2026 Writing Contest

When he awoke, the box he was in, his box, was being unloaded from the boat. He felt the shaking from the slightly not strong enough muscles, then the fall, dropping him and the box down towards the earth. When the box hit the ground, it shattered open, personal belongings and treasures spreading out and going everywhere. A locket got caught around Bear's throat and started to cut through his delicate and already worn down fur. Just as decapitation was becoming a possibility, the bearded man ran over towards Bear to save him. "Lad, not leaving me that early. My little lady's going to have all the tea you want.” He said with a grin as he picked Bear up and brushed him off. "Going home now we are.” He walked with Bear for many miles along the coast. This coast was cold, not like the one in Greece, where there were beaches as far as the eye could see; but with rocky shorelands, boulders and steep cliffs. He held Bear delicately throughout the whole walk, never once dropping or disregarding him. The path grew steeper, and as they ascended, a heavy fog started to fill the air. Bear did not know where they were going anymore, he couldn't see his own feet and wasn't in a position to understand how the man knew where he was going, but he did—and Bear trusted him. They reached a fence after another few minutes of this trek. It was once white, but now those times are long gone; the fence now resembles a zebra with its assortment of colors, all in rows and columns, a chaos in the beauty. There was a small house within the fence, the yard, if it is to be called that, was not a yard, but just a continuation of the natural hill landscape. Fog seemed to reel at the sight of the house, staying just outside the perimeter of the yard; every now and then, a wisp feels like it is the one that will be able to get in, moving to the wretched house but inevitably failing to uncertainty and falling outward. The house itself was nothing of a masterpiece, it was, however, a delightful looking cottage, with stone walls and old doors, it felt as if it could be the farm from hundreds of years ago and the prison in a hundred more. There was a small porch in the back, barely visible from the side angle at which the duo was walking towards it; the rest of the place was a square. When the man opened the door, a woman greeted him quickly running up towards him and giving him a gargantuan kiss on the cheek. "Thank goodness your home. I prayed that you would make it back alive.” She was a rather plump woman with short brunette hair and a long peacock dress, and she radiated joy and a sense of crazy calm. When she first saw Bear, she looked surprised, "Oh, and may I ask what that is?” She said while pointing at Bear. "It's a gift for Embala,” said the Mahogany man. "Have you really forgotten about her birthday so soon?” "Well, I'm sorry to say, but you haven't been there the past few years, so what should I have expected to change?” Replied the Woman. Getting quieter, she changed the atmosphere of the room entirely. She enunciated each and every word, drawing out the importance they brought. "I, have, waited, three, years. Three years I waited for you to get home after the treacherous ship took you away, and now I find you here, as if you were here just yesterday. If it

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTIxNjAyMw==