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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#236: Retro

Whether you’re generation Tetris, Tamagotchi, or Tomb Raider, I bet there’s some kind of video game or console that reminds you of your childhood. I hope, too, that we all still know of vinyls, cassette and VHS tapes, and floppy disks, even if they’re past their prime.


I’m not usually very sentimental about technology, but there’s something fascinating about obsolete tech. Something nostalgic and sad and full of mystery and untold narrative. In that spirit, let’s pay a visit to our inner attic, dust off some forgotten hardware, and see where it takes us.

This week's prompts

Start your story with a character finding a retro piece of tech they don’t recognize.

Mystery – 33 stories

Write a story about someone finally gaining access into their family’s very old computer.

Mystery – 37 stories

Write a time-travel story where a character from the present finds themselves in the 80s or 90s.

Historical Fiction – 37 stories

Write a story about a grown-up sharing their favorite childhood video game with their child.

Funny – 20 stories

Write about a character who isn’t nostalgic about their past at all, and show readers why.

Angst – 54 stories

Stories

“Halcyon ” by Cassidy Sunday

Submitted to Contest #236

“I’ve come to save you,” I declared, projecting my squeaky, high-pitched voice into the quiet depths of our small suburban townhouse.   The front door swung shut loudly, heroically, behind me. A statement to the world I was leaving behind. An invitation to the sanctuary I had entered. A challenge to - I sniffed the air. It was suspiciously citrusy.   “Have you been cleaning?” I accused, louder.  I wiggled off my scuffed sneakers without undoing the laces. They scattered, exhausted, next to a neat row of tiny fl...

2 comments 2
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“Simon” by Mark Baxter

Submitted to Contest #236

Simon Grampa and the puppy came into our house at the same time. That was the summer I turned eleven. We brought the puppy--an Australian Shepherd--home from the shelter. Grampa came to live with us from the convalescent home. After the whirlwind of getting Grampa settled and making a little home for the puppy, when I had time to sit down and think about all the strangeness, I remember that my first clear thought was, "They both smell weird." While I knew puppies were supposed to smell weird, I felt guilty for thinking that about Gr...

2 comments 2
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“Where Is Everyone Going? Bingo?” by Emanuel Diaz

Submitted to Contest #236

"Son, come here, I've got something to show you," Father said with a grin, his eyes glinting with mischief."What is it, Dad? Another one of your ancient relics?" the son replied, rolling his eyes as he followed his father into the living room."You could say that, but this relic is a masterpiece. Behold, Resident Evil 4," Father declared dramatically, gesturing to the screen where the game was paused."Resident what now?" the son asked, peering at the screen skeptically."Resident Evil 4, my boy. It's a classic. None of these newfangled games c...

3 comments 3
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“Nostalgia, Not.” by Fletcher Fox

Submitted to Contest #236

TW: PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE, PTSDYou can’t feel nostalgia anymore. You’re not sure if you ever could - can a child be nostalgic? You had difficulty understanding emotions as a child, especially ones involving other people, like embarrassment. Nostalgia doesn’t fall into that category, but it is an emotion that’s easier to feel when there’s someone to share it with, someone who was there at the time. The feelings your parents feel when reminiscing about your childhood just don’t exist in you. Maybe because you’re not that kid anymore. Ma...

3 comments 3
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“The Invitation” by Kaitlyn Wadsworth

Submitted to Contest #236

Marcus Trent seated himself in the Taxi. He had his overnight bag with him.“Can you take me to 1445 Ross Avenue, please. Amli Fountain Place”The taxi driver headed off down the road. The early morning rush had dissipated, and Marcus didn’t anticipate any hold-ups as he settled for a less stressful ride than when he first arrived in Dallas.He hated being in the city. The wide-open spaces surrounding the Ranch where he lived suited him better.It surprised him when his daughter Victoria invited him to her apartment, even though she had promised...

17 comments 17
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“Colonialcore ” by Nina Yaney

Submitted to Contest #236

He looked up and the sky was full of rats. It is such a trope: the old city, the ancient pigeon shit. A whole park dedicated to the avian rodents. Every road seemed a maquette; every wall peeling in colonial core. It would be a cliché asking if it has always been like this, but the longer he stare the more he internalized how enduring status quo was. He walked to the a double black door standing proudly against the radioactive yellow wall. His gaze locked on the metal bars that cross and covers the wood windows on both doors. ...

0 comments 0
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“The Beat and the Bass” by Gregg Voss

Submitted to Contest #236

The vibration of a bouncing basketball is the core of music, the primal gateway to karmic sound that transcends the universe. For Jimmy Trost, the music was present in every pass, every shot attempt, every rebound, every point scored. It was a choir that might move him to tears if it wouldn’t have made him seem weak in the faces of his varsity players.             The rhythm of movement by ball and players alike equated to the individual components of an orchestra.   &nbsp...

