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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#230: In a Flash

I’ve been reading a lot of flash fiction recently. It’s a great format for close study, as its compression forces writers to question the function of every sentence.

Since there are many lessons to be learned from reading, writing, and thinking about flash fiction, I thought we could make it the focus of this week’s contest. To be clear, this contest accepts stories between 1,000 and 3,000 words, but this week, I’m inviting you to try and stay as close to the lower limit as you can. Our usual word count range is still the official guideline, and stories that are closer to 3,000 words will not be disqualified — but I hope that with flash stories in mind, you’ll feel inspired to be as economical with language as possible.

Not sure how to begin? Check out our best tips for writing flash fiction.

This week's prompts

Write a story framed by a single scene: something happens, a flashback or inner monologue intervenes, and then the story ends with the rest of the original scene.

Narrative – 90 stories

Write a story in which a character achieves a new level of clarity about how they’re really feeling.

Character – 57 stories

Start your story with someone uttering a very strange sentence.

Dialogue – 52 stories

Write a story that hides something from its reader until the very end.

Mystery – 101 stories

Write a story in the form of a list.

Narrative – 62 stories

Stories

“Okies” by Oscar Lozano

Submitted to Contest #230

“What kind of wife doesn’t tell her husband she’s a bullfrog?” Millie asked Fey, her soon-to-be sister-in-law, who was, in fact, a massive, green, wart-covered frog. “You’re not supposed to be here,” Fey said hushedly, bulging eyes squinted. “Your wedding is in a week, right? Ezra is my brother, for Christ’s sake! I don’t know what game you’re playing, but you can’t seclude him from his family. Everyone in Tulsa is wondering where he is.” “Okay,” Fey said, sighing and leaning on the front door. Suddenly, her demeanor changed, becomi...

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“The Cursed Moon” by M B

Submitted to Contest #230

“Val kan-tesh el vis’nu vash ken tisu,” the vulpine mage with the burning blue eyes intoned from the pier above the team. It was Draknor who was startled the most by this. “What did he just yammer about?” Farah asked. Draknor snarled, holding his recovered sword in his claws. A mammal that knew Draconian? A mammal that knew an ancient Draconian curse, no less? Skreet grit his teeth as he ran. “Weren’t you just knocked out?” He yelled backward to the strange mage. “I told you, I recover quite quickly,” the wizard with the burnin...

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“My Treasure” by Aviva Stefansky

Submitted to Contest #230

It is the most stunning thing I own. There are no words to describe the beauty of it. The ring my husband presented to me on one knee. My most precious possession. It sparkles in every fraction of light, glitters in the dark, creates rainbows in the sunlight. It brings a smile to my husband’s face. How I adore him. The ring, my treasure, has a story of its own. I will share it with you, because someone needs to. I am extremely fortunate that my husband‘s parents are wonderful people. They welcomed me into their family with open arms; tre...

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“Walkers are Near” by Shane Cape

Submitted to Contest #230

“Walkers are Near” They’re coming. You can tell by the crackling of the leaves under their feet. Kaile hid in the brush, hoping they wouldn’t notice him. They’re coming. You can smell them already, putrid honestly. He started to control his breathing and tried to get as low to the ground as he could. They’re coming still, can’t be more than twenty paces away now. You can hear them breathing loudly, one growls and makes some other noises that Kaile doesn’t understand. He still can’t see them, though he dare not even move his...

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“Dull House” by Sofia Baquedano

Submitted to Contest #230

I know a lot of people don’t like their jobs, and yet I cannot possibly imagine anyone having a job worse than mine. I can’t stand the uniform: itchy, blindingly white, so if gets stained it’s noticeable. The pay is not good either, just better than my last job. The worst part is the tasks I get assigned. Not all are equally bad, and if the task lasts from two days to two weeks, it’s an okay task. Anything from two weeks to two months is insanely annoying and sometimes boring. If it goes over two months, well… That has only happened the one...

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“Now or never” by Baiba Liepina

Submitted to Contest #230

Rumours about the biggest event of the year, most probably the biggest event ever brought to this godforsaken place, turned out to be true – a famous rock band was coming to town.Jeff couldn’t believe this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so he grabbed his phone and made a call.“Liz? Is that you?”“Who’s that?” sleepy voice responded.“It’s me, Jeff,” he was whispering, as if someone might be listening to their conversation. “There’s a job out there.”“Jeff, I don’t think...”“Get dressed, there’s someone we have to visit.”“But...” she was about ...

