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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#20: Quite the Character

Between 1887 and 1927, Sherlock Holmes appeared in a total of four novels and 56 short stories penned by Arthur Conan Doyle. Since then, the stories have been adapted countless times, earning Holmes a Guinness World Record for "most portrayed movie character." And while Doyle's mysteries were widely lauded, it was the character of Holmes that had readers coming back time and again.

This week, your challenge is to write a story that highlights a single character. The premise is up to you — just give us some small understanding of this character by the end of the story.

🥇 Winner

“At Home” by Amy St. Pierre

🏆 Winner of Contest #20

As usual, Ben’s alarm woke Haley when it went off at 5:30am. She didn’t move, but she felt him sliding out of bed, trying to be quiet but failing miserably. She heard him use the bathroom, then come back into the bedroom, open his dresser drawers, put on his gym clothes, and leave. Haley’s mood moved quickly from annoyed to envious. She missed those days – the early morning wake ups, the tough workouts, the sweaty Spin classes, the delayed onset muscle soreness she felt in her body the day after she increased weight on her lifts. Mostly, tho...

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⭐️ Shortlisted

“Rum & Coke” by Amy St. Pierre

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #20

I stood alone in an empty apartment. Actually, it was my apartment now, but my brain hadn’t absorbed that part yet. I don’t even remember signing the lease.The floors of the apartment were scuffed hardwood. I was one of many tenants who had walked on these floors over the years, and it showed. I had no furniture, so my steps echoed throughout the apartment. I’d been mumbling to myself under my breath, talking myself into my life, and I stopped because hearing my own voice repeating in the empty rooms was too strange and jarring. The apartmen...

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“The Sound of Peter” by Tori Routsong

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #20

Bright, bright, bright. It was always too bright, always bright, always grating, grating at the back of his eyes, in the back of his mind. Peter no longer squinted. The lights that lined the room bored into his brain, boring and drilling, but Peter no longer squinted.The window, the singular window, told him it wasn’t food-time yet, but he couldn’t help but wait, shivering, by the door slot. She would come soon—or maybe not. Time didn’t exist in his blinding cell, not until the sky outside the window slit turned dark. When he stood, he could...

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“The Problem with Eyes” by Clementine Beck

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #20

Once you begin to strip off, everything becomes okay. You do it systematically, layer by layer: first the cashmere sweater, brown and low-hanging; then the black cotton jeans that hug your skinny legs and always, always feel just cool enough against your skin. After that, off come all parts of your underwear, and the knee-high woolly socks. There. You pull a thermometer out of the bathtub. Thirty-eight degrees? You decide it’s perfect for today. Steam is tickling you face, just the way you like it. The surface of the water is almost glassy, ...

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“Saying Goodbye To An Alarm” by Katt Ester

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #20

He died two days ago. The time was 7:32 AM, and he died. He was alive for 16 years, 2 months, 5 days, 7 hours and 12 minutes. Don’t worry, I counted. His mom told me his exact time of birth the day before he turned 13 so I could annoy him right then. He was alive for 16 years, 2 months, 5 days, 7 hours, 12 minutes and it was very close to 13 minutes. He was alive though, I know he was. And then, just like that, after so long, he was gone. But life goes on, and that’s the way things are meant to be. Time do...

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This week's prompts

Write a story about a character who starts out as a pessimist and ends as an optimist. (Or vice versa.)

Character – 46 stories

Write a story about a character experiencing anxiety.

Character – 83 stories

Write a story about a character who would be described above all else as "logical."

Character – 31 stories

Write a story about a day in the life of a mother.

Narrative – 55 stories

Write a story about a character experiencing independence for the first time.

Teens – 59 stories

Stories

“At Home” by Amy St. Pierre

🏆 Winner of Contest #20

As usual, Ben’s alarm woke Haley when it went off at 5:30am. She didn’t move, but she felt him sliding out of bed, trying to be quiet but failing miserably. She heard him use the bathroom, then come back into the bedroom, open his dresser drawers, put on his gym clothes, and leave. Haley’s mood moved quickly from annoyed to envious. She missed those days – the early morning wake ups, the tough workouts, the sweaty Spin classes, the delayed onset muscle soreness she felt in her body the day after she increased weight on her lifts. Mostly, tho...

