Honorable Mention: $10 prize

Willow Springs Middle School

Eighth grade

Greetings. I am special agent Sigmund Snowchester of Secret Northern Operations, callsign: FR3EZE, and I would like to tell the tale of one of my first missions. 

I was a young snowman, wrapped in a full stealth suit and brand new black, tempered glass S1LentN1ght0Wl espionage goggles. I was instructed to drop down onto a facility known as the Merry Monastery, scarcely known due to its elf ninjas who kept its presence low. So in the dark, crisp night at around 2300, I cut down through the crystal snow, deployed my chute, and landed gracefully on the building. 

I noticed a hatch on the roof, and although reinforced, I managed to break in quiet as a mouse with my 500-watt laser breach. I attached my rappel, and descended into the giant red room.

The twenty foot tall walls were red, with round supports that were lined with gold strips. The room must have been 200 square yards. Candles crackled, and torches illuminated the room. 

In the center was exactly what I was looking for: the Golden Cuff. twenty-four karats of beauty, a highly wanted artifact capable of things beyond understanding. All the agency knew was that it was best kept out of their hands. 

As I touched the ground, I looked around, and at first glance, no one was in sight. Then, I noticed a few statues of dwarves and such in the corner. I walked up to them. 

They were about three feet tall and only up to about my waist. I turned back towards the artifact, and was about to deactivate security when all of a sudden, I heard a raspy voice. 

“That isn’t leaving with you I’m afraid,” one of the statues that I could have sworn was made of stone, began walking out towards the middle of the room. 

He was a yard tall, wielding a pole staff. He had a large nose and long, gray hair, as well as a red and black robe with a tag that said, ‘Karate Kobold’. The silver lining where the robe exposed his white shirt flowed down to his baggy sweatpants. It fell just short of his bare feet.

I lunged at him, throwing a quick jab to his head which he ducked under, before sweeping me with his staff. I hopped back up, then delivered a fast kick straight to his abdomen. 

We continued fighting like this for what felt like hours. After a while, I had finally knocked him down and I gave him a smile, before handing him a business card.

I said, “How would you like an actual job?”

Judge’s notes: This story is probably the most fun narrative submitted to the contest. The subject and clever, Christmas-themed acronyms caught my attention right away and is winning a prize over other, more technically proficient writing. The creativity and spirit shown is here is so sharp. With just a little more polish, it would read like the first chapter of a book I won’t be able to put down.