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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#113: Dreams and Nightmares

Different cultures and civilizations have been pondering the meaning of dreams for centuries. Whether you believe dreams reflect real life, or real life reflects our dreams, it’s difficult not to be intrigued by the personalized movies our brain creates while we’re asleep. This week’s prompts encourage you to explore what happens when we enter this liminal space between fantasy and reality — and how dreams can be beautiful, terrible, and everything in between.

This week's prompts

Write a story about a character who believes their dreams predict the future.

Thriller and Suspense – 39 stories

Start or end your story with the line ‘This is my worst nightmare.’

Dialogue – 74 stories

Write about two people whose dreams are somehow connected.

Thriller and Suspense – 43 stories

Write a story about a character who interprets people’s dreams.

Adults – 18 stories

Write about a character whose dreams are portals to other worlds.

Science Fiction – 54 stories

Stories

“Welcoming Portals of Dreams” by Sheila Sarrett

Submitted to Contest #113

Sherri was an adorable six-year-old girl with curly blonde hair and rosey cheeks who loved to hold books in her hand and was always smiling and laughing. Her mother enjoyed reading stories to her but she seemed to like more of the stories she made up herself. If her teacher told her she was talking out of turn Sharri would tell her mother a story about a girl who talked too much. One day her mother read a story to her about a princess who was looking for a friend. Sherri thought about that story but was sleepy so she was sleeping before her ...

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“Caitlyn's Dream” by Mary Fitzgerald

Submitted to Contest #113

Caitlyn Ryan didn't dream like everyone else. Most people hoped for pleasant dreams as their head it the pillow. Caitlyn hoped for normal ones. The first time it happened, she was just sixteen years old. She went to sleep as she usually did but had the strangest dream. She drifted through a midnight blue star-filled universe. This was not an unusual dream for her except for the portals that appeared seemingly at random. The strange thing about it was that they would disappear as soon as she passe...

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“If I should die before I wake” by Edward Savage

Submitted to Contest #113

The side air-bag pushed me to the left and then the steering wheel bag punched me in the face and chest. My head slammed back into the headrest and that was all I really remembered for sometime. There were images that flickered like an old film and sounds that were faint one moment and blaring the next but nothing coherent just a jumbled montage of sensations. Then things settled down and the noise and the images faded, replaced by a deep unyielding blackness. I was aware, but with the lack of any sensation I honestly thought I was dead, th...

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“By Moonlight” by Cat Buoncore

Submitted to Contest #113

The moonlight leaks through the planks of this ruined house. When the wind blows terribly and the shutters rattle their discontent I watch silver droplets dance across the floor. I have been still too long already, but I cannot bring myself to depart. I have almost been there; I have dreamt that long, cool grove where my brothers stand, proud and tall. The men circle me, here in this desolate place, as I seek my echoes. They walk dangerous roads to avoid my little house. The stillest among them watch me—always from a distance—and speak i...

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“Emptyness” by Jada Dickerson

Submitted to Contest #113

This is my worst nightmare, left alone with no one here in my life. The one person that I let in completely just vanished. It is like they never meant what they said or cared about it. We always talked about having a friendship to fight for. Clearly I was the only one that felt that way. My best friend, the one I trusted and loved more than anyone or anything else. Me and Dave met in October of last year through a mutual friend Juan. It was pretty awkward at first but when our friend left we got to talking and got to know each other until th...

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“Nothing Special” by Sierra Writes

Submitted to Contest #113

CW: Implied Child Loss, colorful language (just one) Lee Hudlocke was nothing special. He worked as a writer in an old newspaper company from nine to five. He lived around the block in a broken down brick apartment and took the bus to and from work. He walked to the grocery store when he needed frozen lasagna and he walked to town square when he needed a new tie. Besides those little moments to and fro, he stayed in his cozy abode and kept a somewhat quiet entity. Lee Hudlocke was nothing special, and this he knew. It was...

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“A Loss” by Nichole Anderson

Submitted to Contest #113

“This is my worst nightmare” I say, barely breathing the words out. I examine the folds of skin on my now deceased great grandfather while holding his cold, limp hand. I wonder what it looked like when he was younger and smoother. I picture him as a boy around ten playing baseball, and his mother afterwards wiping the dirt from his rosy cheeks. How easy it would be to pull out a handkerchief and wipe the dirt in one stroke and send him to bed where he’d sleep deeply. Do wrinkles make it more difficult to clean? Do they get in the way? I nev...

