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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

“Life's Lemons, God' Lemonade” by Gary Labbe

Submitted to Contest #230

Life’s Lemons, God’s Lemonade By Gary Labbe I firmly believe that everything that happens is a part of God's plan—but the limitations of our internal paradigms keep us from understanding the entire picture. In the rare instance where we can, over time, get a glimpse into His design, it is a wonderful feeling. But on one such occasion for me, it didn’t feel like a gift at first. I was having lunch with a very good friend who, in my estimation, has a better understanding of who God is than anyone I have ever known. He truly has the heart o...

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“Do you remember” by Shashi Tuteja

Submitted to Contest #230

Sensitive content: The story mentions the current wars in the world. Do You Remember? My best friend, my beloved husband, Today, I woke up with the memory of our visit to your parent’s home. Your mother had made your favourite foods and spoke of your naughty childhood days. She narrated the story of the stray puppy you adopted when you were six. You fed him, played with him and named him ‘buddy’. She said you cried for days when he was hurt in a street fight with bigger dogs. Our eyes were moist when we looked at each other. A soldier a...

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“I didn’t get the job!” by Allan Marshall

Submitted to Contest #230

He remembered his job interview last week, it had been the big hope, if he got this job it would solve so many problems. He had spent days working on his resume, it gelled together almost word for word with the position description. Education requirements were a problem but they were optional for the position. He had tons of experience relevant to the position from his army days. He wasn't good with words, he looked smart in his discharge suit and cropped haircut, perhaps looking a little too military. He sat nervously but bolt upright...

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“A Boy and His Monster” by Chloe .B.

Submitted to Contest #230

I would often wonder about the smiles on people's faces. Whether they were real or if they were all simply pretend. “Father,” I said. “What is it, Toru?” “When they pretend, does it hurt?” “Pretend what?” “When they pretend to smile?” I watched my father's expression slowly contort as he brought his hand to his face and rubbed at the stubby hairs on his chin. “Why would it hurt Toru?” my father asked. “Wouldn’t it hurt if you tried to be something other than yourself?” My father never answered my question. I was ten...

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“She stopped loving him one day......” by Julie Grenness

Submitted to Contest #230

His wife stopped loving him one day. Vance tried to understand. At first he thought it was a stage Linda was going through. She had colored her hair, trimmed her figure, and started making fitness coaching sessions on Youtube. Overnight, Linda became an 'influencer' for mature women. Vance was left wondering why. Linda told him she no longer loved him, and he took a hike from the family home. No, his wife no longer loved him unconditionally. Where had his teenage bride disappeared, now he was bulging and grey? He blamed it on his truck drivi...

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“Free Bird” by Nick Baldino

Submitted to Contest #230

The road is eternally paved, and the sky is eternally blue, and I’ve been sitting next to her forever. She has staple-sized dimples and green eyes and coarse red hair.An old rock song is playing, something with no bass, mostly guitar, so familiar that it irks me. The air is broken, and we sweat, a smell that contests my Black Ice pine tree. The smell is victorious. Her head turns, her lip quivers- I can see it in the window’s reflection. I won’t touch her because I don’t want glass in my car.It’s these highways that kill me. My urban plannin...

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“The Wasabi Farmer” by Kayla Clark

Submitted to Contest #230

The farmer’s only companion is a nuthatch. Its warble is mournful in the early morning, conjuring an indolent mist that is slow in its descent along the mountainside. Soil cakes the farmer’s forearms and clings to the frayed edges of his shirt. A bundle of wasabi rests on the yellowed blanket beside him, plucked from soft earth after nearly two years of maturation. They do not look like newborns, wet dirt obscuring their rough, patchy green skins. They look as old as the farmer feels. Today is different, although he does not know why. He con...

