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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#131: First Impressions

On the 28th of January 1813, Pride and Prejudice was first published. Originally titled First Impressions, Jane Austen’s most famous work has gone on to be a genre-defining classic — and one of my personal favorites.

To celebrate the anniversary of its release, this week’s prompts explore the themes of Pride and Prejudice, and the slipperiness of first impressions.

This week's prompts

Write a story about two characters whose first impressions of one another are wildly inaccurate.

Fluff – 55 stories

Write a story that includes (or subverts) the enemies-to-lovers trope.

Romance – 25 stories

Start your story with the arrival of a new person in a town full of gossips.

Adults – 41 stories

Write a story about a group of sisters, or a group of brothers.

Vampire – 35 stories

Set your story in a drawing room.

Fiction – 29 stories

Stories

“The Lady of Aurum Manor” by Emma Stafford

Submitted to Contest #131

Aurum Manor was known for its beauty. Nestled atop a mountain, besides a crystalline river, the estate was home to elegant gardens and looked as if it belonged in a fairytale. Although the exterior was truly extraordinary, the true beauty of the Aurum Manor was found in its residents. Lady Isadora was a true sight to behold, with hair the colour of wine and eyes like storm clouds. Her mother, Lady Irene, often found her hands full with suitors travelling from across the country to fight for her daughter’s affections. Lady Isadora was quite f...

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“The Puppet Séance” by Alyssa Tsang

Submitted to Contest #131

Elias sunk uncomfortably into the high-backed deep rose armchair, puffing his meerschaum pipe. The drawing-room was dotted with expensive wax taper candles to combat the oppressive and encroaching darkness. The puppet sat menacingly in the middle of the seance table. Its painted wood eyes bore a hole in Elias' face. Elias stared back as though he was sizing up a bloke he was about to box against. "Mr. Dashwood, would you like a drink while we wait for the others?" Miss Polly Burns chirped. Elias Dashwood broke his staring contest...

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“Fine Dining at Speedy Mart” by Webb Johnson

Submitted to Contest #131

Fine Dining at Speedy Mart I parked my car and was walking in when I realized I couldn’t avoid a scruffy guy hitting up the Speedy-Mart customers. Just to keep him from having to ask, I handed over three one-dollar bills from my breast pocket while I pulled open the glass entry door and walked in. Inside, the well-kept store was hectic with working stiffs grabbing beer, soft drinks, sandwiches, candy bars, and other fast food that could be munched on the run. Rolling papers, cigarettes, lotto tickets, hot pizza slices, and chicken wings had...

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“A Rose For Therese” by Mae Siu-Wai Stroshane

Submitted to Contest #131

Therese Malfatti hunched behind a tree amid the crackling leaves and pulled her dog, Gigons, against her chest. He whimpered and struggled to get free, but she held him tightly. Her mother called, "Therese! It's time to go home!" "Hush, Gigons, don't let her hear us." "Young lady, if you don't answer me in three minutes, you'll regret it." Footsteps crunched on the path and stopped near Therese's hiding place. Then her mother went further along the path and disappeared over a rise. Suddenly Gigons leaped from Therese's arms an...

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“Burned” by Annemarie Wall

Submitted to Contest #131

“Emory?” he looks at me quizzically. “Yeah?” I respond nearly as puzzled. “Derek,” he answers my unasked question. “From high school.” “Derek…from…high…school,” I repeat slowly, buying myself time to place him. “And you’re…” my voice trails off. “Yes,” he looks down at the gear covering his uniform. “And you’re,” he looks at the business card on my reception’s desk. “Yes,” I confirm. “We should catch up some time,” he snatches a card and turns, “see ya.” “Bye,” I blurt, “thanks again.”&nbs...

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“Auntie Carolyn” by Ariel Searcy

Submitted to Contest #131

I'm reclined in my shotgun seat, headphones in with the music cranked loud. Passively watching the clouds fall behind us through the open sunroof. My mother is sitting next to me, softly humming along to the timid whistling of the wind seeping in from the cracked window. The summers are hot and dry in Oklahoma city, but I've heard it's nothing compared to the sticky, mosquito infested niche that is Jefferson, Louisiana. I curl my fingers tighter around my phone, clicking the volume button impulsively in hopes to drown out the intrusive thoug...

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“A Tale of Two Gym Rats” by Zach Martz

Submitted to Contest #131

Kyle My New Year’s Resolution was to join a gym and get back into shape after years of being a worthless couch potato. I know that’s a cliché, but I was very, very determined not to be one of those ninety percent of people who make a pledge on January 1st to get fit and then turn back into fat slobs before Valentine’s Day. I was more focused on my goal than on anything else in my whole life. I would show up there every day, taking a tour of all the weight machines and making sure I was working every major body part, even the parts that o...

