We have our finalists! It was a close contest, and it’s always hard to see good entries left out, but here are the three you, the readers and judges, have determined to be the top selections. Special thanks to all the writers who took part in the Challenge.

In no special order, the finalist entries are re-posted below. After reading (or reviewing) them, vote in the poll to determine who will win this year’s Fall Writer Challenge. Then help spread the word so that we have many readers this week who will vote for the best entry. Thanks to each of you for making this work.

Entry by Eugene Black

If dragon hopping was safe, then I wouldn’t have any interest in it, but of course it’s not, so guess where I’m heading.

Adri’s note was stuck on the front door, impaled by her hunting knife. As usual her almost perfect handwriting announced her confidence, but spoke little of her impetuousness, or the argument from the night before. Foolish woman! Sometimes I wondered why I even tried.

There was little time to lose. I pushed the door open and grabbed my sword. I was out the door at a sprint when I stopped to reconsider. This was no time for heroics. I returned for my bow and arrows. Better to kill a dragon from a distance.

“Where are you going?” Father John asked as I turned a corner and almost ran him over.

“Where do you think?” I shouted over my shoulder, barely slowing down. The desperation in my voice must have said it all.

“She didn’t!” he shouted back. My silence was his only answer.

“Wait!” His shout faded in the distance. I shook my head as I ran. There was no time.

I pushed on, my lungs burning as I left the village behind me. Up ahead, at the top of the gorge, beside the waterfall, the gigantic stone ring continued its centuries-old vigil across the secluded valley we called home. It was ancient and broken, covered in vines. Who knew it could still work? Least of all, who could suspect they’d send a dragon? Why here? Why now?

A shiver ran down my spine, cold as the river water I now splashed through, and suddenly I knew. Because Adri was here. Because they knew this was something she’d do, and they weren’t finished with her yet.

 

Entry by Lauren

If dragon hopping was safe, then I wouldn’t have any interest in it, but of course it’s not, so guess where I’m heading. Yeah, to the arena. The dragon-hopping trials start today.

My mother believes a girl who was jilted at the altar two months ago ought to stay at home and sulk. My brother, Captain of the Dragon Guard, was only slightly more understanding when I told him my plan. “Mathilde,” he’d said, “Philippe is not worth it. Don’t risk your life. I almost lost you once. I don’t want to lose you again.”

A year ago, I had been a member of the Dragon Guard myself, and had a daredevil streak even wider than the one I have now. That attempt at dragon-hopping hadn’t ended well. It left me with a permanent limp and a left ankle that would give out unexpectedly. But this was about more than just proving myself.

I knew Philippe would be participating. I had not seen him since the day before our wedding. I’d had no inkling anything was wrong then. He simply didn’t show up the next day. Nor had he tried to offer any explanation since. I would find him and force him to tell me what was wrong, even if I had to attempt a midair leap from my dragon’s back to his.

 

Entry by Lori Stanley Roeleveld

If dragon hopping was safe, then I wouldn’t have any interest in it, but of course it’s not, so guess where I’m heading.

My grandson will certainly follow through with his petition for guardianship if he catches me, so I have to be very cautious.

Last night, at Tuesday dinner, I smiled like the sweet old granny he longs for, and mentioned that I was going to visit old friends, leaving this afternoon. I left out the fact that the way to my friends requires traveling the Great Gauntlet and also that I would be carrying a message from the Cloud of Witnesses to a besieged warrior on the other side.

Instead, I let Bryce imagine me sipping tea with other docile, white-haired scarf knitters so he wouldn’t bother to check in on me again until the week-end. Three days is not entirely sufficient for the journey but I love a challenge. How I miss my brave Howard and the adventures we shared! To his credit, just before he died, he passed the Vessel on to me, tipping each of my shoulders with his very own sword to designate me his replacement before the High Council.

Where did I put the dagger that fits inside my green galoshes? I hope I didn’t drop it in the swamp during my last clash with Bedivere.

 

And now it is time to vote. 😀 Choose the entry you believe is the best. You have until Sunday at midnight (Eastern time) to vote.

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