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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.

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

“UDAKU” by Gimbiya Galadima

Submitted to Contest #20

UDAKUOFUYou took off your clothes slowly, then looked up at the large wall mirror in front of you. It was an act to marvel at your young body, but as usual it ended badly. You felt the arms that you would have preferred better if they were thin. Then your eyes swept a glance over the scars you created beautifully with your razor blade. Mum didn't know, the long sleeved dresses you wore hid your marks from her prying eyes and sharp mouth. You felt your chest, too flat in your opinion for a big girl. The worst parts of your body were those mar...

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“The Purse” by Nancy Richards

Submitted to Contest #20

When the phone rang, I sensed it was from my sister, Marie. She didn’t call often, usually when she needed something, or when something was wrong. “What’s up,” I answered the phone. “Oh, I gotta tell you something,” Marie said, sounding emotional. “I’ve got my ears on.” She was making sounds, but I couldn’t tell what emotion she was trying to convey. Marie took a deep breath. “Okay, okay. I got a...

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“How He Knew the Words” by Alexis Forbes

Submitted to Contest #20

He was, as an intellectual would say, academically inclined within varied topics of conversation. She was, as an intellectual would say, less so. He could name you one-hundred-seventy-three countries out of a setlist of one-hundred-ninety-five upon sudden request, their capital cities included. He could recite federal laws as if they comprised his weekly shopping list and could tell you intricate details of specific attacks that occurred during the World Wars. When asked how his reply was always simple; “Live by the words, they possess...

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“Still Life, with Anxiety” by Dee Richards

Submitted to Contest #20

Eyes open. What time is it? 4:45 am. Great, I can try to go back to sleep for 30 minutes, and probably fail, or just get up early. I know that if I get up early, I am going to wake up and the same time tomorrow, maybe earlier. But I have a million things to do today; might as well.I have a schedule for everything. There are emails to be checked, Facebook posts, and budgeting. Exercise from 6 to 6:30, then eat breakfast. Get the kids up for breakfast, and dressed for school before I leave at 7:45, sharp. We've been late before, and all hell b...

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“All In Your Head” by Briana Moncayo

Submitted to Contest #20

A flashing light came from my phone, signaling a notification, "Party for Kenny's birthday!" I smiled snoozing my reminder of my friend's birthday party. I walked up the stairs of my house, heading into my room. My parents were working late while my sister was doing her homework. "Hey, I'm going to head out, I'll be home before midnight." I let my sister know as she passed by my door. I got changed out of my work clothes and headed into my bathroom to shower. I stopped in my tracks looking at myself in the mirror. "Dark red stretch marks, lo...

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“Flinch” by Cory Pines

Submitted to Contest #20

Tap, tap, tap. Elijah sat alone in the shower as the water came down over his head. He tried his best to forget everything that had happened the previous day. He played with his fingers, rubbing them together and tapping them on the tub’s edge. He knew he was alone, but he couldn't help but feel as though there was someone watching him, and standing right around the corner. The water was cold. Elijah wasn't sure who told him that cold water would help him calm down, but he remembered hearing it from someone. It didn't seem to be working. Tap...

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“The Interview” by Tiare Barraza

Submitted to Contest #20

There is a wrinkle on the skirt. How the hell did that happen. Fuck, this could cost me. What are you even saying? Not like you could change. Your fat ass does not fit into anything else; you pig. Hold back the tears. You need to do well on this interview. Like you can. Why even come? Lets back out. No I can’t back out. But if- No. I have to go in. Taking a deep breath, Analitz walked into the building and straight to the receptionist, all while forcing a smile on her face. “You need something?”, the receptionis...

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“The Logical Option” by Barbara Eustace

Submitted to Contest #20

Well, look at the mess you’ve made of things, all because you made the wrong choices. And you call yourself the logical one. Well, let’s see you dig yourself out of this one. Let’s rewind, shall we? Let’s go back to the beginning, and I’ll explain why the choices you made were the wrong ones.Okay. It started, how many years ago? Yes, that’s right, four years ago. Your friend, Patti, was going out with Andrew, who was a bit of a lad, a bit of a dish. They were going out for dinner and his brother, a sol...

