Write a story about someone breaking a long family tradition.

Posted in Angst on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 170 stories

“The Other Sky – Our Shallow Grave” by Sampada Sharma

Submitted to Contest #57

“The water level rises every day, brother. The border between us and them is now too close to the mainland.” Gabriel’s unspoken uneasiness hung in the air between them.The sky was painted gold, chasing the wending darkness of night. The brink of darkness held at bay by splashes of pink and purple. Soft amber light dipped into the folds of turquoise brocade and painted silk, the sea spilling out into the blistering white sand.Alexander toed the water’s edge watching as the Ocean masked and peeled away at the sand. The silver lining. The edge ...

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“Hidden” by Kira Krieger

Submitted to Contest #57

With all that has happened these past few months, my life has been the public announcement of a town crier. It’s quite daunting when I think about it. It’s scary living in a glass box. Tessa was the only way I made it through. She’s an open book. Didn’t believe in keeping secrets of her own. Whenever I was blue, she would regale me of a story about her childhood or her fiance or things the boys did before I came. Merlin was limited with his stories. All of them - the few he shared - were before the age of ten and after he went to Ca...

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“The rebellious Princess: Weeping Willow” by Lourdes Cruz

Submitted to Contest #57

Today was the day. The royal family of the enchanted forest sang joyfully, as it was the turn of the youngest princess to choose her future husband of the noble spirits among the ceremony. Amir, her father, was the king of all trees, while her mother, Kiri, was the daughter of a noble shrub. The family was excited to see who their daughter would end up with. Princess Willow's elder sisters, however, would not be attending. Despite their absences, the family tradition would continue. Willow was petrified. She was trying to figure out how ex...

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“Voices” by JASON PARKER

Submitted to Contest #57

Light the damned thing! Why can't you just do as you're told? A breeze met with the streams of perspiration descending Ed's lower back and he shivered--as did the trees at the forest's fringe. He looked back at the house worn by time and circumstance. It creaked. It groaned. It sounded uncomfortable and not without good reason. The house's bleached wood stood out against the verdant hills behind; it looked to Ed like a skull atop a green velvet plinth. The landscape was a perverse museum and the home Ed had been born in--grew up in--was ...

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“Breaking with Tradition” by Philip Clayberg

Submitted to Contest #57

I bit my lip and broke my pencil in half.After all, it's one thing to be called dumb by the bullies in school, but it's another to feel dumb around your father. I can speak and write just fine. It's just that Pa doesn't like it when I use “ain't”.“Because it isn't good English,” he said, standing behind me, and looking down at the essay I was writing. He shook his head and sighed. I watched as he knelt and picked up the pencil halves. “And please don't take it out on your pencils. That's the fourth one that you've broken today. I don't have ...

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“Rashe's Betrayal” by Harken Void

Submitted to Contest #57

Life bustled and beauty bloomed in the forest. Harmony was bountiful, abundance plenty. Small critters chased under the feet of bigger beasts, and the latter munched on lush, green grass. The warm spring sun shone through the leaves, announcing yet another fine day. Blandyew hummed in satisfaction. All was well. In his 621 years of life, the Treant Blandyew saw much. True, his experiences couldn’t compare to the forest elders, but he did witness both nature’s wrath and her love. And this day certainly reminded him of love. “Grow tall, little...

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“Beatrice” by Jan Querubin

Submitted to Contest #57

A child may ask, “Mother, what’s in there?” He was pointing at the mansion on top of the hill. Dark and gloomy, almost empty. The uphill climb looked easy but the ground seemed soft, as if one would be swallowed by it if they dared reach the top.It would take quite a while before the mother would answer, remembering how stories spread in their village go. “Vampires, dear. Best if we move now because we don’t want them devouring us both.”There was fear in her voice for she wasn’t exactly sure what was inside. The mansion contains a lot of sto...

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“The Feline Family” by Inkstained Introvert

Submitted to Contest #57

Lizzy knocked on the front door and pushed it open quietly. “Hello?” “Come in,” her mother called unenthusiastically. Lizzy set down the carrying case she was holding, out of view in the foyer, hung up her jacket on the coat rack, and stepped into the living room, where everyone was sitting silently on couches, drinking tea. She stopped for a moment and surveyed the room, deciding who to sit next to. Her mother and father were a no-go; they were the only two on their couch, but there was a space in between them, and only an amueter...

