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Meet the winners, read the stories from the 2024 Bruce Coville Halloween Writing Contest

Last month, children’s author Bruce Coville published the first part of a scary Halloween story in The Post-Standard and syracuse.com, and invited local kids to finish the story, titled “Toddler of Terror.”
We received more than 300 entries this year. A majority of those were in the very competitive 4-5th grade category. Choosing just one winner for each grade was extremely difficult, and our team of judges enjoyed reading all the tales you sent.
Below are the judges’ favorite entries from each age group, as well as honorable mentions.
Thank you to all the children, parents, guardians and teachers who participated this year. (We especially loved some of the drawings you sent, and all your twisting, turning endings).
Enjoy, and happy Halloween.
Winner: Beth Jens, 8, of Camillus, is a third grader at Holy Family School.
About the winner: Beth loves to draw, read, and build castles out of magnetic blocks. Beth’s favorite classes are art with Mrs. Babbles and math with Miss Fletcher. Beth has two siblings. Her sister, Grace, is 10. Her brother, James, is 5. Beth’s favorite books are the Dogman series by Dav Pilkey, the InvestiGators series by John Patrick Green, and Katherine Applegate’s books.
Honorable Mention: Aria Byrnes, Catelyn Adelman, Ella Caryl, Angela Lu, Morgan Potaczala, Perrin Wright, Joe Xu
Here is Beth’s ending: All of the sudden I saw a little bear cub. It was coming straight towards me. I ran into a closet and shut the door behind me. I realized the bear was Boris! Boris started banging on the door.
I opened the door a little and threw a squeaky toy steak. Luckily, it had the same effect on bears and dogs. Boris chased the steak into the living room. I tip-toed past him, then I heard a creak. I had stepped on a creaky board! Boris turned around fast as lightning and bolted to me.
I screamed and ran for the back door. The back door was locked, too!
Boris was a couple of feet away from me!
The closest thing I saw was the fridge. I ran towards the fridge and shut the door behind me. I noticed something: all fridges have shelves. But this one didn’t! I also noticed a lock. I locked it. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. I turned on the flashlight and started looking around. All the sudden my phone started to ring.
“Hello?” I said.
“It’s Mrs. Stoker. Sorry if Boris tuned into a bear. Me and my husband are scientists and our fridge is actually a door to our secret lab. Once we were showing Boris an experiment and it went completely wrong! Don’t worry, because Boris will be back to normal at sunrise,” Mrs. Stoker said.
I looked at my watch. It was 12:00. Great. I had to wait a few hours until Boris calmed down. I paced back and forth. I decided to look around the lab. I found a table covered in tubes and bottles. I found a shelf covered in science ingredients. I found a desk, and much, much more.
Then I walked straight into a cabinet! I fell backwards. The cabinet was labeled in big, blocky letters: “Potions.” I opened the cabinet curiously.
There was multiple shelves covered in potions. On some potions there was spider webs! I found a potion labelled “Bears into people.” Yes! That was just what I needed!
I grabbed the potion but it would not budge! I yanked and yanked and yanked and yanked but it still would not move!
Then I had an idea. I took an empty potion bottle and a pin from my hair. I hoped it would work! I pricked the potion bottle with my pin and it flowed straight into the empty potion bottle!
I ran upstairs and out of the “fridge.” Boris was on the couch ripping up pillows. Yeesh. Boris turned to jump onto a chair when he spotted me.
His eyes glowed like sapphires. Then he hopped off the couch and ran right towards me! I grabbed the potion out of my pocket and threw it at Boris. Boris must have thought it was a game because he jumped up and caught the potion! There was a splatter of green liquid and a purple gas.
When it all cleared, Boris was a three year old again!
I burst into cheers as Boris stared at me blankly.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
I told Boris the whole story.
“I turned into a bear!?!” he said, eyes wide. “But that’s impossible!”
“Even the impossible’s possible,” I answered.
“That makes no sense,” he said back.
I had to read him more picture books before he got back to sleep. By the time he was sleeping the storm had stopped. I tucked in on the couch and ate my snacks when watching TV.
It was not long before Mrs. and Mr. Stoker got home. I told them to replace Boris’s door, Boris’s bed, (and everything else that was in his room that got destroyed) and the pillows Boris tore to pieces. I explained that they needed to find another babysitter, because I was quitting.
They took me home and when my mom asked “How was it?” I answered, “All right.”
And I never babysat again.
Winner: Clara Bazzano, 10, of Syracuse, a 5th grader at Wellwood Middle School.
