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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#225: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

From Narcissus falling in love with his own reflection to the speaking mirror in Snow White, mirror images have always been a popular motif in literature, commonly used to introduce questions of identity or self-consciousness. But they can also be used to create a split between reality and illusion: is what we see really the truth, or are our eyes — or indeed minds — playing tricks on us? Taken one step further, one might even argue that texts themselves are a reflection of their author and the world they inhabit.

This week’s prompts invite you to reflect (pardon the pun) on topics of self-image, twisted realities, and outer appearance that may or may not capture what’s going on beneath the surface.

This week's prompts

Start your story with someone buying a cursed — or perhaps blessed —mirror from an antiques store.

Fantasy – 74 stories

Write a story about someone trying to paint (or otherwise create) a self-portrait.

Character – 66 stories

Write a story about someone coming across their doppelganger.

Mystery – 48 stories

Write a story about a character who one day notices that their reflection has taken on a life of its own.

Fantasy – 50 stories

Set your story in a house of mirrors and make the atmosphere increasingly eerie.

Horror – 42 stories

Stories

“The Parting Of The Paths” by Jack Brooks

Submitted to Contest #225

Faxi was struggling to adjust to the new land he had ventured to. It was his life’s calling to come to this place, establish connection and control, and use that influence to impede the actions of the Gigas and its spawn in order to protect his village and his people. All of the wise folk in his village always told him that he bore blessings that few possessed, that the spirits favoured him. At home he could believe it, but here… no favour could be felt. He was totally alone, and lonely for it. While he was alone, he was not without company...

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“Betrayed” by Rachelle Lemay

Submitted to Contest #225

Betrayed Gwen hobbled to the back of the rental van to fetch the last piece of her mother’s furniture, an antique mirror with curved edges adorned by elaborate golden scrolls. Her mother had bought it when she married sixty-five years ago. At the time, it was a lovely four-piece bedroom set she had spent far beyond her means to acquire. Over the years, the multiple moves, and the downsizing, all that remained of the set was the gilded mirror. As she walked to her mother’s suite, Gwen hoped that this would be her mother’s last move until...

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“Confidence Should Be Her Name” by Zakiya Lockett

Submitted to Contest #225

No, I am not going to fall for it this time, she thought. She wondered why she always fell for the excuses of her mom. For years she allowed her mom to run her life, make excuses for why she couldn’t fulfill the task she said SHE would do. “Mom, listen I can’t cover you this time.” “Baby, I understand but I just need something to get me home. Please baby, I’ll pay you back.” “Where have I heard that before.” She said with an attitude. “Who are you talking to? You need to watch your mouth, don’t forget I’m still your m...

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“All I get from you” by Tomas Furtado

Submitted to Contest #225

Knowing what each other would do. That Jonas was bored and that Benson would comply, the twins sneaked out of bed during a wet blue summer night and made their way to the mirror house, squeezing through an opened window in the second story floor and closing it shut behind them, so the flying termites, who unborrowed at that time of the year, wouldn't follow them in.It was a closed circuit, stale and warm. It reminded Benson of the trunk of a car, although he'd keep that to himself. Despite the croaking of the wood, Jonas made it's way first,...

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“Mr Perfect” by Ruby Nivel Vega

Submitted to Contest #225

"There is, I swear." Annoyed at her friend's constant refusal to grasp reality, Katie swirled her iced pumpkin latte with her straw before sucking the whipped cream from the end of it."No. There isn't. There is absolutely without a doubt no such thing as the perfect man and a perfect match. This is exhausting, I can't talk about it anymore. If you want to be alone forever, be my guest, but please leave your cat purchases to maximum of two!" Sam brushed her face with the palms of her hands and picked up her coffee that was now uncomfortably c...

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“Reflection” by Mike Rancourt

Submitted to Contest #225

Bing-Bing. Gina had just marked the delivery complete and returned her device to her vest pocket, but this wasn’t the chime confirmation she’d expected from Untapped APPetite app. It took her a second to realize it was the alert from Untapped TherAPPy. She tensed in anticipation, stopped dead in her tracks. She opened the app and cursed her lagging device. “Hi, Gina. I’m Mariela (Untapped TherAPPy certification date 2 Feb 2101). I’ve been assigned your case. How are you feeling today?” This was it. Just to qualify for benefits, she had had t...

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“Selfreflection” by Margarita Naumova

Submitted to Contest #225

It's getting colder today. Kyle lies on a flatbed in an empty room - his sister isn't here as usual. His gaze is drawn to the high ceiling: without blinking, he torments the emptiness above his head, which appeared to him in the form of a white canvas - and even then, they turned a little blue from the darkness outside the window. It was quite late, and it was getting dark earlier at this time of the year. And in that cold dark room, with no light outside the window, Kyle was tormented by his own thoughts. But in the loneliness, he found...

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“The Last Trip” by Prasanth Sriram

Submitted to Contest #225

I cannot describe to you what happens when you shoot up. Others may be horrified at what we do, but I promise you, there is a method to this madness. A set of precise steps that is not possible if you are not focused on what you are doing. Amateurs make the silliest of mistakes which almost always results in infection or a bad trip, but when you nail it down, the euphoria is like none other. First, the spoon. You will never find anyone use a straight spoon to melt the rocks in, the hands are too unsteady, even for a first timer. You drop the...

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“Who is That” by Terry Gartner

Submitted to Contest #225

WHO IS THAT It has been a long day. I have been thinking all day. Thinking about my life and all the things I've done. All the events of my life.--All the people in my life. My parents -my sisters. It's been many years. The memories come back and dwell in my mind.--My sisters and I have gotten older.--Our lives have moved in different directions. Today I think about all the fun we had. I was the youngest -the only boy --My sisters were older and I was the baby of the family. That was good---Where's Terry -He's been gone a long t...

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“Reversal” by Rob Ryter

Submitted to Contest #225

Sensitive content: Incest as a manifestation of evilIt was one minute to midnight, on Wednesday, 25th April, 1979, the eve of Oyna’s eighteenth birthday. Unforgiving and unblinking, Oyna’s ice-cold gaze slid, slowly and carefully, up and down the naked female body on bold, fully frontal display before her. Complemented by raven black, shoulder-long straight hair, her perfect, alabaster skin gave onto mathematically pure, smooth-shaded curves of breast, waist and rounded rear. Be it in the eye of the beholder or out there in the objectiv...

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$250

Prize money

280

Contest entries

106

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Nov 24, 2023 EST

Won by Olivier Breuleux 🏆

Title: The Day Alfred Googled Himself

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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