3 comments 3
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“The Whispering Gem” by Corbin Russell

Submitted to Contest #236

By the time Oots had found the still waters of the pond at the edge of the wood, the bear was far enough away for him to sit and rest. Oots was limping along, nursing his torn-open thigh and carrying a fawn carcass—what was left of it—over his shoulders. He was lucky the bear left him alone. It was not a large bear, as bears go. Oots knew the hunger and tenacity of any bear, especially the larger brown bears. And to be a bear’s prey at any distance meant a race for your life that would only end if the bear died, found easier prey, or caught ...

0 comments 0
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“The 80's Called” by Renee Yancey

Submitted to Contest #236

She was dreaming. She has to be. There is no way this can be real. Just a dream about a time her parents lived in. That's it! She saw them earlier and they were talking about their high school days. She sighs in relief.  Might as well lean into it. She will wake up soon enough. Her eyes take in the high hair, the leg warmers, the puffy jackets, and blue eyeshadow.  “Girl,” she makes it two syllables, “what in heaven are you wearing?” Everyone looks. Unfortunately, the jukebox fell between songs right that moment.  She lo...

4 comments 4
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“White Paint” by Eliza Levin

Submitted to Contest #236

“Security clearance?” The desk attendant asked flatly without looking up from his computer screen.Harriet cleared her throat.He looked up and his face formed into that sympathetic smile that Harriet despised, the one everyone gave her lately. For a moment, she could have sworn the sickly sweet stench of decaying lilies filled the room. Maybe it had started to cling to her clothes.“Oh, good morning, Dr. Grant! I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you on the schedule for today.” He said brightly.Harriet tried to smile back, but what came out was more of...

1 comment 1
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“Once in a Lifetime” by Josephine Harris

Submitted to Contest #236

Once in a LifetimeI honestly considered it their fault and If I took precautions I wouldn’t catch it. I was smarter. Shows how much I know. Now I have the time sickness, popularly known as Nurse Ratched's Revenge.I’ve gone back thirty years, further than I thought possible and am stuck in normal time permanently. It's ironic, isn't it? given it's the time phase I'd lost everything to avoid.For me, normal time is tedious. Everything and everyone appears the same, changing infinitesimally from day to day. You know what they did yesterday and ...

2 comments 2
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“Retrograde Amnesia ” by Vesta Bartholomew

Submitted to Contest #236

       The mid-autumn day was almost as perfect as anyone could ask. The sun in a brilliant blue sky emitted a gentle warmth that tempered the slight chill of the October air. The sunlight baked the red and yellow-hued leaves of the oak and maple trees that now gave off a musky, earthy scent. The aged and somber parade of three sorrowful participants snaked around the yard, coming to a halt several times. The head of the trio stopped to gather strength to continue or to inspect landmarks of interest. It was...

3 comments 3
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“The Spin” by Nicole Eaton

Submitted to Contest #236

  Friday night. Just got home from my 9-5 and am exhausted. Can't change into my pj's yet, because we are running out to grab a pizza . Only then can I get comfy. In the meantime, I dip club crackers into hot sauce because I skipped lunch and am starving. I flip on the roku and Indiana Jones and the Temple of doom is streaming. I remember when I was a kid, my parents hired a babysitter and went to go see it at the theatre. They got dressed up and went out for dinner. My mom put on a black dress and red lipstick and I could smell he...

3 comments 3
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“History Repeats (and Sometimes It's Great)” by Josef De Cartelle

Submitted to Contest #236

As a child, and as with most children, I was very curious. And perhaps within a fraction of that—maybe not so big but not so small either—were children like me, who had their curiosities drawn to books and stories. The story in particular was of William Wallace, and the book which sparked my curiosity for it was of the same name. It was something my father picked up at a book fair for reasons I never really did ask about. This led to my father introducing me to a video game, where I could relive not only some of the glorious exploits of Wall...

1 comment 1
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“That Is Not Pikachu” by Bex Goos

Submitted to Contest #236

My daughter awkwardly grips the gray, plastic brick in her small hands as she uses the little cross-shaped D pad to move her tiny pixelated self through clumps of equally pixelated grass. The original Gameboy she’s holding is the twin of the one that got me through many a lengthy car ride back when I was her age. I see the telltale exclamation point pop up over one of the NPC sprite’s heads and know she is in for a battle. She frowns at the tiny square screen as the tinny music plays, then turns her quizzical gaze up at me. “What is that?” ...

2 comments 2
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$250

Prize money

181

Contest entries

81

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 09, 2024 EST

Won by Jennifer Fremon 🏆

Title: Frozen Lemonade

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!

Prompts | Big Blue Hand | 2024-11

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