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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#135: I Wanna See You Be Brave

Looking at the children’s books I used to read, there’s a lot of emphasis on being courageous. It makes sense — growing up means facing one tough new thing after another. But in adulthood, we stop thinking about bravery so much, as if the concept is confined to the chivalrous men and misfit animals of fairy tales and picture books.

This week, let’s think about what bravery (or its opposite) really means, in an everyday context, a fantasy world, or a children’s story.

This week's prompts

Write about a hero or a villain deathly afraid of doing their job.

Adventure – 37 stories

Start your story with someone stepping outside their comfort zone.

Middle School – 60 stories

Set your story in a town full of cowards.

Fiction – 31 stories

Write a story where fortune doesn’t favor the brave.

Thriller and Suspense – 38 stories

Write about a casual act of bravery.

Narrative – 46 stories

Stories

“The Unfortunate Orphan” by Kate Armentor

Submitted to Contest #135

Oh, why did it have to be spiders? I apologize deeply, but if you are one of those individuals who find spiders interesting, cute, or, dare I say it, you love the little fanged, death carriers of the minuscule realm, than I have little more respect for you than an extraterrestrial being unable to fathom the simple act of flipping a coin. Apologies, allow me to introduce myself. Actually, I will not. My name, race, nor any other aspects of my personal life are of your concern. All you have to know about me is that I am currently on an expedit...

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“You Wanna” by Hayley Johnson

Submitted to Contest #135

“If you don’t find your preying spirit, then I will turn this cloud around young vampiress!” Victorina screeched at her newest daughter while flying at the front of their bat colony.“It’s too dark,” Prella whined. “I promise I’ll do better when the sun comes up.”Victorina flapped her wings forward to slow herself down and hovered in front of her youngest. “You know why we cannot hunt during the day. Besides, you won’t make it to morning if you don’t feed soon.” Her mother’s last point made Prella tremble and lose height. She was right. ...

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“Cat Burglar with a Moral Compass” by Kat. L Haywood

Submitted to Contest #135

When I was 6, I wanted to be a zookeeper. Upon my brother's insistence that penguin poo could only be removed with bare hands, I opted for a career change. At 10, I was set on becoming an Olympian. That was before my sister wrestled me off the bed for touching her Ballerina Barbie. I shattered my wrist and my dreams of pole-vaulting for gold. By 15, I got smart and opted for a line of work beyond sabotage. Every spare moment went into my father’s Cessna Skyhawk. First a passenger, then a co-pilot. At 16, I flew solo. Short trips....

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“Footnotes ” by Abigail Kramer

Submitted to Contest #135

The house is empty when I get home. I shut the door against the wind that threatens snow, closing myself into a greater threat - an empty house. It takes me a minute to remember what my wife, Katie, told me as I was going out the door this morning. She was wrestling our 3-year-old into a bright pink coat while reciting the day’s itinerary that I was never going to remember. “And remember, Julie’s game is at 6 at the Vale complex. I’ll text you which court. She’s probably going to start. You should come.” Her informat...

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“The Barlowe Estate” by Crystal Bass

Submitted to Contest #135

Being raised in a home where things were meticulous didn't make life easy. Every spoon, fork, knife, plate, put away with precision. Every afternoon the shelves-wiped from top to bottom. The floors mopped until they sparkled. The windows washed until they were practically invisible. Every bed in every room, occupied or not, changed daily. The staircase-polished to a spectacular shine every morning. Precision and perfection was the theme of the Barlowe estate. The gardens sprawled the entirety of the estate. Everywhere you turned, exotic fl...

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“Don't Look Down” by Mary DeLong

Submitted to Contest #135

Nancy Baker lived in a small city with a high crime rate. With a thriving drug trade, burglaries, and multiple assaults, Albion was the armpit of the county. It was the kind of place people locked their car doors before driving past certain neighborhoods. Nancy worked in the public school system, but budget cuts were looming, and she realized she would be looking for a new job soon. She scanned the want ads every evening for any type of work available until she found an interesting opportunity. The police department was looking for reserve...

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“New Years Resolutions ” by Lorelai Bucheger

Submitted to Contest #135

My mother works for a circus. She's an aerial artist which means she flies on a trappies and dances in silks. She is afraid of nothing. I've never seen her afraid even once in my life. She is truly the bravest person that I know. I on the other hand, am scared of everything. You may think that I'm exaggerating, but I'm really not. I'm afraid of heights, the dark, snakes, spiders, spikey objects, even chickens. Bucky made fun of me one time and told me I was a chicken ...

