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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#185: Hoarding Away

Much like dragons, people love a good hoard. Whether it’s money, objects, or even people, collecting can be a hobby — or an obsession. Our collections might be a maximalist hodge-podge shoved into every nook and cranny, a meticulously organized catalog with every item neatly labeled, or they may not even be tangible at all. Junk or riches, thoughts or feelings, even if we don’t know it, we might be unconsciously clinging on to something.

This week’s prompts evoke treasure troves, keepsakes, and whatever it is that compels us to hold on tightly.

This week's prompts

Write a story about someone who doesn’t know how to let go.

Dramatic – 121 stories

Someone’s beloved collection is destroyed. How do they react?

Adults – 25 stories

Start a story with someone saying, “It’s mine, and you can’t have it!”

Dialogue – 25 stories

Write about a dragon who doesn’t know what to do with their hoard anymore.

Fantasy – 63 stories

Set all or part of your story in a jam-packed storage unit.

Mystery – 46 stories

Stories

“The Long Goodbye” by Sophia Jowers

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #185

CW: Death, grief I couldn’t even bring myself to throw out your mug. It wasn’t even a nice mug. The rim was chipped. The ceramic was lumpy—I was almost positive you’d made it yourself—and for some reason, you’d painted it the color of pea soup. Out of all of your things, this should have been the easiest to get rid of. And instead I stood in the kitchen for fifteen minutes, like an idiot, just holding it, and then I put it back on the shelf. You hadn’t even liked this mug. “I was planning on throwing that away anyway,” I could imagine ...

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“Magford's Gold” by Story Time

Submitted to Contest #185

And lo they did come These so-called friends Of your good dragon, Magford Who never did bother a soul Now, did he? ‘A Dublin dragon!’ They all said When I first did appear Out of a November storm Wings never furling Fire through my teeth And down below The ministers and the holy people Cliffmongers to the village Of this and that Looking up at me With their bad breath And their fishy eyes exclaiming-- ‘Whomsoever heard Of a Dublin dragon?’ This was back When Dublin was a village And I could make my way As I saw fit Diving down to san...

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“Traces” by Casey Dexter

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #185

I sat on the front porch just as the sun was setting. My feet were up on the glass coffee table, and I could see grains of sand stuck around my toes. The chimes that dangled from the neighbor’s patio swayed in the light breeze. Sipping on the Pimm’s my dad had mixed for me, I studied the houses lining our narrow street, admired the trimmed sidewalks, the sandy pathways that led down to the beach. I’d sat here many times, at all ages, all heights, all varying awkward stages of puberty and studied this exact block. Watching families pushing st...

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“LOVE LOCKER FOR SALE” by Susan Catucci

Submitted to Contest #185

“Darling, would you like more wine? Just a touch? We can always open another. It’s not every evening we get to enjoy one of your succulent roasts, is it? And with potatoes gratin, no less. You know they’re my favorite. You spoil me, you always have. I honestly don’t know what I ever did to deserve you. I’m just so glad I did whatever it was, and just know I would do it again if it meant another lifetime to spend with you.”Maurice Chanel poured what was left into his glass, one of a set of Riedel hand-...

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“Fénix in Finisterre” by Samsara Lind

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #185

Trigger warnings: contained scenes depicting mental health, suicide/self harm, substance abuse, and physical violence. Finisterre, present day Mari Carmen stared at the items she had thrown into this metal barrel which had been set up as a firepit by her hospitalero1. A stack of origami hearts with hidden love letters, a heart-shaped spatula from their spoon carving class, and a home-made pilgrim shell painted with the blues of the sea and the vivid splashes of red and orange representing the sunset she had witnessed moments ago from t...

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“Cialden and Kytris” by C.B. Chribby

Submitted to Contest #185

Cialden and Kytris died eight years apart. Kytris was the first to pass on, as Cialden was much more robust and healthy. Mixed in with caution and a passion for life, it was always expected to be the way of things. Kytris never really left, and Cialden knew so. He heard her when he was alone in bed. He heard her when the kids came to visit. He heard her in the peculiar way the house-maidens described the eerie feeling of being watched. So it was no surprise to Cialden when his heart gave out one July evening that his beloved was wa...

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“ Indiana? As in Jones?” by Chris Mueller

Submitted to Contest #185

“We found him unconscious under the storage unit door.”“Strange. Well, get what you can out of him and fill out an accident report,” the sergeant said. “I’m heading back to the station.”“Sergeant, he's claiming he was attacked.”“Attacked?” his right eyebrow raised. “All right, I guess it's a crime scene. Go ahead, tape it off.” “Sir, he's concussed and confused. He can't remember much and, um, uh—-.” “Spit it out, Officer.”“Um,” he smirked, “He said his name is Indiana.”“As in Jones?” His brow took another step up. “Yes, I thi...

