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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

“New Years With You” by Emma Xu

Submitted to Contest #100

Today is Dec 31, 2020 aka the last day of the year. I'm heading off to Aunt Felica's place, where I will be spending the New Year with people, yup, people. I've been alive for 14 years, or so I think I have been living for 14 years. I'm one of those students who don't ever finish their homework, but still manages to stay at the top of the class for tests (I know I'm a prodigy). My favourite subjects are "AP Physics 2" and "AP Calculus BC" and my least favourite subjects are "Visual Arts” and "PE". At school, you could typically see me hangin...

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“Until Forever” by Fractoluminescence Spark

Submitted to Contest #100

You sit down and skim the menu while you wait, your nails drumming against the table. The waiter comes, and you ask for some coffee to calm your nerves, but you’re waiting for someone. You try leaning back, but you’re too tense and end up sitting upright, your back stiff.She's the first one to walk in - a confident stride, stepping to the rhythm of the music in her ears. She glances your way - she knows it's you, and turns sharply in your direction. She puts one arm over the back of her chair and asks for some coffee, but changes her mind se...

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“The Hostess of the Cottage” by Zara Stars

Submitted to Contest #100

Laila walked through the door in a fit of shivers. Her clothes clutched onto her for dear life, pulling about the creases in her skin and melding with her scars of long forgotten. It was ironic, to say the least, that it would show itself in the most unlikely of ways; hidden behind a transparent veil of fabric. She was her own living scar, still breathing amidst the scrappy wounds of his touch, blued by the tension of the knot he wrung her tears with, the same knot he slipped onto her finger before he lifted the veil and promised forever. T...

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“"I PUT MY FOOT IN IT"” by Robin Simon

Submitted to Contest #100

Ms Jennings down the street always said when she cooked she put her foot in it, I was at her house as she was preparing to make a special dinner for her husband. Mr Jennings was working a double shift and was do home by 7:00. She wanted this to be extra special because they were also celebrating their 50th anniversary and did not feel like going out tonight since he was going to be tired and ready to eat. She was always happy when she cooked. Especially for Mr Jennings. Its just the two of them and eating at home is their greatest moments....

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“The Tumbling Sun” by Taylor Hunter

Submitted to Contest #100

Have you ever wondered what would happen if the sun decided to never return after falling to the ground? If it were to leave humanity in the darkness of solitude and take her brilliant shine to another group of lucky apes? I imagine that we’d crumble, mankind, fall apart from our very base and reduce ourselves to some decrepit creature of the night, hunting whatever misfortunate prey would find itself in the way of our solemn wrath. It’d be like that, in the blink of an eye, no change for explanation or examination. Man to beast in an instan...

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“The flavor bender” by Roselle Belrose

Submitted to Contest #100

The kitchen was visibly humming, it was inviting and I was cooking. The air was alive with the aroma of the sauteeing garlic and ginger. Takashi liked his chicken with a healthy amount of garlic and ginger. He liked meat much more than vegetables, especially red meat. Takashi was not a fan of sour, sticky food but the dish for him tonight was orange chicken. He was twelve, but his tastes akin to a man much older. On the second stove, a pot of boiling water had pasta in it. Sakura's favorite western dish, not because it tasted good, she sai...

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“Dinner For Two” by Mason Smith

Submitted to Contest #100

“It’s quite simple; I have been making this for quite some time.” The oddly shaped man was toiling over a kitchen counter in a very poorly lit part of the room. Chopping sounds could be heard as his back was turned to me. He was working away and humming loudly - a small old-fashioned radio covered in a thick coat of dust was blaring oldies. The large man was sweating as he slapped erratically at the vegetables in front of him. It smelled of herbs and onions in the room - it had a strong pungent smell. A slap and a thud - I could...

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“Chilli Con Carla” by Ali Lee

Submitted to Contest #100

I have it all laid out on the counter: minced beef, an onion, two cloves of garlic, cans of kidney beans and tomatoes. The cookbook is open in front of me: “Easy Student Eats”. Not a glamorous title, but the recipes are pretty good, especially for someone like me who isn’t much of a cook. The author, a boy with spiky hair who looks about fourteen, smiles obnoxiously from the cover. Darren Fielding, junior celebrity chef. Much as I hate his smarmy face, I appreciate his easy-to-follow recipes. Mum and Dad are away and the house is mine f...

