I entered an essay writing competition. So I wrote an essay as you asked.

Yet as you clearly state the winner wrote a story.

Next time (if there is a next time as a lot of people were rather miffed to put it mildly) please have 2 competitions. 1 for n 'essay writing challenge' and the 2nd for a 'story-writing competition'.

I know there are some differences in our mutually shared language but in blighty an essay is not a story.

Regards

Marc