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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#154: The Right Timing

It has come to our attention that Backstreet Boys (you know, the famous boy band from the 90s) recently announced that they'll be releasing a Christmas album. Naturally, this week's prompts are all about timing.

In a rapidly changing world, it can be hard to keep up sometimes. The newest TikTok is old almost as soon as it has gone viral, and trends come and go quicker than the seasons. And yet, some things are timeless classics. Taking inspiration from the ebb and flow of time, here are this week’s prompts:

This week's prompts

Start your story with someone saying, “We’re running out of time.”

Middle School – 77 stories

Write a story about someone who feels increasingly irrelevant.

Sad – 57 stories

Write a story — romantic or not — about two characters who can’t find the right timing.

Romance – 32 stories

Write a story about an object that has been around for centuries or passed down generations.

Kids – 46 stories

Write a story featuring an element of time-travel or anachronism.

Science Fiction – 68 stories

Stories

“I Really Wanna Be With You” by Chanyah Sherrod

Submitted to Contest #154

I Really Wanna Be with You: Short Story As the plane was set to leave Rachel and Lester had one last moment to see each other. “We’re running out time” Lester said “I don’t wanna leave you” Rachel said “I have to go but I’ll never forget about you” Lester said “Lester, I Love you” Rachel said “I love you Rachel” Lester said Rachel is heartbroken that Lester has to leave to go in the Army she was upset because she’s worried that she’ll be alone but like he said he’ll never forget about Rachel wh...

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“Life’s Rushed Thoughts” by Maria Paula Riofrio

Submitted to Contest #154

“We’re running out of time!” Juliet shouted as she directed her words to her lovely cocker spaniel companion, Rocky. “My life seems pretty much numb, I cannot find the right path my dear Rocky what should I do? It’s so frustrating how it feels to be left behind in life, am I right?” Juliet used to give her 12-year-old pal an immersive speech of therapy in her weekly moods and daily tasks in an extroverted but fun manner. The pacing of the days seemed to go slower as her vacation approached an end, and the real-world obligations to enter col...

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“Out of Time” by Angel Vargas

Submitted to Contest #154

This is a speculative fiction piece regarding the recent mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Out of respect for all involved, names have either been ommited, switched or changed. This material is sensitive and may be triggering to some readers. Discretion is recommended. www.lessquestionablenewssource.comOut of Time: The Story of Xavier CuevasBy Hash TaggertIf this is a story about time, we’re out of it.Xavier Cuevas was out of time the day he was shot and killed by law enforcement officers at an Uvalde, Texas elementary ...

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“Farewell, my Love” by Briannah H

Submitted to Contest #154

CW: mentions of death and cancerapologies for any formatting issues, this was copy+pasted from my google docs “We’re running out of time,” she says, her curly grey hair spread over my lap like a rolling fog. “No, we’re not,” I reply, running my hand over her hair, cherishing each winding strand. She amends, “I’m running out of time.” I don’t correct her. I can’t. She had always preferred unalterable truths, brave against reality like a rock standing still and silent against waves t...

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“Used to Be” by Vande Barringer

Submitted to Contest #154

Blip, blip, blip. I stare at my computer screen, desperately hoping the words for the ideas I need to voice will come to me. The cursor flickers over and over on the blank documents glaringly white background. I suppose staring at the blank screen is better than staring at the writing prompts emailed to me a few days ago. How could something so personal, so relatable, be so hard to get out? I snorted, slamming my computer screen. My dogs look up hopeful from their kennels, where I've tucked them away to get five minutes of peac...

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“Finding a New Relevance” by Bob Faszczewski

Submitted to Contest #154

Finding a New Relevance William Skupski opens the microwave door and, once again, spills the hot drink, barely avoiding scalding myself. Such “accidents” interfere in his life far too often and leave him “stuck in first gear” in a world dominated by w...

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“Timing and Relevance in my Life” by Anne-Marie Smith

Submitted to Contest #154

Doing things my way? I always have, the only problem being that everything changes. I have had to perform a range of modifications all my life and this sometimes created complications I still love to complain about. I was spoiled perhaps because the first lifestyle change I encountered appealed to me. It was in the 1970s when as a young woman I was able to do away with skirts and dresses and adopt trousers, shorts or jeans. By then a new fashion had replaced the old style patterned blouse with a p...

