YA Spooktacular: The Competition by Anastasia Hopcus

Welcome to the first ever YA Spooktacular event!! If you don't know how this whole event works, here's the gist. There will be two stories, of 13 parts each, running on a number of blogs. Each story has been written by an aspiring or published author. At the end of each story, you will have a chance to enter to win a prize pack (there is one for each story and a separate one that's open internationally). To be eligible to win that story's prize pack, you must comment on each part of the story. There will also be Trick or Treats along the way for more chances to win! If you haven't read the beginnings of the stories, here's the link to the beginnings of both stories here and here

Now for The Competition by the lovely Anastasia Hopcus, who wrote Shadow Hills.

The Competition

Kinsey waited, resisting the urge to wipe her damp palms against her skirt. Never show fear; never show weakness. She kept her gaze steady on Dr. Kenyon. He was drawing it out, of course. As head librarian, his chances to be the center of attention were few and far between. The Echols mansion was spooky enough, with its turrets and echoing great hall, but Kenyon had taken it a step farther by lighting the room with only two stands of candelabras. Melting wax dripped down the white candles and pooled onto the stone floor. Behind Dr. Kenyon the open mouth of the fireplace yawned, tongues of flames backlighting the librarian's tall figure.

He turned the full force of his gaze on Kinsey and she had to concentrate to keep from flinching. Dr. Kenyon's eyes, flat and gray, never failed to make her uneasy.

"Darkness and A Soul Laid Bare were intriguing stories." Dr. Kenyon’s colorless lips stretched into a thin smile. "Witches, zombies, and vampire hunters---you both have vivid imaginations."

Kinsey glanced over at Bryan. His foot was jiggling---a dead giveaway of his nerves, she thought smugly. They'd been competitors ever since she could remember---starting back in the third grade with the Spelling Bee. They'd progressed to summer reading contests, to science fairs and SAT scores. They were co-captains of the Debate Team, and their debates with other teams were never as heated as the practice sessions within their own squad.

Now they were coming up against each other in the most important contest of all---the Echols Writing Competition, given annually to the best Halloween story written by a senior. It sounded like a small honor, but any resident of Redbud, Georgia, could tell you that it was the ticket out of this tiny town. The winner was promised a full scholarship to any university in the state and, even better, a chance to finish the school year at a prestigious prep school---to get up to speed with the students from better school districts.

"It was the best competition we have had for the Echols Award." The librarian’s eyes glittered, reflecting the light of the candles beside him. As if on cue, a log popped in the fireplace, spewing a shower of sparks.

Kinsey managed not to jump, but Bryan gave a startled jerk at the sound. She had him; she could sense it. Bryan had fallen for her trick, just as she'd known he would. Kinsey had warned him that Mr. Echols didn't like stories with zombies. And while Dr. Kenyon chose the two finalists each fall, the final decision was made by Mr. Echols himself. Reclusive and wealthy, Echols had made his fortune in zombie films. Most students thought this meant he would favor a story in which the dead walked, but in fact he despised zombie tales. Kinsey had simply told Bryan was the truth---her own mother had lost the competition that way twenty years ago. However, Kinsey had known that Bryan would be certain she was trying to trick him. He would reason that if Kinsey tried to warn him away from something, he should write about just that. And Bryan had followed her plan like a lamb to the slaughter.

"Bryan, your tale of Jeremy and his Anna was most effective," Dr. Kenyon went on. "But in the end, it was Kinsey's story of Tonya Seller, the vampire hunter, that Mr. Echols found the most intriguing. Congratulations, Kinsey, you are the 2010 winner of the Daniel C. Echols Award for Excellence in Writing."

Triumph shot through Kinsey. She had bested Bryan for the final and most important time! She rose to her feet and stepped forward to shake Mr. Kenyon's outstretched hand before turning toward Bryan, gracious in her win.

"Your story was great, Bry. I can't believe I won."

"We both know you deserve it. Congratulations." He shook her hand. Then, with a tight smile, he walked out of the room.

Watching the door swing shut behind Bryan, Kinsey savored her victory for a moment.

"Congratulations," Dr. Kenyon said again. "I know you're eager to meet Mr. Echols and receive your award."

He swept his hand toward the far end of the room in a silent invitation. Kinsey strode toward the doors there, her head high. She could just imagine the pride on her mother's face, the envy on everyone else's. She was finally getting out of this backwater town.

Two burly guards blocked the entrance, but they stepped aside and opened the doors as she approached. Flanking Kinsey, they accompanied her inside. Dr. Kenyon stepped out in front, saying in a slightly raised voice, "Mr. Echols…"

The man stood up from his leather armchair, smiling. "Kinsey! I'm so pleased to meet you!"

He was round and jolly, a veritable cupcake of a man, and Kinsey couldn’t help smiling back. "Mr. Echols, sir, it’s an honor."

"No need to be formal, my child…" He looked toward Dr. Kenyon. "You always find me the nicest treats."

Kinsey was puzzled by his words, but she continued to smile gamely...even as the two guards came up beside her, their hands clamping around her arms. She tried to pull away, casting a panicked look over at Dr. Kenyon. He was walking toward her, needle in hand.

"No!" She began to struggle. "What are you doing? I won!"

The librarian jabbed the needle into her arm as the guards held her still. "And now you will attain the highest honor---to replenish the genius of Daniel C. Echols."

"What? No! What are you talking about?" She tried to struggle, but almost instantly the drug swept over her, her muscles going limp, her speech turning to gibberish. What was happening? She had won!

Dr. Kenyon picked up a small circular saw. Kinsey registered that it was the sort of instrument she had seen doctors use in TV shows, but she could no longer move. The guards laid her out on a nearby table, clamping metal bands around her arms and legs. A metal band came up on either side of her head, snapping across her forehead, holding her utterly immobile.

"There’s no cause for alarm." Dr. Kenyon said, turning the saw on. It emitted a shrill whirring sound. "You cannot ask for a higher use for your brain than to feed genius."

She cut her eyes over to Mr. Echols, who was standing behind her, his face lit with boyish glee. His expression was more menacing than any scowl. He held a long-handled spoon in one hand. "Only the best and the brightest!"

He winked at Kinsey, and the saw came down.

Bryan trotted down the steps of the mansion. He’d always doubted that it was just good fortune that kept the winners from returning to Redbud after college, so when his older brother competed a year ago, Bryan had convinced him to lose on purpose---then he had stayed to spy on the 'winner' of the Echols award. His suspicions confirmed, Bryan had set out to lose by putting in his story the one thing Echols hated---zombies. It had been almost too easy. All he had to do was let Kinsey think she had it all figured out.

And, for the last time, Bryan had beaten Kinsey Grant.

Hands in his pockets, he strolled off down the driveway, whistling.

So, commenting on this post will get you entered in the prize pack of your choice, you just need to indicate which story. You ALSO can enter to get an ARC of The Daughters Break the Rules by Joanna Philbin here