Winner of the Page Turner
Short Story Contest 2022
She
by Summer Sutton
She.
She’s here.
She’s now.
She suffered.
She’s down.
She lifts her head.
She keeps going.
Repeat.
This is her.
1
She glows.
A bright day in August.
Little does she know,
what she’s capable of.
She flows, she goes.
Always looking for more.
She grows, she glows.
More and more, every day.
She flies, she thrives.
As the darkness lingers, waiting for a taste.
She stops, she turns, and it takes a bite.
She slows, she rolls.
Not knowing why.
It grows, and no, it's not okay.
Why.
It lingers.
2
She flows, she goes, forgetting, hiding.
She goes, and darkness comes again.
She runs, but it catches and attacks,
taking plentiful bites.
“It's scaring me, it’s scary!”
Why.
She slows, she rolls.
But it feasts on her.
She moves, she’s freed.
She laughs, she screams.
But for so long…
She moves.
She doesn’t want to.
The dark eats away.
Becoming one with her, taking over.
She demands.
She’s upset.
She’s confused.
She thinks about an exit.
“What If I…. should I run away?”
A way out.
The darkness starts to spread.
But then, it floats away, too full to feast any longer.
She gets a break.
But for so long…
3
She accepts, she realizes.
But only a little.
She moves again.
To where she wants to be.
It's all she wants.
The pain is bad, but it's okay.
It gets better.
She’s still there.
They don't understand her.
She wants to leave.
She is discovering herself.
She wants to stand up.
It comes back…
Starving, Ravenous.
4
It starts eating away, again.
Heavy, but shallow breathing.
E.R trips,
foggy feeling.
It's not clear.
“What are your symptoms?”
“Her blood pressure is high; we are going to….”
Why.
Another darkness, hungry and ready to eat,
attacks,
but it doesn't attack her,
It attacks him.
Eats him whole, leaving nothing but a soulless body.
6:30 am,
December 2020.
It took him away…
“They took him in the ambulance. Earle and Pooh went. I just can’t believe it,” Grandma sobs over the phone.
I had no words.
He didn’t make it…
5
It gets worse for her.
Panic, Anxiety.
Help…
“I… I just… I don’t know…” I sob.
“Deep breaths… what have I taught you?”
The new year.
Sad and depressing.
But it's a new start for her.
It’s a blur.
She adopted her birds.
The end of the school year,
I never really liked the people there.
“I don’t think we should be friends anymore, it just isn’t working out,” I say.
“I agree,” K says.
“Oh...” R says.
Ambitious for the years to come.
Eighth grade.
Turning 13.
The Summer was fun,
If it wasn’t for Covid….
She went to Virginia.
Let friends go,
she kissed someone,
fell for the kid at the pool.
“I heard he’s 14, and you’re turning 13 next month, right?”
“Yeah.”
Learned how to swim,
and made plans that never happened.
“So, when I come over, we should paint, go to the park and have a picnic and then karaoke, and…”
“Yeah, omg that would be so fun! We should also….”
The eighth-grade school year begins.
She’s learning to get rid of the darkness.
To find her inner peace.
She faces challenges, obstacles.
She dates a boy.
She ignores red flags.
The darkness laughs.
She realizes the idea of love has taken over.
She lets that go.
Although she liked the boy.
She even still let him around.
Hanging out when he didn’t stand her up.
She eventually gets over him, lets him go.
She makes friends this school year, some better than others.
Some are a little more difficult, a little more complicated.
She works through it, works on her grades.
Another boy comes around.
He’s sweet but she doesn’t really want him.
She likes the attention.
They date, he becomes too much, she gets overwhelmed, she lets him go.
He freaks, telling her things he’ll do to himself.
He’ll punch the wall, he’ll cry, sob, beg.
“Please Summer, please! My friends will make fun of me, and I won’t be weird, just please don’t do this Summer!”
“It’ll be okay, calm down…” I speak.
She lets him go, but he doesn’t go.
And neither does his mom.
“You would have made such a good daughter-in-law.”
“... Aww, thank you…”
She got herself into something she can’t get out of too easily.
