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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

“My Momma’s Things” by David B Fraser

Submitted to Contest #185

The storage unit door rolled up. Eduardo stood with his elderly momma beside him and his wife behind them. “Okay, momma, let me get a chair for you.” Eduardo took out from high a Louis XV style chair and placed it on the concrete for her. He got one out for Maria, but she waved him away and fumbled for her cigarettes and lighter. “Could you do that over there?” He pointed. She gave him a look of outrage. “The wind. The smoke will get in the chairs and the carpets. Maria, ple...

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“Pink Strands and Graham Crackers ” by S N

Submitted to Contest #185

This story explores themes of Mental Illness and Self Harm. Reader discretion is advised. Everything is pink. And soft. And offensive. Large too, yes. Everything is massive in this room and I hate it. How did she get them in here? “Shoe box,” has been used to described rooms like this, but this pales. This is a matchbox. Half, half of a match box and just as packed. “Sarah! Are you still in there?” mother calls. My breath catches and I kill the light, snuffing out my presence like a damp pinch to a flame. A sudden craving for s’mores ta...

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“The Collection of my Youth” by David B Fraser

Submitted to Contest #185

I took my weekly quarter allowance to Isaac’s Grocery on Saturday morning and grabbed a pop, chips, and chocolate bar and put them on the counter. Mr. Isaac’s started punching them into the cash register. Then I saw the comic rack. I had never seen a comic rack before. Isaac’s never had a comic rack before. I left the counter and went and spun the rack. There was the Hulk, bursting green with The Leader’s elongated head looming over him, and there was The Red Skull holding a glass cube that Captain America was trapped insi...

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“Memories” by Isaac Walker

Submitted to Contest #185

Along with the fortune I inherited through my father's death, I got a key to an old storage locker that my father had seemed so keen on keeping secretive and hidden. I remember him being so proud of buying it. I was around twelve or so then, which is insane because it has already been ten years since that day. I don't think my father intended to have to give my sister and me the key so soon, but it's not like getting mixed up with the mafia doesn't have its dangers. That stupid, stupid man. Why did he have to take out a loan from one of th...

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“It's Mine” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #185

It’s Mine “It’s mine and you can’t have it. You shouldn’t even get to see it.” The old man’s sudden burst of fury came as a big surprise to the boy, Jack, his grandson. His grandfather had never yelled at him before. Young Jack did not know what to do as he saw his grandfather, also called Jack, clutch the article close to his chest. So he just walked out of the old man’s room, in tears, but not wanting to show that to Grandfather Jack. &nb...

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“The Princess's Fury” by Kristin Rotkvich

Submitted to Contest #185

*Trigger Warning for Sexual Violence, Physical Violence, gore, or abuse.* “It’s mine, and you can’t have it!” The merchant shrieked at me as I weighed the dagger in my hand.“Well, if you’re not selling it you might want to put it amongst your other belongings back there.” I pointed at his bag, presenting him with the dagger. My cloak drew up higher than I would’ve liked. The small branded insignia, noticeable on the inside of my wrist. As he saw, he gasped, gaping at me. He met my eyes.“Anything for you Princess. Please take it.” I shushed h...

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“"Let Go,My Love. Let Go."” by Sharon Farnsworth

Submitted to Contest #185

Dave built the potting shed out back the summer they moved into their new home. He shingled the roof to match the house and built flower boxes for the windows. He planted a Rose of Sharon bush nearby and put in a winding brick path. Dave wanted to make a special place for the love of his life.He was on his way home from work the night the tractor trailer ran a red light and hit his car broadside sending it across the intersection onto the front lawn and into the living room of the owner’s home.Luckily, they weren’t home so there were no...

