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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 – 202 stories

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

Fluff – 153 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

“The Return” by Kylie Wallis

Submitted to Contest #100

Elise Kennedy was in her kitchen, preparing dinner. She'd already put the chicken in the air fryer and made up a satay sauce. All she had left to do, was the rice. She filled up a pan, sprinkled in some salt and left it on the stovetop to boil. Once that was done, she poured in the rice, which would take about ten minutes to cook.Elise went upstairs for a quick shower, unsure about what to wear. She blow dried her hair and ran a brush through it, then applied a small amount of makeup. She also put silver hoops in her ears. She chose a turquo...

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“The Magic Ingredient is Love” by ★ 𝑷𝒊𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝑯𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒐𝒏 ★

Submitted to Contest #100

I'm standing in my kitchen, looking at a recipe for my youngest daughter Annabelles' birthday dinner. I'm making her favourite Indian curry, Chicken Tikka Masala, and strawberry ice-cream for dessert. It's no easy task, but since that's what she asked for, I'm going to deliver this to her. She's so sweet and kind, there's no way I could've said no when she asked me to make this dinner for her special day. She's turning four, which is apparently a big deal in preschool because it means you're starting kindergarten soon.If she w...

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“Mystery Boy” by Sabrina Smith

Submitted to Contest #100

The events of the dinner of July 14th are a mystery to me as well. If you were to ask me what the reason was for my body being crumpled up like a receipt sitting at the bottom of someone's wallet on my cold bathroom floor, I would stare at you blankly. I would furrow my eyebrows and my mouth would open and close, trying to provide an answer."My mom and I had a small... dispute" I would haltingly say, "we both got carried away, that was all."That is not what happened. That doesn't begin to describe what happened.When I woke up on the evening ...

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“ A Meal Made for Love” by Deborah Cabral

Submitted to Contest #100

The night is young with a cool breeze coming from the kitchen window. How beautiful the night sky is with the visual of the big dipper. The stars luminating the full moon. Tonight, is going to be the night filled with love and compassion. The table is set up for dinner for two, white candles, red roses in a vase, and a bottle of red wine. The dinner on the stove ready to be served. He should be here soon like in a couple of hours. This will be the first dinner date in a long while. I hope he loves my outfit and shoes. This night ha...

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“Stranger danger? ” by Silver Letters

Submitted to Contest #100

Stranger Danger ? I walked through the huge hall, as my eyes searched for the party’s host, George Morgan. I did find Mrs. Morgan, as she stood conversing with some guests, but not him. I enquired about his whereabouts from her, and got to know that George had to go out due to some work. Well, George Morgan was the person who got the most untimed calls. George and I had been friends for ages. I thought about the fun we would have had, if I was eating my dinner with George. Mrs. Morgan was busy talking with the people she knew, and the...

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“Birthday Mohinga” by Johana Htwe

Submitted to Contest #100

‘Beep, Beep, Beep,’ I woke up to the sound of an alarm clock on my bed-stand. Its night light glowing brightly in my dark, suffocating room. It was already five in the morning which was one hour before my part-time job. Today was my 21st Birthday. I should be excited about birthday cakes, presents, and parties. But, right now, all I felt was loneliness. No one was by my side to wish me a “Happy Birthday”. I missed my home. The fact that today was my birthday worsen my longing for my sweet home more than any day. Would I be lonely on my next ...

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“Dimah” by Arya ...

Submitted to Contest #100

The swiftly rising grey vapour from the burning wok started to release a burning smell of fried green vegetables and spices covering the warm air of the windowless kitchen. The chirring exhaust fan chugged in the smoke making Era choke on her breath causing her to feel a tingling up her nose just before she loudly sneezed, " Achoo! "Before she could wipe her nose, she felt a painful twinge in the lower-part of her belly and the familiar feeling of bleeding down there. " Oh no! No! No! No! " she muttered faintly as she ran towards her room ab...

