1st Quarter Contest

 

DO NOT PUT YOUR VOTES ON THE LOOP.  SEND A SEPARATE EMAIL TO SLEUTHSINK95@GMAILCOM

 

JUDGING GUIDELINES:  Read EACH Story and give EACH story a rating of 1 - 5, with 5 being the highest score.  Send your votes to sleuthsink95@gmail.com by April 7th, 2026. 

CONTEST:  

Write a story in 25 words EXACTLY (Title does not count in word count).

It must be a mystery or a variation of the mystery genre. 

AND, it must include the word SHADOW in the story.

 

STORIES:

 1. Midnight Haunting by Lois Curran

Security footage flagged nothing overnight. Still, the shadow passing the medication cart appeared twice, at separate times, both medication pulls recorded under the same nurse.

2. Omen Or Already Dead by Jeannie Clayton   3rd Place Winner

Investigator Shay watched the death shadow disappear.

Her sole task. Reveal the woman’s identity, but the only clue she possessed was a snapshot of herself.

3.  Too Late by Susan Keene   HONORABLE MENTION 

Leon followed the shadow through sunny streets. He realized too late the shadow wasn’t running away. It intended to lead him to his own death.

 4.  Louis' Bad Day by David Reed

 

Louis bled behind a dumpster. His shadow was close.

The gun was useless, so he pulled a knife. Peering out, he saw only trouble coming.

5.  Illumination Then Elimination by Sharon Kizziah-Holmes

A full moon illuminated the night sky. Outside my window, a shadow crept. My pulse sped up, I went for my gun. Inside. BANG! Dead.

6.  The Messy Breakup by Chrissy Willis  FIRST PLACE WINNER

He sat, with his heart in hand, as I washed the blood from mine. I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt it was over.

7.  Jackie's Justice by Margarite Stever

Jackie crept along the wall, a shadow. Dan swaggered from his apartment.

One silver flash.

“The only things you’ll push now are daisies,” she said.

8.  Captive or Free by Kelly Reddin

Awake, body bound. Dog growls. Lights out. Door opens. Bark. Shot. Silence. Shadow across a man’s face. Free or captive? My savior carries me away.

9.  Hungry Ghosts by Rose Lombardo

What was that?

Hell, if I know.

Someone snatched the taco off my plate.

Oh, the specter. He hides in the shadows, then snatches food.

10. It Ended With a Turn  by Lynn Combs  2ND PLACE WINNER

He chased the Shadow through dark alleys, certain it was human, until it stopped and he realized it had been waiting for him all along.