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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#212: Signed, Sealed, Delivered

I don't really exchange letters with anyone, but if I did, I'd receive them with great anticipation. There's something very unpredictable about a letter: it can provide insight into a person's most private feelings, make a public statement, or share news of events big and small, from historic events to everyday gossip. You just never know until you open it.

This week's prompts are inspired by all things epistolary.

This week's prompts

Write a story in the form of a letter, or multiple letters back and forth.

Short Story – 147 stories

Write an epistolary story set during a major historical event. The event may be the subject of the letters directly, or be referenced in the background.

Historical Fiction – 30 stories

Write a story about a pair of pen pals.

Character – 26 stories

A mysterious letter is delivered to your character's home. It's not addressed to them, but they can't resist peeking...

Mystery – 64 stories

Set your story in a post office.

Fiction – 36 stories

Stories

“Gene, Dottie, and Simple Company” by Sahr Singh

Submitted to Contest #212

Dottie hated Gene more than she had ever hated anyone in her life, and that was saying something because she was almost 80 — which is plenty of time to come across people to hate — and because she knew Mitch, her granddaughter’s husband, and everyone who met Mitch hated him the most. Except Dottie. Dottie hated Gene the most, and she wrote to him every Thursday to let him know it: Gene, I can see why your ex-wife left you for another man. Your hippie lifestyle and untraditional values may have been all the rage decades ago, but a ger...

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“Time Travelling Pen Pals” by D.J.J. MIZZI

Submitted to Contest #212

Jacob never noticed the cupboard when he first moved into the building. Why should he? It was no different to any other cupboard, any other wardrobe, nook or cranny (and there were many of them) scattered throughout the house. There were many strange things about the old house he had just moved into, in the suburbs of Melbourne. Such as the oil painting in the living room, or the oddly shaped hole in the wall behind the painting. There was a window that shut on its own and a loose floorboard the creaked unnaturally loud when he stood on it. ...

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“Siberian Virus” by Christine Bialczak

Submitted to Contest #212

A mysterious letter is delivered to your character's home. It's not addressed to them, but they can't resist peeking... Edith, where are you? Ben, I’m in my office. What’s going on? Well, I just went out to get the mail and there was a green envelope mixed in with our mail, but it was addressed to Blanch Newland, you know that lady that just moved in a few months ago, the one diagonal to us? Just put it in her mailbox then. Well, it's just that the envelope wasn’t really sealed and I could kind of see some of the writing on the ...

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“Spaghetti” by Einen Lee

Submitted to Contest #212

Spaghetti by Einen Lee Hannah was in her painting studio when she heard a knock at the front door. "Ugh. Why can't people stop interrupting me!" She put down her brush and went to open the door. "May I help you?" "Yeah. I just need a signature for this letter." "OK." She signed her name on the card and closed the door behind the exiting mailman. "Who's this from?" she pondered as she sauntered back to her studio. She turned the letter over in her hand to read the return address. "Reedsport. Who do I know in Reedsport?" Hann...

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“Not At This Address ” by Arick Olson

Submitted to Contest #212

Marcus frowned as he looked at the letter in his hand."Another one?" he muttered under his breath. He checked the back of the envelope, as he had with all the others, and discovered it had a black thumbprint over the seal flap, just like all the others. He collected the rest of his mail, closed the post office box, and walked up the two flights to his apartment. Marcus put the mail on the kitchen table. He looked up and saw his wife come out of the bedroom, still in her pajamas. "Morning, babe," she said, leaning in for a kiss. Mar...

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“The Grey Sheep” by Jenni Bradshaw

Submitted to Contest #212

The doorbell rang. I was busy escaping the dark world outside. My eyes controlled by the media radiating from the TV. Shaking my head at the strange behavior of people. Differencing of opinions disrespected, leading to personal attacks. Disagreements turning into war - into war!I look at my phone for the fourth time in the last few minutes, checking for notifications of any kind. It’s 11:11pm. I make a wish. Wait, didn’t the doorbell ring? I create a wrinkle between my brows.Who is at my door this late?I don’t feel like getting up. I’m half ...

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“The Mystery Letter” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #212

The Mystery LetterWell, let’s see what is in the mailbox today. Letter number one, asking for money and giving me a bookmark with a picture of a wolf on it to make me feel guilty if I choose not to donate. Letter number two, thanking me for being a supporter of their cause when I haven’t given them anything, and I have never heard of them before. Letter number three a bank statement telling me that my investment money has earned me $65 over the last six months. I can blow all that money on a dinner out at Kentucky Fried C...

