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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#208: Come On Barbie, Let's Go Party

The wait is finally over: today Greta Gerwig’s Barbie(™) movie hits theaters and I, for one, couldn’t be more excited! Blonde and big-busted, this by-now classic doll has often been associated with negative stereotypes of womanhood. But it’s also true that, when you played with Barbie as a child, she could be anything you liked: a firefighter, a flight attendant, a teacher, or even an astronaut (Barbie went to space 4 years before Armstrong did). The possibilities were endless, allowing young people to envision new futures for themselves.

This week’s prompts take inspiration from Barbie and her pink, plastic world, asking you to play with the idea of puppetry, childhood memories, and shiny surfaces that hide potential darkness.

This week's prompts

Write a story about someone living vicariously through someone else.

Character – 32 stories

Write a story where the characters start to realize that they are, in fact, just characters.

Character – 49 stories

Write a story about a character who finds a childhood toy that brings back memories.

Character – 70 stories

Write a story about someone who is constantly being put into a box by others.

Angst – 40 stories

Set your story in a rosy-pink world where everything is rainbows and unicorns… until it isn’t.

Dramatic – 47 stories

Stories

“Leave Me Alone ” by Simone Maglassis

Submitted to Contest #208

Leave Me Alone Once there was a woman who was half a ghost, caught between two worlds. Captivatingly beautiful but near translucent. Barely tethered to Earth, her skin pale and parched but her eyes alive and knowing. Her home was a mansion with twinkling chandeliers, floor to ceiling windows and glossy marble floors. It was shiny and new but she never left the square box of her bedroom, which also happened to be an exhibit. The tour guides acted like ...

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“A little comeback” by Andrey Trofimov

Submitted to Contest #208

Right. He goes unconscious and then I say, rest your eyes and rest your tongue, for I don’t need them. I came to parley with your soul. Do they want a ghost? Do they want scary? This will haunt them for days… If only Lipman can hurry up with his monologue. At this rate, I’ll have to wait another hour for my cue line. He's really struggling today… Can this darn floor be any colder? Don't they know how dangerous it is for my age? All I have on are these cursed robes. Oh, there she comes with my socks. “Lovely. Thank you, dear. Can you feel how...

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“Lands Above” by Nicole Nunez

Submitted to Contest #208

It was time for my life to take flight, going to a faraway place that only fantasy knows. They say it is a place of magic. My heart beats faster and my body shakes back and forth against the quick winds. It is like a roller coaster, only with no harness and a much higher drop if I were to fall. As my body is whipped from side to side, I try to swallow, but my throat is closed and the pressure of the speed has risen to my ears. Suddenly, everything stops. I look beneath my feet and see intertwining shades of white, blue, and green. My stomach...

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“Greater Dawn” by Asa Conroy

Submitted to Contest #208

Many years ago, a young girl danced in a home of light and love. She twirled but in a strange way. She tried to focus her reflection. She could not look away. So enamored by her costume, and no one could blame her. The child wore a pink chest plate with intricately carved streams of light swimming throughout her midsection. Every stream meets in the center of her chest, where a glowing emblem rests. A tulle skirt that sparkled like all the great stars in the sky rested around ...

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“Happy Day In Her Cove” by H.e. Ross

Submitted to Contest #208

I don’t know where to start. I guess the boat would should be the way to start the story, sir. See, my boat was my life and well, let me begin. The day could have been better but with hopes for a breeze we set out under power. The water was grey, the sky was that kind of somber grey that sort of blended with the bay waters and it just didn’t look good for a sail, but I wanted to impress her, so off we went chugging along. Not even a swell, so the boat moved steadily without any yawing or anything like that. It was like we were driving a ca...

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“LAST LEGS” by Cliff Avery

Submitted to Contest #208

LAST LEGS By Cliff Avery Lamar looked younger than his daughter when he arrived at her birthday party, but that was her own fault. She could have chosen a 25-year-old body, too; she was the one that decided a hot-shot CEO had to look hot, but a little MILFy. “Daddy, you look great,” Rana said as Lamar approached. After almost 200 years of conversations with her, he translated it as “I love you, but get away ...

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“THE LAND OF ROSES” by Melinda Madrigal

Submitted to Contest #208

Welcome to the Land of Roses, where everything from the mountains, to the sky, to the homes, to the trees, to the animals are covered in pink. As far as the eye can see the Land of Roses is a dreamland for those who live here. The unicorns, magical and beautiful are the protectors of the land. Gentle and kind they possess great power used to protect the Land of Roses. Mystique greatest of the protector's flies high over the land, to those down below their smiles are bigger than ever. The Land of Roses is filled with smiles and laughter. ...

