamed me for the loss of faith in us all, and threw all the memories we had away. Like they meant nothing all that time. What can you expect from gods, right?

That’s why I’m so greatful for my new friends. Vulcana has become one of my closest confidants despite her temper. Averly becoming someone I could talk to about issues like my family. Luca had become the closest to me of all. I even starting to have a crush on them after only a few weeks. That is what I think it was at least. Those feelings were only momentarily a focus but I still see Luka as someone I could spend the rest of my days with. Their days too. Namely these three, and so many others I’ve met in my time here so far have made such and impact on my life and will do so forever onward.

Getting to watch fireworks and enjoy the festivities of it all was wonderful of course. Getting to see the flashes of color change the sky and watching the excitement throughout our home all day will forever be lodged in my memory… but finally feeling like I had a family again was the “highlight,” I guess you could say. I need them all to know how much I truly love and care for them.

I think I’ve figured out my own new year’s resolution.

Show them all just how much they mean to me next year, and every year after that.

[otterbug]

January 2023
Link To Pet:
Pet's name: celestial earth traveler
Word Count: 301
The Earth Traveler has grown weary over the past few rotations around the sun. Although they have never stopped, walking the grounds of a planet they adore has been devastating. As the clock rung true in her heart, it signified a new year. The Earth Traveler paused, closed their eyes, and soaked in the scents that surrounded them. This isn't the same Earth. This isn't the same grass. Even the Sun's rays felt different. They looked at the creatures that had collected on them and realized.

The Celestial Earth Traveler said aloud to the animals; "This year I shall not travel. I will not roam. There is work to be done."

They shook off the feeling of estrangement to this planet and marched forth. Beyond that moment, the Traveler explored many lands in need of their heliophilic touch. They cleaned up years of garbage, greed, and great filth that had covered these grounds. The townspeople did not have to lift a finger, as the Traveler planted seeds of wealth to these communities in need.
The desideria they once felt while passing by these towns was finally starting to fade away. They had recovered these people's homes in ways that hardly took minutes off their day. Tasks that helps hundreds in the matter of seconds.
Reality had came to give the Traveler a purpose this year. A resolution for the new year to sonder those around them.
No matter if they felt alone, there is so much beauty and wonder in this world to continue on for. And better yet? To change their lifestyle for.
Their resolution changed the lives of many in a simple, selfless manner. But your new year’s resolution can change your life by doing something that takes a few seconds.

The Celestial Earth Traveler is proud of you.

[SpiritWish]

January 2023
Link to Pet:
Pet's name: Alba
Entry: (585 words)

Alba...a lone fox who wanders around aimlessly in the world. No family or friends, no one to call "home."

What would my resolution be? He wondered. He's never really had any regrets or "what ifs" but, if he had to choose one thing, what would it be?
That's when it hit him. Quite literally, actually. He found himself running into another fox, but this one was...different. She had long, flowing pink hair and 9 tails that looked like the ocean itself was following her. Around her hovered 3 light blue orbs that lightly glow, enhancing her already perfect facial features.

Alba immediately pounced back, ears back and highly alert. The mysterious fox chuckled, shaking her head.
"It's alright, I'm not here to hurt you." She inched closer to Alba, who relaxed a bit. "Sorry about running into you by the way, I was so lost in thought I didn't even notice you were there."

Alba shifted, a little uncomfortable by how strong her aura was. Something about her was enticing, but he couldn't quite pinpoint what. "I-It's fine. I was also a little lost in thought..."

The other fox smiled, then sat down. "Well, tell me."

"What?" Alba responded.

"Tell me what you were lost in thought about. I'm all ears." At the last part of her sentence, she flicked her ears a bit.

Alba sighed and sat down, using this as an opportunity to let things off his chest a bit.

"Well, I was thinking about how it's the new year, and I don't really...have any friends or family to celebrate or talk to, so I don't typically come up with resolutions because well..there's no point. But someone recently asked me about it and told me that it was worth it to at least come up with something to have, and now I'm not so sure. All of this thinking has me kind of sad that I don't really have anyone, despite it being my own choice."

The fox scooted closer to Alba, wrapping a couple of her tails around him. He put his head on her shoulder and stared off into the distance, the silence between conversation seemingly lasting forever.

