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#139: Growing Up

As March reaches its conclusion and nature comes into full bloom (at least in the Northern hemisphere), it’s a time to reflect on growth. While shoots are emerging and flowers start to bud, it’s inspiring to think how big things flourish from such small beginnings.

This week’s prompts are about just that. Whether your characters have already gone through big changes, or are just beginning them, it’s time to get growing. I’ll see you back here for the next contest, when we’ll all be one week older and, hopefully, one week wiser.

🥇 Winner

“buried in saipan” by Alex Sultan

There are still rusted bayonets to be found in the dirt. Alongside broken firearms, canteens, and bullet-struck helmets. At times, still attached to skeletons. The deep-sea team would occasionally find a corroded tank or the remains of a submarine acting as an aquarium. Fighter planes would turn up far off in the mountains, a surprise to climbers. Rare was it that Hisao found letters buried in Saipan. He dropped his shovel and knelt, the archaeology team at work behind him—industrial lights illuminated the tunnel with...

193 comments 193 WINNER 🏆

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⭐️ Shortlisted

“Roy Mans the Donation Counter” by Michał Przywara

Roy took a deep breath and drummed his fingers rhythmlessly on the donation counter. It used to be all white but there was a big smear right in the middle where the paint had long worn off – a sign of the overbearing generosity of the patrons. Which meant this was a very important counter to be manning. He looked down at his nametag and then caught his manager, Bill, out of the corner of his eye. Bill’s f...

69 comments 69 SHORTLIST ⭐️

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“The Garden Oath” by Kendell Snyder

Bernadette's stomach churned every time she hugged her dad. She was revolted by the sticky suction of his sweaty arms on her skin. She despised the nose-scrunching sour stench of his morning work in the hot delta earth. More than anything, she hated being so close to the man who killed her mother. Standing at the edge of the garage she'd just entered, Bernadette watched as a strange woman carried her ...

9 comments 9 SHORTLIST ⭐️

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“Zebra Stripes and Shoes” by Virginia Berry

It started with the shoes; years of high quality, leather, fashionable footwear. Some bought in Europe, some as far off as Venezuela. For this fashionista, a careful collection she felt was irreplaceable. A hundred or so pairs. A ridiculous collection for a new mom. Western societies don’t prepare women for life after childbirth. We have loads of magazines, cultural references, tv shows, and movies glori...

31 comments 31 SHORTLIST ⭐️

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“A Very Brief Meeting” by Jared Lenover

“This company could save a fortune on air conditioning.” A shiver ran through me as I sat looking around the HR manager’s small office, wearing only a t-shirt and my boxer briefs. The cooling unit under the window rattled. It was on high and the adrenaline was wearing off. I was alone, sitting on a lime green plastic office chair facing a desk carefully arranged with standard office equipm...

17 comments 17 SHORTLIST ⭐️

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This week's prompts

Write a story that involves a character donating a box of clothes which have been outgrown.

Middle School – 49 stories

Start your story with someone having their height marked on a door frame.

Middle School – 37 stories

Format your story in the style of diary entries.

Middle School – 55 stories

Start your story with the words: “Grow up.”

Angst – 63 stories

Write about a character sowing seeds for the future (literally or figuratively).

Spring – 41 stories

Stories

“buried in saipan” by Alex Sultan

There are still rusted bayonets to be found in the dirt. Alongside broken firearms, canteens, and bullet-struck helmets. At times, still attached to skeletons. The deep-sea team would occasionally find a corroded tank or the remains of a submarine acting as an aquarium. Fighter planes would turn up far off in the mountains, a surprise to climbers. Rare was it that Hisao found letters buried in Saipan. He dropped his shovel and knelt, the archaeology team at work behind him—industrial lights illuminated the tunnel with...

193 comments 193 WINNER 🏆

Read story

“Growing Sideways” by Deidra Whitt Lovegren

“Grow up.”“Get out of my room.”I cross my arms. We stare at each other.“$275,” I say. “It’s going to cost $275 to replace your retainer.”“So?” “So? So—do you have $275 to replace your retainer?” I ask my son, exasperated at his indifference.“No,” he replies, dismissing me. He begins to shove his earbuds back into his skull. I slap them out of his hands.“HEY,” he protests, snatching them off the floor. His fingernails are painted black, the nail polish chipped around the tip...

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“The art of growing” by Abigail Airuedomwinya

Mallot's mother dies in March from cholera and the day after, she comes to class and tells me about her father who lives in a city far away. She doesn't know him that well but she can guess he is fine. As we walk home under the flaming sun, she elbows me and laughs and I think about losing my mother too; how each touch and exhale would cease at that moment. Sometimes I let my mind stray to that thought and how simple it would all be to lose a part of my soul. "Why aren't you crying?" I ask her later when her laughte...

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“Diary of an Answering Machine” by Kathleen Fine

July 18, 1985 “You’ve reached Matt Nicholson and Buddy. Buddy say hi: Woof! We can’t come to the phone right now, but if you leave a message, we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Thanks!” BEEP “Matt, it’s mom. Are you still at work? It’s nearly seven thirty; you should be home by now. It’s time you settled down; you’ll be thirty in two...

