This being the end of summer, Susanna Leonard Hill came up with the perfect contest. The Summer Send-Off Contest. Here is my entry. I hope you enjoy it.
illustration copyright Heather Newman 2012, used by permission
The Outcast
“Hi, Paul!” said Patsy. cheerfully waving to her brother.
“What are you doing?” Paul yelled. “You need to come home right now.”
The dragon rose up at Paul’s words and fire came from within, landing inches from Butternut, Paul’s horse. She rose up, nearly dumping Paul on his rump. Beneath him, Paul watched the Earth split into a fiery dividing line.
“Sh, it’s okay,” said Patsy to the dragon. Trying to calm the giant creature, she patted its head.
“Did you see that?! Don’t do this Patsy,” said Paul. “Mother and Father are frantic. You’ll be an outcast.”
“Come look at what we have accomplished.” Patsy waved her hand in a sweeping motion from over the dragon to the tiny castle behind her. Paul was still holding onto his horse, frantically trying to stay on her back. Desperately, he grabbed Butternut’s forehead, yanking back her head.
“Paul, what are you doing? You are part of the problem, did you know that?” Paul did not hear anything but his own wildly beating heart. “Paul, you’re hurting Butternut!”
“He’s my horse,” Paul yelled with such fury the horse, having had enough, tossed Paul onto the ground. “Fine, you go ahead with this PT thing. I’m going home.”
It’s PETD. People for the Ethical Treatment of Dragons,” Patsy corrected her brother.
“Yeah, whatever, I’m outta here,” Paul muttered as he walked away. His sword was with his horse. His horse was now with Patsy. “Some knight I am.”
(245 words)
The contest is for a children’s story of 250 words or less based on the picture above and in which somebody somewhere in your story says, in dialogue, “Did/do you see that?” (you may substitute any of the other senses – “Did/do you hear/feel/taste/smell that?”) and somebody somewhere in your story says, “Goodbye!” (you are allowed to substitute “Farewell!”, “Au revoir!”, “Sayonara!”, “Ciao!”, or “So long!”) Entries must be posted on your blog between Friday August 31 and Tuesday September 4 at 11:59 PM EDT.
http://susannahill.blogspot.ca/2012/08/summer-send-off-writing-contest-and.html
Because dragons are people too.
Butternut is a fantabulous name for a horse! Great job with your entry to the contest!
Thank you Cathy.
PETD…just love this idea! Thanks for your lovely comments on my blog, Sue…I’m following yours and also following you on Twitter.
Your story has a lot of kid-appeal…and girl-power galore. 
Great job!
I am so glad you are following me on Twitter. I went to do the same for you and realized that I had spelled my own name incorrectly. Now that it is fixed, I am following you in the right name.
Next story is about PETW!
People for the Ethical Treatment of….witches, wizards, women, whales, what?
Thanks for following on Twitter…there aren’t enough hours in the day to actively manage all of the social media I am signed up with.
Writers! …. Nice guesses.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Writers…super cool!!!!
Very fun! I love People for the Ethical Treatment of Dragons. That is so cute! Good job!
Thank you. To me, it looks like the girl is a friend of the dragon.
Love it! Good luck in the contest!
Thanks Eric. I am going to need it; I’ve read all the others.
I was surprised to see you didn’t enter.
I am entering
You have until Tuesday to post it on your blog. I’m posting mine tomorrow 
You mean I posted before you did?? Well, I guess there is hope for me yet. I cannot wait to read your story. I know it will knock my socks off, so post it!
I love the sibling bickering taking place in a fantasy plot. Good job!
Brothers and sisters always bicker about something. Kids seem to get a kick out of seeing this portrayed.
Bravo, Sue! Great story, 245 words, and you included your favorite cause;
the Ethical Treatment of Animals (or in this case, dragons). Snarls is so proud of you.
Thank you Diane. You are always one of the first to comment and I appreciate that. Snarls actually insisted I write this story. He was complaining of the dogs and cats getting all the attention (and something about a pink tasseled saddle?)
This is great! People For The Ethical Treatment of Dragons! I totally love it
Thanks for a very original and entertaining story, Sue! I’m so glad you joined the contest!
Thank you for a very original contest. At least it was for me. I love all the challenges on your site and wish I had time to do them all.
Yay for PETD – great surprise ending and very kid real!
Thanks. I loved the wedding without fire. Everything needs fire!