2026 Competition

multiple choice

1. i tell my child a _________ to explain _______________

a. story i. the world

b. lie ii. what’s happening in our house

c. half-truth iii. why everything feels sideways

d. fable iv. how to pick up pebbles at the beach

2. we practice ways to live in ______ so that we don’t ___________

a. time i. disappear

b. a broken pocketwatch ii. look away

c. the belly of a big blue whale iii. forget to number each star

d. our very own ammonite iv. drown

3. i'm not ______________ though, i think i might be _________________

a. full of wishbones i. fossilised potential for horology

b. the hours in a day ii. tone deaf

c. singing iii. spiral-shaped

d. a reflection in your eyes iv. about to leave

4. when it’s dark i usually _______________ and this _______________

a. count the dead children i. tide is coming in

b. trace the absence of his body ii. ticks slow

c. map the constellations on our eyelids iii. makes me forget

d. bury myself in wanting iv. feels like excavation

5. i'd like to say i'm ____________ but i don’t think that’s ________________

a. functioning i. possible

b. happy ii. true

c. in control iii. likely

d. making a difference iv. a very good story