The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: birthday (05/23/05)
It wasn't a party at all, infact, it wasn't even a birthday. Warren sat on his bed with his face in his hands. He wondered if this day would ever end.

"Why me? What did I do to deserve such terrible parents?"

Today Warren turned 11. He never really looked forward to birthdays, because they were either forgotten or no one ever came to his party.

This year was no different. Warren's father had been arrested a few weeks prior for possession of cocaine. His mother was doing all she could, just to put food on the table for Warren and his sister, Liza. So there wasn't a party. Nothing but Mom's chocolate frosted cupcakes, three to be exact.

Before Warren could pull his sullen face from his hands, there was a knock at the door. Warren burst through the doorway to stop dead in his tracks. It was just his father's probation officer, but what was... HE doing here?

"Hi kids, is your mother around?" Warren looked down, as to not make eye contact, "Yes sir, I will go get her".

Warren went and got his mother.

Liza was sitting in front of the television watching cartoons, so Warren decided to join her. He knew that when Officer Collins was there, his father must have done something wrong. He was always doing something wrong, Warren thought.

As Liza and Warren sat watching cartoons, Warren heard his mother gasp, but couldn't hear the conversation.

Officer Collins was a kind man, had a family of his own. His daughter, Trease, was in my class. She was nice to me, just like her Dad.

Mom and Officer Collins walked outside. Soon Mom came in, with tears in her eyes, she looked down at Liza and I and said we needed to get dressed. She said there was something we needed to do.

I knew Mom was upset, I could see it in her face, and her eyes were swollen from crying. How selfish I was to think about my birthday, I thought.

I threw on my jeans and a nice collared shirt. Mom put Liza in a pink sundress. Liza looked at Mom and said "Where are we going, Momma"? Mom smiled at her and said, "Somewhere special baby." Mom put Liza's hair in a ponytail, gave her a pat on the rear and told her to finish watching her cartoons.

A few minutes later Mom emerged from her room, in a pretty blue Flowered dress and her hair pulled back. She was so pretty. Her eyes still puffy and red from crying.

"Ok kids, let's go". We hopped in the old volkswagon bettle, we called Gayle. It seemed our car was always running on the gail winds. Mom never had enough money for gas.

"Ok Gayle, getter up old girl"....Liza and I mocked the engine. All three of us let out a laugh.

We drove for miles it seemed. Soon, Mom turned into the driveway of a big yellow house. It was a pretty house, lots of trees and flowers, even a fountain. I wasn't sure why we were here, or what we were doing, but then I saw a familiar face. Officer Collins and Trease. It was their home.

As we got out of the car a woman came through the door, it was Mrs. Collins. She smiled at Liza and I and asked us to come out back. Trease led the way to a beautiful garden, with swings and even a slide.

There were ballons everywhere and a table with a cake. "Happy Birthday Warren", Officer Collins said and bent down and handed me a package. It was small, but heavy. "Can I open it"? "Sure", Mrs. Collins said. As I opened it, I saw it was a book, it had my name on it. Warren Davis, "That's me", I said. It was a Bible. I had never seen a bible, but I knew that it had some great stories in it. One was about a man named Jesus. I couldn't wait to read it. "Thank you, thank you so much", I said.

Mrs. Collins and Mom were sitting at the table. Mom had a great big smile on her face. As I walked over, Mom said the best words I have ever heard. "Happy Birthday Warren, I love you son, and everything is going to be alright." "I love you too, Mom", I said.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE

JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 1023 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Jan Ackerson
06/01/05
A very nice, heart-warming story. It was slightly confusing, though--in the beginning, your protagonist is refered to as "Warren", and then you switch to first-person and call him "I". It would be easier to understand if you were consistent. Very sweet childhood story, though.
Michelle Burkhardt
06/02/05
Very sweet story. My heart ache for the boy and his family. When your story causes emotions to stir in the reader than, you know it's a well done piece of work.