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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#195: Sidekicks and Second Strings

Growing up, I was never a huge fan of superheroes. Maybe because I didn’t really identify with the grand, brave acts and main-character energy of the likes of Spider-Man, Batman, or even Sherlock Holmes. Instead, I was partial to the less flashy, secondary characters: the Watsons working quietly behind the scenes, the bassist in the band, or the defenders who quietly keep the team from conceding points, while the quarterback gets most of the credit.

This week, I want your stories to be an ode to the unsung heroes, the underdogs of storytelling, and the small acts that, collectively, can be just as heroic as catching the bad guy or defeating evil in one grand swoop.

This week's prompts

Set your story in a staff room of an essential profession that is often undervalued — nurses, cafeteria staff, sanitation workers, etc.

Character – 51 stories

Write a story from the point of view of a sidekick, or someone who is happy to stay away from the limelight.

Character – 87 stories

Write a story about someone who receives — or makes — a life-changing, anonymous donation.

Dramatic – 23 stories

Write a story that includes the phrase “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

Dialogue – 27 stories

Write about someone who is learning to recognize and take credit for their own achievements.

Character – 18 stories

Stories

“Be the Change” by Nona Yobis

Submitted to Contest #195

On paper, there was no good decision. Every choice that lay in front of Tara either led to someone getting violent, someone being further abused, or someone getting fired. None of the choices resulted in actual resolution, and as she realized this the familiar knot filled her stomach, threatening the preexisting ulcer that flared up when stress graced her with its presence. Sitting amid the stacks of superfluous case files and overly pedantic training manuals, Tara slowly sank into her chair, hoping to disappear as seamlessly...

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“The Strength in the Shadows: A Sidekick's Story” by ♧Evella The Caramella♧ .

Submitted to Contest #195

My name is Matthew , and I'm a sidekick. Some people might see that as a lesser role, but I'm perfectly content with it. I'm not one for the spotlight or being the center of attention. I'm much happier working behind the scenes and supporting the hero.As I sit on the rooftop of a building, overlooking the city, I can't help but feel a sense of pride in the work that Sarah and I have done over the years. She's the hero, the one who rushes headfirst into danger without a second thought, but I'm the one who helps her plan her moves, gathers the...

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“The Secrets of the Deadwood” by Ashley Brandt

Submitted to Contest #195

The Deadwoods were moist and humid from the recent rainfall in Corinth. DaVinci sauntered along ahead, his tail raised and straight as an arrow. His hind quarters zig zagged through the underbrush of the woods, and his tiny paws picked carefully over wet things. “How much farther is it?” I complained. Though the weatherman had promised cooling temperatures in anticipation of fall, summer held on with the single-minded vengeance of an ex-girlfriend. I swiped at my forehead and held my shirt collar away from my sticky skin for better ventila...

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“Sidekick in the Dark” by Nathan Shin

Submitted to Contest #195

IntroductionHello, I am the sidekick of the hero, some might know, Superman. My name is mostly unknown to humans. Every time I do something, Superman has been stealing my fame and glory so much in the past couple of years that the only people who know my name is Superman and my own family. Even though I became Superman's sidekick I still couldn't gain any sort of fame. So in preparation I have been training to climb the ranks of heroes and defeat Superman in raw power, talent, and fame while still being his sidekick.Present Time"I have to ke...

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“Office Polyticks” by Andrew Fruchtman

Submitted to Contest #195

“So,” he said, putting on his reading glasses and picking up the sheet of paper, “Mr. Kick, is it?” “No sir, I’m applying for a position as a Side Kick. My name, well, the last name I went by was The Wasp. I was working for Insect Man at that time but I’m afraid we had a falling out. He blamed it on the economy but I think he just wanted me out.” “Aha, and why exactly would that be, Mister, ah “one hand raised the paper to eye level, “Wasp?” “Well, first off, I think he had a problem with my name, thought it had non PC connotations.&nb...

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“The Anonymous Donation” by Ella James

Submitted to Contest #195

David sat at his desk, staring at the pile of bills in front of him. He had been out of work for months and his savings were running low. He wasn't sure how he was going to make ends meet. As he sorted through the stack, he noticed a plain envelope that stood out among the others. It was addressed to him, but there was no return address. Curious, David tore open the envelope to find a check for $100,000. He couldn't believe it. Was this some kind of joke? He searched the envelope for any kind of explanation, but there was nothing. No note, n...

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“Dreams of their Ancestors” by David Reynders

Submitted to Contest #195

The elders of the Native American tribe gathered around the newly constructed casino, marveling at its grandeur. "It's been a long time coming," said Chief Running Elk. "But it was worth it." "Aye, that it was," agreed Medicine Woman White Feather. The younger members of the tribe were excited to see their dreams come to fruition, but the elders remembered the struggles of the past. "Remember when we started this venture thirty years ago?" asked Running Elk. "There were so many obstacles in our way, but we never gave up." "Aye, we ...

