Write a story about someone breaking a long family tradition.

Posted in Angst on Oct 26, 2022

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 170 stories

“The Blessing” by Natalie Johnson

Submitted to Contest #57

The lake shimmered and sparkled, the moonlight dancing across its inky surface. The breeze was soft and cool and it caused the leaves to rustle quietly. The night felt magical, filled with limitless possibilities. Elyan sat on the grassy bank that surrounded the lake, running his fingers through the frigid water. He felt his fingertips turn blue, yet he continued to hold them beneath the surface. He liked the pain. He understood it. This pain was physical. It was temporary. He could remove his fingers from the lake whenever he chose, and the...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Traditions for Granted” by Angela Doverspike

Submitted to Contest #57

Rose’s crooked, brittle hands worked tirelessly as she sliced and diced. Her swollen finger joints ached. Her elbows ached. Her back ached. Her knees, ankles, and feet. Everything ached. There wasn’t a joint space in her body that wasn’t stiff. Cartilage had long since worn away. Bone grinding with bone. Of all days, today had to be the worst. Tomorrow wouldn’t be much better. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving. Yet she’d still give thanks to the Lord above for her life, as painful and lonely as it may be. However brief a time, her old, tiny hou...

4 comments 4

Read story

“Grandma Martha” by Jae Kim

Submitted to Contest #57

Peeking from behind cream colored curtains, I watched as my parents’ sedan pulled into the driveway. It was misty out, a faint trace of orange dusting the horizon. But no matter the time or weather, it was important that they made it out here tonight. To my relief, they didn’t look mad. Mom was even holding Tupperware full of spaghetti in her arms like a football player. She matched my stare from the window and rolled her eyes. Then, she gestured to my father who was taking out a large black duffle from the backseat. “I don’t think this ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Tradition Be Damned” by Arya Greenwood

Submitted to Contest #57

“Three hundred men twenty miles outside the gates, and my scouts have seen nothing of this?” The colonel shook his head, dull-brown wisps of hair falling over his brow. He threw me a look of skepticism over the large oak table between us. “You know that I trust your abilities, Miss Tate, but surely this information is just another bit of farce to confuse the spies that might be listening.” Spies such as I, I presumed. I gave the colonel a severe look. “I beg your pardon, sir, but I got the captain drunk myself and am quite sure he could not ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“A Psycopath's Legacy” by Jmen Seso

Submitted to Contest #57

Metal scrapes against metal, sharpening my father’s favorite knives. His sickening grin curves upwards in delight as he watches another horrific torture event. “Son, this shall become your future. Your mother’s and my blood run through your veins,” he told me with his deep voice. A voice that when a person stays alone in the night streets. A terrifying laugh that echoes across a deserted alleyway and makes goosebumps rise and chill their blood. I watch the scene in front of us. A man who hasn't paid his debt now sat beaten unconscious by m...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Hide and Seek” by Jayashree Konar

Submitted to Contest #57

Cling... Cling...Cling...The doorbell is ringing for so long. It's mid July in India and raining heavily. Sam is getting impatient and a bit anxious as well. What is Anu doing inside the lonely home in this afternoon? She never takes a day time nap. Cable connection for internet and television is out-of-order for last two days. In fact Sam went to lodge a complaint in this regard.- Please wait for a second, I'm just coming.Anu's voice assured Sam.- Oh! You are back?Anu opened the door with an innocen...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Breaking the Baby Mill” by Megan Snyder

Submitted to Contest #57

My family has a saying that has long held true: “The first baby can come at any time, but any subsequent babies take 9 months.” My great-grandparents (on my mom’s side) followed that tradition, as did every one of my grandparents’ siblings. My grandparents, however, broke that tradition, and their children and grandchildren have all followed in their footsteps. My great-great aunt married someone (while probably pregnant) who had gotten other ladies pregnant and escaped to Canada. Another great-great aunt scandalously got married lat...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Love to the Minutest Detail” by Irene Ikeadigh

Submitted to Contest #57

Uloma took a deep breath as the sand on the shores touch her bare feet. The sound of croaking toads is heard from a distant direction. The waves are turbulent tonight. What a time to visit the beach! Cold air is beginning to distil the noise of the ocean. It gets colder by the minute as dusk sets in. Uloma and Henri planned meeting here to discuss for the umpteenth time their blossoming relationship. Our first day remains fresh in my memory Uloma thinks aloud. It was a bright April afternoon; it has just stopped raining and people...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Range” by Silver Fish

Submitted to Contest #57

Our backs were hot from the heat of the sun, our clothes sticking annoyingly to our slimy skin. We walked in a horizontal three feet apart; five of us holding screwdrivers and shovels and tramping through the hot, stinking mud. It was the Fourth of July, and we could hear the carnival music from next door. We could smell the funnel cakes and the hot dogs and could see the lights on the top of the Ferris wheel glinting in the sun. “Why the hell do we keep putting up with this shit every year?” Ralph muttered over his full lip. He spat a blac...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Hollywood dreaming” by Jose Gonzalez

Submitted to Contest #57

Write a story about someone breaking a long family tradition John delray wanted to be a star. Typical youth lured by hollywood he thought it was all champagne and women. Caviar and parties with a- list stars. Rubbing shoulders with Tom Hanks, bill Murray. Going on dates with whitney Cummings, Margot robbie. Parapazzi. Blinded by the neon lights he wanted to be a star. Ask him how he was going to make it? He would draw a blank. Like it was going to magically appear. He was a social media star. On instagram on tik tok he had views and follower...