Read story

“All The Pretty Little Horses.” by Cam Croz

Submitted to Contest #20

All the Pretty Little Horses>--------------------------------------------------------< A cry sliced through the tranquil night as the child was laid down on the fluffy mattress in his rocking crib. The crib was blue and had breathtaking carvings of galloping horses, trotting horses, and even neighing horses. Some of the beasts slept on the beautifully carved grass at the bottom of the cradle. Some pranced, some played but one thing was clear they were all beautiful. ”Hush.” a soothing voice sang. “Hush and I will tell the tale of...

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“Butterfly Wings in a Shoebox” by Zilla Babbitt

Submitted to Contest #20

Maarte woke with a start, and early. It was dark still. She lay there with her eyes open, searching for the window, trying to remember what day it was. Then she remembered.She rose after a few minutes and went and sat at the kitchen table, watching the window that looked out onto the empty lot next door.Maarte sat silently, listening to the first of the birds outside. After a few minutes she made her coffee and waited for the sun. By the time she was drinking the dregs, dawn had broken quietly before her.Maarte stood and dressed quickly. It ...

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“Rum & Coke” by Amy St. Pierre

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #20

I stood alone in an empty apartment. Actually, it was my apartment now, but my brain hadn’t absorbed that part yet. I don’t even remember signing the lease.The floors of the apartment were scuffed hardwood. I was one of many tenants who had walked on these floors over the years, and it showed. I had no furniture, so my steps echoed throughout the apartment. I’d been mumbling to myself under my breath, talking myself into my life, and I stopped because hearing my own voice repeating in the empty rooms was too strange and jarring. The apartmen...

Read story

“Just you and me” by Yoomi Ari

Submitted to Contest #20

“It’s you. I’m telling you, it is you.” Katie announced whilst concentrating on Gemma’s puzzled face.“What is me?” I answered in response as I picked at my toast.“You are too scared of following your rules that you’ve forgotten yourself.” Uttered Katie.“What rules? I haven’t made any rules,” I sighed, knowing she was right.Katies eyes snaked and slithered along the list set on my fridge. The boldest of them all was, “No Boyfriend!” Covering my face in response, she rubbed my back, “Fine Gemma, no talk of boyfriend. But we need to take all th...

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“Fireproof teddy bears” by Alex Sandoval

Submitted to Contest #20

The doorbell rang and Eileen ran as fast as she could (which wasn't too fast). She hadn't had a reason to run ever since she got pregnant, but knowing that she was out of shape wasn't the same as feeling out of shape. She had barely run a few feet at best and she was panting like she'd just finished a marathon. Shen she opened the door and the young doctor panicked at seeing her in such a state, but Eileen waved her off before she could say anything."Thank you for coming so fast. I know you have more important things to do, doctor.""It's per...

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“The Dead at My Door” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #20

They were still following us. We hadn’t managed to lose them, despite our best efforts. I could hear their frenzied footfalls and their growls filling the wintry night air, just behind us. How close were they, I wondered? One step? Two? If one of us stumbled as we ran up the path, would they be upon us before we hit the ground? Would they catch us even if we didn’t? Were we one or two seconds away from being tackled to the ground and devoured, our pained screams straining into the night?As we sprinted, full pelt, the questions swirled around...

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“Ready” by Tori Routsong

Submitted to Contest #20

Jaime couldn’t stop pacing. The waiting room was too small. Should it be taking this long? Something was going wrong. Something was going terribly wrong. “Nothing is wrong.” His husband, Eric, hadn’t moved from his chair, one leg up as if this was normal, as if they were at home and he was about to do a crossword. “Calm down.” “Something is definitely wrong,” he insisted. “It’s been hours.” “That’s normal,” Eric insisted. “Look, Julie knows what she’s doing. This is her fourth kid. It’ll be okay.” “But can’t births be hard on aging mothers?...