About the winner: Clara loves reading, drawing, karate, and singing. Her favorite class is math (and reading and dismissal). Her favorite authors are Bruce Coville (obviously), and Marissa Meyer and Allie Brosh. She has one sister.
Honorable Mentions: Rosalind Dougherty, Matilda D’Anton, Max Elmer, Grace Jens, Mia Joldic, Kinley Griffin, Clare Stanton, Betul Ahsen Gulec, Gabriella McKenna, Kyla Kopko, Kyleigh Johnson, Eden Hagmann, Tullia Sheehan, Mae Wright
Read Clara’s ending: The splintery wood cuts into my fingers. What is going on?! The only thing separating me from Boris’s room was a grimy wall. Another thump. My eyes shot open.
THUMP! THUMP! The footsteps were just behind the wall. Out of the corner of my eye I see a key under the door. I fumble with the strange black key.
What was happening?! Why was that sweet, sweet boy terrifying his babysitter? His fluffy hair, button nose. Except his eyes. Gray with emerald flecks. So beautiful you get lost in them. Big and round. Adorab- click.
The door swung open into a… calm night? I tumbled out and slammed the door, sprinting into the yard, and collapsing on the dewy grass.
I look up and swallow a scream. The eye of the storm hovers over me, watching. I closed my eyes and started to count to ten.
“One…Two…Three…Four… Fiv” “AHHHHHHHH!”
A piercing scream. Right in front of me. I wince.
“Six…Seven…Eight…Nine…Ten…” I opened my eyes to see Boris swaying, like just woken up, staring up at me with his mesmerizing eyes. I stare at Boris. He stares back, daring me to speak. He looks away murmuring to himself. I scoop him up without a word and carry him inside, looking back as the storm fades away.
I shuffle to Boris’s room, the door now perfect, not a scratch on its surface. What the-? I shudder and set the now softly snoring Boris onto his bed. A tear trickled down my cheek. What is happening to me? I slowly shake my head to no one in particular.
I hear a loud knock on the door. I choke on air. I tentatively move towards the door. Another knock, more urgent than the last. I shudder, and open the door. A burly face greetes me, seemingly in pain. “Mr.–Mr. Stoker?” I whisper. I try not to stare at the wrapped up body in his hands. Mrs. Stoker? Is she okay?! What happened? Can I help? Why wouldn’t she answer me before? Is she…? NO, bad intrusive thoughts, stop it. UGH, talk, he looks hurt!
I open the door wider and a cool breeze wisps by. Mr. Stoker doesn’t move, instead, he glances in the direction of Boris’s room, where he lies peacefully snoring. He stares at me then sighed, like he had done this before. He swiftly punches me in the face.
I can’t scream as the darkness engulfs me. He drags me away, away from there to a place with monsterly kids, bodies that could be dead or alive and fears that no one would imagine possible.
I wake up, well rested. My eyes are closed, but the faint light of morning sun rests on my face. I squint and open my eyes a little. I see the off-white paint of my ceiling. I smell bacon cooking. I open my eyes fully and shove the wooly blanket to the floor. Now more awake, I stretch and yawn. I call good morning mom, dad, and neighbors. I quickly eat an apple while waiting for the news.
“Hello, and welcome to the daily news! We have a baby killer on the loose, not so funny when you think about it folks! Made in a lab and brainwashed a family into pretending he’s their son! Keep an eye or two…or three…or maybe twenty five-v-v-v-v-v—”
The TV shuts off. There is no rain outside and I’m holding the remote. Ummm, okay?
I jog to the haunted house and rap on the wooden door. Hollow knocks mock me through the mansion. I bang on the door and it gives in. “Hey!” A voice sounds near. I spin around to see my friend Avery, squinting through the morning sun.
“You haven’t heard the news?” he asks.
“No..?” I say, confused.
“They moved out,” he says matter of factly.
“What?” I say, confused.
“Ya, I heard the mom died and the kid was abandoned! Soooo weird right?” He yaps on.
“Ya. Weird.”
The fridge door is open and I step inside. I trip over the unplugged cord. My head bangs on the hard floor. Ow. Bad floor. The last things I see are Avery running over and a glimpse of what was in the fridge: eyes. In jars.
So many eyes.
I wake up, and smile. What a funny dream! My smile slowly fades as I see what is on the window sill. Boris sits on it, gleefully humming to himself. Knowing exactly what he’d done. Brat.
