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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

“The Last Magician” by Dylan Patrick

Submitted to Contest #176

People nowadays have a habit of romanticizing the past. I’d say this is a bad habit, but with how I think of the first and second millennia A.D. (most commonly referred to as The Witching Years), I have no room to talk. I’ll bet a show’s salary I’m the only one on the planet nostalgic for the times when people would routinely die from easily curable diseases. Wizards were somewhat like an archaic Big Pharma, we not-so-secretly benefit from others’ pain because it benefits us: we give people something to believe in, they strengthen our power ...

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“The Crocodile Master only cries tears at night .” by Leanne Drain

Submitted to Contest #176

The streams flow against the rocks; in and out, they dry their tears, and the water comes from the beast sitting against the rubble. As Goldberg, the green silk beast, cradles his emotion through the wounds of the trees. The mood of the light darkened the air, and Goldberg felt alone. He had left home in a rush that day as his father Edgar left a mark that could not be replaced when Goldberg’s mother died, she left behind a legacy for Goldberg to be the future king; however, even though Edgar was meant to be king, he was only born into that ...

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“My Human Was Gone ” by Katherine Meyer

Submitted to Contest #176

Disclaimer: Contains content regarding epilepsy My eyes fluttered open as the sun glared down at me. Couldn't he grant me 30 winks? Nevertheless, I rose from my bed. I've had my bed since I was just a pup. It used to be filled with white fuzz, but since I turned seven, it has started melting, and the color has faded to brown. The blue rim has a hole from when I chewed through the fabric, with green stuffing pouring out. My bed was warm, and when I stood up, my belly began to freeze as my paws hit the cold floor. I could feel the crevice...

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“Love, Aendryr” by Jesse J

Submitted to Contest #176

Hey, Mom and Dad. It’s been a while since we’ve last seen each other, I know we’ve all been pretty busy with work and life. Could you two stop by for my birthday next week? It would make the day amazing. Love, Aendryr. Their pen scratched blue text onto the piece of aged parchment, working around faint damp stains from the rather poorly-maintained wooden ceiling of the storage room. Every time it rained, no matter if it was just a drizzle, the water somehow found a way to slip through the cracks. They glanced upward at the weather outside...

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“That One Place in the Midstorm” by Izabella C.

Submitted to Contest #176

I ran through the howling wind and it's blinding rain trying to find a solid place to land my feet. Before I knew it I was through a door that flew out at the slight pull of my arm. I began trying to pull it back into its frame so as to not mess the nice mat inside. With the helping hand of another person it closed, I laughed turning to them as we both were soaked. They look down at me, their short cut hair having water dripping down their face. They plaster a soft smile back to me perhaps out of politeness before going back to where they se...

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“The Bringer of Stories” by Anna Frederiksen-Washington

Submitted to Contest #176

The Bringer of Stories Matilda walked slowly along the main street. She was tired after a long day at school and browsed in the shop windows on her way back home. There was not much to get excited about, she knew them all and they always looked the same to her. Today she felt sad. The results from the latest math’s test were not good and she knew her parents would not be happy. It did not help how hard she tried, her marks never seemed to improve. When she came to the corner, she saw an old bus parked by the curb. It was painted in bright...

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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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