She moves on.
She gets into arguments with her friends.
Likes one, hangs out with another.
It’s confusing.
6
Another hungry darkness comes around.
It takes another.
“Summer, Uncle is sick, I’m going to the hospital to see him. Do you want to come?”
I don’t go.
He didn’t make it.
Why.
Everyone is heartbroken.
Why does life take?
When will it give?
Why.
When.
7
She gets braces.
She’s learning to love herself.
It’s a journey.
She’s laughing more,
crying here and there,
figuring out her sexuality,
making amends,
doing good,
cooking even more.
She gets into NJHS.
Receiving awards.
Doing so well.
ut not good enough for Central…
She didn’t get into her dream school but she’s currently looking for more options.
She struggles.
The darkness tortures her.
Reminds her of her childhood.
Makes her hurt.
Makes her think about life.
“It wasn’t your fault….”
She gets past it but anxiety creeps.
Friends become distant.
Complicated…
“You are always…”
“I’m sorry I… But you…”
…
“She is always…”
“Yeah, I know…”
8
She doesn’t understand life.
She becomes ambitious.
She looks for the good.
Keep looking forward.
Growing into her.
She’s growing.
Realizing.
Discovering.
Becoming.
Because this is only 8th grade,
the end of the year is nearing,
Summer of ‘22 and the summer of high school.
She has a lot to come, and she keeps her head held high.
She still has lows.
And that’s what makes her, she…
…
She’s here.
She’s now.
She suffered.
She’s down.
She lifts her head.
She keeps going.
Repeat.
This is her.
1
She glows.
A bright day in August.
Little does she know,
what she’s capable of.
She flows, she goes.
Always looking for more.
She grows, she glows.
More and more, every day.
She flies, she thrives.
As the darkness lingers, waiting for a taste.
She stops, she turns, and it takes a bite.
She slows, she rolls.
Not knowing why.
It grows, and no, it's not okay.
Why.
It lingers.
2
She flows, she goes, forgetting, hiding.
She goes, and darkness comes again.
She runs, but it catches and attacks,
taking plentiful bites.
“It's scaring me, it’s scary!”
Why.
She slows, she rolls.
But it feasts on her.
She moves, she’s freed.
She laughs, she screams.
But for so long…
She moves.
She doesn’t want to.
The dark eats away.
Becoming one with her, taking over.
She demands.
She’s upset.
She’s confused.
She thinks about an exit.
“What If I…. should I run away?”
A way out.
The darkness starts to spread.
But then, it floats away, too full to feast any longer.
She gets a break.
But for so long…
3
She accepts, she realizes.
But only a little.
She moves again.
To where she wants to be.
It's all she wants.
The pain is bad, but it's okay.
It gets better.
She’s still there.
They don't understand her.
She wants to leave.
She is discovering herself.
She wants to stand up.
It comes back…
Starving, Ravenous.
4
It starts eating away, again.
Heavy, but shallow breathing.
E.R trips,
foggy feeling.
It's not clear.
“What are your symptoms?”
“Her blood pressure is high; we are going to….”
Why.
Another darkness, hungry and ready to eat,
attacks,
but it doesn't attack her,
It attacks him.
Eats him whole, leaving nothing but a soulless body.
6:30 am,
December 2020.
It took him away…
“They took him in the ambulance. Earle and Pooh went. I just can’t believe it,” Grandma sobs over the phone.
I had no words.
He didn’t make it…
5
It gets worse for her.
Panic, Anxiety.
Help…
“I… I just… I don’t know…” I sob.
“Deep breaths… what have I taught you?”
The new year.
Sad and depressing.
But it's a new start for her.
It’s a blur.
She adopted her birds.
The end of the school year,
I never really liked the people there.
“I don’t think we should be friends anymore, it just isn’t working out,” I say.
“I agree,” K says.
“Oh...” R says.
Ambitious for the years to come.
Eighth grade.
Turning 13.
The Summer was fun,
If it wasn’t for Covid….
She went to Virginia.
Let friends go,
she kissed someone,
fell for the kid at the pool.
“I heard he’s 14, and you’re turning 13 next month, right?”
