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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#121: Giving Thanks

Next Thursday marks American Thanksgiving: an occasion for people to come together, catch up, and enjoy large quantities of mashed potatoes. In keeping with the name, many also take this time to reflect on what they’re thankful for — whether that’s good friends, a great job, or the aforementioned potatoes.

This week’s prompts expand on the idea of thanks, exploring not just gratitude, but also recognition, perseverance, and shades of the phrase itself. Whether or not you’ll be celebrating on Thursday, we hope this theme gets you thinking (and in case we haven’t mentioned it lately, thank you for being a part of our amazing community!).

This week's prompts

Start your story with someone saying “Thanks a lot” (sarcastically or sincerely).

Fiction – 37 stories

Write about someone giving or receiving a gift.

Christmas – 50 stories

Write a story in which someone gets credit for something they didn’t do.

Thriller and Suspense – 13 stories

Write about a character who struggles to express their thanks.

Angst – 14 stories

Write about someone in a thankless job.

Teens – 33 stories

Stories

“Sleeping Girl With Peaches” by Ann Martin

Submitted to Contest #121

SLEEPING GIRL WITH PEACHES A Story in Voice by Ann Martin Johanna I could feel it that afternoon. Could you feel it, Gabrielle, the brewing storm? That’s what they do, is it not? They brew, they brood and they break. So, no forgetting that afternoon. July, eighteen ninety eight. No forgetting for me, nor, I think, for you. I could feel it in the heat. In the hush. In my baby’s bubbling snore. I was afraid for my baby. He’d been so ill. Afraid for him and for so much more. This storm that was coming, I wasn’t sure when, but soon. It had ...

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“The Ungifting” by Ashley Cullen

Submitted to Contest #121

The speakers below the brightly lit stage announce Happy Birthday, the animatronic mouse opening and closing his mouth as the little girl looks on. A medley of oldies songs streams forth from behind the robot band. She watches the empty eyes of the enormous gorilla flit unnaturally back and forth as his hands hover above the blinking neon keyboard. She smiles as the cheerleader backup singer moves her head in time with the jerky movements of her pom-pom hands.She sits at the head of a paper-covered rectangular table, filled to bursting with ...

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“Lucky” by Nix ♞

Submitted to Contest #121

We get to the bar every day 'round 1 o'clock. Me and Lucky do. That's my dog. Don't worry, he doesn't drink. I do drinking's good for's both. Lucky just sits by me. Sometimes he lies down. Every now and 'gain, I lie down with him. 'Round 5 o'clock, I do. That's how I get. Roll over, sometimes. Play dead.Don't worry, he does drink something. I set a glass of water out, or Lena does. That's the bartender. She works every day except Tuesdays when she takes Max to his appointments. That's her sister's son's name, Max. He comes to the bar on Thur...

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“So Much To Be Grateful For” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #121

“I hate winter” I said aloud and sighed as I put the key in the rusty lock and turned it. I could get from my car to the door, put the key in, and walk into the dark cold shop with my eyes shut – I had done it so many times, a bit monotonous really. There were some big tree roots which I knew to step over, a prickly bush I steered clear of and then the three steps to climb up to reach the entrance – where I never felt like being initially especially on a cold morning. Winding my scarf around my neck one more time I switched the light on...

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“Motherhood ” by Allie Guilderson

Submitted to Contest #121

Curse men and their useless nipples. Every night I’m passed out by ten o’clock, something my husband never fails to jeer at me for. “You’re 22, you should be staying up past midnight. You’re no fun anymore.” I’m so exhausted, I could cry. My night shirt smells of spit up and body odor. Today was hideous, the toddler threw tantrum after tantrum. When I finally lost my temper, my husband said I shouldn’t yell at her like that and proceeded to explain how I ought to have dealt with the situation. If he is so knowledgeable then he should...