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“Jeff's Wagon Journey” by Pako Dunwhile

Submitted to Contest #113

Jeff stood behind the wooden podium decorated with a large Alcoholics Anonymous sign. His heart raced. Sweat gathered on his forehead. He looked over the compact, civic center backroom. People sat scattershot among the canary chairs. A protracted table offering dwindling coffee and store-bought cookies flanked the seating arrangement.“My name’s Jeff and…” he thought about the next obligatory words. A public label acknowledging his faulty character. He lowered his head in defeat. “…and I’m an alcoholic.”“Hi, Jeff.” Twenty-four attendees voice...

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“Fire Fight” by Ruth Nowotny

Submitted to Contest #113

This is my worst nightmare. Everything was dissolving into gray wisps of nothing. The violence had faded. The roaring scream of a dying life had deadened into a soulless whimper. The other noises became a chorus. A great collection of nature that held the note. A call to peace. A silent plea to feel the cool breeze instead of the starving heat. My house, my home. That’s it, and it’s all gone. I don’t deserve this. Pieces of shattered glass surrounded the narrow stone path carved out of the scorched grass. Everything was gone. My soul ...

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“The 500 Year Bash” by Michelle Leask

Submitted to Contest #113

CW warning some violence"This is my worst nightmare." I said to myself as I stared at the utter chaos surrounding me.The tables where over turned, the chairs where beyond repair. The dark wood floor that was scared with age was littered with broken dishes and spilled beer was over every surface possible.Riley yelled over her shoulder "Phaedar! A bright blonde head popped up from around the corner of the kitchen.Wide cerulean blue eyes surveyed the damage. A loud slow whistle left his mouth. As he took in all the damage.Riley tapped her hands...

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“The End of Alexei” by Cannon Shealy

Submitted to Contest #113

This is my worst nightmare. I’m headed down County Road 13 in the back of a 1960 Cadillac Eldorado with a revolver—a fucking revolver!—held to my right temple. Viktor Fedorov, who I had called a friend for fifteen or so years, is the one holding it, telling me to keep calm and that if I don’t make a fuss my kids don’t have anything to worry about. The man driving, Ivan Popov, has a cigarette in his mouth that tincts every time he inhales, which pisses me off, considering he was in on the whole plan, too. But, maybe I should give credit wher...

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“We Talk in My Dreams” by Megan Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #113

My grandmother communicates with me through dreams. She died 8 years ago, but we still talk. I don’t know what I believe in, but I believe in that. Growing up my grandparents house was my safe place. I didn’t have many of those. Before the divorce my parents fought all the time. After the divorce too. I would sit in my room, trying to ignore their yelling. That became easier once I got my first iPod. Headphones saved me. Not perfect at drowning them out but better than nothing. My grandparents were not perfect either. They were alcoholic...

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“ALL IN A DREAM” by Shelly Wota

Submitted to Contest #113

Monica was just 16 years old when she found out that she was pregnant. The father was a married man so he wanted nothing to do with her. Monica was living with foster parents, who would not be happy about her pregnancy. And, they weren’t. They insisted that she give the baby up for adoption, which Monica agreed with, since she was so young and hadn’t finished school and was only working part-time. As the pregnancy advanced, her doctor told her she was having twins. Wow! Monica...

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“Aberration 361” by Charlie Bright

Submitted to Contest #113

At first, Myrios thought that it was from overworking himself. You know, the whole “The last thing you think about before falling asleep is what you dream about” myth. Since clearly, he wouldn’t dream about Aberration 361 willingly. He wouldn’t think about her at all, if possible, but unfortunately she was a wily entity, slipping in and out of dimensions like water through a crack on the sidewalk, leaving a trail of broken timelines and changed fates behind her. He spent many a sleepless night pouring over her file, desperate for any clue t...

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“Envisage” by Omar Alvarez

Submitted to Contest #113

“This is my worst nightmare.” Groaned Derek. “What’s wrong bro?” Asked Devon. “They are out of Bang’s!” “The energy drinks?” “Yeah! I have to hit work when we pull in.” “Just grab some other ones! There’s literally a whole section of different drinks!” &n...

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$250

Prize money

228

Contest entries

139

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Oct 01, 2021 EST

Won by Megan Lange 🏆

Title: Dream Weaver

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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