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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#101: Antanaclasis

Benjamin Franklin’s famous quip “your argument is sound, nothing but sound” may be the best known example of antanaclasis. This is a literary device in which a word is repeated but has two different senses (here, “sound” meaning both “sensible” and “a load of noise”) — reminder that in writing, as in everything, context matters.

With this week’s prompts, we're using antanaclasis as a jumping off point to create stories that play with repetitions, routines, and the importance of context in creating meaning.

This week's prompts

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

Character – 148 stories

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

Character – 75 stories

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

Fiction – 163 stories

Write a story about a character who always repeats themselves.

Character – 45 stories

Write a story that involves a reflection in a mirror.

Horror – 295 stories

Stories

“The Reflection” by Kirrtanaa Thanesh

Submitted to Contest #101

Ruth picked up the receiver. “Hello?” she said.“Ah, Miss Wilder!” said a man’s voice. “We have heard that there has been suspicious activity in the museum. Can we meet up there in five minutes?”“Of course, Officer Nate!” said Ruth.“Good,” said Officer Nate and hung up. Ruth put down the receiver and walked across her room. She yanked her brown detective bag open. There was a purse, a bar of chocolate, a folded magazine, a notebook, five coloured markers, a black pen, test tubes, but no gun. “Oh no, that...

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“Reflect him back” by Silver Letters

Submitted to Contest #101

Reflect him back.Ron looked at the mirror hanging from the light blue wall. The reflection showed him through his soul, showed him himself. A little feeling inside him said to look away, it didn’t wish to see him.He rubbed over the scar on his cheek, trying to relieve the itch that had developed as it healed. Surprisingly, Max, his perfectly identical twin, had got the same scar. The dark brown scar, a little longer than an inch, had just added a new element of alikeness to the twins.“You know kids,” their father once said when they were fou...

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“The Gentle Cycle” by Kristina Ritchie

Submitted to Contest #101

The Gentle Cycle. By Kristina Ritchie This was by no means a typical Sunday afternoon; confusion, panic, and grief set in as I tried to handle a situation so strange, that there exists no parallel to describe it. A simple housekeeping routine turns into a mysterious death leading to more questions than answers. This particular Sunday had not begun with my usual coffee and morning news routine as I had been out of town for the weekend. I had returned home sometime early afternoon from a festival of sorts where I’d spent...

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“Faultline ” by Lily SW

Submitted to Contest #101

Chaos is the most natural form of existence, we both birth and die within it. It’s a defining part of humanity, and how nothing can become something in an instant. I was born in literal chaos, on an adrift ferry unshackled from its course by a storm. My mother loves to tell the story. Of the minute peace, she felt once she had heard my cry. And she loves to tell me how much it’s hurting her that I’m a detective, that I’m begging to get shot and killed in a drug investigation or something else just as dangerous. No matter what I say it doesn’...

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“Takeaway” by Kayley Dickins

Submitted to Contest #101

It had been about five days after they met that one of them had first stepped foot in the other's flat at the end of the day, ready to share dinner. He couldn’t remember exactly when it was or what had happened but he had always been bad at remembering first times, a weakness he hated. Always thought about it a year later and wished he had paid more attention, he had long since taken to writing down itineraries of holidays or important days so he didn’t need to store the memories in his head, they could just be prompted by reading about what...

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“Lost twice in my periods ” by TomfliXA Ng’ang’a

Submitted to Contest #101

As I sat on the rusty bench outside my house my midsection feeling bloated, Kamau my boyfriend played some silly game on his phone on the bench across from me. Some people are just stupid. Plain David and Goliath stupid. Am here feeling rotten from my menstruation while he is busy playing. Passers-by might have noticed my discomfort and mostly the bitchy look in my eyes. I guess they thought I was in some trouble or something stupid to that effect. But I am sure they didn’t notice my sensitive nipples that were straight out poking at the fli...

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“Saying it more than once ” by Rebecca Lee

Submitted to Contest #101

The sun had just announced the start of the day when a dark cloud popped up out of the blue bringing with it a downpour of cooling rain drops. Ivy Downing sighed from the doorway of her house. It was a Monday … what else should she expect? Everything that could go proverbially wrong had as soon as her alarm buzzed two hours ago. Her hot water decided not to work in the middle of her shower. She was wide awake now for sure after the freezing cold temperatures splattered over her body. Her bagel got stuck in the toaster causing it to be char...

