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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#174: Evolution

On November 25th, 1859, Charles Darwin published his groundbreaking book, On the Origin of Species. The idea of evolution was controversial; to claim that the world wasn’t unchanging and had not always been the same chafed against human ideals of perfection. But as we well know, nothing in life is truly static.

In the spirit of this anniversary, this week we want to explore evolution and new discoveries; because sometimes change can be terrifying, but it can also be freeing.

This week's prompts

Write a story where someone says, “Everything is changing.”

Dramatic – 59 stories

Write about two old friends meeting for the first time in years.

Adults – 60 stories

Write a story about someone coming to terms with how different they are from their younger self.

Angst – 49 stories

Write about someone whose desire to constantly improve something borders on obsessive.

Dramatic – 25 stories

Write a story about a brilliant scientist making a startling discovery.

Science Fiction – 45 stories

Stories

“Love and Loss, Begotten Before Battle” by Graham Kinross

Submitted to Contest #174

TW: Swearing and mention of violence. Long after the dust of the enemy had blown away the blank eyes of friends and comrades stared into the sky. Sir Danielle Longbow laid them side by side. The dead outnumbered the living. Merciless sun beat down on silent survivors. Shame kept Danielle’s head low as she carried scorched soldiers to lie in rank with the rest. Though they had held their own and beaten back an army of undead, the Nameless Knights had been decimated. Among them was Sir Lachlan Donaldson, a flame haired menace who’d ...

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“Coming Of Age” by Daniel Fernandes

Submitted to Contest #174

Coming of age is such a way to engross the mind. Think about life in general but swallow the pride. I can't help but face choices that can't divide. Living and dying, forgetting they coincide.Enervated and in my dotage. I swam through the river because there was no bridge. I didn't want to drown because there are reasons to live. Upset those that hate but respect who forgive. In a desolate home with time and patience. Love comes to visit with karma as surveillance. In my bed, stretched out with my thoughts veracious. Angry, then calm, t...

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“Insurmountable” by Amanda Lieser

Submitted to Contest #174

Cynthia awoke Friday morning, tired. She had spent the night before at the bar, flirting with anyone who would look her way before guzzling wine from a box and stuffing her face with brownies while flipping through old yearbooks. Her pounding head and cotton filled mouth punished her for her sins.Cynthia stumbled from the warm embrace of her bed to the bathroom, threw open the medicine cabinet, and dropped two aspirin tablets in the water glass to her right. She watched it bubble and sizzle with a certain sense of satisfaction. She threw her...

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“The past is never dead. It’s not even past” by Marty B

Submitted to Contest #174

***Themes of sexual violence*** There is nothing like a dead body to bring two people together. “I am not the right person for this- shouldn’t we just call the police?” I leaned into Julie. She didn’t give me the time of day in high school, but now 20 years later, we were as thick as thieves after discovering the murder victim. “Greg, you can help us here. We had to cancel the reunion party. If you could figure out who did this, maybe we can hold it again.” Julie pleaded. “And no one really liked Tony, I mean except you-”...

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“Everyone has a small business nowadays ” by Sophie Maree

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #174

(contains swearing)A piece of advice: Keep your passion as a hobby. //What time?….. opens 9:00am…“Babe.”emails…coupon…“Babe.”A nudge pulls me up out of my dream.“You were talking again.” Quick check of phone. Painfully bright screen reads 5:42am“Sorry. I’ll get up.”“It’s too early, Jess.”I get up anyway. More time to work. It’s raining outside. I love when it rains because it makes me feel less guilty about staying home all day. Even though I’m technically at work. Check outside front door. No package. The boiling ke...

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“ Last Seen on the Corner of Melonbee and Fig” by Liv Chocolate

Submitted to Contest #174

Stop looking for me, Vivian. I command you. Your efforts are futile and beginning to border on idiotic. I can no longer stand it—watching you and your makeshift search crew of suburban moms pace up and down Melonbee and Fig Street, looking for the very being who terrorized you for years.With my omniscient feline eye, I'm aware of everything happening in this and every moment—the neon green LOST CAT signs stapled to the necks and torsos of the weeping cherry trees; your Lululemon-clad troop of PTA moms flooding every rosebush with t...

