Write about a character doing something they’ve done hundreds of times — only this time, it’s taken on a new meaning.

Posted in Character on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 148 stories

“Of Cakes and Soup” by Marlie Janelle

Submitted to Contest #101

TW: murder/suicide The morning light breaks through the curtains in thin strips that illuminate the granite kitchen counter. The remaining light bounces off the eggshell-colored walls to create an even light in the room. The house is quiet expect for the click of the wall-clock. I flip one of the three switches on the wall, activating the low hum of the ceiling fan. I walk to the oven and turn it to 350 d...

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“Past the pasta” by Mark Nero

Submitted to Contest #101

The day started with the sound of the most annoying sound in the world, which was the sound of my buzzing alarm clock. I could have had the radio come on instead of the jarring buzz, but I needed that edge to shake me from my slumber. I threw off the bed-covers, moaned loudly and immediately felt the chill of my cold, unheated studio apartment in Marrickville. A densely populated - smog and traffic choked suburb near Sydney, but at least it was under the flight path (Queue sarcasm). I shouldn’t complain too much though, as things could hav...

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“QUEEN ” by Alviya Meenam Z

Submitted to Contest #101

I strike one last pose on the red carpet before resuming my journey towards the entrance . Entering the venue I smile as I walk past the other guests towards my assigned chair but my smile turns into wide grin as I spot Riana settled on the chair next to mine , her face also reflecting the same smile when she notices me . Once settled I look around the place and notice many famous people and public figures present and I can't help but let my thoughts wander to how drastically my life has changed in couple of years.I had attended this event ,...

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“Red Oak” by K Ben

Submitted to Contest #101

Hamza lifted the hoe and brought it down with force. The earth gave away under his strong blows and soon he had a big hole. Hamza stood up and wiped his forehead. The day was at its peak and the clear skies did nothing but help make it hotter. Walking to a shed at the side of the yard, Hamza saw a baby tree. Quickening his steps Hamza looked around. He needed to talk to Ray about the type of tree he was going to plant but it seemed like it was already chosen. A red oak?! Hamza sighed. The chosen spot for the tree was too close to the house a...

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“Grim Return” by Adam Applebaum

Submitted to Contest #101

Everyone has traditions. Sometimes it is family trips to a favorite venue other times, it is at-home rituals that they’d feel wrong if they missed the chance. For me, it is traveling to a place called Covina and then returning from whence I came. As far as introductions go, you may refer to me as Adam, which means the first man in Hebrew or something to that effect. There isn’t much to tell of how I came to be, but rather the return pattern. The place seems insignificant to anyone else, yet so much more for me. As I hear the click-clack...

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“The Morning After” by Orianna Jones

Submitted to Contest #101

*Trigger warning*The morning after, I listened as the birds sang from outside my bedroom window. The sky changed from dark to light as the sun rose up over the hill, bringing color back to the sky.The air around my room would still be cold from the night, and I would flinch when my bare feet first slipped out and left the warmth of my bed.The morning after, I walked down the steps, my fingers tracing the patterns of the wood on our railing. I hadn’t ever looked at it before. I didn’t know why trees had rings and lines inside them. I didn’t k...

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“The Hole Was Dark Like The Whole Of My Heart” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #101

‘I’ve done this a lot of times but I don’t like digging a hole for my friend’ he thought looking at the damp pile of earth next to him. He sat down on the hard ground and took off his gloves calculating on his fingers roughly how many times he had dug a hole so that someone’s mother, or father, or sister or brother or just someone’s friend could be put into it – and the dark earth that he had painstakingly taken out of the ground, being shovelled back in on top of the lid on top of the person. He used to write it down, but forgot a few times...

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“Miles to Go Before I Sleep” by Alan Tong

Submitted to Contest #101

In life, the Mask-Maker’s wife loved poetry. Her home office on the second floor of their quaint town home was lined with painted bookshelves, crammed to bursting with novels and collections. She liked to joke that the most dangerous part of their house was the entrance hall, as it was planted directly beneath the office and was therefore in the primary blasting zone were the office to finally collapse under the weight of all those books. She would smile as she’d joke about these things; a dazzling sight, her mouth curling in a way that alwa...

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“The Divorce” by Matthew McLean

Submitted to Contest #101

Jacob found himself somewhere at the beginning of the 21st century with what felt like a very anachronistic life. Commuting home in his sedan, he was grateful for the lighter traffic the pandemic had wrought, even as it caused him to reflect on his life. Most people were still working from home, if they were lucky enough to have a job, but here he was, traveling after a long day of work as the director of engineering at his firm. It was the old way of doing things, and those things had served him well; They had allowed him to provide for a f...