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“Albicant” by CoCo Lee

Submitted to Contest #230

TW: gore, domestic violence Dark, red, cake. Chocolate cake slithers into my nostrils, wraps itself around my brain. Giving it a hug, then squeezing, squeezing, I can't breathe. I can't- "Cheryl, this cake is amazing!" His business partner exclaims, zoning me in, something Mr. Andrews. "Cheryl you must listen when a man speaks to you, it's not right you always day dreaming, especially when work is due." He chomps cake, frosting drips from the corners of his mouth. "My apologies, I hope you admire the cake." I retort, shyly staring at my ...

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“Mushrooms in the Ceiling” by Elo Buzz

Submitted to Contest #230

CONTENT WARNING: Mention of blood, dead bodies. Blood dries, and when exposed to oxygen, it solidifies and darkens in color. This process doesn’t take very long, depending on how much blood was used. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure this out. And yet, three rocket scientists stared at a wall in a room where no one had been in six months. The blood on this wall was fresh, dripping like rain, and a small puddle collected on the cracked tile floor. “What do you think it means?” Dr. Carter, a NASA astronaut, pulled o...

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“Gift of the Year” by Peaky Progger

Submitted to Contest #230

“You pulled the arm off, bitch!” Liz screams full savage, putting every ounce of muscle and every string of tendon and ligament into the swinging arc of her fist. A pressure release pop beneath her knuckles of porcelain wresting from gum. The clinks of precious white China onto tile. Viscous streams of crimson follow, gloopier than she expected. The moment sears into Liz’s psyche joining her first period and her first orgasm and her first boyfriend, and now this, her first time punching a bitch’s teeth out.The most desperate Moms take the bi...

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“UNHOLY ALLIANCES” by Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #230

UNHOLY ALLIANCES After a sumptuous meal, all six diners, one by one, made their way into the magnificent library. Small talk, well oiled by unlimited champagne, broke out among the various attendees, scattered around as they were in the comfortable chairs and sofas that abounded. Three of the four walls were lined, floor to ceiling, with impressive tomes. The fourth side of this vast room was taken up by a huge fireplace and, as Horst, the butler, moved discreetly between the gathering, dispensing liberal amounts of bubbly, their host, Si...

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“Benny and the Chets” by Zoë Irene

Submitted to Contest #230

“We’re ready to test the time machine!” Benny shouted over its roar. “About time! I’ve been waiting all morning. Let’s get this experiment over with so we ca-” ZAP! The lights in the garage flickered several times, but at least they didn’t go out as they had in previous attempts. Defeated, Benny ran his hands over his face. He knew if the lights flickered in the garage, they would have flickered throughout the whole house. He looked towards the door expectantly. “Oh come on! No...

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“Penance” by Amy Feise

Submitted to Contest #230

"The money is in the trunk." The words tumbled out in between choked breaths and wheezing sounds as I smashed my shirt into the hole in his neck. "It's all there. Every penny. I swear. Don't hurt her. Please. Please." Shit. SHIT. "Stop talking ok!" There's too much blood. I jump up to call for help and his head jerks off of my lap slapping the ground with a disgusting thud like a steak on a butcher counter. I run to my car and grab for my phone but it's buried somewhere under glass and the crap from my seat. My heart is pounding in m...

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“Last Words” by Kay Reeves

Submitted to Contest #230

Trigger warning: This story deals with the death of a family member. "Quick, the sardine is melting." We looked at each other, then at Dad. The whole family was there, grouped round his bed. He gave a deep sigh and we all held our breath, hoping for an insightful pronouncement suitable to provide thought and solace for future generations. Sadly, there were to be no more words. Our beloved Dad had slipped away, hopefully to find peace and an end to the pain and humiliation of his final weeks. We said ou...

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“atlas” by Aanya Rampuria

Submitted to Contest #230

cw: implied death"The sky is green!" José said, looking up to me. My imagination, however, fails to adhere to the gleam of his eyes, but a mere distortion of his youthful figure. Perhaps he's sitting right there, outside the room I'm currently in. Waiting for me, as he always has. The room beseeched around me is engulfed in ivory, excluding the standard balsa furnishes and the black screen staring right at me. It- doesn't look too black, however. But then again, when has my eyesight ever been that good? I don't know, frankly. But that's not ...

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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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