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“British Isles 1819” by Savannah Wagner

Submitted to Contest #174

British Isles 1819 Dear Diary, This is my 831st try with the time machine. Each experiment before was beneath my touch. I am cock-sure that my calculations have been nothing less than accurate. After a belated cup of tea and stroll around the pond I have concluded that my scientific research of kinetic energy will surpass anything anyone here, especially in London, can overcome. The testing of such a device I will endeavor. Furthermore, I wish myself luck. Yours truly G.A.T. New York City 2022 “I got my 23 and Me results!” Said ...

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“So Yesterday” by Amanda Chan

Submitted to Contest #174

"I swear sixteen was yesterday, but now I'm closer to twenty eight," I hear my sister Britney singing the lyrics from some new Instagram reel trend in the bedroom next to mine. "You turned sixteen just yesterday," I mutter. Britney has an amazing voice, and I think she can make it to the big record companies one day. One day, I’ll be in the crowd waving glow sticks and huge posters for her as she blasts out those original pop tunes. I am jealous of her, because I don’t have a special talent that everyone can admire. For now, even though ...

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“A Sappy Love Story ” by Edward Kennedy

Submitted to Contest #174

A fire crackles in the fireplace as the wind howls by the windows, sounding like a lovesick spirit mourning over a broken heart. A large red candle sits by the window; its flame, though burning deep inside the candle after all the years of use, still fights against the drafty window. White curtains hang halfway down the window and sway in ghostly manner from the same unseen force. Candles litter the small cabin, providing just enough light to comfortably see and just soft enough to allow the shadows a stage on the walls to dance. An old gran...

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“She is a Constellation ” by Rowan Hilden

Submitted to Contest #174

It began, as many beginnings do, with light. A blinding, burning flame. A spark, an explosion, the birth of a universe. A question posed with cosmic certainty - she already knows the answer - of who &n...

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“Strangers with a couple memories” by Greta Bonati

Submitted to Contest #174

As much a stranger as any one person on the subway. Still the memories radiate the familiarity of her eyes. Just like that I felt myself within the comfort of those eyes. Just like that my body forgets how to behave or rather if it should behave. It’s been years now. Even so, the rip in my memories remains unfulfilled. She looks away as if all those years had never occurred. She finds a seat by the window. Puts headphones in her ears and looks away. I walk down the aisle and weakly whisper a ‘hey’ when I pass by her row. Sh...

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“The King of Xanadu” by Delbert Griffith

Submitted to Contest #174

Grit and Balloon made their way back to the camp after a morning of panhandling at the corner of the service road of I-10 and Huebner. Grit, especially, liked this corner and often fought to defend his territory. It was a prime area for panhandling; the motorists were good for about $30 before 2:00 P.M. This was quitting time and Grit never deviated from his God-given right to panhandle until 2:00 and then drink himself silly the rest of the day. It was all different now, though. Grit had recently become the leader of the camp, the man they ...

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“The Bikini Barista” by Russell Mickler

Submitted to Contest #174

“Hey, Simone,” I said. “Sorry I’m late.” I blew my nose in the tissue and sat in the chair. “Hi, Reed. It’s good to see you again! Looks as if you’re under the weather?” I stuffed the used tissue into my jean pocket. “Yeah, can’t shake this head cold. Isn’t COVID or RSV; I got my test results back this morning. It’s just the damn flu.” Simone smiled empathetically. “Still feel up for it today? We could always reschedule?” “Nah, nah,” I said, waving her off. “I’m good. Let’s get going.” “Well,” Simone offered, “we could start with work?” “Ugh...

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“Melancholic Acceptance” by Shaynuh Sloane

Submitted to Contest #174

The hardest thoughts and deepest pain come from the thought of unattainable loss. I lay here in the same bed that my water broke, unable to let it go because I don’t want to remove the piece of her that I had left. My ability to perform stillness on my beige linen sheets was perfect as I straightened out my back against my queen sized mattress and began the journey addiction by scrolling through my cell phone. Like every other night for the past 347, I find pictures of her that I’ve stored in a folder hidden in my photo...

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“The Good times of Grandle street ” by Triangle Nightmares

Submitted to Contest #174

Grandle Street(West Virginia) 1977The laughter of children playing and running. The chatters of rumors activities, drama take place here at Grandle street. The news from the radio outside some ones porch documents the release of the new balance brook shoes. The community was as a whole working together making it a better place, and John our protagonist is now a teenager and as a normal teenager he went bowling with his friends, and after a while took a trip to the arcade. These were normal things teenagers would do in the 70's. The only cycl...

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$250

Prize money

238

Contest entries

96

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Dec 02, 2022 EST

Won by Sam Porter 🏆

Title: Playing God

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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