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“Accidental Magic” by Tori Routsong

Submitted to Contest #20

Dahlia and Finn both looked up in shock at the chandelier that hovered a few inches above Finn’s head. A red glow shimmered around the edges. “Magic,” whispered Dahlia. She’d grown up with the stories from her ugogo and evils of witchcraft, but she never really believed in it. “Magic,” said Finn, looking at Dahlia, shocked. Her face was bathed in a red glow, and Dahlia thought she could see the same red sparks dancing in Finn’s hazel eyes. The chandelier still looked menacing dangling over Finn’s head, so Dahlia was glad when it floated t...

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“Alone” by Daniel Deschenes

Submitted to Contest #20

Jackson Williams sat in English just like he did every Wednesday. Literally. He was just sitting. He wasn’t actually there. Not mentally, at least. He was typically more attentive than his fellow classmates because he enjoyed learning the finer points of the English language. He often pictured himself as a mechanic, the classroom as his garage, and the assignments he got as vehicles and machines that needed fine-tuning. He’d pull out his grammatical toolbox and tweak and turn until each sentence hummed with precision and promise. And he did ...

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“24/7 Anxiety Around the Clock” by Bree Kokiri

Submitted to Contest #20

“Deeeeep breaths sweetie.” Damon gives my shoulders a squeeze, and hands me my lunch. “Turkey and cheddar on whole wheat toast. With a little mayo smiley face in the middle.” He smiles his cheesiest grin and I roll my eyes as I take the brown paper bag“Alas, the bread will have smushed it.” I retort sarcastically. “You’ll just have to wear the smile instead, then.” He kisses me gently on the forehead, as I pick up my bag of supplies and my purse, and head for the door.“Are Brian and Britt still asleep?” I ask. “I haven’t seen them all mornin...

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“The Street that Never Ends. ” by Rima ElBoustani

Submitted to Contest #20

I sit here alone, gazing out of my window. I stare upon the abyss that is the view from my window seat, feeling a deep optimism at the beginnings of my new life with this child. The baby living inside me kicks, reminding me that I am very nearly due. My belly, pregnant with this growing child, pushing my stomach to extremes and discomfort, tugs at my mind and with it, my conscience. One day soon, this child will be born; but into what world? I wonder, what will he see with his young eyes, hear with his young ears and who will breathe the sam...

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“Unknown Mission” by Tiffy H

Submitted to Contest #20

Like all simple rescue missions, ours was the same. Get to the planet, rescue any humans left alive, kill anything or anyone that gets in the way, and then get out. Simple, right? Nope. In the year 2019, scientists found a black hole. Everyone was happy, this was huge, major. In the year 2030, humans wanted to know more about the black hole. First, they sent robots to explore it. To our surprise, the robots were able to send back information that inside the black hole was a stable solar system similar to ours: planets, a sun, stars, air, and...

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“The Sound of Peter” by Tori Routsong

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #20

Bright, bright, bright. It was always too bright, always bright, always grating, grating at the back of his eyes, in the back of his mind. Peter no longer squinted. The lights that lined the room bored into his brain, boring and drilling, but Peter no longer squinted.The window, the singular window, told him it wasn’t food-time yet, but he couldn’t help but wait, shivering, by the door slot. She would come soon—or maybe not. Time didn’t exist in his blinding cell, not until the sky outside the window slit turned dark. When he stood, he could...

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“One Bad Day” by Najwa Zandlo

Submitted to Contest #20

Life is defined by a series of connected memorable moments. It doesn’t seem that way sometimes. It’s easy to believe that major life events happen independent of each other, with no correlation or lines to connect them to each other. It’s easy to create individual mountains, neglecting the entire range. However, I’ve learned that they’re all connected; the moment I learned to ride a bike, the day my parents told me they were getting a divorce, the night I lost my virginity, the morning I opened my acceptance letter to college, the day I grad...

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$50

Prize money

274

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Dec 20, 2019 EST

Won by Amy St. Pierre 🏆

Title: At Home

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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