WINNER! MSP 50-Word Challenge--Story Starter

Congratulations, @jeffways !

Your entry in the MSP 50-Word Contest is a winner.

We had some serious competition in this challenge! Twenty-two strong entries lined the field, and chosing between them wasn't easy. Decisions were based on how grammatically sound each snippet was, as well as how riveting the hook, and how easy we thought it would be to continue the story. All three of these challenge winners will be Fiction Workshop projects, as we collaborate to finish the tale.

@jeffways had this to say about his winning entry:

My entry is a product of things I've learnt at the Fiction Workshop; good people are always there to help. Thanks @rhondak and @carolkean for this opportunity!

Thank you, @jeffways, for the hard work you've put into improving your craft! It shows! :-)

Here is Passport, the winning entry:

Holding my passport above the scanner, she looks at the screen and then at me. I try to appear calm as my heart pounds against my chest, expecting questions, but surprisingly—she stamps it.

"Enjoy your visit."

Relief... freedom!

Suddenly, someone calls out my real name behind me. I freeze.