Bramblepelt Winning Entry

"The day grows near,
Our impending fear.
Listen, as they gear themselves ready..."


Inside a cave, hisses were heard.
"Run... Hide... Save yourself, should one be caught..." A znake was speaking on some podium of sorts, which was really a tall rock in a cave. This cave was the meeting place for all znakes before the dreaded Whacking Day. The znake was going through the yearly speech. What to do before the Whacking Day came, during it, after it, and what to do if one of your fellow comrades should be caught. It was the same thing every year. Two znakes sat in the back of the group, barely listening to a word. Why should they? It's not like it's ever anything new besides hide and save only yourself.
"Such cowards." One znake, we shall call him Bob, whispered to the other. "Hiding when, all in all, we are the stronger of the groups."
"I know." The other znake, we shall call her Sally, said. "If they would just stop cowering in fear, and fight from the start, Whacking Day would cease to excist!"
No one heard a single word they said.

The next day, the two znakes sat upon a ledge, grumbling to each other the factors of Whacking Day.
"Every year, it's the same thing."
"At the same time."
"At the same place."
"All because of when we choose to get there."
"Wait. What? That's it!"
"What's it?"
"If we don't reach our destination in time, Whacking Day will be cancelled!" The two znakes rushed to the cave to tell the others of their latest plan.

"Everyone! Everyone! Listen!" Bob called out. The others grouchily raised their heads, angry that these two were once again going to wake them up with some new idea. It happened every year...
"We have to stop moving. If we want Whacking Day to end, we mustn't reach the final destination in time!" Sally yelled.

"Your words make us laugh, young znakes." A znake much older than the two called out.
"But it's true! Whacking Day happens when we get to--" Bob whined.
"We know the drill! Just do us a favor and tell us something useful." Another znake said, emphasizing 'useful'. Bob and Sally, fed up with the others' stubbornness, fled the cave. They'd hide with only each other, and prove the others wrong.


"Listen, as they gear themselves ready.
Ready, for torturing for mere fun.
It is to make themselves feel better about themself?
Or maybe, we have done something wrong, and must be punished?
Whatever the reason, the day grows near.
The day, with never ceasing fear.
Whacking Day, the day all things go wrong.
Ouchies and terror spreading about,
Go save yourself, hiding time is out!"