Can this be considered as fantasy?

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I've always had a little trouble understanding what kind of stories fall under which genres. When I write I don't really pay it much attention, but now I found a short story competition that I'd like to take part in and the problem is that they only accept science fiction or fantasy. Now, I know for sure that the story I've been working on isn't science fiction, but I wonder if it counts as fantasy?

In it, there's this girl who accidentally runs in to the grim reaper in the yard of the hospital and, wanting to make sure she isn't crazy, she starts to look in to the matter. And some time later, she encounters the grim reaper again and they have a chat about his job... while he's on the job. The girl knows the client. It ends a little bitterly.

I can't really go in to more detail, just in case, but do you think this would count as fantasy? Or is it just supernatural and drama? Of course, it's not like I'd get in trouble even if I sent it and it wasn't even considered to be the right genre, but I'll be embarrased if I send it and later realize it wasn't even what was asked for...

Do they specify any other requirements in the fine print?

When I googled the fantasy genre, I got this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy

I don't know if that's any help, but I thought I'd pass it along.

I didn't notice any. The other rules were about the maximum lenght and the fact that only people who have never gotten anything published before are allowed to take part. Other than that, it seems to be a free game.

According to that link... well, still not sure. It does have fantasy elements, but maybe one non-realistic creature/character with supernatural powers (plus mentions of few others) isn't enough to make it fantasy? It's not located in a fictional world or anything after all...

Science-Fiction mainly focuses on currently-known principles of science, or some reasonable extrapolation thereof. Faster-Than-Light travel is an acceptable "gimmick" if the story requires it. Otherwise, no magic or psionics, no spiritualism, no supernatural realm, and no 'god' or 'devil', except where Clarke's Third Law applies:

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

Ghosts? No ... holograms.

Zombies? No ... robots.

Monsters? No ... mutants.

Demon Possession? No ... schizophrenia or "brain fever".

Magical Items? No ... advanced alien technology.

The fantasy genre does away with strict adherence to scientific principles, and does not even try to explain things like magic, ghosts, and so forth. Instead, fantasy writers rely on common tropes to provide the background for their stories.

What you describe would be a loose definition of urban fantasy. Make sure they are ok with that, if they only want sword and sorcery or epic then your story wouldn't count.

So it's on one or the other side of the line... I think I'll adjust a few things in the story to make it clearer that the MC is definitely not dreaming or anything and make the ending more supernatural. That should confirm the right genre. I just hope it won't come out as too clumsy.

It sounds like a classic ghost story, like the old _Twilight Zone_ show from the 1960s! I hope you can finish it and it goes well for you.

Again that would be urban fantasy but I don't know what they want. Urban fantasy is much different than sword and sorcery which is different than epic. If they are ok with the supernatural then your writing would count.

Personally, I took the idea of the girl and the Grim Reaper to be more of horror than fantasy.