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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#111: What Endures Through Time

Mary Wollstonecraft was a renowned philosopher and writer who, despite dying at just 38, published works that changed feminist thought and literature forever. Writing as she was in the eighteenth century, Wollstonecraft’s portrayal of unapologetic, strong, intelligent heroines was not only brave, but revolutionary — and today’s writers and feminist thinkers owe a great deal to the groundwork she laid over two hundred years ago.

Since this week’s contest falls on the anniversary of Wollstonecraft’s death, we want to reflect on her remarkable legacy — and indeed on the impact one person can make, even in relatively little time.

This week's prompts

An intelligent young girl solves a big problem, but becomes frustrated that no one wants to believe her. Write about what she does next.

Teens – 15 stories

Set your story in eighteenth century London, including a casual reference to something that changes the course of history.

Historical Fiction – 21 stories

Write about a character who wakes up in the future and learns that their legacy has outlasted them — for better or worse.

Character – 32 stories

Write about a child who carries on their parent’s work or legacy in some form.

Teens – 40 stories

Write about a group of friends who hope to use their combined skills to better the world.

Middle School – 16 stories

Stories

“Saving the World” by Dhruv Srivastava

Submitted to Contest #111

“Go to bed, honey,” her tired mother said, clutching a glass of wine in one hand and an old harlequin novel in the other. Her blond hair was frizzy in the humid night, and she was sweating through her clothes. “But mum-” “Listen to your mother,” said her father lazily. He was likewise pouring sweat in the heat, and didn’t even bother to look up from his TV program. John Rolston was a sad sight - overweight, red-faced, and losing the last bit of hair from the top of his head. His thick round spectacles dug into his pudgy face, and his...

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“THE HEART OF A SOUFFLE” by Rodrigo Juatco

Submitted to Contest #111

Two middle-aged Caucasian men, Dr. Andre Lachance and Dr. Francisco Vega (aka Francis), sit across from each other in a busy diner. Andre gnaws nervously on his fingernails while Francis methodically looks over a thick file folder. Periodically, Andre would glance apprehensively around the noisy diner as though he was a man on the run. Lack of sleep coupled with a steady overdose of caffeine have elevated Andre’s hyperactive mind into a state of high alert. “Well?” Andre suddenly blurts out after a long pause.Francis shuffles thro...

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“Over Run” by Heather Harder

Submitted to Contest #111

“Don't you dare die on me you dumb boy” I yell frantically at my brother Max as he is bleeding from his side. The knife had impaled him and being the dumb kid he is, took it out. Rule number one if somehow you get stabbed DON’T pull out the knife, it will make you bleed way more. Right now my brother, Johnny, and I are in the middle of an information-gathering mission on the Red Shirts that has gone wrong. Enough of that, for now, I suppose you should get a bit of background on who and what is happening. Hi, my name is Lynn and I am the lead...

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“Black, Violet, Green, then Yellow” by Nicholas Castine

Submitted to Contest #111

Ten years of sleep will make you cold. The liquid nitrogen sees to that. It cools your bones, muscles, and mind. It was clear to her that there was a connection between heat and memory. She lay on the aluminum table trying to understand the questions the doctors asked her, but she was too cold, her memories hadn’t yet thawed. “Mrs. Trudell, do you remember anything from your time before?” a doctor asked, his face still blurry to her. “It’s Miss Trudell,” she responded, struggling to push the words through her dry throat.&nb...

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“Don’t Transport Me to the Distant Future I’m Only the Piano Player” by Ol Bezza

Submitted to Contest #111

I don’t think I was meant to go this far forwards. They’ve changed the years again, which means I’ve gone far enough that the old ‘common era’ contrivance had obviously gotten too unwieldy for them or they had just lost track. I found this out much later, I might add—when they woke me up I had more pressing questions than whatever the year was, contrary to what the movies might have you believe. When they first woke me, my thoughts were a singular question mark, everything else a shapeless mercury sea around its peculiar form, floati...

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“A Future Frozen” by Sean Hanson

Submitted to Contest #111

The ice surrounding Dr. Raynovic had begun to thin and melt. The man could feel the water beginning to accumulate on his skin and the frozen cocoon around him opening. With tremendous difficulty, he stretched his hands and feet, attempting to wake them and remind his body how to operate. His limbs slowly began to twitch, then shift, and finally move within his confined space. A loud beeping became deafening to the ears of Dr. Raynovic, and he grimaced in frustration. When the annoyance finally abated, the doctor opened his eyes. The same e...

