The Creative Writing School of Arizona Western College is pleased to announce the results of the 2015 100-Word Short Story Contest. More than 100 students, faculty, and staff submitted to the contest. Below are the winners and honorees chosen from a field of very impressive submissions. All who entered have reason to be proud!

1st Place in Student Category :

Yes, Ma'am

By Chelsea Cox

Children must be seen and not heard. You answer to me as ma'am, and Poppy Sir. When I call, you answer, "Coming Ma'am." You don't speak unless spoken to. When I speak, you look me in the eyes and answer "Yes Ma'am, or no Ma'am." You only bother me if the house is on fire, or you started your period. No sex before marriage. You have as many children as God allows. Women are submissive and don't belong in the military.

"Get off my bus."

"You are recruits now."

"There is no I in team."

"Do you understand?"

"Yes Ma'am."

1st Place in Faculty/Staff Category :

The Living and the Dead: Halloween/Dia de Muertos

By Steven C. McCown

Knock, ring. Knock, ring.

Curls like black halos, round faces painted bone white, maidenly dresses the color of fresh blood, and bright pink bags, enormous and empty, gaping below me: two sweet little girls, two dead little girls, twins doubled, all of them wide-eyed and staring.

We shared a silence. Crossing the threshold, I offered them all the candy.

2nd Place in Student Category (Tie):

Betrayal in St. Petersburg

By Albert Ramos

The winter streets were flooded with commuters spilling out from the Metro. Their normally rhythmic pace was disturbed when an elderly man, to his own surprise, lost his footing on the icy pavement. Hands in his pockets, he was unable to brace the fall and landed violently on his face. Momentarily shocked, he remained face down on the street until one, then two, and then half a dozen concerned persons helped him back up. His face was covered in a black and grey slush mixed with blood. Re-orientated and cleaned up, he continued walking on the pavement that betrayed him.

Final Message

By Maria Flores

The detective set down the note titled, Final Message. He turned to face the girl's parents, their eyes sunken, anxiously waiting for what he'd say he'd been the only one to read the note. He couldn't tell them. He could only see the words printed in his mind.

Her pigtails were unkempt, hairbands falling on the ends, matted with blood. Yes, I'd raped her, branded her, and stabbed her twice. But her child's moan was still alive. That's when I knew. I'd keep her alive. Keep the ransom. You will never find us. This little girl will forever be mine.

2nd Place in Faculty/Staff Category :

Reasonable Doubt

By Ed Schubert

The girls were 12 and seven. Lyla, the eldest, was already confidently agnostic, and Tikva already skeptical of her sister's wisdom. Outside, a rainy day was now a rainy night.

"So, you don't believe in the Reader?" Tikva asked.

"Why should I?"

"I asked you first."

Lyla looked defiantly out from the page, toward the imaginary Reader, then toward her sister.

"Let's take a look outside," she said.

"In the rain?"

"Scared?"

Lyla stood, then went outdoors. The rain splashed cold and wet. Tikva glanced shyly out from the page, then went outside to find Lyla, leaving the door ajar.

Honorable Mentions :

Olivia Donelly for "Arabians"

Ismael Barrera for "Destination: Alcatraz"

Claudia Padilla for "Three Words"

Keven Urbina for "Consistent Contradiction"

Natalie Hasselriis for "Celestia"

Nicolas Preciado Starrett for "Aquarius"

Xavier Paz for "Moment"

Kirsten L Rasmussen for "Usagidoshi"