Blue Room And Pink Balloons - By Katy Jones

Written By: Katy Jones

Category: short story

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In the evocative short story "Blue Room And Pink Balloons," Katy Jones, writing under the name "blue room and pink balloons," invites readers into an introspective journey through the lens of a young protagonist. Featured in the Short Story category for the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, this narrative explores themes of solitude and familial dynamics, capturing the nuanced emotions of growing up and the silent transformations within a household.

About the Work

"Blue Room And Pink Balloons" encapsulates the quiet turmoil of adolescence, framed within the confines of a family home. Katy Jones masterfully weaves a narrative of emotional complexity, using vivid imagery and reflective prose to convey the protagonist's internal struggles and longing for belonging. The story's mood oscillates between nostalgia and a poignant sense of isolation, highlighting the universal quest for understanding and connection.

blue room and pink balloons

Original Submission by Katy Jones

Blue Room And Pink Balloons

By Katy Zayde Jones

The house is silent; spare the TV my Dad is watching. I imagine you sitting beside him playing digital solitaire on your phone. Oh, this generation, always on a screen.

My sisters aren’t home; they haven’t been for a while. They’ve abandoned me to do my own hair, roll my own jeans and experiment new products and artists with no guidance or company.

No more blaring our favourite music while dancing in the kitchen when we’re supposed to be clearing dinner. Because you can’t handle noise and dad fights me for the speaker and my back up has retreated. Good thing I like Dad’s music.

I guess I don’t really have the time for a “kitchen concert” when there’s only three plates to clear.

I don’t watch TV anymore. Theres no one to fight me on what to watch. So what’s the point? Nothing interests me.

I had the option of taking my sister’s room. But I didn’t. They always shouted at me to get out, and moving in felt like an invasion. So I’ve stayed in my room with broken cupboard shelves and instead of looking out the window to the blue sea, like in my sisters’ room, I close my blue curtains to hide away from the view of the neighbours.

We were never allowed to stay up in our rooms. We had to come down and be together in the lounge for family time.

But now you let me hide away in my room while you and dad watch your shows. The other day I left my room twice. Once to brush my teeth after waking, and again for when dinner came (it was cold. You didn’t even call me.) you didn’t even seem irritated; you didn’t even call after me for “family time” when I returned to my room after clean up.

Is this no longer a family then?

Empty.

This house has become empty, and a maze of emotions at the heart of a silent battlefield.

My clothes were always hand me downs, but now you buy me more clothes than I need, more then what fit in my broken cupboards. You spoil me with treats and trinkets at the tenfold.

And this confuses me.

Because I want to be mad at you.

YOU MAKE ME SO MAD!

Because when my sisters do come home, you’re a different person.

You knock on my door and tell me to take out my earphones. You tell me to take off the clothes I’m wearing and change because they are too short, but you bought them for me. You take tallies on where I’ve been which is nowhere at all. You call me spoilt like it’s a slur but you’re the one who spoils me.

You silence the words I have not yet spoken and hear the words I have not said.

But my sisters aren’t home yet.

You’re sitting downstairs with Dad and I’m sitting alone in my blue room wearing my favourite blue pyjamas and starring at the pink number 16 balloons you fetched me from school with.

Happy sweet 16th to me.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, hosted by Hashtag Kalakar, is a prestigious event celebrating diverse voices in literature and creativity. Welcoming submissions from around the globe, the competition provides a platform for writers to showcase their imaginative prowess and storytelling abilities across various categories, including poetry, short stories, and creative writing.

Thank you, Katy Jones, for sharing your poignant short story "Blue Room And Pink Balloons" with us. Your participation in the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 is a testament to your talent and dedication to the craft. We appreciate your unique voice and look forward to seeing more of your creative work in the future.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.