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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#2: Toni Morrison

This week, we mourn the loss of an incredible figure in American literature: Toni Morrison. A Nobel Laureate and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, Morrison penned eleven novels in her lifetime, including Beloved, Song of Solomon, and The Bluest Eye. We hope to honor her with this edition of our competition, featuring prompts based on the resounding themes of these and other works in her remarkable oeuvre.

This week's prompts

Write a story about someone who's haunted by their past.

Narrative – 69 stories

Write a story about someone trying to escape their situation.

Novel – 47 stories

Write a story in which someone experiences discrimination.

Novel – 18 stories

Write a story about someone who defies social conventions.

Narrative – 15 stories

Write a story in which something seemingly innocent symbolizes something much darker.

Novel – 22 stories

Stories

“First Letter ” by Aline Tomimori

Submitted to Contest #2

I was imagining when would be the last time I would hear:“Good morning Ms.Morris, how are you today?”One day eventually you start to think about the meaning of things that you didn't even noticed was there before.You discover that everything has value. The cold freeze made me feel a lot happier, that damn room was too hot in the summer, now I could finally lay down with my soft blankets without feeling useless. The woman with the nice eyes had came back and tried to start a conversation, poor lady, I was unable to speak, she thought I w...

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“Life After Death” by James Gallahan

Submitted to Contest #2

Dark, wispy clouds shrouded the moon and the light drizzle made way to large raindrops pelting the sand and ocean. Most of the vacationers at Rehoboth Beach were inside hoping for better weather tomorrow. But a father and his daughter were on the beach hoping to see one last glimpse of dolphins jumping out of the water before heading back inside. An old pale man wearing a tailored dark blue three-piece suit, and a Fedora with a feather pinned on its side, sat cross-legged on the beach as the waves crashed around him. His cap toe shoes craft...

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“When Life Gives You Lemons” by Beth Hitchman

Submitted to Contest #2

‘Proceed to ceremony Number 7194.’ This is it then; no longer a student clone waiting to be selected. I have arrived. The short ceremony is a welcoming of sorts to the New World. As my bare feet pad across the cool metal stage, I catch glimpses of myself in the polished parts of the black walls. The sombre room is reserved for initiating new life, an inauguration ceremony designed to welcome fully developed clones into a life shared with humans. The raising of clone and human youths has always been segregat...

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“Centre of the Universe” by Owen Hee

Submitted to Contest #2

Right after tea, Aunt Velma’s felt like a sandbox in which the children’s lungs became soon filled with cotton and mucus filled their noses. Mia stuck her head out of the window to breathe as if the house were filled with water. Amira frantically worked the thermostat, sweat pooling down her neck. Jacob and Daniel, the European twins, played arm wrestle to pass the time, but figured they were better off looking through the pictures of their crushes that they had taken in school. Oh, and they also tripped poor Mark Lee whenever he walks by. ...

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“Five Nonthreatening Letters” by Janie Frank

Submitted to Contest #2

The first letter was addressed to Phoebe’s boss. The second letter was addressed to Anna’s boss. The third letter was addressed to Pheobe. The first letter was typed on plain white printer paper in Times New Roman, font size 12. The second letter was written neatly in blue pen on stationary, evenly spaced with perfect grammar. The third letter was hastily and crudely scrawled in green crayon onto a piece of lined paper, the left side still jagged from being ripped out of a notebook instead of torn on the perforated line. Phoebe and Anna agre...

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“A Black Girl in 1950” by Markus Ullege

Submitted to Contest #2

My name is Acura. I live in Atlanta, Georgia. I am just like any other girl. I eat, I sleep, I laugh, and I cry... I cry a lot. Lots of people like me do. When I say people like me, I mean colored people. Black people. We get picked on a lot by people where I live. I hear it goes on everywhere. It makes me very sad. But like I said, I am just like any other girl. I still go to school every morning. I still eat lunch like the other kids, and I still learn stuff. Anyways, it is 6:30 in the morning and I need to get ready for school. I find my ...

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“People Like Me, People Like You” by Isabella Ramirez

Submitted to Contest #2

“Al!” Mark runs down his front steps to me, struggling to put his right arm through the strap of his backpack. “I didn’t know we have a math test today!” I laugh. “Dude, the teacher told us about it last week.” “You think what I remember from math class last week? Bro, I can’t even remember last night’s homework assignment. Not that I do it, anyway.” We start walking to school. This is our routine basically every morning: I meet him at his house, he runs out frantically because he knows we’d...

