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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#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.

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 – 36 stories

Format your story in the style of diary entries.

Middle School – 53 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 – 39 stories

Stories

“The Yellow Hat” by Casia J

Submitted to Contest #139

5’5”. That’s how tall I was the last time I marked my height on the dining room door frame. Mom used to get mad at my brother and I for making up her good door frame. “Have y’all lost the good part of y’all’s mind!?” she’d exclaim as she watched in horror us having our height war. “Y’all better find some paint and fix it!” So, we did. Every three months at the turn of the seasons my brother and I would mar...

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“The aspiration of a shooting star” by Estella .

Submitted to Contest #139

My childhood was like a cadence, filled with the bases and the trebles. A memorable moment in the ocean of memories was the time when I was marking my height on the door frame during my birthday. 2000 – 115 cm 2001 – 117 cm 2002 – 120 cm 2003 – 124.5 cm Through the lens of an eight-year old’s eye, it felt possible to be an astronaut, delving into the milky way galaxies, or an archaeologist, discovering the ancient bones of mighty creatures who once roamed the earth. “Oh, how much you’ve...

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“NEW HEIGHTS” by Eshawnial Lowry

Submitted to Contest #139

“Grow up.” Two words that meant so much more to me as I attempted to be the man of the house. My fingers brushed down the wooden trim of the doorframe. They came to rest at the three roughly cut lines which had the faded numbers 4’6” written directly above them.“Grow up” was what I did, physically at least. My hand slid back up the oil-darkened door trim. My fingers came to rest at the measurement of 6' my current adult height.I lost my father well before I reached this height. In fact, 4’6” at age eight was the last time my father...

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“ A Mother's Secret Dream is your Destiny” by Tanzaniyah Kash

Submitted to Contest #139

"She said her children will be a Force to be Recon with" Pearl Fisher was born in the middle of a flowing field one golden morning of June sand clay to the Sante Estherville South Carolina.She learned the way her great-grandmother Nin 1894 til she transcended the invisible walls of captivity. Tuesday morning Aug 23 1977 and grandmom Angeline April 15, 1979, an Easter Sunday morning at the same time moments confusion left her life and brought her miraculous sight. The first of 13 gifts born to her parents, a blessing ...

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“New Year's Resolution” by Britt Garman

Submitted to Contest #139

January 1, 2021 I know every New Year millions of people say “this is going to be my year,” but this year is actually going to be my year. What’s different for me? I’m going to make it my year. Yeah, I know that everyone makes a list of New Year’s resolutions that they abandon by the end of February, but this is different. I’ve created a foolproof formula for a New Year’s Resolution that can be held for a full year and I’m already implementing it. Instead of setting a series of specific, measurable tasks to add into my life like ever...

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“Dear Diary” by Charlie Smith

Submitted to Contest #139

Dear diary, today I am turning 12 years old. My mom bought me this diary because she said it would help me learn to write better. She always says my hand writing looks kind of ugly. It used to hurt my feelings, but now I know she is just trying to help me do my very best. When I showed her my poem that I wrote in the first page, she said I need a lot of practice. She didn't tell me if she liked it very much... but I think she just wants me to try harder! Dear diary, it's my sixteenth birthday and I still have this same diary from my twelft...

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“The Buzz” by IRMAK EROL

Submitted to Contest #139

It’s 2am. There is a buzz, as there always is at 2am, a metaphysical one, a buzz that’s not really about half a bottle of red wine and a couple of shots of cheap whiskey that’s been drowned inconsistently of realities of everyday life, more about the consistency of itself regardless of everyday life where it makes one eventually forget. I’m having hiccups as I am typing. Regardless, I managed to finish my cigarette. Have you ever gotten hiccups in the middle of a smoke? It’s a battle. In the bathroom, there are two oversized slugs that ...

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“Dear Diary” by Maria Nasim

Submitted to Contest #139

You must be so confused. Don’t be scared my little bunnies. Answers will be given eventually. This is only the beginning. Slowly everything will be revealed. I will tell you a story of broken people, beautiful people. Don’t you see. They’re still here. They sing and dance to the music. They’re perfect. They’re beautiful. She is so sorry about what she did to them, but there is nothing she can do. Remember this. ~ShadowMan August 1st I moved to a new place, hopefully things will be better here. It’s pretty quiet though. I’m still kind of sad...

