Inspired by the NPR broadcast 'Hint Fiction Celebrates the (Extremely) Short Story', my father challenged my family to a competition over the holidays. The genre hint fiction is defined by a story of 25 words or less, which stimulates the imagination through its brevity. Take Ernest Hemingway's six-word story for example. "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." In the end, five of us participated, anonymously presented our stories, and voted on the favorites.

I imagined a scene taking place on the roads through the mountain pass between the Willamette Valley and the Cascade Mountain Range. Marcus' story described his morning view on an Amsterdam weekday. My father wrote a mystical tale about time past. My mother wrote about her favorite summer activity, water skiing. My brother found inspiration in murder mystery tales. Below, the stories:

My story: The mountain pass She turned onto the all but abandoned logging road, the entrance graced with a worn-down cross staked into the earth. Her fingers drummed to the beat of the music, turned just a little louder.

Marcus' winning story: 9:12 am Dense fog covering the river makes it difficult to see over to the other side. The start of the week.

My mother's entry: An Afternoon of Surface Tension Strong breeze creates a tangled mane Nostrils filled with sunshine Cool mists in rhythmic sprays Mechanical roar That quiets the smiling soul.

My father's entry: Ringing Below lake waters, Tossed long ago Lay ring shining. Fish fin by, sunlight reflects back To her hand empty unhealed It's giver lay below earthen cover of European war.

My brother's entry: Christmas Cheer Walks on the beach and candlelight dinners and the ad read, but the light kicking in her stomach made her body shake with rage as her fingers tightened around the pistol.