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“beneath a different light” by Jay Wayne

Submitted to Contest #131

Keeva found the dead man first. Melara could tell she’d picked up the scent by the way she extended her neck, suddenly keen on the trampled path of snow they were following.“Show me,” Melara said, and the leopard bounded ahead.Melara followed more slowly, less sure-footed in the deep snow than her silent companion. When she caught up, Keeva was digging in a snow drift. Melara’s heart sank. She’d been hoping whoever they’d been following had made it to safety, but she should have guessed from the blood spattered along the trail that things ha...

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“All's Fair in Jokes and War” by Catherine Douglas

Submitted to Contest #131

Upon hearing that the Brandt farm had requested a work detail from Stalag V C again, Private Jahn didn’t hesitate to storm into Captain Westheimer’s office to say, “If you decide to take the prisoners to the Brandts, I am not coming with you.” Westheimer raised an eyebrow. “And what makes you think that tone of voice will convince me to let you stay here, son?” “You know how much I hate Griselda, and she hates me. So much so that she’ll stop at nothing to make our stay a living hell for me.” “You are both adults. You can be around each...

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“Too Much Familiar Pain” by Dre Spivey

Submitted to Contest #131

(Mental Health, Suicide and Self Harm) Waking up in the morning, going to school, and hearing things about me and my family had been normal for years. My mom who committed suicide, and now with an emotionally absent father; it’s been lonely, but the norm for my little brother and I. Moving to Marfa wasn’t a plan or a choice agreed to, but to get away from the godforsaken town my mother died in wasn’t a second thought. Still, I hated what she had done to us as a family. Dad's grief seemed all encompassing and eternal; EJ’s too young ...

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“The Beauty of Us” by Jeffery Young

Submitted to Contest #131

It was in the final room of the final tower of the final kingdom that I was to lay eyes upon her once again. It had been months, but felt like years, day after day of sluggish and gruesome war. With the power gifted to me, a commoner of low stature, I had slaughtered villages, laid waste to cities and their armies, and forced every king and queen to bend knee before rending them to their rightful place beneath me. They would kiss my hands, beg, plead, offer their bodies and minds to me- entire armies of concubines and vast...

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“To Hate Bernard Hastings” by Jess Norton

Submitted to Contest #131

For the life of her, Eleanor could not think of a single thing she hated more than Bernard Hastings. There had to be something. Slow walkers, people who chew with their mouth open, or the person who always stands a bit too close to you at the grocery store. A close runner up may be the movie “The Bridge to Terabithia” which she blames for the reason she is such a pessimist and is still single in her late twenties. It was deeply rooted in her heart, at the young age of ten, that there is no such thing as happy endings. &...

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“New Sheriff in Town ” by Professor Alan Dale Dickinson

Submitted to Contest #131

THE NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN By Professor Alan Dale Dickinson (Fiction) (Copyrighted) HE SLOWLY, very slowly, rolled into the quaint little town of Gilroy, California, which just so happens to the ‘Garlic’ capitol of the World, or at least they proclaim that on the big entrance sign when you came into the little Hispanic enclave. He is part Latino and that was one of the main reason’s that he came up here from his former residence in Santa Ana, California. He loves all races; however, even though he is mostly Anglo, he has to admit that he p...

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“The Madman and the Rat” by Jarrod V

Submitted to Contest #131

Under the black of night, stars hidden from sight by fog and cloud, a hooded stranger rode quietly into town. His coming, though subtle, did not go unnoticed as blurred faces watched through the mould stained windows. Their intrigue justified on two counts, the first being that curfew had well been exceeded and the second being that this stranger’s demeanour was rather unusual. Upon the horse, hanging from one side, his satchel containing all the tools of his trade. On the other side, something metal rattled within a cloth sack. And upon the...

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“Sisters Forever” by Melinda Madrigal

Submitted to Contest #131

A story of friendship, love, and the bonds of sisterhood told through the eyes of the Collins sisters, Noelle, Naima and Nadia. Noelle I'm the youngest pf the Collins sisters, Naima is the middle sister and Nadia is the oldest sister. We each have different personalities, me being the youngest, I'm the most carefree, happy loving person. Naima isn't as carefree as me. She's the nerd of the family, always reading and writing. Naima is the person you can turn to for anything and everything, and last my older sister Nadia. What can I say abou...

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$250

Prize money

185

Contest entries

128

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 04, 2022 EST

Won by Zack Powell 🏆

Title: Love Ain't Blind, Grief Is

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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