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“Freedom is a 7 letter word” by Jessamie R.

Submitted to Contest #135

A spring breeze drifts through a field of cotton, the white buds sway gently as the air tugs at them with invisible strings. The morning sunlight flickers through the thin twigs of a peach tree, small shoots bursting out from the branches like an explosion of green. Golden pansies and rose coloured chrysanthemums reach for the sky, their petals a haven for buzzing bees and iridescent blue butterflies. Everything is peaceful and serene, well almost everything. Bare feet scurry cautiously along a narrow dirt path, carefully avoiding deep ru...

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“No Good Deed” by Annette Bay

Submitted to Contest #135

Katrina was just walking through the door when her smartphone started ringing. The rings were muffled because the phone was buried somewhere in the depths of her handbag. She set down the bag of groceries on the nearest and reached into the bag, her hand searching for her phone. She managed to locate it before it went to voicemail. It was her close friend Bethany. “Hello.” “Katrina! Oh, good, glad I caught you.” Bethany sounded out of breath and somewhat agitated. “What’s up, Beth? Is everything okay?” “No, no, it’s not okay, actual...

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“No Heroes Left” by Hayden Morrison

Submitted to Contest #135

In our town, there were no heroes left. One by one, anyone with even the smallest ounce of courage departed, to protect those who lacked the courage to defend themselves. Even those with no strength, with nothing but bravado to their name, were willing to pick up a sword and fight the good Fight. But not I, nor my friends. Despite being of an appropriate age to give our lives for the cause, we remained in the safety of our homes; in the warmth of our beds. It would be easy to blame others for our cowardice. To say that our parents be...

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“In the Shadow of My Tower” by Mae R

Submitted to Contest #135

The town was built in the shadow of my tower. Why they chose to build there is beyond me. My tower is centuries old, and sometimes I fear to touch the grey stone that it’s built of, for fear that it will crumble beneath my fingers. A single staircase winds from the base to the top, the stone steps drooping in the middle, worn down by the countless tread of feet. There’s no question it was long established before the town was built, so why did the villagers choose to come so close? Perhaps the tower seemed to offer them protection. The mag...

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“Our Identity” by Jane Delgado

Submitted to Contest #135

Take a deep breath. Inhale, and exhale. “I don’t understand why I am being grounded. Aren’t we supposed to be a peaceful community” I roared, “How can we live peacefully if we have people like that invading and bullying us around?” “Well, you shouting at them wasn’t very peaceful” mom replies. “But we can’t just let them barge in here anytime they want and take our food, even people!” I exclaim in a rabid rage. “Melody, you know that we have no control over what happens, ok just accept the way things are”. “I can’t be...

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“Rule of the Fog” by David Lontok

Submitted to Contest #135

“The worst of fears acts like a contagion,” my mom, the bookkeeper, used to say, “like a rumor that seeks a wider audience.” Slam... Slam... Slam... The doors of our small town on a cliff sliced winds short, acting on their purpose, which was to shut out the unwanted. The fog had arrived with the evening, weighing down our roads. It was like a scorching poison to us. Our visitors would often ask why, and the quick question always earned a quick answer: people had been vanishing inside it—horrifying. The fog hadn’t always been an enemy. It...

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“Pyrrhic Victory” by Wendell Ernstzen

Submitted to Contest #135

Where there’s smoke…Not all the tears streaming from Nikola’s eyes were from the acrid smoke filling the room. Tinny coughs echoed from close by, adding to the ringing in his ears, giving a tiny sense of comfort that he wasn’t the only one alive. Though even that faded rapidly as something warm and sticky seeped into his left eye. He gingerly wiped the back of his sooty hand over it, horror creeping up his chest as it came away crimson. Right eye staring, left eye blinking spasmodically, anyone might have guessed he was a mad scientist on th...

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“Believe Your Lady” by Michael Pelepko

Submitted to Contest #135

James Dag Flood is a Registered Nurse with twenty years’ experience at the bedside among the sick and dying. The nurse remains on duty despite “burn out” – about which he’ll tell you: “don’t believe in burn out, don’t believe in cures. I’ve met Jesus Christ and believe in healing. Amen.”Flood maintained a steady gaze at his eldest child's check for Two-hundred and pondered the consequence of cashing it. The nurse had tonight off after six straight. The clock on his bedroom radio read 12:08 when he awoke after four hours of disrupted sleep, i...

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$250

Prize money

212

Contest entries

154

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 04, 2022 EST

Won by Thom With An H 🏆

Title: Home of the Brave

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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