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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#100: Breaking Bread

One of the most intimate things you can do with someone is sit down to eat together. The idea of friends and foes, families and strangers breaking bread has been a recurring theme in art and literature for a very long time. It’s something that can bring us together against the steepest of odds; to quote Oscar Wilde, “after a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one's own relations”. But things don’t always end quite so harmoniously — food fights, anyone?

This week, we’re reflecting on the joys (or pains) of eating together or making a meal. Whether the dinner table is a place for communion or conflict for your characters, I look forward to sitting down to a hearty portion of food-themed stories with you. Bon appétit!

This week's prompts

Start or end your story with two characters sitting down for a meal.

Middle School – 264 stories

Write a story where a meal or dinner goes horribly wrong.

Thanksgiving – 201 stories

Write about a group of strangers — or people who know each other, but may as well be strangers — eating together.

Fluff – 152 stories

Write about a character preparing a meal for somebody else.

Fluff – 157 stories

Write a story that involves a secret or magic ingredient.

Halloween – 116 stories

Stories

“A Farm Family and the Underground Railroad” by Cameron Landers

Submitted to Contest #100

A farm family and the Underground Railroad We read this, and like a Steven Spielberg movie, the scene opens to a view of today’s Sarcoxie, Missouri. It is a small town where everyone knows everyone in town and strangers are greeted with a stare. We see a few cars driving around the circular grassy center, and a few folks walking in and out of main street’s shops. Then, the camera view raise up into the sky, looking down at the town slowly fading into the misty clouds, and the letters 1838 appear, puffs up like a cumul...

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“When the power goes out” by Ciara Schipper

Submitted to Contest #100

I place the last plate of food in front of my grandad as we sit down for our dinner of spaghetti and meatballs. The dish is not a family recipe as many have but made up of whatever we could find in the refrigerator and pantry. I finally take my seat and immediately dig into the delicious dish, the flavours dance on my tongue as I savour the craftsmanship that was put into this meal. A satisfied groan leaves my mouth just as the room turns black. I feel the surrounding atmosphere change from pleasure to slight annoyance. It is not uncommon fo...

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“The Kitchen Radio” by Gerald Daniels

Submitted to Contest #100

The morning light seeped between the slats in the kitchen blinds, gentle and pale. Thin rectangles of dust danced lazily in the delicate beams casting spinning shadow dots on the work tops and doors. A little radio, plastered with greasy fingerprints and flour, spoke of political elections, pink roses and lost friendships. A pot boiled and hissed it's steam on to the window and little puffs of spray fizzled onto the hotplate as the water rose over the rim. &n...

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“Breaking BREAD” by Vinu M

Submitted to Contest #100

TW: eating disorder It began just after she stopped struggling with food. Her two year battle with bulimia was, as she had convinced herself, over. The only scars apparent from the battle was her now dangerously thin physique. Lana was 18 years old and had just graduated from high school the month before. She had not gone to college, she couldn’t afford it, as she was completely independent and completely broke. She lived alone in the overcrowded, vast city of Los Angeles California. the summer was lingering on. LA was restless with i...

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“The Plum-Rimmed Orchid of Tonga” by Ashley Slaughter

Submitted to Contest #100

The fabled plum-rimmed orchid was what made FeFe’s faikakai so irresistible. I’ve never seen one, not even in a photograph, but I knew without a doubt that those coconut caramel-smothered dumplings wouldn’t taste the same without it. If the only thing I learned in life was how to make FeFe’s faikakai, my entire existence would be completely and unconditionally fulfilled. If only FeFe ever let me set foot in the kitchen. “’Ikai!” she shouted, shooing me away with her wooden spoon. “No! No cook! I cook!” Her broken English carried through my d...

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“A Flower A Day” by Sharlene Addison

Submitted to Contest #100

Legend has it that in the swamp that borders our property there is a flower that has a bell shaped bloom and it's the purest shade of white that shimmers in the moonlight. The petals of the flower have magical powers. The legend also speaks of an Indian that lives in the swamp. He is the guardian and protector of the swamp and the magical flowers keep and protect him. It is said he has long silver hair with piercing white eyes with a jacket made of vines. He can appear as anything he chooses during the day; but come the night he has to be in...

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“Dinner With Friends” by Geum Disrud

Submitted to Contest #100

Hi my name is Riley I have long brown hair and hazel colored eyes and I’m about 5 and a half feet tall. I was wearing a pretty 50s style light pink lace dress with off the shoulder ¾ length sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. I was also wearing a pearl necklace and a bracelet to match. For shoes I had some cute black pumps. I was invited to a dinner party by my friend... Specifically, one of my closest friends Hillary she has hair cut to her shoulders that’s a dirty blond color and she is almost 6 feet tall. &nbsp...