“Yeah.”
Learned how to swim,
and made plans that never happened.
“So, when I come over, we should paint, go to the park and have a picnic and then karaoke, and…”
“Yeah, omg that would be so fun! We should also….”
The eighth-grade school year begins.
She’s learning to get rid of the darkness.
To find her inner peace.
She faces challenges, obstacles.
She dates a boy.
She ignores red flags.
The darkness laughs.
She realizes the idea of love has taken over.
She lets that go.
Although she liked the boy.
She even still let him around.
Hanging out when he didn’t stand her up.
She eventually gets over him, lets him go.
She makes friends this school year, some better than others.
Some are a little more difficult, a little more complicated.
She works through it, works on her grades.
Another boy comes around.
He’s sweet but she doesn’t really want him.
She likes the attention.
They date, he becomes too much, she gets overwhelmed, she lets him go.
He freaks, telling her things he’ll do to himself.
He’ll punch the wall, he’ll cry, sob, beg.
“Please Summer, please! My friends will make fun of me, and I won’t be weird, just please don’t do this Summer!”
“It’ll be okay, calm down…” I speak.
She lets him go, but he doesn’t go.
And neither does his mom.
“You would have made such a good daughter-in-law.”
“... Aww, thank you…”
She got herself into something she can’t get out of too easily.
She moves on.
She gets into arguments with her friends.
Likes one, hangs out with another.
It’s confusing.
6
Another hungry darkness comes around.
It takes another.
“Summer, Uncle is sick, I’m going to the hospital to see him. Do you want to come?”
I don’t go.
He didn’t make it.
Why.
Everyone is heartbroken.
Why does life take?
When will it give?
Why.
When.
7
She gets braces.
She’s learning to love herself.
It’s a journey.
She’s laughing more,
crying here and there,
figuring out her sexuality,
making amends,
doing good,
cooking even more.
She gets into NJHS.
Receiving awards.
Doing so well.
ut not good enough for Central…
She didn’t get into her dream school but she’s currently looking for more options.
She struggles.
The darkness tortures her.
Reminds her of her childhood.
Makes her hurt.
Makes her think about life.
“It wasn’t your fault….”
She gets past it but anxiety creeps.
Friends become distant.
Complicated…
“You are always…”
“I’m sorry I… But you…”
…
“She is always…”
“Yeah, I know…”
8
She doesn’t understand life.
She becomes ambitious.
She looks for the good.
Keep looking forward.
Growing into her.
She’s growing.
Realizing.
Discovering.
Becoming.
Because this is only 8th grade,
the end of the year is nearing,
Summer of ‘22 and the summer of high school.
She has a lot to come, and she keeps her head held high.
She still has lows.
And that’s what makes her, she…
…
About the Author
Summer Sutton is a soon-to-be 9th grader who gained a passion for empathetic writing at an early age. Her writing usually consist of swirling emotions that flow through her body and around her fingers, allowing her to turn her feelings into words. Growing up in a family where she didn’t get to voice her opinion much, she turned to sketching and writing to allow her voice free. Now, at 14, she goes on to make an impact, whether that be educating family members on issues in her community, researching ways to have a smaller carbon footprint, or sharing words not heard through her writing. At the end of the day, if she isn’t doing any of those things, she’s scrolling on Pinterest, creating a vision for her future.
Comments from Readers
This story is amazing. Summer is gifted and talented. Her writing is so advanced for a 14 year old. Keep writing and sharing Summer. You as well as others will heal from the powerful words you share with the world. BRAVO!
Love this. I didn't realize these gifts in you. I am so proud you make me proud to be your grandmom. Keep striving for Greatness. Your grandfather and uncle would be so excited for the young lady you are becoming. Don't Stop, Won't Stop.
Love this. I didn't realize these gifts in you. I am so proud you make me proud to be your grandmom. Keep striving for Greatness. Your grandfather and uncle would be so excited for the young lady you are becoming. Don't Stop, Won't Stop.
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Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited other than the following:
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- you may copy the content to individual third parties for their personal use, but only if you acknowledge the author as the source of the material