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“Connections part 1” by Marie Perederii

Submitted to Contest #195

“Celia…this sounds insane” Amara primly wrote in a letter to her friend, a letter which she would later deeply regret “But since you have made the clear statement that you won’t back down I shall accompany you.” Amara paused briefly before writing the next sentence because she knew that it would hurt her friend the most “I know that your family's death was unjustified and completely wrong-I do. But don’t you think that maybe this isn’t what they’d want?” Amara felt her heart rising into her throat, she felt horr...

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“It Wasn't Me” by Jed Cope

Submitted to Contest #195

“You killed him!” “Well, I…” says the round shouldered man, intently hunched over his computer, his tired, saggy face illuminated by the blue screen glow. The lighting helps him look like a forlorn gargoyle. “He’s dead! And you did it!” says the other occupant of the room as he leans back in his chair watching another screen, a screen linked to CCTV in a way that isn’t at all usual. CCTV that unwittingly records the demise of the latest ordered hit. “It wasn’t me,” says the hunched man. His name is Gareth and he isn’t used to conversat...

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“The Ballad of David and Sarah” by David Reynders

Submitted to Contest #195

David had always been the type to downplay his own achievements. Even when he received praise from others, he would brush it off and attribute his success to luck or help from others. It wasn't until he started working with a new mentor, a successful businesswoman named Sarah, that he realized the importance of recognizing and taking credit for his own accomplishments. Sarah would often ask him about his recent successes, and David would struggle to come up with anything noteworthy to share. One day, Sarah sat David down and asked him to...

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“The Aide ” by Julianne Munich

Submitted to Contest #195

The AideJulianne Munich…My waterproof boots encased my feet, keeping them warm in the shallow snow. I lingered close to the boy on the playground, yet not so close as to alarm him. I was his shadow, as he played in his solitary world, turning his body on his favorite swing. Dozens of other second-graders ran, laughed and shouted.I stood in sentry-guard at the side of the swing set, my mittened hands digging inside my coat pockets, fidgeting with the set of building keys on a lanyard.Jayden gave a grunt and a laugh. His brown eyes remained fi...

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“The Anniversary” by Gigi Gibson

Submitted to Contest #195

Jimmy-Joe clenched his stomach and tried to catch his breath. Shoulders hunched and head hanging low, he skulked through the empty halls of his new school, searching for his room.“Boy!” called out the janitor. “Whatchyou doin' shufflin' in here late like this?”Jimmy-Joe kept his head down and dawdled down the corridor.“I said, Boy! Turn around when I'm talkin' to you.”Jimmy-Joe turned around slowly without meeting Mr. Wilson's gaze and wiped his snot on his sleeve.“Look at you... you done got yourself in a fight... and on your first day of s...

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“This Week on: Anne and Ollie” by Madelyn Grace

Submitted to Contest #195

“What’d you get up to on the weekend?” Melissa pauses, hand halfway outstretched to her coffee. Her glasses slip a millimetre down her face as she looks slowly across the staff room, searching for the man who had spoken. This conversation is hardly her business. He’s not talking to her. He probably doesn’t even realise she’s there. But he’s got her attention. “Nothing, really.” Ah, there she is. The woman he’s speaking to. Melissa can’t see her from this awkward angle, but she doesn’t need to—he only ever speaks to her. Every day...

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“Freddy Frog Eyes” by Brain Changer

Submitted to Contest #195

Freddy Frog Eyes The shooter came on a Tuesday, right after lunch. Nobody knew about it until they heard the shot that hit the shoulder of Mrs. White, the art teacher. Only one of the kids would be able to guess that the cartridge was nine millimeter. Scenic View Elementary School had performed active shooter drills once a month ever since the incident at the high school. Most kids didn’t listen any more. Freddy did. Freddy Winters was too serious for a twelve-year-old. “An old soul,” Mrs. Bumble called him. Straight A’s. He never smiled....

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“Three Minutes” by Johnathan Vance

Submitted to Contest #195

Abby tossed the man’s arm through the open window and into the smoldering pile. Smoke clawed upward as the pile sizzled impatiently. I stepped up to the table, on the right side, so as not to block the light and handed Dr. Strom his forceps. Abby went to get the cautery iron. We maneuvered gracefully around the doctor and his two nurses, who held down a moaning man in a ratty, butternut wool uniform. He was the third of the day to lose a limb, and it was barely ten o’clock. Musket balls were great at breaking things. At least, ...

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$250

Prize money

206

Contest entries

92

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Apr 28, 2023 EST

Won by Geir Westrul 🏆

Title: Untold

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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