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“Cook it if you got it. ” by Chuck Dudley

Submitted to Contest #100

Jack was never the popular kid at school, but this year he promised himself to do whatever it took to get the girl of his high-school dreams. Lauren, Jack has been fascinated over Lauren since he was in the 2nd grade. But of course Lauren never really noticed Jack. He didn't play sports, he wasn't on the debate team, he never really did anything to stand out. But this year was going to be different and he knew before they went off to collage he would have to make his move soon. Jack was the quite type who stayed to himself and Laure...

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“Esmeralda's Wisdom” by David Dicaire

Submitted to Contest #100

The limos pulled up one by one stretching along 760 United Nations Plaza, in Manhattan, New York. The dignitaries, ambassadors and secretaries of every country in the world emerged from the individual vehicles. There were nods of recognition and some stern, almost dirty looks. The security was intense and every person was carefully scrutinized before they entered the building even if they were instantly recognized. This included the President of the United States. The abundance of news cameras outside made sure to captu...

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“Those Who Serve” by Jon R. Miller

Submitted to Contest #100

Date: The thirteenth sidereal unit of the Savory cycle 23,678th BranturPlace: The Great Temple of Adephagia, in the Citrea Nebula sectorThe high-back chair of pretentious design stiffened his body even more than he expected. His full dress blacks didn’t help either. Jackson Graylor, Plenipotentiary of the Benevolent Dominion of Humanity, shifted his backside in the seat, again. Longing for the command stool on his ship, he contemplated the platter he had long emptied. It lay before him flanked by rows...

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“2014 ” by Daphne Porter

Submitted to Contest #100

'Dear Susan, You've been invited to the St. Mary's high school class of '14 reunion dinner. It would be great if you could come.' What a scumbag reunion, I scuffed. They should rename it the "reunion of backstabbing and phoney friendship." I'm not sure why they still want to see their backstabbing faces; of course, many individuals will turn up merely to brag; I wouldn't even go to such a meal. St. Mary's High School was a school in the western part of Ghana that was known for producing great people who would eventually help society de...

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“Guess Who Came to Breakfast?” by Bob Faszczewski

Submitted to Contest #100

Guess Who Came to Breakfast? “Crash!” The sound of all the plates and glasses on the breakfast table tumbling to the floor followed by a bloodcurdling scream as cousin, Carey Stupolski, also saw herself hurled off her chair in our dining room and saw herself covered with pancake syrup. The scream emanated more from the shock of our breakfast guest than from fear. Carey had been living and dining with us, the Fizurskis, because her mother Marcia, my mother's sister, needed her temporarily remo...

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“THE POISONOUS MUFFLE” by Suha Mutwalli

Submitted to Contest #100

It was a normal Sunday night. My dad invited his boss for a "professional" meeting date on the dinning table of our mansion. He seemed to be very happy and excited about the meeting. I always saw such a beam on his face only when he had such meetings and visits with his boss. He decided what to wear and what the menu will be for the dinner. He took care that evry dish being cooked will be miss Yohana's favourite. A day before, on the Saturday evening he asked me to join them, As his only daughter and alive family member so far, he wanted to ...

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“Wrongly Invited” by Raja Mukherjee

Submitted to Contest #100

Wrongly Invited By Sudip Mukherjee It's raining outside.But we have to go somewhere.An invitation came to us a few days back for a birthday dinner at a friend's house.But question is "No name was mentioned in the invitation letter.And the address is also not known to us."Oh.Forget to tell.We are five friends.We are partners in every crime(may be futile or huge blunders).We always go together.We eat together and even more interestingly we are all alone.We are orphans and now all are settled in home business together.We are friends since ch...

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“Everlasting Solstice” by Amy Mayeaux

Submitted to Contest #100

Carter was being stubborn, as he always was after cooking. “Absolutely not,” he sets down his bowl onto the wooden table, “I am not seeing him.” For good measure, he crossed his arms - being defiant as ever. “You can’t just ignore him.” Dylan gives the stew a sidelong glance as she pushes it further away. “He is your uncle, as much as he is mine, and besides, it would be rude.” “Like how you are with my stew right now? I didn’t slave over the stove for nothing.” “I am not being rude, you know my preferences-” Carter interrup...

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$50

Prize money

891

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jul 02, 2021 EST

Won by Rayhan Hidayat 🏆

Title: mie goreng

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

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