In April, the Camp NaNoWriMo Young Writers Contest challenged writers to submit a 300-word story that began with a storm. From over 600 fabulous entries, we chose two Grand Prizes and three Honorable Mentions. We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we did! (For more stories, check out the Young Writers Contest forum thread.)

"It's a pretty heavy storm." His brows furrowed skeptically at the rain beating against the window. "Are you sure you need soup now?"

I nodded and snuggled down further under my mountain of blankets. "I'm having intense cravings for warm soup," I said and coughed dramatically. "Plus, it'll help my throat."

"I can't believe we're out of Ramen." He sighed and glanced at his watch. "I'll make a quick trip down to Walmart. It won't take long."

I smiled. "Thanks."

He grabbed his coat, keys, and umbrella, pausing momentarily at the door. "See you soon, sicky."

He never made it back home...

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Violet is cooking breakfast when she hears Nana hollering from outside. It’s raining, and the droplets leaking from the ceiling echo in the tin pail next to her. The scent of mildew and bacon hangs heavy in the air, and at the sound of her grandmother’s voice, Violet flinches. She turns off the gas and runs out of the kitchen, her feet slapping against the tile. Nana doesn’t like to be kept waiting. 

Her slicker hangs on a coat hook in the foyer. She pulls it on and rushes outside, slamming the door behind her...

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The wind and rain swirls around me. My tattered cloak whips behind me in the wind. My red dragon, Ember, whines next to me. Alexandria Knight here, beast tamer extreme. Lightning strikes next to me. I can tell immediately that it’s no natural lightning. It moves, scouring the ground, like it’s looking for me. Ember shoots a bolt of flame into the lightning. It dissipates. I touch the brooch keeping my cloak on to summon Shadow, my faithful wraith.

“Shadow, something’s wrong with this storm! It’s not natural.”

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