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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#137: Albert Einstein

On March 14th, 1879 one of the greatest physicists of all time was born. Of course, Einstein is known for his theory of relativity and his Nobel Prize. But Einstein lived a full (and often dramatic) life outside of the world of physics.

He fell in love with a professor’s daughter while at school, and years later — while married to another woman — confessed his love for her, and the mistake he made not courting her when he had the chance. In 1933, he emigrated to the United States, knowing he’d not be able to return to Germany while Hitler was in power — he and his family were Jewish. After Einstein legally renounced his German citizenship, his Berlin cottage was turned into a Hitler’s Youth camp.

In light of his upcoming birthday, this week’s prompts are a reflection on the complex and storied life of this remarkable man.

This week's prompts

Write a story about a scientist.

Science Fiction – 40 stories

Write about a character who gets called an Einstein ironically.

Middle School – 18 stories

Write a story about somebody in love with someone from their past.

Romance – 79 stories

Write a story about a character forced to give up something important to stand up for what they believe in.

Character – 26 stories

Write a story about someone forced out of their home.

Narrative – 54 stories

Stories

“The Removal of Rosalie” by Sylvia Courtner

Submitted to Contest #137

Rosalie's fondest dream was marrying her high school sweetheart and starting a family. Faced with the prospect of the Vietnam War draft potentially separating their intertwined hearts, a simple ceremony at their local community center linked their loving souls legally. Against all odds, he returned to her after two long years, battle scars tucked deep within his psyche. They started their family in Georgia military housing, but eventually saved enough to load their meager belongings into a rusty station wagon, trekking from the sweltering so...

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“Shadow of Tomorrow” by Maddie Logemann

Submitted to Contest #137

Shut in the dry dust, in the dark, phone cord tangles between her fingers. The elastic spiral of it is crimped and stretched now and it doesn’t spring back the way it used to when she unwinds it from her thumb. Between boxes of pasta and sacks of rice, a crate of potatoes and one of peeling onions, she listens to the static-eaten voice crackling over the line. “Just for tonight. That’s all I— I just need tonight.” The sound buzzes and hums in her ear. So human. So artificial. Phones are funny like that, distorting the things you know ...

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“Athberta” by Minerva Noiropp

Submitted to Contest #137

Athena poured over the data she had received from NASA. For the last 5 years, she had been receiving daily emails from a special NASA astrophysicist, Albert, who gave her detailed readings from a magnetometer. The objects of these magnetometers were the magnetic fields of the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn, along with the constellations of the 12 major star signs. Athena was a Vedic astrologer and knew very little about physics. What she did know was that astrology worked because it was based on magnetic fields. Astro...

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“Storm on the Horizon ” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #137

When Godfrey Eilenstein started on the germline editing research being done at Kayline Research Laboratories, he never envisioned himself becoming a whistleblower. “What is it?” He asked his assistant Penning Walbee. Penning had been his assistant for over twenty years and Godfrey placed his entire trust on Penning. Putting his eye to the electronic microscope. He raised his head and looked at Dr. Eilenstein and replied, “I have no idea.” “We cannot afford to put that into our prototype, now can we?” Godfrey crosse...

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“Criminal for Life” by Jordan Williams

Submitted to Contest #137

"Listen Einstein, you just gotta keep the engine running and keep an eye to for the cops okay?" Casanova said. He had pulled a balaclava over his face and was checking that his shotgun was loaded. Shelly nodded and checked that the engine was running. It was. She had a gun too, but hers wasn't loaded, when they had given it to her first with a full clip Ceaser had snatched it from her hands and asked if the others were fucking retarded. "She can barely string a sentence together, don't give her a loaded piece you fucking ingrate....

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“Tinkerbell Kill's” by Shannon Ramos

Submitted to Contest #137

I wipe the knife on our bedspread, watching as the crimson color of my husband’s blood drips on the cloth, mixing with the fabric. I loved that bedding set. My beautiful, white down filled comforter, lying across white cotton Egyptian sheets. I shouldn’t have bought it. The cost was more than I’d ever spent on a blanket or sheets. I knew David was going to be pissed at me again. In his bitchy voice, “We have enough blankets!” Screw him. I don’t give a shit anymore. I wanted it, so I bought it. I stopped caring about how he felt o...

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“ After He Turned It On” by Nick Cevennes

Submitted to Contest #137

"Long time no see, Mr. Vence. Is there anyone I can hook you up with?" A well-mannered gentleman approached Kennis. "What a coincidence, Eck. I didn't expect to meet you here. Sure, if it's no trouble. I'm right now feeling a little lonely,” answered Kennis. He looked at the other man: Eck Vincennes, from Strasbourg, was a classic self-made man who was extremely concerned with appearance, even on the beach. "It's all right, Kennis. It won't happen again like last time." With that, a third man – a stocky man with prominent cheekbones – ...