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“Trying to bow out.” by Len Mooring

Submitted to Contest #57

Trying to bow out. “Dad, Dad, Dad. I don’t want to do this anymore. I mean, you’ve had me and my brothers doing this for millennia. You rested after 7 days. Yeah, yeah, I’m kidding. You never rest. Is your Dad still creating worlds? There must be a trillion by now. He must really be ‘old school’ just doesn’t need rest.” “Well, son, number 34, if he keeps creating them, then we have to keep populating them. It’s our tradition.” “But I’d like to just hang out in that world of talking animals and birds with beautiful girls without sexua...

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“What am I?” by Ari Berri

Submitted to Contest #57

Bella kinda hated her mom.She had ways she wanted Bella to do things, and most she couldn't do. Like cooking, or art, or technology things.She couldn't do that stuff. But what she loved to do, was to sing. Of course, her mother didn't let her. She didn't think music was a worthy skill, and told Bella not to do it, but she had different ways to make time to sing.First, Ms. L, the music teacher, let Bella practice every morning. She asked Bella if she could help, and Bella was overjoyed.She walked to and from school by herself, and hardly anyb...

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“Elemental Forces” by Kylie Wallis

Submitted to Contest #57

Nicole Morgan really didn't want to be at this party. But Melanie Porter kept on insisting. She gave in and told her friend she'd make an appearance, but only intended to say until just after midnight. So that's how she found herself at Rihanna's house, surrounded by groups of people. Some were familiar faces. She had no idea who the others were or where they could have come from.Nicole stood at the bar with a drink in her hand, all set to toast the New Year. What she really wanted was to be in bed sleeping. But as she knew all too well, nob...

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“Halloween in Hailsbury” by Lani Lane

Submitted to Contest #57

Daisy Crawford had very long, black hair that she always tied into a loose bun. She had dark eyes and a crooked nose that was constantly runny. Her arms were too skinny, and her knees knocked together when she stood still. She was also dead.She hadn’t meant to die. Daisy was only a child when it happened and she didn’t remember it much, to be honest. It happened three hundred years ago.“It was dreadful,” sniffed Clara Crawford, Daisy’s mother, whenever she got to reminiscing. “Such a blue body… the river was particularly fast that day….”Clar...

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“The Shell Game” by Kathleen March

Submitted to Contest #57

It’s quite difficult to consider breaking a long family tradition, if you’re a member of my family. I thought I might be the end of the line because there’s barely anybody left, but my daughter seems determined to have traditions. She doesn’t have any children, though, so she really will be the end of the line. Rather sad, because I come from a long line of sentimentalists. Everything comes to an end, eventually. My point here is to stress that there are two types of traditions. One is often the holiday, birthday, or wedding type, where pe...

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“The Dark Prince” by S. John

Submitted to Contest #57

“ㅡyou see, the thing about vampires is: it’s not all about the teeth and the violence; it’s about living forever and experiencing an amazing world beyond a human’s understanding. I’m not a monsterㅡI mean, I drink human blood, yes, butㅡI hardly ever kill my victims anymore. I don’t want to be the alpha species on the planet. It makes no difference to me whatsoever that my father is king; I have no qualms telling him that I’m out of the coven. “Ellie, just listen, I know I shouldn’t have pretended to be human, but I’m not lying when I say...

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“The Body-Glitter-Loving Apple Fell Like Three Fields Away From the Evil Tree” by Lily Kingston

Submitted to Contest #57

Sitting with his legs politely crossed over each other at a three star restaurant two blocks from their apartment, Alex asked Maxwell, “Do you know why I invited you to lunch?”“Because you’re in love with me and you’re going to confess.”“No.”“Because I’m broke?”“Well yes, but actually no. I have news and I think it would be best to break it in a public place.”“I knew it.” Maxwell took a bit of bread and continued with a mouthful of food. “You’re breaking up with me.”“We never dated? We’re roommates.” Confusion spun in Alex’s eyes.Laughing to...

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Write a story about someone breaking a long family tradition.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 170 stories

“The Other Sky – Our Shallow Grave” by Sampada Sharma

“Hidden” by Kira Krieger

“The rebellious Princess: Weeping Willow” by Lourdes Cruz

“Voices” by JASON PARKER

“Breaking with Tradition” by Philip Clayberg

“Rashe's Betrayal” by Harken Void

“Beatrice” by Jan Querubin

“The Feline Family” by Inkstained Introvert

“Trying to bow out.” by Len Mooring

“What am I?” by Ari Berri

“Elemental Forces” by Kylie Wallis

“Halloween in Hailsbury” by Lani Lane

“The Shell Game” by Kathleen March

“The Dark Prince” by S. John

“The Body-Glitter-Loving Apple Fell Like Three Fields Away From the Evil Tree” by Lily Kingston

🌟 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 🏆

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