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“Chef” by Udita Parasar

Submitted to Contest #100

There live a small family in the city of Maharashtra. They have four members. The youngest member, Trisha always cooks meals for them. Every member of the family has a different choice. Her mom Mina likes boiled, and her brother Kailash loves spicy food. She always has to keep in mind while cooking the meals that everyone has different choices except her father Prabhat, who never complains. Even Trisha herself is choosy while coming to cooking. It is very difficult for anyone to cook for everyone who has different tastes. Sometimes there is ...

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“Pastalicious.” by Meghma Ghosh

Submitted to Contest #100

When I was young, the kitchen had an invisible 'stop' sign put there by my mom. “No you cannot enter here!” she always said to me. Well, I really don't blame her as it is no place for kids.I was just left outside in awe, looking at what wonders the kitchen held. A few years passed by and I became very interested in food, both eating and preparing it. Nonetheless, the kitchen was still out of bounds so I couldn't experiment with cooking. But they couldn't stop me forever now, could they?It was early morning, mom had gone for grocery shopping ...

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“Rukmoni” by Sarifa Begam

Submitted to Contest #100

Taking notes from tuition, Rukmoni were walking in the road. Sky becoming dark around her. Wind were touching her silky hair and bright check . Listening songs and walking alone took her in other world. When she come back to home, it was 8 o'clock. She freshed an up and went to the chicken. Her father Mr. Roy will come with his friend's family to have dinner . Rukmoni had to assist her mother in making dinner. After cooking, Rukmoni's mother suggested her to wear saree. Around 10 pm her father reached home with his friend's family. Mr. Roy's...

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“Lucai's Most Loving Meal Ever” by Pako Dunwhile

Submitted to Contest #100

Lucai had looked forward to making her beloved a special dinner for the longest time. Josua and her were finally going to have a significant reason to celebrate. Lucai fought with herself for days about revealing the big news before or after the meal. Tonight would be life changing for them both. She wanted everything to go perfect. Lucai called out from the kitchen into the dining room. “Babe, tonight’s going to be the best night of our lives. I’m going to cap off this average day with the best meal you could eat, alongside the best news y...

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“Memory Lane” by Maya Reynolds

Submitted to Contest #100

Soup Of course, soup always comes first. Soup is the introduction, the first hint of the deliciousness that will follow. Naturally, I made your favorite: Grandma’s famous noodle soup. The hot, flavorful broth, the noodles that slide down your throat. You always wondered what secret ingredient made it so delicious, so familiar. Finally, I revealed to you what it was: the chicken bouillon cubes that flavored the broth. Wide-eyed, you watched me time and again, marveling at the way those tiny cubes, melting into the watery soup, could produce...

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“Breakfast of Heroes” by Sophia Eftychiou

Submitted to Contest #100

I purse my lips together as I pour coffee from the French press into the thick ceramic mug. The smell of dill spice and scrambled eggs rises from the stove behind me, orange peels sitting on the wood board on the counter in front of me. Soft music plays from my Bluetooth speaker, filling the tiny kitchen of our apartment. Mari is still asleep, at least I hope so. I don't want her breakfast in bed to be ruined. I pour coconut milk and ice cubes into the blender with the oranges and blend it all together, cringing at the volume of it. Altho...

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“One Last Meal” by Juan Pablo Acero

Submitted to Contest #100

“He wants a medium-rare steak with fried eggs, a double-stuffed baked potato and fries,” the guard told me. “Understood,” I say. It was a fairly common request, steak. Second was lobster and, maybe not so surprisingly, the third thing most inmates wanted was nothing. I guess imminent death makes you lose your appetite. The guard leaves me alone in the kitchen. They’re not supposed to do that, but nobody really cares about rules and procedure here. I prep the potatoes first. After rinsing all the dirt out, I cover one in oil and pok...

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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.

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

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