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“Twenty years” by Robert Cherny

Submitted to Contest #101

Reedsy Writing Contest #250: Antanaclasis Write about a character doing something they’ve done hundreds of times — only this time, it’s taken on a new meaning. Twenty years. For twenty years, he had driven the same route, more or less, to and from work. The starting point and the ending point were the same, but the process kept changing. Twenty years of fifty weeks a year, after deducting vacations, five days per week is five thousand workdays. Deduct holidays and days spent going directly to a job site and not to the office, and that ...

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“Don't Forget Me” by Mackenzie Hebner

Submitted to Contest #101

Don’t Forget Me By: Mackenzie M. Hebner They told me to write something unforgettable; so I did. I wonder if they ask that of all The Greats or just me. Though, I suppose I’m not a great, just a sixteen-year-old boy in a tux, standing before a panel of pensive yet emotionless judges stuffed into stuffy tuxes of their own that seemed too small from how uncomfortable they looked. Or perhaps it was just that they had nothing better to do than sit and listen to a long line of sixteen-year-old boys in tuxedos a little too big for them recite s...

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“Eggs” by M. Sawan

Submitted to Contest #101

The True-Slip Non-Stick Skillet was a hit. Children screamed, amazed by Chef Benny’s culinary control over the pan. Housewives struggled to stay seated. The elderly cheered the loudest, the vigor of their voices ringing as in youth, subverting the smell of medicine on their breath. “One more time,” said Chef Benny, oblivious to the TV cameras. He swept his arms, pointing at each audience member in turn, giving of himself as if the studio were his home, the audience his family. “What’s wrong with other non-stick pans?” “They’re liars!” sho...

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“Zanzibar” by Ali Lee

Submitted to Contest #101

I’m an expert at packing. I’ve written several blogs on the subject, made videos for YouTube and Instagram and even hosted a Facebook live Q&A on the subject. Yet I’m staring hopelessly at the empty suitcase. I can’t seem to remember how to begin. The screen doors are stretched wide open, but it’s muggy and hot, not even the faintest breeze disturbs the air. The brilliant blue of the Pacific Ocean is visible through the mosquito net, which lends the view a fuzzy quality. I’d prefer to slide the net back, to take in the brilliance of...

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“Dead again” by Kazeem Favour

Submitted to Contest #101

Note: The words in italics represents the point of view’s thoughts. *** ‘Beep! Beep!! Beep!!!’ I opened my eyes to the noisy sound of the alarm clock which I had set to 8am today because it was my lecture free day. I slept late because I was working on my manuscript. The sun was out early and it was like it had risen to blind my eyes with its morning rays, I closed my eyes. I reached out my hand to the ringing alarm clock with was on the table beside my bed, I brought my hand down violently to slap the alarm clock like I usually...

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“A nest to call home” by Heather Duckett

Submitted to Contest #101

Mrs. Sparrow who happens to be a sparrow lives a comfortable life in an oak tree. Her husband Mr. Sparrow died after being eaten by a cat. For a cat is a bird's worst enemy. It would not be so if they were kind. But no, a cat just goes about killing innocent birds whenever they like. The life of a bird is quite hard. One might look at her life and think she's got it easy but she doesn't. She's got three eggs in her little nest. She has to sit on them every day and find time to go out and get food without being killed. It was Mr. Sparrow who ...

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Write about a character doing something they’ve done hundreds of times — only this time, it’s taken on a new meaning.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 148 stories

“Of Cakes and Soup” by Marlie Janelle

“Past the pasta” by Mark Nero

“QUEEN ” by Alviya Meenam Z

“Red Oak” by K Ben

“Grim Return” by Adam Applebaum

“The Morning After” by Orianna Jones

“The Hole Was Dark Like The Whole Of My Heart” by Valerie Preston

“Miles to Go Before I Sleep” by Alan Tong

“The Divorce” by Matthew McLean

“Twenty years” by Robert Cherny

“Don't Forget Me” by Mackenzie Hebner

“Eggs” by M. Sawan

“Zanzibar” by Ali Lee

“Dead again” by Kazeem Favour

“A nest to call home” by Heather Duckett

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about a character who fails to understand something until they have the full context.

Write a story in which the same line recurs three times.

Write a story about a character who always repeats themselves.

Write a story that involves a reflection in a mirror.

Contest #101

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

728

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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