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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#108: Elemental

Water, air, fire, earth, and void: together, these five elements make up one of the earliest systems used to understand our world. Ancient cultures in Greece, Persia, India, and elsewhere all believed that everything they saw could be broken down into these five core categories. While the system doesn’t hold much water scientifically, we still hear echoes of these ancient classifications today — from the groups of astrological signs, to the magical systems of fantasy worlds.

For this week’s prompts, I’m going back to basics, and exploring each of the five core elements in turn. I’m excited to see what you build out of the building blocks of — well, everything!

This week's prompts

Write a story about a voyage on a boat.

Adventure – 42 stories

Write about a person or object vanishing into thin air.

Thriller and Suspense – 44 stories

Write a story about a team tunneling down into the centre of a planet.

Science Fiction – 6 stories

Start or end your story with a house going up in flames.

Dark – 55 stories

Write a story about a character who’s trying to fill an empty space, literally or metaphorically.

Angst – 55 stories

Stories

“Two Father Christmases sitting in the bath” by Sharon Williams

Submitted to Contest #108

Two chubby Father Christmases sat in the bath together, one at the tap end, one at the plug end. It was a rather big bath. The steam from the bathtub swirled upwards and misted the large mirror on one wall, making the whole atmosphere moist and foggy. The Santas were chest deep in foam, their long beards had soapsuds on the ends. They were contentedly splashing each other with their flannels and toy boats. One popped loudly, sending a volley of bubbles up to the surface. They both laughed, until the smell hit them.‘Phoar’ said one. ‘That sti...

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“A Legacy of Time” by Hannah Foust

Submitted to Contest #108

All she could think to do was file a missing persons report, but how? where? who would believe her, for all she knew she was probably the one who should be considered the missing person, one minute she was enjoying a coffee with her best friend and the next thing she knew she was standing in front of a burning house. Olivia Woods gave a cursory glance at her surroundings, she had to be dreaming but it felt so real. The ground shook, and the not so distant roar of cannons boomed, Men were shouting and screaming, horses galloped and neighed...

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“The Unbearably Slow Disappearance of Josh” by Claudio Murgia

Submitted to Contest #108

When I met Josh he was all in one piece. I know this sentence doesn’t make much sense to you right now, but bear with me. I barely believe it and I was witness to it. But where do we end up if we don’t trust our own experiences? I met Josh in school. He was quite sociable, smart but, at the same time, an introvert. Maybe not exactly an introvert, but you could often find him staring at nothing in the middle of class or even when there was a group of us having a chat, he would just be in his own world. We were not really friends, but I like...

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“Versions of Love” by Noelle C. Lee

Submitted to Contest #108

Small, rounded, sweet, with promise she enters our world. She is loved and loves. Held, cradled, protected always within her mother’s view. She is raised with dignity and pride. Her mom and dad set foot here in our world in 1909. Here in America with new beginnings and dreams of a life of safety and bountiful amounts of food and money and work. Austria was not safe, so he fled. Poland was not safe, so she fled. She was 7 when her mother passed away. Her father took her 2 siblings to America. She stayed behind as there was not enough mon...

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“One Last Glance at the Sun” by Victoria The Pirate

Submitted to Contest #108

I saw red. And then green. The green of his eyes, caressing my hair, saying I am going to be okay and then vanishing. Sweet poison. Peter wasn’t a friend. And he wasn’t a lover. He was a fighter. I could see the disappointment in his eyes, every so often, usually disappointment in me. When I am trying to tell him that this is not for me, that I shouldn’t be here, with him. But it doesn’t last for long. Right after I melt in front of him, turning into an amorphous shape of a light, spreading in all colors of red, he goes and connects one eye ...

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“Midnight” by Candace Shattuck

Submitted to Contest #108

Magyk sat outside. The sun was shining bright. She didn’t particularly like the heat but her family wouldn’t let her back inside. As she sat there she noticed a cat on the edge of the road. It was a black cat with yellow eyes. Its fur seemed to glow as the sun hit it. The cat seemed to be watching her as well. Just then she saw a car swerve in the direction of the cat. The cat curled up as the car hit it. “HEY!” She yelled. Why would they do that? There was nothing in the road. Why would they hit a cat on purpose? She ran over to...

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“The Pantry” by Victoria Butler

Submitted to Contest #108

Michael thought he was losing his mind. He looked inside the pantry. He analyzed every inch of the small room. He looked at each of the shelves for a spice or a cereal box or a container that looked out of place. The chances of there being a way out of the pantry were slim, but he didn’t know what else to think. His wife, Sadie, walked in to grab syrup and didn’t walk back out. The light tap of her fuzzy pink slippers announced her arrival to the kitchen. “It smells amazing in here, Mikey,” she said and yawned. Michael looked over his shoul...

