Stephanie Lyn

Thank you to everyone who participated in this Halloween’s writing contest!

Dark nights, flashlights, and story frights are what makes Halloween especially thrilling. As the season wraps up, so does our 2024 Spooky Scary Stories Halloween Writing Contest. Thank you to all the writers who participated in this month’s Open Canvas competition! Each piece exhibited creativity, thought, and novelty that was poignant and enchanting to read, especially within the given word limit. 

All of us at the Bulldog Times enjoyed going through every submission. But for those who were unable to participate this time, don’t worry—Open Canvas will host more opportunities for writers and artists alike to showcase their talents in the near future!

Now, without further ado, here are the winners of the Halloween contest:

First Place: Christian Garcia (11)

It’s been long since my brother went missing, thought to never return. Until a few days ago when he was at the door after dinner. I couldn’t sleep, knowing the boy sleeping on the top bunk could not possibly be the brother whose grave was in the backyard.

“From reading the short story, it sent a shrill of cold air down your back. The story was very dark because it provides readers with a sense of certainty because readers don’t know who this new boy has come from. With this, it leaves readers on a cliffhanger wondering both what the backstory is along with what is going to happen next to the family.” – Allison Caganap, Staff Writer

“This story was only a few sentences but managed to give me chills. I liked it because both the characters are creepy: the mystery person impersonating the brother, and the narrator who knows her brother is dead in their backyard. It left me with so many questions!” – Janelle Lim, Social Media Manager

Second Place: Sophia Lam (9)

Close your eyes, little one

Metal screeches, blazing headlights

Pain recedes as the tom wakes alight

Watching his coddling mother, vexed

An unfamiliar kitten settles into his bed

Colorless claws twinkle,

Cries shriek from the window

He slits the fabric, 

The body of the infant

Close your eyes, little one

“First off, it’s a linear narration which is very hard to nail, however, this person really did it in a natural way. Secondly, I like the sad and creepy undertones to this story. Good job to the person who wrote this.” – Valentina Rodriguez, Staff Writer

“How something as innocent and innocuous as a kitten could be warped into a monster fascinates me. I too find the soothing voice telling you to “close your eyes” especially unsettling.” – Kaitlyn Luu, Staff Writer

Third Place: Nick Osorio (11)

The wind howled, rattling the window panes. A single, blood-red feather drifted in, landing on the floor. I looked up, just in time to see a pair of glowing eyes disappear into the darkness beyond the window. My heart pounded, a cold dread settling in my gut. It had begun.

“Right from the beginning the author did a great job of setting the scene and immediately introduced that dark, spooky setting. The description throughout created a vivid scene in my mind and allowed me to experience the terrors that came with it.” – Aniya Grant, Staff Writer

“I think this story is simple and not too much, but it sets the tone of the story really well and captures the elements of Halloween nicely.” – Kaylani Hsu, Sports Editor

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Congratulations to our winners! Your submissions were all thought out and amazing to read! Make sure to stop by at room B103 with your student ID to claim your drink vouchers!

The runner up submissions will also be rolled out in a separate article under the Open Canvas tab, so make sure to check back to read your fellow Bulldogs’ amazing bite-sized creative writing pieces!