Quiddity has finally made its haunting return to the UCC student community–and this year, it came with an even more soul-stirring prompt. Upper School students were invited to share their experiences from wandering the winding hallways on our 35-acre campus and channel their imaginations into short stories or poems inspired by the school’s eeriest rooms.
With the results announced at Halloween Assembly itself, the winner was none other than Grade 9 student Jonah Xie, recognized for his ghostly short story The Final Hymn.
This piece follows a UCC student’s eerie journey through the college’s Chapel as he practices for the choir, delving into the psychological tension of being plagued by lingering voices and echoes of the past. The story’s key moment comes when the narrator learns that a former student died before finishing the same hymn. The ghost then possesses the narrator’s voice to complete the song, encapsulating the ominous, uncanny mood of Halloween.
In a brief interview with the contest winner, Jonah’s passion for creative writing became evident. As an inquisitive student inspired by the vast collection of Quiddity’s annual publications, he was immersed in the students’ creativity in the supernatural and science fiction themes. He thus described the contest theme as “a perfect chance to explore the unknown and less frequented corners of the college.”
Jonah also shared his insights, believing that the Chapel, an unobtrusive room that the majority of the student body passes by without even noticing, was a perfect fit for the contest’s celebration of the Halloween spirit. He has also revealed that he never set foot in the Chapel, explaining that “it feels even creepier when you have to picture a room you’ve only heard rumors about.”
Through his passion for creative writing and exploration of the supernatural in this year’s Quiddity Halloween prompt, Jonah deserves to savor the devilishly sweet reward of Krispy Kreme donuts–“a prize that lived up to the hype.”
Quiddity serves as our college’s foundation for creative writing and a platform where all students can share their quirky, individual insights. If you want to contribute and enrich our college’s writing community, stay tuned for the next contest brewing in the Quiddity cauldron.
Until the next anecdote drops,
Jeffrey
The Blue and White 
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