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“Oxygen deprived rambling” by Kajetan Badach

Submitted to Contest #185

Head spinning and skull crashing. Gonna need several of these nasty sour vitamin shots this time.Okay, breathe in, breathe out. Open my eyes in 3.. 2.. 1..Oh, they’re already open. And I can’t see shit. Has alcohol decided to take my optic nerve this time? Okay, that’s new. I got pretty good at letting things go, but this one’s in a whole different category of losses. Uhh, on the bright side, there’s a lot of truly awful sights. No more people’s disappointed looks for me.But I’m still a human with typical human reactions, and so I feel the p...

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“It’s Alright, We’ll Wait” by David B Fraser

Submitted to Contest #185

“It’s mine, and you can’t have it!” Isidora’s father said. “Mr. Savas, I’m not asking for myself, I’m asking for your daughter.” Savas pushed himself up in bed and motioned me to come closer. The bodyguards moved in as well in some silly pretense of earning their money. Savas placed a hand on my shoulder. “You’re looking for an in, aren’t you?” “Mr. Savas?” “You drip poison in her ear, don’t you Mr. Weasel?” “Wilson. Mr. Wilson. If you beha...

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“Holding on to Thin Air ” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #185

Trent Obertson was a private pilot who flew among the towering Chugach Mountains in Alaska. He loved bobbing in and around the fluffy white clouds that hung like overripe melons among the snow covered peaks. There was an expression for pilots who flew the Monomee Pass through the Nelchina into Talkeetna called, “Hanging on to thin air.” When flying this route, Trent noticed how much the cold and warm air would struggle for control that resulted in his plane being buffet during the flight. His Cessna 206 was versatil...

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“Leave It Be, Em” by Jessica Bashar

Submitted to Contest #185

"What about this thing?" I hold up a round, yellowed appliance with a bulky wire wrapped around it like a hazardous umbilical cord. I have no idea what it is, but there's some sort of food hardened to the side that's probably been stuck there for years. Gross. Mom takes the thing from my hands. "That's a rice cooker, darling. I just picked that up at a yardsale." She sets it in (or rather atop) a full basket of kitchen relics in the "keep" pile, which, as I expected, dwarfs the little "toss" heap. So far, that modest mound only...

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“The Man On The Radio” by Patricia Merewether

Submitted to Contest #185

"It's Mine! And You Can't Have It!" is the title of Race Grimstead's latest book, our topic today."Mike listened to a talk radio station while driving home from work and chuckled. Thinking, wow, what an idiot this guy is. But he listened anyway. He started to consider what the 'idiot' was saying about possible grid failures, social unrest, blizzards in the north, and hurricanes in the south.' He reached home before the program ended, stepped out of his car, was grateful for his happy, everyday life, and gave the ideas no more thought."Are yo...

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“Rat Tails and Dragon Wings” by Shae Elizabeth

Submitted to Contest #185

Water trickling from aged stalactites landed on the dragon’s resting head. Droplets collected on his scales, glistening in the scarce sunlight, and puddling against the cave walls. Curled up like a fat cat on a rug, the dragon lay in pure serenity with the riches of the world surrounding him. Each item was meticulously stacked on top of one another and the dragon was often rearranging them to pass the time. The dragon once reveled in the adrenaline rush destruction gave him, and that cruelty earned him an unprecedented hoard. The bea...

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“Frog Jam” by Suzanne Clement

Submitted to Contest #185

Suzanne Clement Word count:2678 325 Lakeview Runaway Bay, TX 76426 817-944-8354 qsuzyq@live.com Story Prompt for #334 Hoarding Away: Set all or part of your story in a jam-packed storage unit Frog Jam By Suzanne Clement...

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“Doctors?” by Lorenzo Fusini

Submitted to Contest #185

‘73… 74… and…’ I’m so excited! I’ve never reached this point! I begin to place plate number 75 atop the stack. I hold it, stare at it, trying to convince it with my non-existing mental powers that everything will be fine, that it can peacefully lie on top of plate number 74. Then I feel the draught… I follow the stack with my eyes as it begins to bend, slowly at first, then faster and faster, until it crashes on the ground with a deafening clangour. I still hold plate 75, just above where plate 74 once was; I close my eyes and sigh. Bug has ...

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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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