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If your story is listed in the top 5 below, congratulations, you are among the 125 writers moving on to the 2nd Round kicking off at 11:59PM EDT this Thursday, April 11th!   Congratulations to everyone that submitted a story, narrowing down a top 5 in each heat was incredibly difficult and everyone should be proud for rising to the challenge and creating a story outside your comfort zone from scratch in 8 days.  We hope the challenge was inspiring and hope to see you in our next challenge!

#1 'Red, White, and New' by Margaret Ronke SYNOPSIS - Rory seeks refuge from recent personal tragedy in a world both fictitious and foul, only to be confronted by her grief and shame in real life. Her self-revulsion leads to revelation and rejection of her vice.

#2 'Metered Response' by Berenice Freedome SYNOPSIS - Emotionally volatile Jake has developed a serious addiction to a virtual reality service that allows him to relive episodes of intimacy with his deceased wife. But when he melts down at the end of an interrupted session he discovers the true cost of re-living lost love is much higher than he could have ever expected.

#3 'The Big Apple' by Aubry Andersen SYNOPSIS - A woman on disability for questionable reasons spends her days playing an overzealous parking inspector in a game called "The Big Apple," a virtual simulation of New York City. She lies constantly in both her real and pretend lives, but it's the game that holds her most accountable.

#4 'All in You Head' by Jennifer Acres SYNOPSIS - A young woman experiences a moment of déjà vu, but soon realizes that her entire life seems to be repeating. With help from an outside source, she must come to grips with her new and unsettling reality.

#5 'Violations' by Nicholas Hutchinson SYNOPSIS - An aging parking enforcement officer falls in love with a man who she only knows from a virtual world, and who may not be as real as he claims to be.

#Honorable Mention 'The Coda' by Jonathan Moormann SYNOPSIS - When Nadine takes a new job at CodaCorp, she's faced with the most difficult decision of her life.

#Honorable Mention 'Transported' by Jennifer Anthony SYNOPSIS - No one likes a meter maid, not even herself. So what kind of game is this new boy playing?

#Honorable Mention 'With a little help' by Caleb Stright SYNOPSIS - After feeling guilty for writing Robin a parking ticket, Derek delves into a virtual internet world to find Robin's brother, Mike. Mike has returned from his second tour in Afghanistan but hasn't contacted his sister for fear of how his state may affect her.

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