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“Roy Mans the Donation Counter” by Michał Przywara

Roy took a deep breath and drummed his fingers rhythmlessly on the donation counter. It used to be all white but there was a big smear right in the middle where the paint had long worn off – a sign of the overbearing generosity of the patrons. Which meant this was a very important counter to be manning. He looked down at his nametag and then caught his manager, Bill, out of the corner of his eye. Bill’s f...

69 comments 69 SHORTLIST ⭐️

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“Between The Lines” by Thom Brodkin

Marie had never painted before—that was always John’s job. But the house needed to be sold and according to the real estate agent, it needed to be painted. Marie wasn’t mad at John for leaving the task to her; she was angry at him for dying. John had bought life insurance, but hadn’t anticipated the medical bills. He fought until his last breath, but the fight left Marie without a husband, without resources, and without a home.A painting novice, Marie attacked the big rooms and hallways first. They...

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“A Pocketful of Dreams” by Howard Halsall

May Golightly rented her suite of attic rooms to Charlie for over twenty years. He was an ideal lodger, smart and courteous, and always paid his rent in cash. It was a convenient arrangement because his presence afforded her both peace of mind and financial security during her retirement. She’d never interfered in his affairs until one morning a letter appeared on her doormat. May recognised Charlie’s cursive sc...

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“The Years Will Rush By” by S. Thomson

ㅤGrow up. Go to school. Tell the class your name. Colour inside the lines. Try to make friends. Brush your teeth for two minutes in the morning. Brush your teeth for two minutes in the evening. Don’t lie. Come inside, you must be freezing. Be nice to your sister. Eat your vegetables. Don't mess around. Learn to tie shoelaces. You're too old for velcro now. Learn about verbs and nouns and adjectives. Let’s mark your height on the doorframe. Come on, stand up straight.ㅤㅤGrow up. Tuck your shirt in. Stand out from the crowd. L...

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“Door Time” by Jon Casper

I know the trees ain’t getting any shorter, so I guess that means I went and grew again. What else is new? Growing is all I ever done. It feels like forever ago, but I still remember my bedroom door frame had notches all the way up, from where Daddy kept track. I’ll never forget the day I outgrew the door frame. Daddy had just dragged the footstool out and grabbed the screwdriver.“C’mon, Sprout,” he said. “Door time.”Sprout’s what he called me, but my name’s really Henry.

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“The Garden Oath” by Kendell Snyder

Bernadette's stomach churned every time she hugged her dad. She was revolted by the sticky suction of his sweaty arms on her skin. She despised the nose-scrunching sour stench of his morning work in the hot delta earth. More than anything, she hated being so close to the man who killed her mother. Standing at the edge of the garage she'd just entered, Bernadette watched as a strange woman carried her ...

9 comments 9 SHORTLIST ⭐️

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“I'M BREAKING UP WITH JEFF BEZOS” by Felice Noelle

I'M BREAKING UP WITH JEFF BEZOSI confess. Jeff Bezos knows me more intimately than my husband does. But don't tell his ex-wife. And I haven't been able to hide it from my husband. No, I swear, it's true. Couldn't be more true. Jeff and I communicate more frequently, more personally, and just MORE than I communicate with any other human on this Covid confined planet.I can't just punch a delete button on my keyboard and wipe my order and return history out of my life like I can with my Google browsing his...

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“You've grown son” by Anastasia Schroder

Trigger Warning: death, (sad content) “And? How much have I grown?” the boy asked his dad excited. “Let me take a look.” The father looked at the door frame with the white line showing the height of the son. The boy was jumping behind his father and wanted to know if he has grown a bit. It’s his sevens birthday...

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“Zebra Stripes and Shoes” by Virginia Berry

It started with the shoes; years of high quality, leather, fashionable footwear. Some bought in Europe, some as far off as Venezuela. For this fashionista, a careful collection she felt was irreplaceable. A hundred or so pairs. A ridiculous collection for a new mom. Western societies don’t prepare women for life after childbirth. We have loads of magazines, cultural references, tv shows, and movies glori...

31 comments 31 SHORTLIST ⭐️

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“Fir Enough 🌲 ” by PJ Aitken

“Grow up, Jeff! You’re such a wuss! Let’s go a bit further!” Tanya used the whingeing voice her brother made as a kid.Jeff rolled his eyes and conceded to his sister for the millionth time in his life.Trudging through the snowy fields at night to the forest, Walter, Jeff and Tanya were struggling to hold the tools they needed to carry out their annual tradition.“Guys, let’s just chop these ones down as I can’t feel my legs.” whined Jeff, slapping his limbs to see if they were blocks of ice. Tanya and Walter continued ...

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“Head Plant Supervisor ” by Sharon Hancock

He knew what they called him and he didn’t like it: Unemployed Lloyd. True, he’d been out of work for a while; but that’s no reason for insults. Besides, he’d sent out his resume. Even went on a few interviews. He knew his luck would change and they’d be sorry. Lloyd scratched his butt and looked at the clock. He heard the stop-and-go hum of the mail truck and trudged to the door; not bothering to put on ...

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$250

Prize money

244

Contest entries

136

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Apr 01, 2022 EST

Won by Alex Sultan 🏆

Title: buried in saipan

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.

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