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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#176: Magic in the Air

Do you feel that? That almost imperceptible shift you can’t quite place?

Maybe it’s magic. Forces at work right under our noses. Powers we just don’t have the senses to detect — outside what scientists call our “umwelt,” or the slice of the world we’re able to see, hear, and feel.

This week, let your stories be guided by this question: what if, alongside things like electrical fields and infrared waves, there are magical forces in the world that we just can’t perceive?

This week's prompts

Write a story involving a magical potion — which may or may not work.

Fantasy – 58 stories

Start your story with someone witnessing magic from a hiding place.

Fantasy – 52 stories

Cast a magician (a real one, or a party entertainer) as your story’s protagonist.

Adventure – 26 stories

Write a story told from the point of view of an animal.

Kids – 49 stories

Set your story in a magical bookshop.

Fluff – 46 stories

Stories

“George's Great Journey” by Kevin Alphatooni

Submitted to Contest #176

“Okay, George. You be good!” The shout echoed through the house, its haunting message turning my blood to ice. I leaped off the couch and dashed to the entry hall. Where the heck was he going now? I rounded the corner, almost slipping as I skidded across the hardwood floor. My owner waited for me in the open doorway, the fragrant smells of the outside world wafting their way inside. “No. You can't go!” I whined and sat down defiantly before him. He looked down at me, kindly, while a smile stretched across his face. “It’s okay, b...

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“The Horse and the Hare” by Max Russell

Submitted to Contest #176

Horse and Hare spent the morning chasing each other’s tails. Running after each other around the edge of the lake was the highlight of each day, but these days and years were falling into a repetitive pattern. Horse found comfort in his routine, but between Hare’s large ears was a brain that craved more.She savored the moment as she lay against her partner’s massive heart, and then she said what she had to say. “The mages told me I’ve learned all I can from them. There are teachers in the mountains who can show me more, but it means I’ll hav...

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“My Girl” by Brenda Ratliff

Submitted to Contest #176

"Where is she? She is usually here by now, I am going to starve to death!" Freckles paced and fussed in his corral while keeping a close eye on the path. Any minute now she will be coming around the corner. "I think you have a soft spot for the Hay Girl," Violet teased. "You really enjoy her company, it has nothing to do with your rumbling tummy" "You just hush!" Freckles grumbled, "What do you know? you are just a goat!" "I know you get a little hop in your step whenever she is around, you're not the grumpy old fool that you wan...

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“SO THIS CAMEL AND DOG... ” by Debbie Curtin

Submitted to Contest #176

Camel looked around the room to see if he could spot the three wise guys. He knew that they were drawn to this place given the name of it and what went on behind the doors. Glitter and glam was the calling card and it showed all that from the outside. Aptly named, Frank’s Intense Gold ‘n More – Grand Casino and Bar, this is where the three came to play the game since being drawn in a long time ago. Camel’s eyes stopped at the casino table and Dog watched as his friend began to sway, then moved his big lips and noisily make chewing sounds. &n...

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“The Letter of Magic” by Penny Pepper

Submitted to Contest #176

Dear people of the Future, Before we get started I must let you know that whenever you open the letter and read it, take the crystal and hold it in your hand flat and which ever side of it glows is where the magic power plant is. I was not able to finish the job but maybe you can. I’m not sure when you will find this letter, but hopefully soon. You have all heard tales of witches, wizards, warlocks and such. And I’m sure many have wondered or wished about it being real. You might think, ‘oh how I wish this was true’ or ‘what if its true and ...

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“The Hat” by Kevin Quin

Submitted to Contest #176

The Hat It was just a hat. A bowler or derby hat actually. I saw it hanging on a hat stand in Magikat Books and Magic Emporium. I passed by it daily on my way to work. The shop itself was hardly what might be imagined as an emporium. It seemed small and unobtrusive, but the hat fascinated me. But the hat fascinated me so much so much I ventured inside. The shelves of books had no interest, but the hat held my attention. I saw myself wearing it but thought it would bring a smile or even a few derisive comments from my work mates. I tried to p...

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“The Stolen Spell Book” by Christian Cook

Submitted to Contest #176

The rain came down hard, dribbling off the awnings and rooftops like a thousand leaky faucets, splattering pavement along with the rest of the free-falling water from the sky. The light from the streetlamps gave an ugly glare as cars sped by, and the sidewalks were left virtually empty, say for a lone pedestrian with a big black leathery umbrella. She ran across the crosswalk with a bag clutched tight against her chest, trying to protect it from the wind and rain. &nbsp...

