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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#149: Of Stranger Things

After its much-awaited release last week, the fourth season of Stranger Things has taken the world by storm. First aired in 2016, this television show stars a group of D&D-loving kids and unlikely heroes in a topsy-turvy world. Its creators took inspiration from many classic thrillers, and the show has in turn been influencing writers to write Stranger Things books.

Whether you’ve been swept up by this sensational show or not, I hope my Stranger Things-inspired prompts can propel you into a story of your own this week:

This week's prompts

Write about a character who is trying to convince others to play a game.

Kids – 20 stories

Start your story with the flickering of a light.

Kids – 98 stories

Write about two people who form a bond with each other through music.

Middle School – 46 stories

Set your story in a town that’s teetering on the edge of something dark, literally or metaphorically.

Dystopian – 50 stories

Write a story about an unlikely group (or pair) of friends.

Middle School – 43 stories

Stories

“The Chill” by The Cantina

Submitted to Contest #149

The shadows danced along the wall as the flame flickered, mildly illuminating the darkened form in front of Magnus. This quadrupedal beast slumped over the corpse of its recent prey, he watched it in fear, feeling the freezing sweat flow down the top of his head. No, it's not a beast. Beasts are the lions and bears held in the colosseum. This was not that. This was a creature of fear. A monster. The crimson stained fur twitched as the flesh of its victim ripped from their bone by its rabid drooling jaws. Magnus’s feet were rooted to the grou...

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“The light and The Photograph” by Scott McCully

Submitted to Contest #149

In the stuffy archives of a museum there hangs a flickering light. It must be understood that the bulb is not faulty, nor is the wiring to blame. Every electrician, handy-man and janitor that has dared to answer the mystery of the flickering light has failed in the attempt. The light is little more than an oddity, something the staff ignore as they busy themselves with their daily work. Sometimes the light will brighten, sometimes it will slowly dim until the glow of the bulb's filament can barely be seen at all. To most, the light is of l...

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“Nuclear Silence” by Irene Ivy

Submitted to Contest #149

The lights on the roof of the tour bus flickered on and off as we slowed to a stop. I kept my eyes focused on the cloudy light covers until I heard the clearing of a throat, suggesting I join the rest of the group. I stepped off the last rusted step and onto the hard, frozen ground of the place my ancestors lived and died; Ukraine. The starting location for our nighttime tour of Chernobyl and the commemorative memorial was not quite what I expected. The bus discarded me and my companions in front of the Cafe Pripyat, where nature had reclaim...

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“The Dragon and The Raven.” by Eric Falvey

Submitted to Contest #149

The light from the rising sun flickered through the slits in his cheap motel blinds. The gentle breeze flowing through the open window pushed the blinds forward, creating a fluttering, rhythmic clattering as they bounced off the plaster walls bordering the window frame. He opened his eyes, softly groaning as the harshness of the light collided with his whiskey-soaked blue eyes, which were suffering the effects of his nightly ritual. He slowly sat up, blindly reaching for the nearly empty bottle of Hibiki Japanese whiskey he used as sleep aid...

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“The Harrowing Path” by Karen Leidy

Submitted to Contest #149

The Harrowing Path Other than the peculiar, transitory, flickering amber light that I beheld prior to my bicycle ride (it danced in the air at the threshold of the trail), there was no warning, no foreboding, no premonition of the trials and tribulations in store for me on that crisp, blustery day. The spurious, minacious stygian clouds coursed across the skies with the appearance of cumulus stratus fingers that appeared to reach for me—digits that could have extricated me from my parlous, unremitting state of existence. Any second, I fe...

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“Music is Life” by Amy Ravenscraft

Submitted to Contest #149

(The following story contains thoughts about dying and dealing with death. Some readers may find the topic difficult.) I am in the hospital again, hopefully for the last time. Each stay gets a little longer and leaves me more spent. I barely have the energy to breathe. People often say they are bone-tired. These people have no idea. I had no idea. Who could imagine a fatigue so complete that seeing, hearing, and breathing would require one to conserve energy to attempt the effort. The drugs have allowe...

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“Of Brandy Bottles and Garden Tools” by Leticia Mooney

Submitted to Contest #149

Of Brandy Bottles and Garden ToolsHe was the best bass player in town. The best bass player, but the nicest guy. And a stage personality that put the show-offs of 80s hair metal to shame.After a series of disasters with his existing bassist, from having to play as a three-piece thanks to angry tantrums, bar chicks who were threatened, chairs thrown, Shannon was left without a bass player. Danger was good, but it was hard to tell how much of the bass he played and how much of it was just fiddling. Play a bit, fiddle with knobs. Play a bit, fi...

