"The Day November Went Missing" by Eliana Vitti: November 2025 Runner Up

“Chessa, Happy Birthday!” I open my eyes to find Zoie jumping on my bed. It’s not my birthday; mine’s December, but I smile anyway at my adorable sister. The morning’s cold, and I can’t place why until I notice snow on the windowsill.

“Zo, it’s snowing?” I ask, my voice heaped with suspicion, remembering last year’s prank, salt on windowsills, turning up the AC, the calendar flipped to December.

“Yes, I can’t believe October’s over, and December’s here! Oh, Chessa-” I tune out Zoie’s chatter as I focus on the bigger issue. Yesterday we finished fall decorating! How was it snowing?

And then the calendar.

It’s concerning, how it’s set to December, but I should know better than to trust Zoie’s theatrics. She’s a born performer. I roll out of bed, flip the calendar a page backwards, then turn and chase Zoie about, laughing.

“Why’s the calendar on October, Chessie?” Zoie asks breathlessly. “It’s not! I set it to November!” I protest indignantly, but stop when I see that the calendar is set to October.

“No what now? What’s November?” Zoie asks, her face almost believably confused. I roll my eyes and turn the calendar a page forward from October.

But then it’s December.

I go back.

It’s October.

December.

October.

December.

My pulse races as I piece the puzzle together.

Zoie’s confusion at November.

The snow on my windowsill.

The calendar.

Weakly, I pull Zoie downstairs, my face paling as I catch sight of wreaths on doorways, where garlands of leaves hung yesterday.

“No school today!” Mom cries, racing from the kitchen smelling like gingerbread.

I need to puke.

My stomach heaves and my mouth waters. I barely make it to the restroom before my dinner reappears. In the kitchen, Mom and Zoie are waltzing to Dad’s favorite winter song, What A Wonderful World. The pleasant notes float into the bathroom.

I see trees of green, red roses too.

I see them bloom, for me and for you.

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

I close my eyes as the song tapers off. Without all the pumpkin pies and sweet potato casseroles, our world isn’t as wonderful as it seems.