Congratulations to all who participated in our annual 100 Word Story Competition! This year we received over 110 entries in the High School Category, 20 entries in the Intensive English Program Category, and 40 in the University English Category. The winners and their stories are posted below, join us in congratulating their outstanding stories!
High School Category 1st Place & Overall Winner
Ayesha Ali - Dubai Scholars Private School
Too Late
His tiny legs kicked as hard as they could but still he struggled to get a proper lift off. He was familiar with the substances' thickness but only sank down further.
What the hell is this? If only he had paid attention in the safety classes he would've been able to tell what was holding him down.
Alas, the effort of kicking pushed him a little towards the edge and he could feel that safety was within his reach.
And then the words he dreaded the most, spoken out of those ruthless lips...
WAITER! There's a fly in my soup!
High School Category: 2nd Place
Naviya Singla - Delhi Private School Sharjah
Believe
"Relax. Everything will be fine." Miriam said. It was the eve of her Career-Choice Submission. Fashion Designing was her passion, but in the glut of the adult's counsel, she decided on Engineering.
She sat up feeling apprehensive.
Security or the ecstasies of seeing your imagination come alive"
'Believe.' said her heart and, like an atheist in revelation with God, suddenly, she knew.
*****
Twenty years later, Miriam sat looking at the sun emerging from the horizon.
"If you believe, see light within yourself, nothing can keep you in the dark." she thought, smiled and sketched the showstopper for the upcoming show.
High School Category: 3rd Place
Rahul Vaswani - Dubai Scholars Private School
Taking things for granted and the parker pen
You buy me from a store, and shove me in your pouch. You never really care. Why did you separate me from the crowd? These instruments in your pouch have no shame at all. They have no clothes on, or maybe you must have lost them all. I was dearly loved, but nobody cares about me now. I don't have any new friends, life is a misery now. But I still have faith that you'll keep me well. Please take care of me as I was born in May. That's all I want to say, your silver Parker pen.
High School Category: Highly Commended
Sarah Moutaoukil - Al Ansar International School
The color of hunger
The pangs first came when she was sleeping. Her eyes flew open as a loud gurgling noise filled the air. Shooting out of bed, she ran straight to the kitchen, wrenching open the fridge. She stared in dismay at the row of empty shelves inside, and within a heartbeat of a second, raced out the front door. Stitches bloomed up her side along with a rainbow of spasms as she ran. Upon reaching the supermarket, she sprinted inside and grabbed a handful of chocolate bars stuffing them into her mouth.
When hunger comes, it strikes hard.
University Category 1st Place
Suhail Surtee - Canadian University Dubai
The Life That Never Was
This is an account of a young boy who never was able to pursue his dream. His name was Alexander. Challenged with low self-esteem, he fought hard toward achieving his dream yet failed. Discriminated from entering institutions of a certain caliber due to society deeming him inferior, Alexander held his head up high and fought with all his might to gain a place in a society that is filled with more constrictions than acceptances, yet still failed. Alexander is no longer with us. He took his own life leaving nothing but a note behind saying "Life isn't worth this effort"
University Category: 2nd Place
Mohammed Atyab - Bits Pilani Dubai
The Planet you Should Envy!
Within the gigantic boundaries of our solar system, lies a shining sphere. It may be seen but never reached, it may be admired but never conquered and it may be studied but its secrets never revealed. It glitters claiming beauty, it puzzles claiming mystery and it protects claiming wealth. It took centuries to find it, would take light years to travel to it but just seconds to marvel it. Filled with the desire of every man and woman, a sparkling stone that man could kill for, the planet's surface is covered with diamonds thus earning its name "The Diamond Planet"
English Language Category: 1st Place
Amanda Falk- Canadian University Dubai
A morning in the 21st century, a teenager is standing in front of the mirror. She has beautiful hair, a cute face and an athletic body. The boys want to be with her and the girls want to look like her. But she can only see an ugly fat girl in the mirror. 100 days later, she is standing in front of the mirror. She is pale, sick, 20 kg lighter and skinny. Although, she still sees a fat girl. Her mum says: "It doesn't matter what you look like, it's impossible to be satisfied if you don't accept yourself."
English Language Category: 2nd Place
Shoreh Alamdari - Canadian University Dubai
The Darkest hour of the Night is before Sunrise It was summer. Young man was walking in the yard and thinking about himself. He was disappointed. He thought about the days which he had spent without happiness because he didn't reach his goal.
He spoke to God and asked God to end his life. He stopped and looked at the ants that climbed the pillar and carried a piece of biscuit. He came back home. A day after that, he was walking in the yard again and saw the ants trying to carry that same biscuit again. He got his lesson from the ants and thanked God for it.
Special Mention
Tvara Parikh - Dubai Private School Sharjah Gr.1
The Beautiful Tree
Once upon a time there was a big tree. It had beautiful orange flowers. People passing by were plucking flowers from the tree so the tree was so happy. One day nobody came to pluck any flower so the tree became very sad and started crying. At that time a Robin came and asked the tree reason of crying. The tree said nobody wants him. Robin smiled and started building a nest on the tree. After this so many other birds also built nest on the tree. Now the tree is again very happy as he is full of beautiful flowers and birds.
Moral of the story is everything is good around us.