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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#156: The Mandela Effect

Nelson Mandela was an enormously influential figure in world history: the first president of a new democratic government, South Africa’s first Black head of state, and a global icon of democracy and activism.

This week, our prompts delve into a lesser-known phenomenon that his legacy also sparked. Despite the iconic leader dying in 2013 at the age of 95, many people worldwide vividly recall news coverage announcing Mandela’s death in the 1980s. This mystery led to the coining of the term “the Mandela Effect”, or a memory that is falsely shared by multiple people.

From famous quotes that were never spoken (Vader never actually said “Luke, I am your father”), to facts we swear have changed over time (many recall being taught there were 52 US states, not 50), there are countless examples of the Mandela Effect out there. This week’s prompts explore this weird world of false memories, alternate universes, and all things strange.

This week's prompts

Write about two characters arguing over how a past event happened.

Sad – 34 stories

Write a story where a character is experiencing parallel realities.

Science Fiction – 65 stories

Write about false news coverage of an important event.

Nonfiction – 17 stories

Start your story with a character or a narrator saying, “Don’t you remember?”

Middle School – 59 stories

Write a story about a pathological liar.

Dark – 37 stories

Stories

“Monkey Bars” by M Atwood

Submitted to Contest #156

“Don't you remember the playground?”I didn't expect an answer, and already knew the one I was going to get, but Amelia humored me anyway.“I don't know, dude, which one?”I just shrugged, focusing my attention on the stacks upon stacks of film photos I had yet to develop. I had a pile going, ones from dad’s old camera, ones from my old disposables, and ones that had yet to be claimed. Amelia took my silence as me dropping the subject, only nudging my shoulder and reminding me not to stay up too late before our history project before slipp...

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“Don't You Remember” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #156

“Don’t you remember? Can you even see when you are sleepwalking?”“I am trying to remember officer, but it is difficult. My eyes can see when I sleepwalk, but I am not really very aware of what is around me. My mind generates images that my eyes don’t actually see. I once fell down the stairs in my sleep, picked myself up, and headed back to bed. When I awoke I was quite surprised by the blood on my pillow. My mother wasn’t though. She had heard me fall, got up and apparently she guided me back to bed, and washed...

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“Fading Away” by Edina Lancz

Submitted to Contest #156

"Don’t you remember? Mum, just last week you were telling me how bad it was. I told you stop complaining because it was ages ago, but you wouldn’t. And now this. Why?" I was flabbergasted. What does she mean she can’t remember it? This was not a fun street party or a nice walk in the zoo. Nor was it a one-time thing. It happened so many times that we lost count. Dad spent the day in the pub, then came home and beat us all up with his slipper or belt. He was angry when he was drunk, which pretty much meant all the time. Loud noises were so co...

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“Don’t you remember?” by Joana Burrows

Submitted to Contest #156

“Don’t you remember?” “I remember.” “Well, we suffered. I’m not going to say it was a wonderful and terrible time all at once. It wasn’t. It was just plain terrible.” “It wasn’t that bad.” “Yes, it was. You had postpartum depression, you could barely get up from bed at one point. You do remember you had to stop breastfeeding, right? Remember why?” “Okay, so I needed a few happy meds to help me a little.” “Antidepressants, Heather, strong ones.” “But I really want another baby.” “No, you don’t. You just want the ‘happy f...

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“The Forgotten Night” by Aditi Bhowmick

Submitted to Contest #156

“Don’t you remember?” ….“The things that were done to you?”….“The things that were done to us?” …“Please don’t kill me…. please….”..Beep…. beep…. beep…beep……Pain was all he could feel as soon as he opened his eyes. Every part of his body was in pain. Every inch of his hands, his legs, his back, his head, his heart….However, other than the pain, he could feel a pair of green eyes on him. A pair of orbs he instantly felt a connection with. “Who are you?” His voice was a whisper, a sound that the other could only hear.The owner o...

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“The Redemption of Calvin Bushytail” by Richard Thompson

Submitted to Contest #156

Don’t you remember the story of Calvin Bushytail? You don’t? That’s odd, considering it was on the front page of every major squirrel news website just recently. What? Yes, of course squirrels have news websites. What kind of question is that? Okay, fine, I’ll tell you the story, but please pay attention, because I’ll only tell it once; you should probably put your phone down for this.First off, you should know that hardly anything newsworthy ever happens in Squirrel Town. After all, it’s not a hustling and bustling metropolis like Squirrel ...

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“Supper” by Kayla Marie

Submitted to Contest #156

“Don’t you remember?!” She took some potatoes out the bag and slowly started cutting them into thin slices. “I told you to be home by five so you can help me make supper!” “Sorry mom” I walked in the kitchen and placed the jar of goblin eyes on the table. “I went to get snacks with my friends afterschool and lost track of time.” “Never mind - at least you’re home now. Go downstairs and get the human from the dungeon so we can cook it.” “Ok, I’ll be right back.” I popped one more goblin eye into my mouth before leavi...

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“LIE LIES and DAMN STATISTICS” by Brian Bywater

Submitted to Contest #156

LIES LIES DAMN the STATISTICS “You are wrong. It is an urban myth, it did not actually happen that way.” “That shows how much, or how little would be closer to the truth, you do know. I spoke to Roland yesterday, He should know, he owned the crocodile farm we are talking about.” “You are telling me Roland Somerville agrees with the version you insist on repeating ad nauseam. What you have to understand is Roland has never told the truth in his life. If you grasp that fact, you might just change your opinion. The ‘couldn’t lie str...

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“Bryant and Mistakes on Planet Aquaria” by Bon Jourdy

Submitted to Contest #156

"If that's what really happened, I would have never asked you to marry me!" Bryant's grip on the doorknob tightened. The angular cuts of his deep green, scaled suit hardly moved as his shoulders tensed. His voice sounded heavy and gravelly like rocks in a tumbler. "Well it's a little too late for that don't you think?" Jayna couldn't keep the annoyance out of her voice. It's his fault they were in this mess. She would have figured things out on her own sooner or later, but here comes Bryant with the same bullshit scheming that got him in t...

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“Honey Man Dan - Part 1 (2nd book in series)” by Jerell Potts

Submitted to Contest #156

Honey Man Dan I’m always afraid to touch it. I’m always afraid until I lay a finger flat down on its wavy tube. Neon lights always looked like frozen glow-in-the-dark worms to me from when I was a kid. My mid-aisle seat 20s aren’t any different. I still tap this sign every time I pass it, almost expecting one to thaw out and crawl on me. I just knew it would jump on My hand, wrecking my scream record. Outward emotion came to me like a forgotten birthday–the planning part of it all wasn’t a quality that showed up for...

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“The anti-mirror from Stalin's secret bedroom” by Nicolae Dumitru

Submitted to Contest #156

The anti-mirror from Stalin's secret bedroom The wrought-iron gates of the British Embassy in Moscow opened slowly and quietly, giving way to the four-wheeled "monster" - ZIL KARATEL Ansyr (ZIL PUNISHER Anti-Gradient) - belonging to Russian special armed forces. The military vehicle turned right, towards the New Arbat, going parallel to the bank of the Moscow River. Inside it, which looked like a spaceship, not as a land vehicle, were four people. In the front seat, to the right of the driver (a li...

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“The Residue” by Agnieszka Baczkowska-Maśluszczak

Submitted to Contest #156

THE RESIDUE “Trillionaire – how does that sound, huh?” Samson Heitt said to his assistant. She flicked her long black hair back and sighed. His blubbery butt rested on the edge of her desk. She hated that. “It sounds impossible,” she said. He paid her extra to tell him the truth. When you’re rich nobody tells you the truth anymore. “Nothing is impossible when you’re intelligent,” Samson chuckled. Hannah looked at him. Samson Heitt wasn’t intelligent. He was just greedy enough to use every trick in the book, like all modern monopolists. He wa...

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“Behind Closed Doors” by Amy Ingram

Submitted to Contest #156

This story explores the topic of coercive control.Nayla hesitated at the door, wondering if he was asleep and if she should wake him. She took a deep breath and poked her head into the dim bedroom, stuffy with night-long breath.‘Jimmy and I are just off to the Franklins to pick up Ben,’ she said. ‘I’ve done scrambled eggs this morning, I didn’t have time for bacon. I’ve left yours in the warmer.’‘You’ve what? I don’t believe this!’‘I’ve got to be there by nine, they’ve got the builders starting then. I just didn’t have time, surely it doesn’...

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“Death's-Head” by Ron Davidson

Submitted to Contest #156

(T/W Gore, Death, Animal Abuse)The microscope’s image was blurry and neither coarse nor fine adjustment was bringing it into focus. My eyes were strained and completely exhausted. I pushed my hands against the lab table and sent myself rolling backwards in my chair. I laid my head back and rubbed at my eye sockets with the back of my gloved hands. The white-walled sterile environment and bright LED lights above sent my head swimming. Suddenly feeling sick, I jumped up and headed to the lab’s exit. I slapped my h...

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“Dark Side of Winchester Cathedral” by Cody Cooper

Submitted to Contest #156

Estate sale shopping, despite the morbid reason why the sale was happening in the first place, was a weekly Saturday ritual for Marcus. Even though he is just 17 years old, Marcus knew he could travel these estate sales to find the great deals from families needing cash just to pay their relative’s debts or just wanting to get rid of anything reminding them of their loved ones. Either way, with estate sales, the seller was desperate, and Marcus was eager to pounce. Marcus looked through the rows of goods laid out upon the driveway, with a ...

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$250

Prize money

212

Contest entries

93

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jul 29, 2022 EST

Won by Sjan Evardsson 🏆

Title: We/I

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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