"It's alright to feel that way, you know," She responded. "Sometimes, we choose loneliness as the best option for our own sake, but it does have its drawbacks. Maaaybe you can start with talking to me? You're already here." She uses her other tails to gesture towards how close they are.

Alba jolts up and away, taking the bit of a hint she gave. "I am so sorry, I didn't even realize!" He stammers over his words, trying to piece together a coherent sentence. The fox laughs, then gestures for him to sit back down.

"It's alright, I don't mind." He sits back down and she pulls him closer. "In fact, I prefer it this way. Makes me feel like I have a friend as well."

Alba lets out a sigh of relief, and puts his head back on her shoulder. They sit there in silence once more.

After a while, Alba speaks. "I think I have it."

"Hm?" She responds.

"I think I have my resolution." He pulls his head up and looks at her, then smiles. "I want to make friends. Starting with you. I don't think we ever actually introduced eachother. I'm Alba, it's nice to...meet you?"

They both giggle, considering the fact that they're already physically close. "I'm Ahri," she responds. "It's nice to meet you too."

[Promicef]

Pet's name: Shining
Entry(New year, new hamster)(Not a native English speaker so there might be mistakes I apologize in advance)
"A brand new year is coming."
Said Shining, a hamster who are holding a cup of hot cocoa, reading a Philosophy book.
It's really weird for a hamster to read a book, especially when it comes that the book is a Philosophy book, and in a new year's beginning, isn't it?
He muttered.
"New year with a new plan, obviously."
"Do you expect me to say reading a hundred books in a new year? Haha then you are total wrong!"
I'm going to travel, to see different species, different places, different views from here!
He is not young physically, as "the only" wise man in the hamster village.
There is no villager that understand him. They just laugh at him, asking him "Why you just read these useless stuff all the day?"
He's the only hamster that go to the only dilapidated library on the village.
And he just not paying any attention to them. He just pay attention to the books.He learned and learned, and finally, this is the last book he hasn't finished reading yet.
He is going to leave.
"I'm going to learn surfing, and spend my next Christmas in the place where is hot and dry in December and January!'
"I'm going to The pole and see "The fire of fox tail!""
"I'm gonna leave here, forever!"
'I'm gonna be a brand new hamster in the brand new year!'

[soepsas]

January 2023
Link to Pet:


Entry: Those days by the fire
"I was terrified the moment it began. When they arrived. They walked around on their two long legs, carefully eyeing my family. Then they stopped, right in front of me. And they spoke in that odd language of theirs. I couldn't ignore the tools they were holding, the sharp edges on the iron. Were they upset with me? Were they going to hurt me? I was quite literally shivering my timbers!"

"But they were gentle and very careful not to harm my roots. They quickly released me from the ground and placed me in a pot. I spend a long time in their noisy vehicle. I should've enjoyed the views of the world, this was my first time leaving the ground after all. But I was too busy wondering about where they'd take me. Eventually we stopped and they told me I was 'home'. They took me inside, where the cold winds wouldn't reach me. They even put a little blanket under me, even though it wasn't cold at all! Then they dressed me up with the most wonderful accessoires, even placing a silly star-shaped hat on my peak!"

"These days were wonderful. The children sang songs and celebrated my existance with presents. I got so many wonderful compliments! The hearth was scary, at first. But it stayed far away from my branches and I eventually learned to enjoy the warmth. One evening they stayed up very late, even the children were still awake when the moon was high. Suddenly they started counting. I got a bit nervous, but mostly excited. When they reached zero I shivered from the loud explosions. But I realised they weren't scared, they were happy. Clinking their bubbly glasses and staring at the large window. Suddenly I saw the explosions of colours in the nightsky. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"A few days later I realized they had stopped complimenting my garlands and decorations. They barely seemed to notice me anymore. Eventually the big boxes returned and they started to undress me. Once again I got nervous. Was this it? Would I end up in the hearth after all? Thankfully everything turned out alright. Once I lost my shinies, they placed me in their garden, just outside the window. So I could still enjoy watching the children, without my roots getting all tangled up. That's when I knew I wanted to grow larger to become an even better tree the next time!"

The enormous spruce tree bend over slightly to address the smaller one once more. "I don't fit inside anymore. I'll miss the warmth, but I'm glad you're here to replace me. They're a good family and they'll take good care of you. It's time for me to stay rooted, young one."