“Chasing Shadows” is my first published short story. It was the runner-up for the 2010 Katherine Paterson Prize for YA & Children’s Writing, selected by Holly Black. Posted below is an excerpt. To read the entire story, visit its page on Hunger Mountain.

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“‘Kaitlin Sugiyama called me to pick her up.’

Bunny’s eyebrows knit together as she pulls out Kay’s file. ‘Are you her sister?’

‘Yeah. Identical twin, actually.’ I indicate my freckles and strawberry blond hair.

‘Look, smartass, her file says only a parent or guardian can pick her up. She can’t leave with you.’

‘Oh.’ Typical Kay, forgetting little details like the fact that we’re not related.

Typical me, taking everything she says at face value.

‘You can go out and see her if you want. I think she’s in the Courtyard. Sign in.’ Bunny slaps a neon green clipboard down in front of me and goes back to her card game.

I grab a pencil and start writing “Becky,” but it looks ridiculous in this iodine-smelling hallway. The eraser is crap. It leaves a gray smudge in place of my nickname. I write “Rebecca” over the blur, but you can barely see. The gray swallows it up.”