The PolterGeist Writing Contest called for ghost stories of 500 words or less, in fact or fiction. A gesture to the various interpretations of geist, among them “spirit,” “wit,” and “ghost.” We looked for stories in the realm of the surreal and the sublime, of hauntings and horror, of spirit and satire.

Congratulations to the three authors of the winning entries, whose stunning, spooky pieces will be published in Geist 133, out at the end of August!

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FIRST PRIZE

"Night Drive" by Jacob Bachinger

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SECOND PRIZE

"Angela" by Emily Horton

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THIRD PRIZE

"As I wait for the TTC in High Park" by Ysh Cabana

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The winners will receive cash prizes:

First prize: $500

Second prize: $250

Third prize: $150

Geist runs three writing contests a year, so keep an eye out for our next one. We post about them here, on our social media channels, and at our monthly newsletter—sign up at geist.com/newsletter.