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“The Blind Child” by Dilshan Singh

Submitted to Contest #208

The Blind Child A boy named Justin was born blind according to his mother. His mother loved him dearly and disregarded his disorder; she told him stories before bed, fed him with her own two hands, and gave him aplomb. One day Justin asked his mother “Why can’t I see the word you talk about before I sleep and why can’t I go outside to play with the others.” His mother tells him “Son you are special and the world abhors special people.” As she said that she said that she fondled Justin while hugging him and wiping his tears. She taught hi...

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“What happens when the world breaks” by Naomi Gardner Woods

Submitted to Contest #208

“You can’t catch me!” Jabier shrieks as I chase him around the room. His skinny little legs carry him under the table, through the living room, and over the couch, all the while dodging my outstretched hands. Knowing he can do this for hours, I switch tactics. I crouch with my hands on my knees, breathing with great heaving motions. “Oh, Jabi,” I moan, “I think you are just too fast for me.” My little brother cautiously peeks out from his hiding place, his brows knotted in confusion. “I am?” I nod so vigorously that one of my braids smacks m...

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“Goodbye” by Sivashankary Gopalsamy

Submitted to Contest #208

March 10th. 2015 As the sun sets in the distance, the mourners start to disperse. One by one, they turn and walk away, giving Roxanne a gentle pat on the shoulder, or a sympathetic nod as they pass her on the way out. Eventually, she’s the only one left, stony-faced, still staring at the fresh mound of earth beneath which her best friend now rests. Pretty white and pink roses are strewn on the grave, and as the trees sway in the cool, gentle breeze, the weight of the reality finally hits her: Janet is gone. Her best friend of 30 years is g...

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“The Allure of Tracy Station” by Madeline Honig

Submitted to Contest #208

Tessa had worked at The Whiskey Barrel for nearly four years now. The town folk knew it for its cheeseburger and stake fries, cold domestic beers, and enough whiskey to drown a horse. If she wanted to stay in the small town of Frankville limited her choices of employment and the fear of leaving this place was nerve-racking. The owner of the Whiskey Barrel coached her high school soccer team so it was an easy in. Most people in this town worked at the local slaughterhouse, but the smell had caused Tessa to become a vegan ear...

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“Stylus” by R H Sallow

Submitted to Contest #208

Carl’s gaming chair, with its cracked upholstery, multitude of off-white and reddish-brown stains, and faint, rotten sweet stench, was only the centerpiece to his vile quarters. There were less putrid decorations strewn about – dirty laundry dating back two months (which amounted to five or six outfits) and knick-knacks and peeling posters of animated characters – but the corners of his room hid the most offensive filth. A moldy, maggot-ridden trash bin was toppled by the closet, welcoming anyone brave enough to enter with a paralyzing odor,...

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“Garrett Ruiz” by Lou Riel

Submitted to Contest #208

Garrett Ruiz was not only beautiful, he was also painfully charming. And hypnotic. And intoxicating, like the world’s most expensive cocktail. It didn’t matter what your palette or your tolerance was, you could never consume enough of him. Both of his smiles, his cheeky onscreen smile and his sinless offscreen smile, could generate power for a thousand cities until the planet gave out. His skin was lightly tanned, his proportions were exceptional; not even including the lean muscle gained from vigilant weight training and cardio, he had been...

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“"Beyond the Pages: The Narrative Weavers"” by Srija Sanapala

Submitted to Contest #208

In the bustling city of Arcadia, where the buildings touched the sky and the streets buzzed with life, there existed an extraordinary bookstore called "The Enchanted Pages." Its owner, Mr. Thorne, was known for his mystical collection of books that transported readers to far-off lands and magical realms. One rainy evening, four curious teenagers named Lily, Ethan, Mia, and Oliver stumbled upon this mystical bookstore. Intrigued by its enchanting aura, they entered, hoping to find an exciting book to pass the time. As they explored the store,...

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“Game Night "Maze of Enlightenment"” by J Rico

Submitted to Contest #208

In the heart of 1940's Chicago suburbs, Mark and Beatrice, alongside their friends Shawn and Marie, gathered for a delightful double date game night. As laughter and joy filled the air, someone stumbled upon an old Ouija board in the attic. Excitement brimming, they decided to test its power and ask silly questions for amusement. At first, the Ouija board responded with typical jitters, teasing the group with inconsequential answers. However, as the night grew darker, a sudden chill enveloped the room, and the planchette moved with an othe...

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$250

Prize money

238

Contest entries

85

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jul 28, 2023 EST

Won by Ian Gonzales 🏆

Title: That All Important First Scene

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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