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“King on the Throne” by Angelo Liberatore

Submitted to Contest #121

The golden autumn envelope lies on the last standing table in the Cafeteria. The remaining tables were folded against the south wall. Their undersides showed the gum and phallic elementary drawings to no one. The emblem is clear as day, and it's the crest of the Royal Family. "You messed up somewhere, Arthur. They are probably calling for your head", Arthur Crawford's soft voice echoes in the empty Cafeteria. Pacing to and frow his hands mindlessly pulling and wrapping around his ponytail. Stopping mid-step, he pauses. "Don't be ridiculous...

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“The Cereal Box” by Kerri Edwards

Submitted to Contest #121

“Thanks a lot.”I turn toward the voice of what I thought was a surly teenager but quickly realize is in fact a woman in a wrinkled navy suit. She is staring at me as if I just cut her off on a busy freeway when she was trying to get to work instead of removing a cereal box from the shelf of my local Stop and Shop. “Excuse me, did I bump into you” I say confused. I didn’t think I had touched her in any way, but I could be wrong. My purse is rather large.“No” she sighs. “But you did just take the last box of Crunchy O’s.”Still c...

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“Thank you very much” by Anders Christensen

Submitted to Contest #121

“Thanks a lot.” Arthur said. His coworker – Anne – gave him his wedding ring back. She was stood in the snow with red cheeks and a camera between her hands. The wife of Arthur – Viola – had seen the whole ordeal from their house’s windows. Arthur did say thanks – but he didn’t try to get eye contact with Anne – and he didn’t care to talk about work with her. He just headed home – following his footprints that had plowed through the snow. He opened the door. Viola was right there – with a red face. “What is your coworker doing out in the snow...

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“Thanks-for-giving” by Donoho Murphy

Submitted to Contest #121

“Thanks a lot”, as I quickly push forward the platter of slippery-squirrel pot pie. It's a family tradition and, of course, Auntie K had to force seconds and thirds down our throats. I massage my temples - and then - search for my cigarettes. I can hear dad smacking - he has the ability to chew with half his mouth open - without letting any food tumble from it - a real “Ripley’s believe it or not” talent. Popping a dart into my mouth, I slowly ease away from the table. “Must have eaten half my body weight” I quietly mutter. Our eyes lo...

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“BRO” by Ian Woodcock

Submitted to Contest #121

BRO PAGE 1 Wesley Brown called out to his brother from across the Street, ‘Yo Baby Bro! Don’t forget my birthday Saturday, and make it a decent present this year!’ he smirked at the girl on his arm. ‘Why did he call you Baby? Six feet is one hell of a tall baby Bobby.’ ‘It’s a family thing, I’m the youngest of five, Wes is the oldest, there’s three sisters between us.’ ‘What does he call them?’ ‘Judy, Sarah, Lucy.’ ...

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“Death and the Ardor of Music” by A. Potato

Submitted to Contest #121

The melody of the grieving is quite a symphony of its own. The weeping woman does not notice me pass by her, but she shivers slightly nonetheless, her warm tears streaking down her trembling face. All around me, there are quiet sniffles or loud sobs, the masterpiece of a haunted composer. Off in the distance, the accompaniment plays: a long, beeping noise with no beginning or end, merely a dreadful existence that signals the end of another. When I take the soul in my arms, it has already begun to cool. Nearby, a child wai...

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“Theseus” by Michael Harrison

Submitted to Contest #121

Murray was invisible. Proving this, for the fifth time today, someone tripped over him. It wasn’t uncommon to be tripped over in the narrow passages of Colony Ship Theseus. What was unusual was the person stopping to apologize. “So sorry, I wasn’t paying attention and didn’t see you there,” she said. Murray stood from his crouched position and turned to his assailant. It was Marissa. “No problem, Ma...am.” He had just barely caught himself. Changing her name to ‘ma’am’ as quickly as he could manage. Marissa broke fr...

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$250

Prize money

147

Contest entries

113

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Nov 26, 2021 EST

Won by Deborah Elliott 🏆

Title: Onboard an Angel Flight

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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