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“Possibilities ” by Donna Kennedy

Submitted to Contest #154

PossibilitiesAs I’m driving to the bar to meet my friend, I feel almost embarrassed because I am in a mood. Not a great mood, mind you but one that threatens to rain on any parade I go to. I guess it could be a lingering side effect from my last birthday a week ago. I left my forties behind and stumbled reluctantly into my fifties feeling remarkably like I did on that girl’s trip to Cabo some years ago. It was not pretty by any means especially after topping the evening off by recycling all the Cuervo I had consumed into a waterfall of salt,...

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“That special place in my heart” by Tony Wells

Submitted to Contest #154

Eight years ago We were both only ten years old. We met in Maths class, your first ever lesson in North Carolina – the teacher paired us together because we were both quiet and left without friends. I said hi to you, feeling the most awkward I ever had, and I could feel the tips of my ears go bright cherry red. You smiled a bit and quickly looked back down, almost as if you couldn't bear to hold that expression for any longer. We gradually started to get closer. We started talking for the first time - I found out that you were from Virgini...

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“Different and the Same” by Rebekah Sweeney

Submitted to Contest #154

10 pm. The house is empty. All the lights are off. My parents are still out on their date. My brother has gone home to be with his wife. Kiara is with her boyfriend. It’s just me. I pace back and forth across the kitchen floor, pulling at one of my bright red curls desperately, as if trying to straighten it out. I’d spent the last ten minutes calling friends from high school, just hoping to reignite sparks that I was afraid had all but burnt out. I called six people. All of them either didn’t respond or told me they were with their ...

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“Therapeutic Youth” by Nolan Pieper

Submitted to Contest #154

Tracy looked over her notes from their prior meetings one last time, “Thank you for coming to see me today Oliver. Your mother said you have been a tad distant lately, do you feel the same way?” “Yeah, I guess you could describe it that way, disconnected, insignificant, irrelevant, it is all the same and none of it really matters anyway but that is okay,” said Oliver. “That seems like quite a negative attitude to have about yourself at your age don’t you think?” “Oh I am sorry ma...

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“Hello David” by Lori Boswell

Submitted to Contest #154

Marjorie leaned over the cool metal bedrail and tugged the sheet up and over his gaunt shoulders. Her mind felt less foggy in the early morning hours than at twilight. The evening nurse called it Sundowners Syndrome, and it was the time of day she feared most. It was the dark time between reality and haze. Twilight meant David was disappearing into a vast oblivion she could no longer control. Theirs was a marriage meant to last a lifetime. Developing cataracts only made things worse. It was as though she were viewing life through a clouded c...

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“A Blank Canvas” by Sarese Kirk

Submitted to Contest #154

Hannah looked out the window, wondering how such a sad day could be so beautiful. Besides the heartache she felt, it was a perfect day. The birds are singing to one another, the sky full of oranges and pinks, dancing and intertwining with one another as the sun illuminates them. The warmth of her freshly brewed cup of coffee between her hands, the coconut cream aroma that usually filled Hannah full of life and hope for what the day would bring, except for today. This aroma would fill her with confidence to do what needed to be done. She hope...

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“Convenience 2.0” by Christopher Allen

Submitted to Contest #154

The ding of the bell echoed through the desolate store as a lone customer entered. Samuel gave a subtle nod from behind the check out counter and returned to his half-finished crossword puzzle. He checked his watch. It was seven in the evening and this was the first person to come into Samuel’s convenience store for hours.Samuel let out a bored yawn and closed the newspaper. Newspapers were rare, they only print about fifty copies a day. Mostly as a novelty for people like Samuel, who still found the quaintness of flipping pages charming.&nb...

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“Garden on the Ceiling ” by Castle Marie

Submitted to Contest #154

[CW: Minor use of foul language] I suppose I don’t really remember when I started being the way that I am. Or when I started being in general. Though I have many theories. Thoughts. Ideas…That I was brought here. By another being. Entity! Energy? Oh, energy. I miss having that. Now all I have are memories of energy. Is your skin ever itchy? But, it’s not your skin. It’s more, underneath. Much deeper than your skin. Beyond your flesh. Fresh avocados! That’s what I neede...

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$250

Prize money

280

Contest entries

112

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jul 15, 2022 EST

Won by Suma Jayachandar 🏆

Title: Moonlight and Madness

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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