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“A Millennium Hoard” by C. J. Peters

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #185

Four million six hundred thousand and eighty-seven, four million six hundred thousand and eighty-eight, four million six hundred thousand… Nearly seven days had passed since he began and almost every relic, coin, gem, weapon, bone, miscellaneous magical artifact, and whatever-else-have-you was categorized and accounted for. This was easily his largest hoard yet, and though Wyrith had kept only his most favourite thousand or so rubies from his preceding collection, this hoard was already more than double his last largest one.Wyrith paused his...

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“Finders Keepers” by Timothy Rennels

Submitted to Contest #185

FINDERS KEEPERS by Timothy B. Rennels"It's mine and you can't have it!"The boy pulled the stick he had found on the sidewalk from his sister's hands."What would I want with your old stick anyways? Get a move on now, Mr. Perkle's not waitin' on us again."Clack-clack-clack-ack-ack-ack… Parker Lee Thompson ran the stick he held against the iron pickets of the fence outside ReXall Drugs. The fence didn't flinch from its duty of protecting the storefront from intrusions from th...

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“Sue & Bernice” by Christina Reynolds

Submitted to Contest #185

It was just a museum, an old building with old stuff that no one cared about, sitting right in the middle of town. It was also right where a supermarket could go. No one went to mom-and-pop stores anymore like Bill’s Grocery or Jack’s Supply. They went to SuperMart because it had everything they needed at a low, low price. The town needed a new shopping center. It didn’t need a museum. But to Sue, it wasn’t just a museum. It’s where she met Bernice. Bernice had always been so smart. She was an engineer—and not the kind who worked on...

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“Murder at the Roadhouse Saloon” by Frank Lester

Submitted to Contest #185

I dozed, peacefully drooling on the notes from my philosophy class when the phone began its merciless shriek. My heart stopped. Notes, pens, and phone scattered across the floor in my shocked and befuddled response.Groggy, I rifled through the refuse until the lighted face of the phone gleamed from under the bed. Grabbing it, I cursed the caller. The ID announced, “Carol.”“Who the hell is Carol and why is she calling at—” I checked the time in the upper left corner of the phone “—four p.m.?” I rubbed the grit from my eyes and checked the ID ...

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“Don” by V. S. Rose

Submitted to Contest #185

Session 1I walked into Don’s quaint Victorian bungalow on that first day and immediately felt my skin crawl.The man staring back at me from across the room was a horrid nightmare. His eyes were two stones of obsidian, penetrating and full of malice. A flaccid black mohawk splayed across his head in a mass of hysteria. His face was skeletal and sallow, cheekbones high and prominent. Twisting tattoos crawled from head to toe; assorted piercings studding his nose, lips, and eyebrows. The black vest hanging on his bony shoulders was patterned wi...

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“You Must Keep Quiet, Little Ruslan” by RJ Holmquist

Submitted to Contest #185

Gaziantepe Turkey, February 5th, 2023***“You must keep quiet, little Ruslan,” said my mother, “they cannot know we’re here.” I nodded, but I did not want her to go.“I will be back soon with something good to eat. Just stay quiet, and do not move. Will you promise?” I nodded again. She adjusted my mittens and checked that my coat was tightly closed, then stepped quickly out the door.We had stayed two nights already in this room so full of dusty things. There was hardly any room for us among the crates and boxes, only enough to curl ...

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“Broken Hearts and Baronets” by Jane Andrews

Submitted to Contest #185

Henry Davenport was broke. He’d frittered away most of the fortune his father had left him – wine, women and cards were expensive hobbies – and was down to his last few hundreds. “You need a rich wife, Harry,” Josiah remarked as they cantered through the forest one fine autumn afternoon. “A girl with enough money to keep you in the manner to which you’re accustomed.” Henry nudged Lady’s reins gently. The mare was spirited, but he managed to let her know who was in charge. Women were a lot like horses: once you’d broken them in, you could e...

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“Bargains with Dragons” by Russell Mickler

Submitted to Contest #185

The Warlock. The Dragon. The Bargain. Godwick Emberfoot emerged from a burst of supernatural fire. A rain of sparks and cinder followed him as he was violently cast into the dark. “Hahk!” Godwick gasped, gripping his side and winded by the impact. Wherever he was, it was blacker than a coal mine, and Godwick could see nothing. Bobbing his head into his hands, Godwick sobbed, mumbled, and rocked on his knees. Unkempt, greasy black hair fell over the iron shackles at his wrists. Godwick mumbled, reassuring himself that he would survive. ...

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$250

Prize money

280

Contest entries

138

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 17, 2023 EST

Won by Lynda Williams 🏆

Title: Jesus and Jockeys

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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