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“Four Superheroes” by Aurelia Moon

Submitted to Contest #111

My friends and I always thought that we would rule the world ever since second grade when we stood up to a bully. There was Beth, two years older than me, who was going to become the world greatest scientist and find a cure for cancer, Shelly, a few months older than me, who was going to become a lawyer who saved innocent lives, and Karissa, a year younger than me, who would join the army and protect our country.Karissa had joined the army two years ago and was in Florida at the moment. Beth was in a medical lab in Argentina, and Shelly was ...

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“A Poet is Born” by Cindy Calder

Submitted to Contest #111

It was an excruciatingly bitter, cold night in January of 1788 at the house on Holles Street in London. Frost littered the windowpanes, icicles hung from the rooftops, and snow fell softly with gaslights spreading their dim light across the cobblestone street as the wind howled its' fury. Upstairs on the second floor, a lady’s maid mopped Catherine’s brow as she strained and pushed for the nineteenth time. This was decidedly proving to be no easy endeavor, and young Catherine cried softly between contractions, fearful she would be unable to ...

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“The Girl with all the Tattoos” by Clyde Laffan

Submitted to Contest #111

"So, you are there," Jesse yelled, looking skywards. "I suppose I should be grateful you stopped the rain! Hallelujah!" For three days, Jesse and her friends huddled under a tarpaulin, sheltering from the elements. The Heaven's closing was nice, but it was no blessing. And it did not change Jesse's mood, which was best described as mad. They were in a pickle, and there would be no praising the Good Lord today. So: They were on the run; an evil person called The White Man was hunting them; they had escaped the Nest, w...

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“She is a Leader” by Ella A

Submitted to Contest #111

DON’T TELL THEM YOU CAN SEE. A sudden hush descends on me all at once. The noises of chatter and footsteps, which I could hear so clearly just moments before, dull to a muted roar. The light taste of the elderberries and puffer fish I ate for lunch that lay thick on my tongue fades until it is almost unnoticeable. The aches and pains from sparring in Chemistry, so sharp just moments before, almost completely vanishes. The slightly rough sensation of my uniform brushing against my skin turns smooth and bland, almost unfelt. But my eyes . . . ...

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“Immolation” by Omar Alvarez

Submitted to Contest #111

“What’s that?” asked Aubrey as he looked across the garage of his one-story home in Detroit. His childhood friend, Chris, reached out to what seemed like a pixelated wave, slowly growing in concentric circles. Naomi walked around to see if there was something projecting it, deflecting light, causing some sort of manipulation of their eyes; there wasn’t. As the circle grew bigger, a gloved hand came out of it. Their fourth friend, Shawn, was walking up the driveway and saw what was going on. He stopped in his tracks w...

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“Lapsang Souchong” by Ananya Voss

Submitted to Contest #111

Lapsang Souchong London, 1797 Emily’s long skirts flurried behind her as she stepped off the omnibus and weaved her way down Oxford Street. She was making a beeline to the Apothecary’s next to the huge imposing departmental store, Debenhams. The impressive new pavements were so much easier and pleasant to tread, now that those awful long awnings and signs had been forcefully taken down - no longer protruding into oneself. You could actually hear the carriages’ pleasant clip clopping of hooves at times when they crossed over the stone and...

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“Time is a circle” by THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GAY

Submitted to Contest #111

This is an era of great change. It is always an era of great change. Time is a cycle and reincarnation is a true gift few remember and when they do it makes them throw up. I miss so much and so many which is strange really because this is the point where I forget once more. My life, my mind in many bodies. So many pairs of hands. God, the things hands can do. You most likely want a lesson from a dying soul. You probably want to know all the things hands can do. Beautiful and terrible things. Like I said that one time a terrible beauty is bor...

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“The Search for Effective Family Communication” by Bruce Friedman

Submitted to Contest #111

My name is Jack and I can honestly say that my life with my wife Karen in our small town in Michigan has been quite ordinary, at least until recently. My day job is selling agricultural equipment. I am also a part-time, volunteer fireman in town. My fire fighter duties are probably relevant to the story that I am about to tell you but more on this as I continue. We are the parents of twin boys, Brad and Chad. Like many twins and from the very beginning, their twinness set them apart from other kids and led to a series of misunderstandings. H...

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“Mr Bellamy's Field Trip ” by Mike Siver

Submitted to Contest #111

Mr. Bellamy’s Field Trip Elizabeth 15 and Greg 14 school friends were talking during lunch about the wars in the middle east and how their parents were always fighting over if America should be involved. Both of their fathers are veterans and say it’s better if we must fight; we do it in someone's country. My mom says she doesn’t care; no children of hers are going over to die in some other country away from home. After a couple of months and talking to more of their classmates the same thing was said by most of them. It started to be ...

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$250

Prize money

124

Contest entries

110

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Sep 17, 2021 EST

Won by Charlene 🧙‍♀️✨ Boyce 🏆

Title: Flour and fire

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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