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“Jump” by Danh Chantachak

Submitted to Contest #101

I stand at the edge of the platform, looking down at the view below. It’s dark, still a few minutes before daybreak, so I can only make out rough shapes and outlines of cliffs and trees. The waterfall plummets down the cliff behind me, its thunderous chorus filling my ears with the sound of crashing water. It is a powerful and terrifying sound and though I have made this kind of jump many times before, the sheer, violent speed of the water rushing down the cliff is enough to give me pause. Just as I am about to lose my nerve, the sun peaks ...

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“Magically Parallel” by Syeda Sisters

Submitted to Contest #101

It was a snowy day, i had plan with my friends. We would go out and grab a delicious hot chocolate and pick someone for secret Santa. Every year was magical but this i didn’t feel the joy. I was in my home stuck with nothing to do, when i got a call from my parents saying that they will be stuck in traffic for a long time. I exhaled quietly as i was disappointed. I decided to take a quick nap while i wait. While i was asleep i heard a noise i woke only to find nothing there, i thought i was hallucinating so i went back to bed and then i hear...

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“The Beast in the Mirror” by Charlie Murphy

Submitted to Contest #101

“Told you not to eat those peppers, man!” I said.Zeke downed the water bottle.“Dumbass.” I rolled my eyes.“I didn’t think they’d be that hot.” He put his glasses back on.“What part of ultra spicy didn’t you understand?”“Yeah, well, your hair is messed up!” He ruffled my blond curly hair.“Stop that!”“Make me, you dork!”I licked his glasses.“Hey!” He removed them. “Great, they have your nasty-ass spit on them!” He grabbed his Rick and Morty shirt and wiped them off.“Why don’t you just get contacts, man? Or better yet, laser?” I asked as w...

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“Answers in the Mirror” by Steve McKenney

Submitted to Contest #101

It was a crisp fall morning, signs of the storm that had pelted the town during the night were everywhere. A fallen tree branch lay in the Sullivan’s yard; puddles lined the street, water droplets, fat from feasting during the night, were on every car. Brian had heard the rain last night, saw the streams of water pouring down when the sky was lit, momentarily, by flashes of lightning jaggedly cutting through the inky darkness.Today was a new day though, and from his bed, Brian watched the color of the sky gradually lighten, eventually becomi...

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“Basement” by Kira Krieger

Submitted to Contest #101

Sitting on a porch swing, Steven looked at his watch. Barely past one. Only seven hours since he woke. All alone in this big house in a new city. No one to talk to. All the boxes unpacked. Nothing to do. The minute crawled then stopped. He rocketed off the swing and down the steps. If there’s nothing to do here, he was determined in step and mind to find something. It was a chilled January day. No snow was on the ground, but the wind pierced like ice picks. His bare hands shook even in his pockets. The house and streets went by in a bl...

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“Wasted Socks” by Chris D

Submitted to Contest #101

Is love just a figment of his imagination? Because he hears those words coming out of her mouth, but anyone can say those words. "I love you, Vance." It's been two months and nine days since they met. That's seventy days of thumbs flying over the keyboard, sending silly texts between dates. He's gotten pictures of her at work, song recommendations... goat videos from the internet. Judy loves goats. That's why he's taken her to the petting zoo today. He wanted her to have a good day, because she had to work the holiday weekend, and she ...

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“Piano Sonata Number 14” by Amanda Lieser

Submitted to Contest #101

This story alludes to the loss of a child. My father sits at the piano playing “Piano Sonata Number 14” by Beethoven. It’s a slow song, a heartbroken song for a heartbroken man. God seems to know what’s happening this morning as a light rain falls dutifully on the windows. It keeps a steady rhythm like a metronome. But the time my father played to a metronome is long gone. His long, angry fingers crash into the keys as thunder roars in the background. I stand, lingering in the doorway. His body sways and rocks, a man lo...

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“Caged Bird” by Rosie 95

Submitted to Contest #101

“Mama, it hurts.” “It’s okay, just hold on to me tight, and we’ll both be fine.” “But Mama, I can’t see.” “It’ll be fine, my darling, just let me hug you tightly, and no matter what happens, we’ll go through it together.” *** Mama didn’t know that her face would be the last thing I saw. She didn’t know that her loving eyes would be the last thing that would reassure me. She didn’t know so many things. But then, every day, I forgive her, even though it’s too late. Even though it’s not okay. But I wish I had forgiven her sooner. ...

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Ended on 23:59 - Jul 09, 2021 EST

Won by Mary Sheehan 🏆

Title: Colleen

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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