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“Your Last Meal (The First And Second Course)” by Trinity Womack

Submitted to Contest #100

Julia tried to shake herself from the dark abyss she found herself in, but it took a long time to do so. When she finally did, she realized that she was not alone. She, along with what looked to be roughly nineteen others, lay on the ground in an empty room. But what was more disorienting and frightening was the fact that they were all tied up. She tried to twist her hands free, but she could not. Her legs, she soon found out, were also bound. &n...

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“THE BATTLE OF THE PUDDLE: All 57 Parts and All That Came Before” by Dr. Ugs

Submitted to Contest #100

Apparently, King Wilbur Bartly the III was having dinner with King Charles Winston the II in his favourite hall, and the main course arrived at the table on an ancient porcelain plate. "Where should I put this, your majestic majesties?" the servant asked. "Oh yes!" Wilbur clapped. "That’s my favourite! Fried chicken in the middle, please--thank you!" And he continued talking about his many wives as if nothing had happened. King Charles Winston the II was very offended that the other king had mistaken the name of&nbs...

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“The Proposal” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #100

Trent handed his car key to the valet and took Cindy’s arm. Her eyes got wide as they strolled into the best restaurant in town. “This is spectacular, Trent. Did you win the lotto?” “No… Just want to take my best girl for a well-deserved night on the town.” She pretended to pout. “And who would that be?” Trent pulled her close. “You, Cindy. Of course. Who else?” “You said, ‘best girl…’ Of how many?” He shook his head at the faux pas. “Only girl. Of course. Or do you prefer, ‘baby’?” She smiled slyly. He turned to her, “How about, ‘Love of ...

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“The Good Table” by Dr. Ugs

Submitted to Contest #100

Charlie had black toenails, a lot of money and a big mouth. And that night, he had put on his best suit, his best tie, his best watch and his okay shoes. At the restaurant, which was a fancy one, they had a dance floor and many big chandeliers which was why Charlie chose it in the first place. His reservation was for five: him and four of his big-mouthed friends. The waiter escorted him to the table. He sat down and asked, “Why's the wine here already?” “It’s all free, sir, and all poured out while we set ...

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“Good Eatin'” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #100

At first, the smells had churned her stomach. Knees to her chest, back to the alley wall, Gigi Lamar kept the pressure on the wound. Out of sight from those in the street, she had this little section all to herself. Almost surreal, after the carnage she’d seen, the horrors she’d endured. Her home turned into a battleground, from which she’d fled. But this little spot of an alley, tucked away in the corner of the city? Safe. Even if for a short while. If only they wandered down here, they’d find her weak and vulnerable. She wouldn’t be able...

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“The Fire” by Kira Krieger

Submitted to Contest #100

I walked down the market with my basket swinging back and forth as I kicked up dust. Tessa and I had divided up our supply list while the boys went off to find wood for the fire. It had been over a week since Father threw me out of the house. Since I met my new friends. The best week in a long time, hence the skip in my step. I didn't care who saw. Didn't care what they'd said. I was happy, a feeling I was estranged with but thankful to meet again. I never walked alone before, but I never felt like I belonged more. I wasn’t my father’s sh...

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“Your Last Meal (The Third And Fourth Course)” by Trinity Womack

Submitted to Contest #100

Maggie shifted in her seat as the servers brought out the palate cleanser. It was sorbet, but not like the kind one bought at the grocery store. She watched as her boyfriend chose his and then picked one opposite to his. That had been a strategy Pierce—her boyfriend—had come up with once they started. They didn’t know which dishes were poisoned, so he figured that if they chose the dishes that weren’t close together, they would have a better chance of picking the servings that weren’t poi...

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“The New World of RED” by Kendi Karimi

Submitted to Contest #100

PART ONE A girl named Lu found her father dead in his lab. A microscope stood on the counter, red blood stained the white wash floors. Someone had killed her father, and she knew exactly why. Earlier that day, she'd heard her father on the phone. In a frantic manner he said, "I only have today. They know everything." Lu had no idea what her father was talking about then. Her eyebrows furrowed as she listened on to her award winning scientist father; a man who was obsessed with finding a cure to CVX-13. She knew asking him about the cal...

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$50

Prize money

893

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.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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