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“Pocket Doors” by Shawn Leader

Submitted to Contest #212

Bill, bill, lawn ad, bill with red stamp, old fashioned letter, pizza ad, bill. Mae walked into the living room and dumped the red bill and pizza ad onto her husband, Mike’s lap. She kept the old fashioned letter and then dumped the rest into the trash.“Red stands for blood,” Mike flipped the red stamped bill onto the coffee table. He kept the pizza ad.“Oh, Shaqadilla. Whatcha got there, lady?”Mae lifted the letter up so Mike could see the expensive looking envelope with an elegant calligraphic address. Something shifted in it, tinkling down...

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“Eddie” by Rachel Culp

Submitted to Contest #212

Surveying her home, her personal domain, Robin exhaled a delighted breath. Everything was as it should be. Jimmy, her devoted and loving husband, was at work, providing a plentiful income for her family. Her children were engrossed with their studies at school, looking forward to tonight’s share time. Because on Friday night, the child with the week’s best learned fact picked the Friday Night Movie. Their sincere desire to learn continued to impressed the teachers. Groceries have been purchased and stored. Dishes washed and put away. The lau...

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“A Sister's Relief” by Alex Harris

Submitted to Contest #212

It was another early, but cold spring day. The green buds on the trees contrasted the slightly ice-bitten ground. She pulled back from the window, forcing herself to focus on the morning’s tasks. Lunchbox, check. Backpack, check. Breakfast? Her hands fumbled as she opened the fridge. It was only Thursday, and the dwindling stock of food had to last another four days. “Well, at least I will fit into my spring dresses this year” – she whispered, instead indulging herself to a cup of coffee. She zipped up her sister’s backpack, placing ...

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“Project Un: Blood Runner” by Samuel Bowen

Submitted to Contest #212

“Early to rise, early to die.” Wynian muttered as he rolled out of bed. The glow of morning light reflected off spear tips, somehow always shining on his pillow. His calloused hands rubbed gunk from his eyelids. The snoring of his tent mates could still be heard. Some men muttered in their sleep, others rolled over like deadmen in graves. Lancers didn’t have to be ready until Mid-day. Unfortunately for Wynian, he was a runner. News had to get around somehow, and that meant some poor fellows had to make sure letters, packages, and orders were...

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“Things is Gonna Even Out In the End” by Michael Jefferson

Submitted to Contest #212

Carlo Rovino softly moans to himself when the movers drop the last box containing his mother’s belongings. Sifting through the boxes, Carlo comes across a bundle of yellowing envelopes stamped Return to Sender. His mother, quiet, close-lipped, and diligent, had been better known for filling out police reports than emulating Emily Dickinson. Her most recent letter, written two days before her death, commands his attention. Curious by nature and sure his mother wouldn’t mind, Carlo opens the well-traveled envelope. Dear Mario: I hope you...

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“Letter from the Heart of the Sea ” by Kristi Gott

Submitted to Contest #212

Luisa dragged the rake across the beach, creating the curves of a darker path on the sand for the labyrinth. She followed the directions with the sketch that was with the letter. It arrived without a return address. The paper was some kind of parchment texture Luiza had not seen before. The letters seemed to be shaped as if they were from the old fashioned type of pen with a metal nib that you dip into ink. The top of the page said, “The words said, “The Spell of the Ocean’s Essence. Follow the directions for the...

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“Peach curiousity” by Rukayya N.

Submitted to Contest #212

I wasn't particularly a curious man, but the light orange envelope defiantly looking back at me, while I stared at it confused, had me wanting to rip open the envelope and see what its contents held. It was taunting me with its soft and peachy scent. Who even sprays perfume on a letter? At least that's what I think it is: perfume. It smells nice, like freshly peeled peaches left on the counter waiting to be boiled in sugar and turned into marmalade. GOD! this awful letter. I tossed the letter back on the bedside table. Squinting more to see ...

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“Unexpected Delivery” by Joyce McBurney

Submitted to Contest #212

In today’s world of technology and so much of our communication being via e -mail or texts, most of us, myself included, find it unnecessary to go the post office. We all know we have them, after all, our mail must come from somewhere and we see the mail carriers out doing their deliveries, sometimes even on Sundays. Depending on where a person lives, they may get their mail in a mailbox in front of their house, but, in my case, my mail is delivered to a box assigned to me according to my address, in a cluster of boxes at the end of the stre...

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$250

Prize money

303

Contest entries

129

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 25, 2023 EST

Won by Wendy M 🏆

Title: The Last Of The Bright Young Things

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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