"Bluejay" by Ariya Swain: January 2026 Runner Up

My father’s face flashes in my mind as the Wintington University emblem appears on the screen above. A bluejay, just like the necklace my father gave me.

“Congratulations, contestants,” the voice echoes through the small room. The bluejay flashes, then disappears. “You’ve made it to the final round. This will be the most difficult challenge yet.” The sound of a knife sharpening echoes through the speakers.

“More difficult than being locked in a room with rabid monkeys?” muttered Harper, the girl next to me. Harper didn’t smile. Instead, she glared at me. Fair enough. I was her competition.

My brain felt foggy and heavy. I couldn’t quit. I couldn’t even relax. Memories of watching old tapes of my dad with my mom brought tears to my eyes. How was I supposed to fulfill my father’s legacy? “Renowned scientist dies in freak accident,” the caption filling every newspaper. The announcement for the UWin Scholarship Competition was my final chance. I knew we couldn’t afford the tuition, even if I got accepted.

But now it’s more than that. This competition wasn’t just a whim. It was something deeper, something none of us understood–

The lights turn off. Shrieks echo off the walls. A new voice sounds through the speaker. “Begin the experiment.” The voice was deep, hauntingly familiar.

Experiment? I touched my necklace, only to have it ripped off my neck. I struggled as a helmet was forced over my head. I cried out, but my voice was silent. Where’s my necklace? The world was dark. A hologram flickered in front of me. A man, his hair graying at his temples.

“Dad?” I whispered.

“Yes, Amara,” he smiled, but his eyes remained cold.

“You’re alive? What– what are you doing?”

“This is the only way, Amara.” Was this even my father? “I’m sorry, but I had to do this. I had to finish this. It could–” He closed his eyes and took a knife from his pocket.

“No–” The last thing I see is my father closing his eyes before the bluejay consumes my mind.