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“Stuck Still through Time” by Nil Ayar

Submitted to Contest #176

OK, this cannot be that bad. All I have to do is walk in, just walk inside. A black wooden ivory wall guards the bookshelves lying deep within. Although I haven’t been here for years, I don’t need to open the door to know what is inside. Yet here I am opening it. I am holding the handle, maybe I should run away, it is not too late to run away. But no, here I go, I will open the door. And when I walk in, I will walk in. I will walk in to find seven long bookshelves. The same bookshelves that my father, and his father before him painted and re...

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“I Find Myself Lost in a Good Book” by Savannah Campbell

Submitted to Contest #176

Christine looks at the bookstore in front of her. The space it occupies in the mini mall looks barely bigger than her apartment’s closet. She didn’t expect to find herself at a shop like this when she set out for work earlier in the day. Then again, she’s been experiencing a lot of life events lately that haven’t ended up like she planned. Burning out at work, feeling distant from her friends, her days are becoming progressively more depressing. And there’s nothing I’ve found that stops the pitiful feeling I seem to ...

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“Reunion” by Kyle Bacalzo

Submitted to Contest #176

Ding-a-ling! The bells hanging from the top of the door rang with a swing as she pushed through with her six-foot frame, ducking below to enter the bookshop. She was used to dodging the top of doors by now, all too familiar with the feel and sound of steel, wood, and even plastic frames when they collided with her forehead. She pulled down her hood as she walked in, revealing her blue hair that was in a tight bun, as uniform as her chiseled jaw and curious blue eyes. Some books seemed to be neatly displayed on shelves while others wer...

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“The Book keeper” by Benjamin Okojie

Submitted to Contest #176

The boy sits on the curb of the shop, legs stretching as far as they can reach off the curb, his upper body leaning back while both arms support him from falling on his back. His clothes are full of holes all around them and soaked from last night's storm. Keys clatter in the distance, and the boy swings his head to check the corner for his boss. Nobody yet, crap he thought to himself. He picks himself up hastily and grabs his duffel bag, in there lies his fresh clean uniform. Without hesitation, he throws his duffel bag in the air...

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“All I Can Give” by Michael Krass

Submitted to Contest #176

PROMPTS: Witnessing magic from a hiding place, Write a story involving a magical potion ALL I CAN GIVE by Michael Krass When you were a kid, I took you to the movies. It was about a fairy who lived in the woods but was so small that no one knew she was there. But it was her magic that made the flowers grow. "You leaned over to me," hand in the popcorn bucket, of course, and said, "is that real? no, magic can't be real." I didn't answer because I lost you into the movie again and you never asked that question again and I never b...

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“ArkMan's elusive book” by Sri Vi S

Submitted to Contest #176

Magic or Real She could not tell For she was, A Creature of magic They said. What she saw Was this magic or real That she could tell For that was live and real!! Nyaya was looking for this book from the skies to the earth. The only place left was somewhere out there in space he reflected. This elusive book was somewhere but there were no links nor traces of its location. It was all too simple. His grandfather ArkMan had told him a story from this very book. When Nyaya asked where he could get this book from, his grandfather said he...

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“Ice Cold” by Christopher Biery

Submitted to Contest #176

“‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; the stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.” - Clement Clarke Moore I remember it as clearly as I see you now. Christmas memories tend to stick with you. I was sitting at the top of the stairs peaking down at the tree. It was late. I can’t be sure of the time, but it was well passed my bedtime. That year, I was determined to witness what all children hope for: Santa Claus placi...

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“Plenty of Time” by Autumn Vise

Submitted to Contest #176

Had she known Ish was hiding under the table, she would have gotten him out of the room before agreeing to help with the interrogation. Rosemary knew the moment her familiar walked towards the table in the otherwise barren torture room that the boy was there. Her hands currently gripped the head of the poor idiot who had allegedly stolen from her boss, or so she had been informed in the summons she received. He refused to talk, so she needed to extract the information from him via magic. Yet when Osiris, her gray tabby Maine Coon, left...

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$250

Prize money

231

Contest entries

111

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Dec 16, 2022 EST

Won by Kylah Adams 🏆

Title: I Knew Better

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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