Nonfiction/Historical Fiction Contest Entries

SmackDown ROUND 1

The night air was chilling. When the wind blew, it seemed to cut through Catherine right to the bone. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself, wishing she had thought to grab her cloak before storming out of her family's home.

But then, when one is storming somewhere, they don't generally take the time to consider the weather and appropriate garments.

It had been her father, as usual. Her brother had actually joined in for once, which was a hurtful surprise, but Catherine was trying not to be too unpleasantly shocked by it. Ever since her brother had gotten married to the dreadfully boring woman from down the road, he had been about as much fun as a wet sock.

The desperate words of her father still rang in her ears: "Seventeen and still no suitors! What will the community think of me? I can't raise an old maid, Catherine."

Catherine had, in fact, had several suitors, but none that she had let speak to her for more than a few seconds. Once, a boy had come up to her with a bright smile and a flower, and she had simply said, "No, thank you," without even looking at him.

She couldn't explain why, exactly. All the other girls her age - if they weren't already married - were eager to find their perfect husband. Or, at least, someone to make babies with. That seemed to be all the craze nowadays - churning out children as fast as physically possible. The entire process was ghastly, and the last thing Catherine wanted.

She slumped onto the bench behind her house and stared into the thick fog of the evening, wishing, as she often did, that a solution would seep out of the fog. The night hunt, perhaps, come to take her on rowdy adventures, seeking the most mythical of prey. Or a unicorn, recognizing her to be pure of heart and spiriting her into the forest to dance with faeries.

Catherine sighed and crossed her arms. She didn't feel rowdy or pure of heart. She felt angry.

"Cathy? Darling?" her mother called from the doorway of their house. "Come back inside, you'll catch your death of cold."

Catherine nodded and reluctantly got to her feet. Before she could re-enter the house, however, her mother blocked the doorway, a sympathetic look on her face.

"I know that you don't want to get married right now, darling, but I hate seeing you and your father fight so. Is there any way you could come to an agreement - work something out? Marriage isn't awful - I've been doing it for years, after all!" Her mother chuckled and cupped her daughter's face in her hands. "Just consider it, please."

Catherine smiled and nodded wordlessly. Already, however, her mind was wandering with fantastical creatures, seeing beautiful sights, exploring magical lands.

There had to be alternatives to getting married. And Catherine would never stop looking for them.