2021 Valentiny: Stella & Hank

By now, you probably know how I feel about Susanna Leonard Hill’s writing contests! I love them! A blank page makes my anxiety rear it’s head but a structured challenge inspires ideas to flow! The Valentiny contest rules include creating a story for children with a full story arc in 214 words or less. This year the theme was “brave.” Read more about it here!

**ALSO! A change this year is that the stories are being entered in the comments section of Susanna’s blog! So head here to read all the amazing entries! (Mine is now posted there too!)

STELLA & HANK
By Nicole Loos Miller
(212 words)

Stella was the perfect cat:
Gorgeous,
And charming, 
And oh-so-soft.

She was loved by all,
Especially Hank.

Hank was the perfect dog:
Huge, 
And drooly, 
And oh-so-playful.

He was loved by everyone…
Except Stella.

Hank tried to win
Stella’s affection
With rope-pulls,
And slobbery bones,
Even his favorite stuffie.

But Stella flattened her ears,
Wrinkled her whiskers,
And turned her tail.

When Hank came near,
Stella’s claws came out.

When Hank whimpered, 
Stella HISSSSSSSSED.
When Hank howled a love tune,
Stella SMACKED.
And when he tried to give her a bath…
YIKES!

Poor Hank.

Then, one February day,
Stella 
Went 
Away 
And 
Hank 
Sighed
And 
Waited
And 
Sighed
And 
Waited
Until…

She finally came back
With a big plastic collar
That went up instead of down.

Stella was sore, 
And sad,
And sleepy,
And it broke Hank’s heart.

He gathered his courage,
And his bones,
And his stuffie.
He risked a HISS,
And a SMACK,
And even a SWIPE,
To put his offering at her feet.

Stella opened one eye.
She considered him closely.
And
Scooted 
To 
The 
Right.

Enough room for a large dog
(If he stayed very quiet).

Hank barely dared to breathe.
Stella started to purr.
It was the best Valentine’s ever
Because he spent it next to her.