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“A Lack of Social Graces” by Jim Weber

Submitted to Contest #2

A Lack of Social GracesSherri and Roger are good people; in their seventies, a kind and caring couple for the most part. But we all have quirks. They have theirs, and I have mine. You know it’s true. I have never been accused of being a patient man; I can tolerate a ton of shit up to a point, but when it reaches my knees, and I cannot take any more, I become The Hulk. But, I try to do it quietly, and without turning green. I usually don’t embarrass the person I am broiled about, and in so doing, I do not embarrass myself. Most of the time. T...

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“When she broke stereotype” by Prasoon Jain

Submitted to Contest #2

It is a sweet morning ,the sky is cloudy, the weather is creating a jolly mood as it does during rainy season. Rita is getting ready for the university where she is working as librarian. As soon as she reaches the parking, the rain starts. But as there is a covered lobby to library from parking she manages to get into her office. She begins to check the register to reconcile the books allotment. She is feeling proud as she has won the battle against society which doesn’t want to see working women as they have customs and conventions. When Ri...

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“THE OOLACUNTA or WHAT’s IN A NAME?” by Tara Nemeth

Submitted to Contest #2

“It’s called a what?” Violet, stared at her friend, mouth open.“James, my fiancé, said it’s called an Oolacunta (ooh-la-cun-tah)....” Annabelle trailed off. Violet was biting her lower lip and her face was rapidly turning several shades of red.“What?” Demanded Annabelle. “What’s the joke?”“Well,” said Violet, learning conspiratorially towards Annabelle, “I mean, the name sounds a bit naughty doesn’t it? Are you sure James isn’t having you on?”Annabelle raised an eyebrow at Violet, who gave her a knowing look in return.“If you prefer,” said A...

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“Where have all the Boundaries gone?” by Mary Wood

Submitted to Contest #2

Have you ever wondered why people behave the way they do? I am amazed at the lack of respect I see in the classroom today. What has happened to society and the norms we expect students and staff to behave like? I wonder what happened in society that causes people to feel so entitled. To behave in such a way that everyone feels they have a right to be heard and listened to? Have we gone so far with our civil rights that we have forgotten how to be civil? Schools across the country are a mess, in many classes a teacher...

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“Being Authentically Me” by Ellis Nash

Submitted to Contest #2

I looked at myself in the mirror, frowning. I liked the outfit I’d picked out, I would wear it every day if I could but it mattered more about what other people thought. What would they say if they saw a “boy” walking around with a dress and heels on? I would surely get beaten up or at least get weird looks from strangers. Thankfully, the past few times I had gone out dressed like this was with a group of friends. An old lady glared at me but my friends stood up for me and I was thankful for that. But today was a weekday and all my frie...

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“Last Words” by Ezekiel Stephens

Submitted to Contest #2

I slouched at my tiny desk with my fingers entangled in my tousled hair, staring at a blank page showing on my laptop. I couldn't think of a thing to write about. I thought that maybe if I just devoted myself to the task of writing a story, the rest would come easily - but I'd been at this all morning with no luck. I stopped my intense thinking to peruse my notes, searching for inspiration, after which I hesitantly typed a sentence. The sea was calm and the water undulated gently in frothy waves. I looked at it for a couple of seco...

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“Honk and Run” by Michael Williams

Submitted to Contest #2

"Well, Mike, what's the tally for this week so far? Teresa asked, with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. She then squeezed a lemon wedge all over her pizza slice as her mind wondered over the number that Mike would admit to her. "Slow week, but then school is out. It will pick up again in about six weeks. Just three so far, but there's two more days left to go for this week. Squeezing lemon juice onto your pizza slice is disgusting, you know?" Mike snapped playfully. He smiled as...

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“A Little Bit of Light” by Robert Rice

Submitted to Contest #2

There are times when people need to relax and let the world go on with its business. Such was the case with General Cansey and Colonel White who were seated at a table on the veranda of Colonel White’s magnificent countryside mansion enjoying the morning air, having coffee and conversing casually. “Nice place you’ve got here, Colonel. Wouldn’t mind having something like it myself. Funny though.&nbs...

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$50

Prize money

171

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 16, 2019 EST

Won by Amy St. Pierre 🏆

Title: Kids

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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