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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

“Ambition” by Vincent Jessop

Submitted to Contest #212

Ambition By: Vincent JessopAugust 22nd.Letter 1:To my beloved Theanin, Theanin, I write to you in the darkest corner of my mind, for it is where I find myself in these daunting times. The thought of you and our son’s illness is what drives me to continue my hunt for the Tome. My search has led me to the great city of Rimisa, the capital of Bellator. The tales of the impenetrable walls of Rimisia do them little justice. Their grand spectacle shines brighter than the ambition of her people, whose personalities are more stubborn than...

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“Godless Sinners” by Eridian Prenowitz

Submitted to Contest #212

Dear Delaney, You spoke last of an overwhelming urge to run away. Those specific words you wrote struck a chord in me, and reminded me of something. I went to my library and searched for a book, where the word ‘drapetomania’ is used. I then searched up the meaning of the word in my dictionary. It describes the feeling you spoke of to me in your letter. I cannot say that I outright support you running away, though I understand why you want to. To run. Freedom, at last. It’s our life, it’s our turn to make the calls, after all. I understand y...

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“Lettert to Daisy” by Hayley Chau

Submitted to Contest #212

Dear Daisy, You fell to the floor. I was so scared. Your friends were so scared. Some people stopped to help you but others continued dancing. Luckily, someone started performing CPR on you. What took seconds felt like an eternity for you to wake up. When you did, the pupils in your eyes were so wide and big. I didn’t recognize the girl in front of me. But then, without warning, you stood up and started dancing as if nothing had happened. And so did everyone else. It was the first night of Spring Break and you and ...

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“The Call of Oblivion” by Caroline Smith

Submitted to Contest #212

Dear Ms. Darien Nicolas:We are writing in response to your inquiry about the XKP Dream-Viewer 500™. We regret to inform you that this item is currently out of stock. The next shipment is expected to arrive at our warehouse on October 1, 2023. We have placed your name on a waitlist and you will be prioritized should you decide to follow through on your purchase.As you may already know, donning the Dream-Viewer 500™’s nonintrusive mask is akin to tuning in to the television show of your choice — while you’re asleep! If you’re plagued by pesky ...

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“Letters to Self: In Case of Emergency ” by Katie Stairs

Submitted to Contest #212

September 7th, 2003 Loraine is watching me. Those strong icy eyes are burning a hole right into my skull. She thinks those bookshelves can disguise her nature. She’s using the monotonous tapping of the keyboard at the library check-out desk to lower my guard down just enough to rip me apart. She was clutching a copy of Single White Female in her right hand this morning. She couldn’t hide that from me. The gears were ticking in her head and, even now, it’s giving me an earache....

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“Untethered” by Luca King Greek

Submitted to Contest #212

This is a story about a letter. Like the letter itself, much of this story is true, maybe all of it is true? But then again, maybe it’s just the invention of a creative mind, or mis-remembered events and conversations? We may never know.Of the biological father, Mum seemed a bit vague. Maybe he was half Indian and half Scottish. Maybe he was a doctor or a surgeon, or an aspiring movie producer. Maybe his first name was Ellis, or Elliot. For sure he was a philanderer, for sure he didn’t know I exist, n...

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“Paper Apologies” by Zoë Page

Submitted to Contest #212

Rosa. Rosa. Rosabel. It is as if your name is the word written in a beautiful motif across my sorry heart; with every precious beat another inscribed in your hand. For so long – too long – I could not see it, as one cannot see his heart, but now I know with as much surety as though I hold my bloody, still pulsing heart in my hands, that it is so. It is you. It has always, will always be you. It is like that heart is tearing to sorry little pieces right in front of me that I did not realise this fact sooner. I thought that maybe it was ...

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“Holy War” by Dani Drouin

Submitted to Contest #212

Dear Leo, Dear lover of mine, whom I am nothing short of indebted to in every way. Please know that soon the world will see the innocence radiating off of you that I’ve always known. My holy martyr, I weep often for you, thinking of you in that cold, dark cell. But the blessed are always punished by weak men, I should’ve expected it. But I thought there would be some evil left in the air for the police to feel, for them to understand it was only in self-defense, only to defeat an evil. I have some things, some pictures, and letters f...