Winner: Sydney Dowhy, 12, of Skaneateles, N.Y. is a 7th grader at Manlius Pebble Hill School.
About the winner: Sydney’s favorite class is English and her favorite authors are Agatha Christie and Suzanne Collins. Her favorite hobbies include dancing, playing games, arts & crafts, and playing trombone. She has an older sister, Sophia, who is a 10th grader at MPH, and a younger brother, PJ, who is a 5th grader at MPH.
Honorable Mentions: Hazel Bazzano, Gianna Campbell, Alexis Devine, Patrick Gutelius, Davi Meliscki, Luella McDowell, Will Musumeci, Oliver Olenych, Averly Perry, Henley Schoonmaker, Emmett Sharma, Evan Steneri, Rushi Vaishampayan
Sydney’s story: My heart was thumping out of my chest. I was afraid to turn so I kept running to the tower. The booming of the footsteps echoed through the large halls.
I tripped and fell on the floor of the stairs. I scrambled to my feet and darted up the stairs. My hands trembled and my phone slipped from my fingertips. The tower shook with every step Boris took. Tiny pebbles and cobblestones fell from the ceiling. A flash of lightning struck just outside of the tower. It was a dead end.
I started praying to the lord, though I’d never been a Christian before. I pleaded for life and for Boris to go back to bed. I prayed that my family would be okay and that Boris wouldn’t harm his sweet parents. I just wished he would go back to bed.
Then it happened. The tower remained still. The air was so silent that you could hear a pin drop. The storm stopped raging and all you could hear was a pitter patter of rain hitting the house. I crawled over to peer down the staircase. It was empty. I turned around to grab my phone. He was right behind me.
Boris was right there, sitting down criss-cross applesauce. My jaw was agape and I dropped my phone once more.
“Boo,” Boris said in a deep, gravely voice.
I fell backward down the stairs. All I could remember was tumbling and more tumbling. Everything hurt. I had a sharp pain in my back and probably a concussion. I just kept falling down the stairs, hitting every bone in my body on the tough stone. All I could see was blackness.
I must’ve passed out. I was screaming so loud I couldn’t hear anything. The last thing I saw after I fell to the ground was Boris. One second he’s peeking around the corner the next all I could see in flashes was him coming down the stairs.
My eyes blinked open as my consciousness came back to me. I was moved to the couch and I lay there with two? Three people over me? I sat up as they started to look at me.
“Oh! You’re awake! You have multiple contusions,” he stated.
“That’s all? I fell from the top of the stairs! Everything hurts! Isn’t that tower like-” I struggled with finishing the sentence. “Very- tall? Who are you? Where is he?” Everybody looked very confused. Mr. and Mrs. Stoker looked worried. Mrs. Stoker came over and sat next to me.
“Mrs. Stoker knows! Mrs. Stoker, you called me. You- you told me to bolt the door and run and please.” I started to cry. “Dear lord, WHERE IS THE CHILD?” Mr. Stoker left and came into the room carrying Boris in his yellow pajamas. I struggled to breathe and fell to the floor. Mrs. Stoker helped me up.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I never called you and Boris. My sweet baby!” She took him from Mr. Stoker. “What could possibly be wrong with my baby?”
Everything. I thought. Everything is wrong with your child. He is a demon. I couldn’t tell her. It would break her heart and I wouldn’t get paid. I realized that they had no idea what just happened. Mrs. Stoker didn’t even remember her frantic call. I was all on my own and I had to escape this house. Just pretend that everything is fine and normal. I thought.
“Boris has- he‘s been-” I winced as I peered in his direction. “An angel,” I remarked under my breath.
They still heard it though, to my surprise. They smiled and pinched Boris’ cheeks.
“I was just watching a scary movie and tripped while carrying the snacks over. That’s all.”
“Okay, well you should probably head home now,” Mr. Stoker stated.
I nodded and grabbed my phone and my bag. Mrs. Stoker opened the door with a massive creak.
The rain and lightning still poured down from the sky. My blue buggy still sat in between two large spruce trees on the hill. I walked out and turned around. They were waving to me, but something else caught my eye. Boris’ eyes were glowing blood red.
I ran over to my car and almost slipped in the mud. I slammed the door shut and plugged the key in to get moving.
Once I was on the road I settled down and relaxed. I rolled down the windows and let the cool breeze blow into my face. The cars zoomed past me on the highway as I entered onto the bridge.
I moved the rearview mirror slightly to the right. Something caught my eye so I glanced back again. Boris was sitting in the backseat.
Then I swerved off the bridge.

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