This is a short story I wrote when I was thirteen, and I've left it unedited for the sake of preserving what I was trying to say at the time. The prompt for the contest was to write a short story that included the holiday of Halloween somehow. It was a broad opportunity, so I tried to get creative. 

Gallions was my attempt at exploring the masks that people put on daily to avoid their own personal sins, whether they're as white as a lie or as red as violence. I don't exactly think this is something that I'd showcase for any other reason than to showcase my first good short story, but it's not something I'd post to display any of my current writing skills (since I'm now 21 and have grown quite a bit as a writer since writing this). 

Either way, I still enjoy reading it despite its clunky and otherwise clumsy composition, so hopefully you'll get something out of it, too. Enjoy!

-MC