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“Your Move” by Alicia Bablick

Submitted to Contest #212

My dearest friend, Have you heard about the museum heist? I’m sure you have. It was all over the news, even made the print newspaper, and I’m certain you still like to read words printed on the page. You and I are among the last, I think, who get their news the old-fashioned way. All of the stolen pieces weren’t listed, of course, but since it’s THAT museum surely you couldn’t help but wonder. I will not keep you in suspense. Yes, your trinket is among the pilfered artifacts, although where it is at this moment I can’t say. I did hold it...

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“The Applicant” by Anisha Yagnik

Submitted to Contest #212

June 21, 2023The Best or The Rest Marketing121 Brown Drive, Suite 202Atlanta, GA 30303To the desk of The Best or the Rest Marketing,I think you should hire me.This is the 14th such letter I have written in as many weeks, and since I’ve gotten no reply, I’m trying my hand at bluntness.You should hire me because I’m quickly approaching the "Best", and once I get there, it’ll be within your walls, creating your successes and earning you money.Now that you’ve received 14 letters from me, you should also be able to tell that I’m dedicated.I’m sta...

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“A Letter from a Dissatisfied Shangri-La Festival Attendee” by James Fritz

Submitted to Contest #212

Dear Customer Relations, I am addressing this letter to your Customer Relations Team since (a) I am a customer and (b) our relationship is in hot water. Since your company took down its social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, YouTube, Tumblr, Pinterest, and TikTok, you have left me no choice but to write a physical letter. And even though I’m from Gen Z, I know how to address an envelope. I recently had the misfortune of attending the first-ever Shangri-La Festival in the Bahamas. From the moment ...

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“A Haunted House” by Danielle Barr

Submitted to Contest #212

My beloved Antonin- I scarcely eke out the dash, smudging the ink as I do, my hands are trembling so hard. I set down the fountain pen, the only sound in the dark house the clacking of its metal clip against the scarred wooden desktop, and shake both hands back and forth, then massage my fingers, palms, and wrists- as if these tremors are just some byproduct of my age, or of fatigue, that I can rub away. Oh that I could rub this all away! I gasp at the thought of it. Your name on the parchment is like a siren, pulling my attention t...

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“Bottle in a Message” by Robert Egan

Submitted to Contest #212

Dear Immortal Drunkard, Your addiction to the land of the living has upset the cosmic balance. For every bottle you leave standing, another town goes down in flames. The stain of your continued waking existence will draw God's sober ire. Drink up or face the consequences. The typewritten note ended with a crude sketch of a bottle approximately one third full, and the message itself was taped to a full bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle 10-year bourbon. So, it wasn't a message in a bottle, but a bottle in a message on a bottle. The no...

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“Your Friend from Afar” by Steffen Lettau

Submitted to Contest #212

Author's note: This story contains injuries, traumatic events, and mental insanity.10/14/1911Dear Jon Cannington,How are you? This is Jacques Leroux, from Bordeaux in France. It has been a long time since we played as children, and I reminisce of our good times. Granted, you did have a hard life in that desert, along with your father and mother conducting their "business", but I prayed that your life has gotten better now that you are an adult. There is so much to share with you, ever since my family moved back to France before we could cele...

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“Monkey Tale” by H.e. Ross

Submitted to Contest #212

Heppy lived in a small apartment right in the centre of the ‘Mo, short of Fillmore District in San Francisco. The neighbourhood used to be rough with fights, very loud music and the occasional shots. I loved it as a kid growing up sort of like in the wild west. When he passed there were a lot of people at the funeral. Heppy was well liked by most of the people acquainted with him in the ‘Mo. I liked him but of course he was my father. Heppy lived for the American Legion. He was a veteran of the First World War and had lied about his age to...

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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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