2 comments 2

Read story

“A Day Of Dishonor” by Lauren Troy

Submitted to Contest #57

The bells sounded in the distance, the loud metal clang echoed through the town like a bomb on a battlefield. Those bells were not played as they usually were, normally it is to signify the beginning of a time of worship to the Gods, to give thanks for their blessings. I always adored the sound of the bells, they were beautiful and always brought such joy to my ears as I listened to that sweet music, now I wanted to rip them out of the high tower they play from and silence them for good. Instead of the joy, they have always preached, it’s ec...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Breaking Away Into Purpose” by Lacy Pierce

Submitted to Contest #57

My family has had a tradition of all of the women getting married at 20 since we can remember. I’m almost 20 and I don’t even have a boyfriend. I don’t think I even want to get married at all! I just want to travel the world and get paid to do it. Mother applauds me and secretly encourages me. But since I’m a girl, Dad just wants-more like expects- me to stay in this dump of a town, get married and have at least two kids. He doesn’t even care that I probably wouldn’t make a good mom. He just cares about keeping up the “moral stan...

4 comments 4

Read story

“The Chosen Path” by Charles Wasilausky

Submitted to Contest #57

"What am I going to do," Aaron muttered to himself. He knew his family would not be happy about him choosing to become a teacher, especially since his parents, grandparents, and siblings all went into the police force. Aaron knew that if he said something, his parents would not be happy about it. "How will I tell them," he muttered. He was only twenty two and knew that law enforcement was not the right career path for himself at any point in time. "Tell us what, Dear," Aaron's mother asked as she and her husband entered the house, tired from...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Without A Purpose” by Karen Kitchel

Submitted to Contest #57

I grew up bouncing from foster home to foster home. My only one life-long friend was a teddy bear I named “Happy.” I really wanted to believe there wasn’t another “Happy” in this world, and he belonged to me. However, at my first foster home I see a little kid named Bruno who has a bear that looks remarkably like mine. We only spend a short time together but I remember feeling very sad when Bruno was sent to another home. I get lucky at age nine when my foster family turns out to be an upscale couple who think I’m cute....

0 comments 0

Read story

“Traditions No More” by Taylor Crosby

Submitted to Contest #57

Spaghetti noodles dot the night sky. They’re writhing like tentacles. Reaching toward me. I can hear them too. They’re loud. Way too loud to be normal. Squishing in and out. In and out. In and out. And the moon’s laughing at me. Its eyes of cheese stares right through me, mocking my very heart and soul. The stars aren’t there. Somewhere in my mind, I know they’re supposed to be there, but they aren’t. No giant balls of gas tonight. Well, hold on, what’s that smell of sweet potato chips mixed with bad breath? Oh, yeah. Whoops. B...

4 comments 4

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a humorous story about the descendant of someone remembered for an insignificant act.

Funny – 73 stories

Write a story about someone who’s famous for something they never actually did.

Character – 119 stories

Write a story about someone who travels to the future, and isn’t happy about how they’ve been remembered.

Science Fiction – 131 stories

Write a story that starts with someone writing their will — one they know people won’t like.

Dramatic – 183 stories

Contest #57

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Legacies

$50

Prize money

676

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Sep 04, 2020 EST

Won by Iona Cottle 🏆

Title: Et Tu?

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

Write a story about someone breaking a long family tradition.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 170 stories

“The Blessing” by Natalie Johnson

“Traditions for Granted” by Angela Doverspike

“Grandma Martha” by Jae Kim

“Tradition Be Damned” by Arya Greenwood

“A Psycopath's Legacy” by Jmen Seso

“Hide and Seek” by Jayashree Konar

“Breaking the Baby Mill” by Megan Snyder

“Love to the Minutest Detail” by Irene Ikeadigh

“The Range” by Silver Fish

“Hollywood dreaming” by Jose Gonzalez

“A Day Of Dishonor” by Lauren Troy

“Breaking Away Into Purpose” by Lacy Pierce

“The Chosen Path” by Charles Wasilausky

“Without A Purpose” by Karen Kitchel

“Traditions No More” by Taylor Crosby

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a humorous story about the descendant of someone remembered for an insignificant act.

Write a story about someone who’s famous for something they never actually did.

Write a story about someone who travels to the future, and isn’t happy about how they’ve been remembered.

Write a story that starts with someone writing their will — one they know people won’t like.

Contest #57

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

676

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: