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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

“Dogenberg Kings Castles” by John Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #156

“What are you, bloody French?” said the man standing across from June. “I am neither bloody nor French,” said June, pointing a standalone eraser at the man. “Now who are you and how did I get here?” “Dost thou not know me?” said the man, looking like a penguin in his 16th century getup. “For what hapt hath been for to see, beheld.” “You kiss your mother with that mouth?” “Ma mere?” “Yes, ta mere. Now who are you, and what is your name?” “Yes, for I am hence the burliest, the bravest, without behest of burlesque or a questioning hypochondria....

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“Alternate Reality” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #156

There is a story in the news about a gruesome murder and I left to wonder if I am responsible. Having returned from an alternate reality, my hands and clothes are covered in blood. Removing the gaming device that I have used to transport me to that other reality, my mind is racing my heartbeat and I'm not sure which one will win the race and when the winner is declared, will I still be in this reality? . Collapsing in my chair, I search my consciousness for answers I know I will never find. I am aware of the clock tic...

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“My Name is Ben” by Megat Shah Rizal Noor Ikhsan

Submitted to Contest #156

The end of another long day. I look forward to sitting back, relax with my feet up doing absolutely nothing. But first things first. I need to drop by at my favourite watering hole, The Whistling Fox. It is not very far from where I work just a 20 minutes walk. The sun is coming to a close as I walked past familiar sights, familiar streets. 10 minutes away I should be nursing my favourite drink. I need it. I need it badly. 5 minutes. I am coming up to that banged up mail box. I wonder why no one ever got around to fix it. The door is bar...

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“Wavelengths” by Glenn Holt

Submitted to Contest #156

My name is Ahtlanta (pronounced Ought-Lawn-Tuh). I am your reality guide, teacher, revealer, fellow traveler on these life meridians. Just as Einstein said there is a space-time continuum not separate space and time, so is the Realituum which some call might call the multiverse. At least two realities always exist side by side in time space. There are many tools to see these truths, these alternate realities. Your vision focuses through your mind not through your eyes. Lifeforce controls your mind not logic. Logic can help but when presented...

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“A Moment In Reflection” by Dan Kirshtein

Submitted to Contest #156

Bill drove through his neighborhood and wondered if it should feel different. He rolled down his windows, curious if he would hear people cheering, or nature thriving louder than usual. But he didn’t. It was the same as it had always been, which was more unnerving than anticipated. The song on the radio ended, making way for the same PSA he’d heard a dozen times today. “It’s a small price to pay for the safety of our reality.” A woman’s soothing voice was followed by a man’s firm statement. “And it’s the right thing to do.” Bill ro...

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“The Woman with No Name” by Rebecca Terenzoni

Submitted to Contest #156

Warning: contains vulgar language Her mind was ripping into pieces. She squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated on her deep breathing exercises. Even though she was sitting in her MotorInn’s motel room, and she felt the cheap comforter against her body, and heard the air conditioner humming in the window, and smelt the artificial citrus scented cleaner that they used to cover up those other smells (in God’s name, what were those other smells), she felt like she was caught halfway in a dream. She couldn’t be positive if it was her beds...

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“Comet Pizza” by Alyssa Reed

Submitted to Contest #156

Mentions of drugs, kidnapping, sexual violence/trafficking Comet Pizza Word Count: 2218 “My sister’s name is Charlotte. She loves pizza, crop tops, and she has blonde hair. She’s out there somewhere, so please–if you see something, anything, please let us know. I just want my sister back.” Charlotte went to Comet Pizza with three of her friends Friday night. That was two days ago. And she hasn’t come back. It wasn’t like going to Comet was out of the ordinary. It was a regular thing–she and h...

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“Out of Print” by Cindy Strube

Submitted to Contest #156

Out of PrintHe was an unobtrusive character, one you wouldn’t look at twice if you passed him in the street.Drab and mousy, outfitted in neutral tones, he was just a wisp of a fellow. You might describe him as shadowy, furtive, ephemeral. His tweed overcoat, an odd blend of tan and grey, lent him the illusion of bulk. Where its collar — turned up at the back of his neck against the wind — met the back of his moleskin cap, there was a suggestion of almost colorless hair.Though young, he had an appearance at once world-weary and otherworl...

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“The Ressurection” by Johanna Parry

Submitted to Contest #156

“Don’t you remember?” “I remember.” “I remember it as if it happened today.” She leaned into the conversation, careful not to allow her body to come too close. Her skin felt its hair follicles starting to vibrate. The woman continued telling her story to the child. “He was sobbing. He strolled across the landscape with her body hanging limp over his shoulder. With every step he took - the ground trembled, and a member of her body dropped onto the earth behind him. Every time a limb, or body part hit the ground - a sacred site emerged in ...

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“Nana, Remember Please” by Shringi Diva Vikram

Submitted to Contest #156

“Don’t you remember, Nana?” Her face was shining with hope and perspiration. Her mad multi-coloured glasses just managed to stay on her nose as she rested her little body across her grandfather’s twitching stomach. “Oh, oh, oh! Beti, the pain, Nana’s tummy–” said Nani in panicked Hindi. Samara leaned back very slightly. Her grandfather’s hand had flailed and latched onto her wrist. His eyes were shut. He couldn’t see that he’d bent her fingers back uncomfortably. Samara’s eyes watered. She held them resolutely wide. She inhaled del...

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“The Library Book” by Karen C

Submitted to Contest #156

Author's Note: This story alludes to a real children's book - I've noted the Title and Author of that book in the comments below.********************“Don’t you remember?”He looked up at me with big eyes. “No. That’s why I’m asking you.”He had a good point, if I had been a librarian for any number of years over zero. Unfortunately for him, however, today was my first day. And I had no idea what I was doing.I looked down at the big stack of books in my arms that I had been instructed to shelve, and then over at my tiny petitioner. “Okay,” I s...

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“I lied I meant to kill myself” by Sambulo Kunene

Submitted to Contest #156

It was a cold winter that season. One of the coldest yet. My family and I had just moved from the city to the ends of the world because my father had been jailed for trying to embezzle millions of dollars of retirement investments. A small unassuming man with good manners who always looked down and had no scrupples was infact working day and night to put bread on the table for his family. Me, myself and I in my mind. I was an only child. My mom had no time for me only for her good looks. My dad worked day and night and we rarely saw him. My ...

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“Liar” by Danielle Jumper

Submitted to Contest #156

“I used to work at Sander’s Grocery too,” Ian said. I had grown used to Ian’s constant lying about everything. They weren’t even big lies, like insisting his dad is the Duke of York. Ian lied about dumb stuff, like he forgot to do his chemistry assignment for Professor Mandelwood because his dog wanted to go for a walk, and his dog hadn’t been outside all day, so Ian felt sad and wanted to take Pepper for a walk, and also, Ian didn’t have a dog. “My roommate’s dog,” Ian clarified. “That’s what I meant.” “George doesn’t have a dog eith...

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“The Greatest Dog in the World” by Marty B

Submitted to Contest #156

Sometimes it takes meeting someone in need, before I can appreciate what I have. I learned one day that you can meet someone with more than enough, and that can work too. It was back when I got my first dog. Now I wouldn't call myself a cat person, but I did not think of myself as a dog person either. However, after my sister moved in with her asthmatic boyfriend, I got her dog, Connor, a beagle mainly, with some terrier mixed in. Connor was a poor excuse for a dog, scared of its own shadow, and had a weird habit of twisting around...

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“Very thoughtful of you” by Bat Shit Lazy

Submitted to Contest #156

He looked at her and knew she was a kind soul. He pretended to have dropped his glasses next to her. While he bent down to pick them up, the flurry of commotion got her attention and their eyes met. Jason smiled and introduced himself, "Hey, I'm Fred, short for Friedrich actually. Nice to meet you". A sudden wave of disappointment washed over his head, "this will not get me anything? Hmm, but let's see if she suspects that I made the name up when she sees I'm reading Friedrich Nietzsche's 'Beyond Good and Evil'" and the dismay turned into an...

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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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