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“Keep Your Eyes Open Einstein” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #137

Filled with a mixture of excitement, ambition and trepidation I headed into the first day of my first ever internship. The administrator from HR went through the company policies quite sternly, then said the pay was $7.00 an hour, I said ok. This was more than I had ever been paid. He showed me my cubicle. I sat down. It was the first time I had ever sat down at a job, It felt like heaven. Before this I had only worked in very physical retail jobs. Things were not easy in Milwaukee heading into 1990.I was introduced to my new boss Michael, w...

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“Always and Forever” by Shivani P.

Submitted to Contest #137

Rowan. A name I will always remember and a person whose memories I will never be able to completely bury . The first time we met was the day I had finally decided to face my biggest fear. There I had been at 15 years old, wearing an oversized hoodie and clutching a water bottle while peering into the mouth of the never ending abyss that was the Dresden Woods. Ever since I could remember, I had been scared of the forest for no particular reason. Maybe it was the air of mystery that surrounded the acres upon acres of trees, it seemed like a pl...

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“"Playing Doctor"” by Gary Robinson

Submitted to Contest #137

"I can't believe I am doing this. I haven't seen her since high school," Gary whispered to himself. He was staring at an acrylic painting of a cabin nestled between tall clusters of pine and oak trees. Two children were depicted playing on a tire swing. The autumn leaves, mixed with brown pine needles, blanketed the forest floor. The painting reminded him of his childhood home. He was startled by the creaky sound of a door opening behind him. It was Lisa. Gary smiled widely. "She is still as beautiful as the day I met her," his nostrils flar...

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“undying love from angel falls forest” by Leanne Drain

Submitted to Contest #137

He was only meant to be in love with her for a minute, what felt like a lifetime of agony, that constant pining of affection. Ernie Earnshaw knew best he had it all; after all, he was the captain of the football team, he was the most popular kid on campus at the college of the knights high. What seemed like a perfectly normal teenager, but he had a past he couldn't get past this girl that he had met in the forest her acquittance was none like the other girls who he had met she was different her pale complexed skin, her shining blue eyes her ...

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“The Spot ” by Ihuoma Ekwueme

Submitted to Contest #137

“The Spot” – by Ihuoma Mike Ekwueme You would think that after spending over 7 years apart – with no communication, no run-ins at the mall or the street that intersected our neighborhood, no contact with our families whatsoever – that the sight of Ichebadu Pepple will arouse no feelings inside of me. I was wrong. Very wrong. About a year ago after my National Youth Service (NYSC), I got an offer to work in one of the largest newspaper companies in Benin City, Edo State. I was hired to be an Editor for The Tribune with very limited exp...

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“Shiny Black Door” by Kate Kilbee

Submitted to Contest #137

Shiny Black Door Taking a deep breath she walked up to the shiny black door and knocked. There was no reply. She had known there wouldn't be as soon as she had seen his car wasn't there. She should go. Now. She had taken a very big risk by coming here. She thought that to see him, maybe touch him for the very first time in years and to hear his voice again, but this time in person, would heal the deep aching she felt for him. It was like a heavy weight that she couldn't put down but he wouldn't even answer her emails anymore. Her m...

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“The Traveling Carnival” by Hannah-Grace Botkin

Submitted to Contest #137

I’m falling. My body jerks forward. I wake to my brother, Jasper’s face in mine, still grasping handfuls of parachute silk with white-knuckled hands. “You can’t keep doing that,” I say, trying to steady myself. Jasper lets go of the side of my hammock, the quick release of tension causing me to sway back and forth. He smiles. “We’re here,” he says. “Where’s here?” I ask. “Who knows,” he says. “Another little town. It doesn’t matter; we have work to do.” I’ve stopped keeping track of all the places we’ve been. It’s not worth trying ...

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“Ultimate Fantasy ” by Karen Lethlean

Submitted to Contest #137

The Ultimate Fantasy. Ceaseless winds all night; weather prediction mentioned likelihood of passing storm fronts. Seasonal changes rolling up from the south west pushing squalls across the city. Impossible to sleep, rain beating down on roofs. On this windy night, Rosa had already been up twice shutting various windows she’d forgotten were open. Rain tumbling in, wetting carpet, sure need cleaning up in the morning. Usually she would have closed windows or Jonathon would, double checking them all, due to his pedantic nature. Bloody coffee...

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$250

Prize money

217

Contest entries

116

Stories

Ended on 00:59 - Mar 19, 2022 EST

Won by Story Time 🏆

Title: The Boy in the Pink Tuxedo

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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