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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#102: To Kill a Mockingbird

This Sunday (July 11th) marks sixty-one years since To Kill A Mockingbird was first published. For over six decades now, Harper Lee’s groundbreaking Great American Novel has been taught in schools, stocked by the dozens in bookstores, and devoured by adults and children alike. And despite its age, many of its themes remain deeply relevant today: the damage done by judgment and discrimination, the loss of innocence as one grows up, and the vital importance of standing up for what’s right — even when everyone else is against you.

To commemorate this classic, this week’s prompts are inspired by its characters, plot devices, and most enduring lessons. Whether To Kill a Mockingbird is a distant English-class memory or your favorite book of all time, these prompts are sure to spark a few story ideas — one of which may even lead to your own literary masterpiece.

This week's prompts

Start your story with a metaphor about human nature.

Fiction – 109 stories

Frame your story as an adult recalling the events of their childhood.

Adults – 243 stories

Write about a character with an unassailable moral compass.

Character – 34 stories

Write a story about someone losing faith in an institution.

Angst – 119 stories

Write about a mysterious figure in one’s neighborhood.

Horror – 205 stories

Stories

“Vultures” by Shaia San

Submitted to Contest #102

Humans are vultures, they pick at everything. Mother always said so. Never trust anyone fully, give me 3 reasons why that was even an option. I study persons to pass the time, instead of actually paying attention to the lecture. Dr. Sadhu moves too quickly for me to be very honest. I just show up to see if I can learn anything at all. It’s a continuous loop of not learning and trying the exact thing again. Einstein’s definition of insanity. But then again I have never met anyone truly normal. Yet, people ostracize for minute reasons. If you ...

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“Just an ordinary man.” by Roopa De Choudhury

Submitted to Contest #102

Just an ordinary man. There is nothing as surprising, devastating and delightful on earth as the fickleness of human nature. This story starts in the middle. It is late night when Prakash Rao, a station master of a small railway station in a tiny town in Karnataka, India sits down to have his dinner. The meal is simple but satisfying. Rao lives alone and has a lady who comes day time, cooks and cleans and leaves his dinner in the kitchen. There are no modern amenities such as a microwave that Rao possesses, so the lady makes the dinn...

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“Riddled Realities” by Emaan Aqil

Submitted to Contest #102

Human love is but a swift steed. Human anger is but an indomitable wolf. Human grief is but a dainty bird. I carefully made my way across the road, the laces of my shoes brushing the tarmac. I ought to have tied them but anticipation held me in its relentless grip. Pausing before the gate, I breathed out slowly, looking at the unremarkable grey colour. The street was quiet at this time; the late afternoon silence and the slight bite of chill to the languishing air made me shiver involuntarily. I maneuvered past the gate that was always o...

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“Anger and Fear” by Ishita Nigam

Submitted to Contest #102

They say anger and fear are like steroids. They push your limits and make you do things you normally wouldn’t do. They pushed mine way too far. I was lying on my bed facing down. It helped me breathe and calm myself. I could also hide away my tears and my anger. I had fought again with my mother. It was the third time this week. And we had managed to crawl to Thursday. Someone knocked at my door. I knew it would be my mother. She was always the first one to wave the white flag. “Iva, I am sorry, baby. Please don’t chain yourself ...

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“The Girl Called Esme ” by Crazy Crypto

Submitted to Contest #102

As I sit here in the future, I am an adult of twenty-three, and I want to share you the life a little girl named Esme. Esme lived in the realm of fantasy; she was a child born of the wrong time in the wrong century. She believed in more than this world could handle, and therefore was given a secret lobotomy that failed and now she is living two lives, and in one of them they locked up all the kitchen knives. She can't control her gnosis, nor could eventually the psychosis. So now she writes to keep the demons at bay. Hoping the man in the sk...

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“The making of a crazy but fun loving adult” by Brenda Ullrich

Submitted to Contest #102

Holy hell, No wonder I'm such a basket case. Just kidding. Well I guess my life wasn't that bad. My parents were a little crazy but who's weren't ? Mom was a wonderful person but could be a pain in the rear end to put it nicely. Dad was a workaholic. I loved every minute of my childhood though. My brother was and still is a brat but he's my favorite pain in the ass. My name is Summer Dawn. I am honest, caring, and love living my life to the fullest extent. I attribute that to my wonderful parents who alway taught me to be the best version o...