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“"Moms are Superheroes, Too" by Sue Monkress (slmsam@juno.com) ” by Sue Monkress

Submitted to Contest #20

What a crazy, hectic Friday morning! And now I need to hurry or I’ll be late! Glancing at her watch, Samantha ran to her old beat-up ’88 Buick, making mental notes of everything she needed to finish at work today. She quickly inserted her key, fiddling, until the starter switch finally jerked downward and moved into the correct spot. The car definitely needed some repairs, but “thank you, Lord,” for now, it started right up. She’d worked through her lunch period, thinking: Perhaps after the appointment, I can re...

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“yesterday ended last night” by Katherine L

Submitted to Contest #20

"Mommy, I'm hungry!""Mommy" sighs. Wiping hands smudged with pencil lead on worn jeans, she glances into the hallway for her toddler. Alissa looks fine for now, she thinks with a quick glance at the clock. But it is time for a diaper change and a meal. So "Mommy" stands up, reaching over for a diaper on the bed next to her."Alissa, diaper!" she calls. A part of her stoic expression cracks a bit, revealing something warm inside as she hears her daughter begin to bemoan about her seething hatred for diaper-changing. But at last, she sees a sma...

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“My Little Monster” by Kimberley Velasco

Submitted to Contest #20

"WHAAAAAAAA"August woke to the sound her four month old daughter screaming on the baby monitor. She groaned and dragged her tired body out of bed. The nursery was dark with only the soft glow of a night light creating a path to the crib. As August leaned over, she she saw her daughter Olivia yawn and fall back asleep. "My little monster," August whispered softly as she moved her fingers gently across her baby's forehead. A soft smile played on Olivia's lips. August moved silently out of the nursery and back into her welcoming bed. The moment...

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“The First-Born” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #20

Amanda had got so used to telling people that she was a natural early riser and always had been that she now even believed it herself sometimes. It was not a complete lie. She supposed, if she had to classify herself into one of the two polarised categories, she would have called herself a lark rather than an owl. Even when she was a teenager, and her contemporaries thought it life’s greatest luxury to lie in bed until noon, she had liked to be up quite early, and had always thought there was something rather special about the...

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“...and I do it all for free” by Karen Iseminger

Submitted to Contest #20

“Babe…” She felt a hand on her hip, “mmmmm”.“Babe… Abby needs for you to read her essay. She won’t let me read it, only you.”“She is a momma’s girl… What time is it?”“Almost seven o’clock.”She sat straight up. “What? I looked at my phone at 5:02 and started to get up… what in the hell? I NEVER sleep this late!”“Well… if you weren’t out carousing every night this week maybe you wouldn’t be oversleeping.”She chuckled as best she could while leaning over to slide socks onto her feet, “…gotta say - ‘carousing’ has a dist...

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“Excitement Gone Awry” by Ashhab Ibrahim

Submitted to Contest #20

It felt like everything I had been working up to this point had collapsed in on itself in a fiery ball of disarray. Months earlier, I had been allowed a gift from my parents for my 8th-grade valedictorian. This reward had initially caught me by surprise, considering my parents held economical and self-effacing values as long as I had been alive. However, in their words, “long term achievements of consistency and hard work call for celebration and reward.” We had already gone out for dinner the night of 8th-grade promotion, peculiar compared ...

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“I am Free” by Maddie Snyder

Submitted to Contest #20

“Hollie are you sure you have everything?” My mother asks once more. “Yes mom. I checked twice.” I respond. I have my suitcase behind me, and a heavy bad swung over my shoulder with the rest packing the rim of my car. I didn’t even realize that I owned that many things. “Shampoo?” “Check.” “Pillow.” “Check.” “Tampons, chap-stick, sweatp-” “Yes check, yes check, yes mom. I have everything that I need now please stop.” I say. “I’m sorry Sweetie, I just never thought you would actually leave me. You know I didn’t go to college and your si...

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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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