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“OH, THE HUMANITY” by Mark Goins

Submitted to Contest #139

"Grow up; that's what I want him to do," Vic growled as he stormed out of the cabin and off the porch, the squall of anger stinging his head and warming his ears. He blinked at the bang of the screen door he slammed for exclamation. "Damn her," he mumbled as he stomped along a path leading into the woods. The morning dew felt cool on his sandaled feet and turned the kicked-up dirt into mud on his toes. How could she bring this up now? This was supposed to be ...

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“Lost” by John Wilson

Submitted to Contest #139

Lost “Grow up,” Logan said as he jogged ahead of the Owen and Vern. “Freedom awaits!” he cried. “Oh, freedom can wait,” Owen replied. Vern nodded, taking the side of his less enthusiastic friend. Logan stopped and looked back at his friends. “Guys, really?” he asked. They both nodded. “Were tired,” Vern said. Logan shook his head. “Runaways can't be tired,” he replied. “We need to be ready to move at any given moment.” Owen took his backpack off and fell to the ground. “Break time,” he muttered. Vern also took off his backpack ...

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“Control” by Megan McCracken

Submitted to Contest #139

“Grow up.” That was a theme you used a lot throughout my years. Each time you spouted something related to those hate-filled words, I felt a piece of my heart vanish, the pang bringing that well-known emptiness never failing to shake me, but I would never dream of crossing you. I learned to know better than that. When I was five, for example, I learned how to swim. You were always a good swimmer, and since you learned from an early age, I needed to as well. You threw me in the pool the moment I closed the gate door. My body shut down...

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“The Scapegoat” by Halle Schaffer

Submitted to Contest #139

“Grow up,” my mom tells me, unfolding my fingers from the box locked tightly in my hands. I fight with little resistance before she pries it from me. The contents rattle, and I let out a cry.“Don’t break them!”“Don’t be silly,” she coos, putting the box on the counter, just out of reach. “They won’t fly away before we get back.”But her words don’t assure me. At six years old in my Sunday school dress, I push my face against the glass of the old Toyota Camry as we pull out from the driveway. In my mind, the figurines rattle in their box, wait...

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“Time to Grow Up! ” by Simone J Fry

Submitted to Contest #139

“Grow up Petra. It's about time to grow up, and become emotionally mature, or you’ll continue to whither and crumble like dried fragile rose petals,” is the last thing he said to me. Can you believe it?! The cheek! What does he think he is, a poet?! Who does he think he’s talking too? I’m 47! He’s 30! I’m old enough to be his mother, almost. Literally speaking I AM OLD enough to be his mother!Perched on the edge of his sickly green couch, I dug my fingernails into its soft corduroy, and starting with a violent simmer, began to boil. Dagger e...

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“Truth About Life: A First-Person Fiction” by Grace Boone

Submitted to Contest #139

Grow up and learn what life is all about. It's not about becoming a famous billionaire to prove something, or about getting the most medals in an Olympic contest. Sure, money is nice, and getting those medals make us feel accomplished. But in the end, all of the gold medals you've won are something to be proud of, but not base your life around. My name is Jason Finn, and I'm a thirty-two-year-old lawyer. When I was growing up, all I wanted to do was prove to my parents that I was a perfect, straight-A student, not some failure with D's and F...

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“Eternal Peace” by Minerva Noiropp

Submitted to Contest #139

This story contains broaches the subject of both rape and child sex abuse from the point of view of the victim. Today, we shall take our magical spyglass and put it to our eye. The eye I speak of is our third one, our spiritual one, the one, that those of us who are in true tune to as creators, allowing us to see parts of a cosmic whole. There are writers out there, who don't use that eye. One can tell when one comes across one of those because they write using Neural-Linguistic Programming to manipulate the reader for a personal agenda. (...

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$250

Prize money

239

Contest entries

135

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.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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