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“Shamus MacFadden's Fiddle” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #108

Sometimes Colin Fergus would wake to the mournful sound of a fiddle. He would try to ignore it, but sour old tune continued to rise in his head until it could no longer be ignored. His memories were filled with images of his life on the Fergus Estate and of Dalton, West Virginia which his Aunt Lucy had told him to forget. It was her own memories of that horrible place that haunted Lucille Amundsen. It was a frigid October evening. Colin awoke to the acrid aroma of smoke. When he opened his eyes he s...

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“Community Club” by Karen Toralba

Submitted to Contest #108

The Monahatchie Community Club found itself on a typical Tuesday in May with a newcomer. Rachel Dewberry, the town’s newest transplant, poured herself some tea and sat down, waiting for the meeting to commence. Ever the confident extrovert, Rachel knew that getting to know people took time and effort, both of which she readily possessed. “Well, who do we have here?” The genuine smile from Linda’s plump face assuaged any uncomfortable feelings. “Hi, my name’s Rachel, Rachel Dewberry. I’m new to Monahatchie.”“Oh honey, we figured tha...

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“Withering Gaffe” by Driana Vega

Submitted to Contest #108

It was gone. It was all gone. My life as I knew it had gone up in flames, and no one cared. It seemed like the last six months had been a hell storm of tragedy after tragedy for my family. My mother had been diagnosed with stage three breast cancer four months prior. My brother came clean about hidden addiction to prescription pain pills two months prior. Worst of all, my beloved sister had mysteriously been murdered not even a month ago. If our family was a house, the foundation would be cracked and damaged. The roof would would need re...

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“Fire Deaths” by Karen Lethlean

Submitted to Contest #108

Fire Deaths Mary couldn’t help it. Impossible to ignore those floppy ears, dark eyes and puppy jowls. One individual among so many furry caterpillar creatures who snuffled up to their mother’s ‘milk-tray’, pushing and tugging at her teats. Later when one began nibbling her fingers Mary felt a fierce ownership urge. Named him Deefa - D-fa-dog. She felt sure her husband Jack also desired a farm dog. She remembered their romance, a time when they wandered along silken beach sand. And held her hand out to scoop up setting sun auras appearing ...

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“Bush Fire Night ” by Therese Obeid

Submitted to Contest #108

The fire was spreading rapidly. Thick smoke filled the air. The small town was in a state of panic as the fire moved towards it. The first house on the edge of the village went up in flames as the fire reached it. Sirens shrieked loudly as the firemen hurried to fight the fire from spreading further. Finally, the townsfolk grabbed a few precious belongings and evacuated the town, fleeing to safety. Rita had been at her friend's house. Now, as she hurried back home, she hoped her family had not left yet. But, unfortunately, Rita was only yo...

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“The fire bombing” by Ian Berrones

Submitted to Contest #108

Good evening! My name is Daniel Callahan and I'm twenty-seven. This tale is the story of my house catching on fire. But before you think about the fire let me take you to the beginning of the story! My children, Catherine and Braxx Callahan are competing to win a trophy that says “Best Swimmer of Georgia”. Me and my wife, Isabella, are cheering them on in the bleachers shouting “ YOU CAN DO THIS, YOU ARE GREAT, YOU CAN WIN!!” Then, all the other parents start doing something similar. Then over the speakers, we hear the words, “This one wi...

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“Getting Home” by Sylvia Luna

Submitted to Contest #108

Jeffrey could hear the sirens from two blocks away. The fire had a definite smell; it was raw and earthy…he peddled faster. The sirens were behind him now, he pulled the old brown Schwinn he’d borrowed over to allow the fire engines to pass. He wondered if he could get a ticket for halting their expedient passage to the fire. People were standing on the street, looking over towards the block where his house stood. Police were putting up barriers to stop traffic. He looked up into the sky and could see billowing smoke, it was a dark gray colo...

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“A Magician's Dream” by Siya C

Submitted to Contest #108

I never imagined this would happen I thought as I witnessed the smoke, ash, and worst of all the sinful flame. I watched it destroy our wooden house flame by flame crackle by crackle minute by minute and there was nothing I could do about it. “What are we going to do?” My brother asked in a somber tone, his face was half covered in tears. “Simple we’ll live with our relatives.” I replied. “Listen Jake the only relatives we had were grandpa and grandma. “That’s genius we can stay with our grandparents!” I exclaimed. Winston frowned with a dis...

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$250

Prize money

202

Contest entries

207

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 27, 2021 EST

Won by Rachel Kenley Fry 🏆

Title: I Leave the Six Blank

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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