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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

“Going Up” by Tricia Shulist

Submitted to Contest #100

GOING UP Annalise breezed through the lobby of her building, heading for her sanctuary on the ninety-sixth floor of the Central Park Tower. “Hi Charlie!” “Evening Ms. Briggs.” She was in a wonderful mood. Why not? She was having her girlfriends over for Friday night wine and cheese, and were expected in about an hour. Annalise had everything she needed in the three overloaded bags she was carrying. In the heaviest bag, she had the wine — red, white, and rosé — from the finest vintners in Manhattan. In ...

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“Patati Patata” by Rajesh Patel

Submitted to Contest #100

Since at least from the early 80’s, I have seen this place being in business at this location. At the corner of St-Laurent and Rachel in the Plateau Mont-Royal district in Montreal. We call it The Main. The portion of St-Laurent boulevard that is filled with restaurants, bars, stores and groceries. A great place to meet up, talk, chit chat, study for hours, go on for a date, or just to be alone with a good meal at this small fast-food place. To me, it was kind the center of the universe when I was growing up. When I was a kid, I was not ...

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“The Lost Sister” by Catherine Criscuola

Submitted to Contest #100

Angelina added cinnamon to the sweet potatoes. The cinnamon's label had chipped, and it said: cinnmo. Her friends would be over any minute; she didn't want to be late. She swiped up the platter of sweet potatoes off the kitchen counter and placed it on the kitchen table. Just then, the doorbell rang. They were here! Angelina rushed to the front door and opened it. Standing there were her four friends: Olympia, Blythe, Carissa, and Irene. "Hi everyone!" Angelina exclaimed. She hugged everyone as they said hello to her and to each other. Th...

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“The Last Meal ” by Ray Hope

Submitted to Contest #100

TW: domestic abuse The Last Meal It’s that time of the day, the time of the day Seema dreaded the most. She had to get the dinner ready, cooking in her spacious kitchen with a wide window overlooking the beautiful garden, the surrounding did nothing to uplift her mood, cooking only brought her fear and pain. I hope, he likes today’s dinner, a silent prayer she uttered. “I can’t cook”,” I’m not a good cook”, “I can’t follow recipes”, “it always turns out rubbish anyways” “I’m no good”, “no one likes me”, “It’s all my fault” her self-ta...

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“Cigarettes and everything in between ” by Neppi A

Submitted to Contest #100

I’ve quit smoking, I swear, but after a series of colorful swearing at a vehicle I couldn’t even see, which was currently at the very front of this motionless line of wheels, I felt like I could do with a puff. With one hand I pulled down the sun visor to shield my eyes from the setting sun’s stubborn rays and with my free hand I reached into the glove compartment of my old mustang which was older than I will ever be in this life. I went through its contents; mostly garbage, blindly till my fingers curled around a familiar rectangular box. I...

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“Duck” by A.B. York

Submitted to Contest #100

CW: domestic violence It was Thursday. Jasmine hated Thursdays. Her pulse began to quicken as she padded across the slick marble floor of the kitchen. Thursdays were predictable now. Usually predictable comforted Jasmine, she liked knowing what to expect. But just this once, she was hoping for a surprise. You never know, after all unexpected things happen all the time. Perhaps he would change his mind. Perhaps he would choose something different this week. Perhaps the store had run out and he had to get something else. It could happen...

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“Just Desserts by Francesca Quarto” by Francesca Mohan

Submitted to Contest #100

“Deadly Desserts” by Francesca Quarto The table was like a setting sun, floating inside the otherwise gloomy dining room. It was alight with candles; five burning in each candelabra; five gleaming silver holders running down the center of the long banquet table. The dark wood of the table appeared lustrous under the gentle sway of the flames. Each place setting was laid with near geometric precision, not one spoon or knife breaking the perfect line and pattern. The fine china was a delicate cream, bordered in intricat...

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“Change of Hands” by Navneeth N

Submitted to Contest #100

I found the cat figurine at my therapist’s office. It wasn't much, with some pretty dull gold and a few shiny stones. I think it was just for show on the desk. We were eating lunch, casually talking about school. My therapist believed that I was getting over my pickpocketing addiction, but little did she know. I was eyeing the figurine the entire time, thinking about how to steal it. It wasn’t that hard, either. She went to get some dessert, and I simply swiped it, hiding in my jacket pockets. It was smaller than I though...

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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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“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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“The bitter truth, a family reunion, thanksgiving is for family” by John Smith

Submitted to Contest #100

IIt was the coming together of the Johnson family, as they had not seen each other in over two decades, a sense of tension could be seen round the table as the atmosphere was and grew heavy only sounds of plate could be heard as everybody remained silent, just eating their meals and waiting for someone to break the ice in this awkward dinner. And so, a life line came along, the phone rang but no body picked it up, as they were still observing the other, it rang again but still no body picked it up and as it rang for the third time the butler...

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“Picky Eating ” by Grace Wright

Submitted to Contest #100

I’d never been partial to any foods other than ham. Perhaps a slice of toast occasionally, but my discriminating and fairly restrictive palette would never settle for anything other than the full-bodied saltiness of processed goods. For the ripe age of six, I understood this was not unusual as such although rather backward for someone who adores eating. There was not a family Christmas that went by without my Nanna having to prepare a separate meal merely because of my overdemanding preferences, or a Primary school disco, in which I’d hand o...

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“Family of Strangers” by Rose A.

Submitted to Contest #100

I woke up staring at the trees gently blowing outside of my window, the sun was shining through the top window and made a direct line right to my bed. I could hear the birds chirping outside the window. It seems like it is a family of them outside. They are pretty loud this morning, I wonder if they are somehow thanking God for another day of not having to worry about what they eat or where they will sleep. But, that is just my thoughts early in the morning, because God is the only one that knows bird talk.The sound of the phone startled me ...

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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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“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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$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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