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“Atwist in the Tale” by Brian Bywater

Submitted to Contest #230

The Twist in the Tale November 24th 1971 was just like any other Wednesday at the Portland Oregon Airport. Not particularly busy on domestic flights, so Dan Cooper had little wait time in buying his one way ticket to Seattle Washington. Dan Cooper was never planning to return. His identity documents were later proven to be fake. Security is a tad tighter today. In 1971 he did not have to concern himself with CCTV cameras. Even so he had timed his arrival to the last minute before the announcement to board his flight. A busy perio...

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“SURVIVORS” by Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #230

SURVIVORS Isaac entered the darkness of the store hut, glad to be out of the freezing snow that was falling heavily, casting a white blanket across the entire camp. Isaac stamped the snow from his poorly clad feet, creating a puddle on the wooden floor before pushing the door closed with difficulty against the swirling wind. Pulling down a blanket from one of the many racks that filled this rough hewn, timber shack, each containing a plethora of tools and other stores, he draped the thick, woollen coverlet over his shoulders and huggin...

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“The Grand Mirage” by Daniel Mueller

Submitted to Contest #230

Harmony is a balance unsettled — a truth in the disguise of a lie. For once, I ask you to truly think: What is the meaning of peace? What has prevented you from experiencing this so-called harmony? When stability is within reach, something simultaneously snaps at your heels to make you forget about it in the first place. Why is that? Every time it seems like life is finally going good, all of a sudden, society becomes consumed by some external influence. In essence; unjust wars dictated by a select few, monetary policies that make the rich r...

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“Truth Among the Shadows of My Mind” by Bob Faszczewski

Submitted to Contest #230

Truth Among the Shadows of My Mind It seemed like some bizarre magical power had broken into my dreams, taken over my mind and led me from my student apartment on the campus of Salisbury University into a fog-covered woody area deep in Pokomoke State Forest. Unfamiliar music had interrupted my dreams and led me as if in a trance to follow twists and turns a...

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“How it Feels to be Forgotten” by Jennifer Pletcher Borg

Submitted to Contest #230

This is how it feels to be forgotten. Left behind. Not needed. I remember when I first met you. Your eyes lit up upon seeing me. You picked me up, inspected me every which way. Did the same motions to my twin. Told us we were perfect, that we were what you always wanted. You took us home. Our home. A beautiful place with many rooms, wood floors, fuzzy carpets that I loved to lay on. You bragged to your friends about me. About us. My twin and I were constantly shown off. You wouldn’t let anyone get too close with their grubby hands....

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“The One Who thinks in child-like monologues” by Tatia Kapanadze

Submitted to Contest #230

My mother is like me, but it’s okay, I still love her. She loves me too, I’m sure. -Look a giraffe! Isn’t that amazing? Such a long neck! and colorful! She doesn’t look at it. Why? What did I do? I always do something wrong…I guess. -Look at the giraffe! Come on! I hold her hand tightly to give me attention. -Ow, okay, I’m looking…yes they are beautiful. She tells me quietly. She often does this, telling me things without feelings. It’s okay. I’m happy. The weather is beautiful today. It’s sunny. The sky is clean. I like it...

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“Sacrifice” by Ben Y

Submitted to Contest #230

The Lord’s messenger, the fool, could not have been more wrong. He had arrived in the early morning and brought word of lawlessness at a nearby village, when his lordship and her ladyship had already long retired for the night. Bandits and raiders, he had asserted with utmost confidence. A decision was made post haste, and we had rode at sunrise, the rising sun on our backs, a half day’s trek on horseback ahead of us. It was a seaside port village, integral to the smooth functioning of the realm and thus a detachment of the king’s best fight...

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“The answer to an unhappy marriages” by David Nutt

Submitted to Contest #230

The answer to unhappy marriages I sat there in a particular somber mood. I had to admit I was comfortably installed in the club saloon of British Airways waiting for the Barbados flight announcement. My wife had recently died under what the police thought might be suspicious circumstances. All this interest in her death was due to the fact she was a well known London socialite. She came from an extremely wealthy Texas farming family. The family had found sizable oil deposits on their lands. After several weeks of tedious investigation ...

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“Metro-Nymph” by J. I. MumfoRD

Submitted to Contest #230

(Warning, contains scenes of prejudice within the themes of ASD and intersexuality)Zara observed the crowd with the clinical fascination of a zoologist. The splatter of rain took the people by surprise, triggering a bizarre ritual of newspaper shields. A moment later, when lightning forked across the darkening sky, the odd behavior became clear. Perhaps the storms in this city are stronger than those back home? The crowd scrambled in a herd-like exodus for cover.Lacking any protection from the deluge, Zara allowed themself to be swept along ...

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$250

Prize money

362

Contest entries

108

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Dec 29, 2023 EST

Won by Ethan Zimmerman 🏆

Title: The Lop-it-off-a-me List

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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