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“Back to 1989” by Alexandra Rickert

Submitted to Contest #102

As I walk along the pathway that lay beside the rusting playground where I grew up, a million memories swarm in my head… But what catches my attention isn’t the new statue they’d built, nor the rose beds but instead, a man who looked all too familiar. … It’s wintertime 1989, I’m fourteen years old sitting on the swing next to Marco, the best-looking guy from my grade nine class. I wore the red and white checked dress stained with coke with a denim jacket despite my mother’s warning about the weather. It was freezing and the river tha...

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“This Is Where I Been” by Thomas Hawkins

Submitted to Contest #102

Trigger warning: racial slurs, racial violence Time had been when a man could do what he loved and let the money follow. That’s what my daddy always said anyway. Too bad those times, aren’t now – now the money runs the other direction, regardless of what you do. I’m not sure, maybe that bunch of clouds on the horizon were filled with rain, rain to nourish my dust-packed wheat fields; maybe not. Either way, that old sh...

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“Alcohol counseling” by Arch R

Submitted to Contest #102

Anika slouched down further into the chair, focusing her eyes on the bookcase on the far end of the room near the door. The bookcase was so stereotypical - with the DSM-III, a few other medical textbooks, bookends that spelled the owners’ initials, a snow globe and a paperweight- that she almost laughed out loud. Unsurprisingly, the person who occupied this space day in and day out had no imagination. That person sat in front of her now, her body rolls taut against her black and white printed v-neck dress, her eyes looking expectantly at Ani...

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“Ophelia and Romeo” by Maddison Buch

Submitted to Contest #102

The wooden rocking chair in the nursery belonged to my grandmother, made for her by my grandfather when they were expecting their first child. The giant, green succulent in my window sill started as a propagation of a plant from my great-grandmother. My girlfriend - now wife - doubted that it would grow, but it did, and it is the only plant that I am capable of keeping alive. The set of whiskey glasses in my kitchen were a gift from my father when I got married. We broke one in our first fight, so now we have seven glasses instead of eight. ...

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“Through the Eyes of a Child” by Elaine St. Anne

Submitted to Contest #102

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. I don’t remember much from my childhood. In fact, I have worked hard to forget my childhood in its entirety. Still, memories float back and stick in my conciseness like the bloodsuckers we boys pulled from the creek at the bottom of the hill. Rolling up our trousers, we would wade in up to our knees and emerge with bloodsuckers attached to our legs. We would wait until they were fat with blood, then la...

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“Summers in my Small Home” by M.G. Elliott

Submitted to Contest #102

The day is hot and cloudy. A gray July day to sweat at home, while you wonder if the clouds will break and bring some sunshine to add to the humidity. This has been one of my least favourite summers so far, and I have had many. Summer is usually my favourite season. This time of year evokes warm feelings in people. Togetherness, celebration, relaxation, and a general sort of excitement for adventure and fun. Kids run around together trying to make the best of their free time before they are hustled back into the controlled order of sc...

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“Days of Innocence: The Shadow World” by Cara H

Submitted to Contest #102

The Shadow World Particle Board Planters and Subterranean Snails “Papa, do you remember the time during my 300th year when you were called away and had to leave me with Aunt Suki the Shadow Sorceress?” the crone inquired, looking up from the journal in which she was writing. “I do indeed, my dear,” the venerable lady’s youthful-looking father replied, pushing his long, black hair over his shoulder, and reaching for his tea. “It was necessary for me to keep the reasons for my absence a secret even from you. I had to push thoughts of you to ...

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“Forty Two Steps” by Shavonne White

Submitted to Contest #102

Things have changed. I said to myself. All the memories of back when flooded my mind as I sat in the car and looked up at my childhood house. My feet seemed to be attached to weights as I slowly got out the car and walked to the sidewalk. I can’t believe I’m here. I said to myself. I never would have guessed that I would have to come back to this shitty ass town. I barely got out alive. I’m just glad I left when I did. I remember when I was younger and making a game out of how many steps it would take me to reach the front doo...

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“Hands in my Lap” by Cindy Joyner

Submitted to Contest #102

Being the oldest child of four and my mom and dad both working full-time five days a week really didn't leave much time for fun getaways at all when I was a child, for my two sisters, my brother, and I. Even just a day at the park was a lot to ask for. But for me, I had an extra special trip to look forward to every weekend. It was going to my grandma's house. Not only was it the greatest place in the world for me as a seven-year-old but fit my grandma was my favorite person throughout my entire chi...

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$50

Prize money

710

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jul 16, 2021 EST

Won by Shane Ransom 🏆

Title: Favorites

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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