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“Betrayed revenge ” by Zoe Amos

Submitted to Contest #149

It started as an act of revenge. An act that was meant to evoke jealousy. Johan had not only broken my heart but ripped it out of my chest and then went even further by shredding it to pieces. I was gutted. My confidence was in tatters. Even though I was now an educated, independent, and a successful businesswoman, this betrayal exposed the part of me that was broken. All of my achievements were overshadowed by the darkness of my past. The memories that still haunted me some nights. I recalled the lyrics "Where do you go to my love...

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“Love at First Harmony” by Cydney Rose

Submitted to Contest #149

Emery Dallos. There she is, appearing from behind the curtains to take her place on the stage. I take a sip from my martini glass, seeing that none of my friends surrounding the circular table have halted their conversation or taken notice of her upcoming performance. Currently, they seem to be engrossed in a conversation regarding suit fabrics and forbidden affairs. For all the times I’ve questioned why they got married in the first place only to have their head turned by every woman they pass, they’ve laughed in my face as if I asked the m...

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“Connect the Freckles” by Michael Jefferson

Submitted to Contest #149

Everyone has a motivator who possesses the raw energy of a cattle prod placed in their naughty bits. Katherine O’Donnell was my cattle prod. We met in the third grade when I was a stuttering, insecure, buck-toothed bookworm hoping to find anonymity in the school chorus. I figured I’d been found out as a vocal imposter when our music teacher, Mrs. Herbert, stood next to me with her head cocked in my direction. &...

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“Five Years” by T D Crasier

Submitted to Contest #149

It has been an embarrassing, five, long years since I had retuned to my place of birth. A small, impoverished district of South London, confused by pockets of gentrification but with the suggestion of wanton neglect. Mostly caused by the selling-off of the council houses to greedy housing associations, the generations that were born and bred here, are pushed out to housing estates further afield and the aspirational are forced to buy up, and invade wider London, due to ever-increasing house prices.I’m paying a visit to my ageing parents, who...

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“In Town for the Weekend” by Sabrina Smith

Submitted to Contest #149

Cerulea has always been a town that is known for how friendly and kind the people are. Always willing to help a neighbor or give directions to a stranger. Usually once you start a conversation with someone new you end up realizing you have a mutual friend, or a friend of a friend, or you know their cousin's girlfriend's hairdresser, etc. You live near downtown which is always bustling with business people, college students, families, etc. It’s comforting knowing if you need anything you just have to ask. Until the weekend hits. Your ...

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“The Perfect Curse” by Christina Farella

Submitted to Contest #149

Kensington Park was the kind of place that was photographed for newsletters, where every pearly white shuttered home had grass of no more than a height of one inch. The small, close knit town rallied around their local high school, and everyone knew everyone. In a town full of bake sales, coffee shops, and football games, no one could have suspected the darkness that would soon consume this perfect little town. Rainden high school housed every walk of life you could imagine, the jocks, the school nerds, the band geeks, the goths, the cheerle...

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“The Sleepy Stream” by Troy Chavez

Submitted to Contest #149

Mark Twain despised weather, but weather must have rained on him like a blitzkrieg of fire and hell and fury. Even a storm brings cleansing peace after the clouds dissipate. Weather is weather… and on this night it poured like it usually did on this time of year. The water filled the stream’s veins, and they flowed like a rushing army into battle. The troupe of three, daughter, father, and son mushed over the muddy bank. The water dropped from the trees above and tapped onto the father’s hat. “Papa… do you think we’ll find Sherpa?”“Not ...

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“Uninvited Guests” by Katelyn Bullock

Submitted to Contest #149

Uninvited Guests by Katelyn Bullock It was a conventional summer day. It was bright and the sun was shining like it had just swallowed a bunch of light bulbs.Tim and his two parents were helping the movers clear out the big, white truck and place down the furniture.“ Why don’t you go explore Tim? It will be a good opportunity to get used to the new house.” Said Tim’s mom.Tim wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to get out of working. “Fine I guess.” Said Tim, rolling his eyes. He sludged up the staircase and caught himself...

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$250

Prize money

256

Contest entries

123

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 10, 2022 EST

Won by Katy B 🏆

Title: How to Win a Game of Chess Without Really Trying

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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