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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#245: Heavenly Bodies

On Monday, a total solar eclipse will pass directly over North America. Dubbed a "Great American Eclipse", huge areas of the continent will be plunged into darkness for four minutes. Miss it, and you'll have to wait another 20 years to see the next one.

Just like the millions of people who will watch on Monday, we've been looking up at the sky and asking questions about what we see since time immemorial. We've explained the movements of celestial bodies through myth, science, and ritual, and shaped our lives around them. This contest's prompts are inspired by this week's astronomical event, and the way objects trillions of miles away can impact us here on Earth.

This week's prompts

Set your story during a total eclipse — either natural, or man-made.

Fiction – 72 stories

Write a story in which a character navigates using the stars.

Adventure – 24 stories

Imagine an origin myth that somebody might use to explain an eclipse, or some other celestial event.

Fantasy – 48 stories

People have gathered to witness a once-in-a-lifetime natural phenomenon, but what happens next is not what they expected.

Mystery – 43 stories

Set your story in a world where astrology and the movements of celestial bodies deeply impact the lives of inhabitants.

Fantasy – 36 stories

Stories

“Silence” by Fern Everton

Submitted to Contest #245

CONTENT WARNING: This piece contains some profanity, tormenting internal monologue, and a little bit of blood. Viewer discretion advised.“A dangerous eclipse. Have you ever heard of something so absurd?” Shelley is laughing beside me as we stroll into the park. “Can’t say that I have,” I reply. “The most you have to worry about is the sun, and that’s only before it’s total.”I flip open my messenger bag and pull out two pairs of eclipse glasses, handing one to Shelley.“Before one of us goes blind,” I smile.Any number of things take up ev...

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“The Lost Tales of Anerudo: A Rogue Moon” by Shelby Noyes

Submitted to Contest #245

Anerudo is a small, round planet. Smaller, in fact, than our own that we call home. But she is far from alone. From the viewpoint of her sibling, Anerudo might be mistaken for a moon revolving around the larger of the pair, known as Hel, a giantess in her own right. Hel's gaseous visage resembles that of Jupiter, adorned with stunning clouds in hues of pink, red, orange, gold, and occasional purplish storms obscuring her countenance. Nevertheless, her severe climate, much like our own, gaseous giant, renders her environment inhospitable for ...

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“Hypellaen” by Linda Boden

Submitted to Contest #245

The star assigned to Naija at birth wasn’t a particularly special star. It wasn’t one of the brightest, or attached to a fancy constellation. Her life would’ve been so much easier if she had an in with the Orion or Andromeda crowds, of course. But still, she couldn’t help but love the distant dim light of Hypellaen, the star that granted her a gentle spirit and positive attitude. She did feel lucky she had a star she could see all year, and every night she made sure to take time to look out her window and thank that sweet, faint light as it ...

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“The Weekly Eclipse” by Caroline Sugar

Submitted to Contest #245

April 8th, 2024. The day of the weekly solar eclipse. For Maria Sweet, the eclipse is just another day. Maria knows the rules: do go outside during the eclipse. Being outside during the eclipse is something no human in Holdover should do. The Goddess of Holdover has warned all the citizens about the consequences of being outside during the eclipse. Maria is 26 years old and works in the local hospital in Holdover. She must travel to the hospital before the eclipse to start her shift. However, due to her constant procrastination, Maria is run...

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“The Dark Sister” by Michael Robinson

Submitted to Contest #245

Sarex stepped out into the balcony of the Governor's Palace and looked out over the city of Queenstown. It was quite early, and usually, the streets were quiet, but the locals were making preparations for the upcoming eclipse. To him, it was orbital mechanics: the Dark Sister passed in front of the Light Sister, blocking some or all of its light. To the locals, it held a religious significance that he couldn't quite fathom. Not that he went out of his way to get an explanation. He d...

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“Power Play” by John Markestad

Submitted to Contest #245

this story contains the vulgar word "fuck" Power Playby John Markestad “I’ve set the day,” Pharaoh says. “How long do I have?” she asks. From the darkened alcove where she sits with her legs drawn up to her chin. Her arms are wrapped around them and her voice is barely above a whisper. She’s wearing only a few layers of fine silk, emerald green and blue the color of the winter sky, for this spring has been a warm...

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“The tomb of the eclipsed” by Gavin Clifton

Submitted to Contest #245

(Trigger warning: this story contains brief implications of negative mental health as well as physical violence and implications of death) What you shall read is the account of the last conciseness known to man, it is a single tale of many that we warn reading this page is a danger to you, as it could affect more than just your mere mind but the outer world as well. Please recite this passage shall things unravel, as it will be your own common foothold to our plane. Anything that you see is but its perception forming in your mind, if this co...

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“Shadow” by Jonathan Todd

Submitted to Contest #245

‘There’s someone else in the flat!’ she whispered with an urgency that suggested terror, anger or both.I had told John to stay out of sight. I really liked Lucy and people didn’t tend to take well to John being there. I felt bad about wanting to keep him hidden and I knew it upset him as well but what choice did I have? I had a good feeling about where my relationship with Lucy might be headed and, to my shame, knew that introducing John to her too early would, as had happened too many times before, scare her off.‘It’s just us,’ I soothed he...

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“Evil under the Moon” by Paul Simpkin

Submitted to Contest #245

It was the 29th of June 1927. Deep in the Devon countryside the Harcourt family were making the most of a pleasant sunny afternoon in the beautiful gardens of their ancestral home, Harcourt Manor. Suddenly everything went dark.“What’s happening?”“What is this? I can’t see anything.”“It must be the solar eclipse!”“No, that’s not due to happen for another hour.”“I don’t understand what is going on. They said on the wireless that the solar eclipse wasn’t due to happen till 4pm.”“But it is only just after 3. Those scientist chappies must have ma...

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“Bittersweet” by Amanda Stogsdill

Submitted to Contest #245

Warning: This story contains themes of childbirth.BittersweetBy Amanda StogsdillToday's the day! Scrambling out of bed, I rushed to the window. Not a cloud in sight! In my open kitchen with its wide windows, I prepared my Sunrise breakfast—eggs (sunny-side up), orange marmalade toast, and orange juice. Not one to rush, I nibbled; smiling at my good fortune, the eclipse would happen on my day off.Ring, ring. My peaceful meal was interrupted by that unwelcome sound. "Hello.""Sorry to ruin your day off but ..." Dr. Wilson's voice was urgent but...

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“Pillars of Creation” by Liam Cochran

Submitted to Contest #245

I looked through the cockpit window to my left. Far off in the distance, the great glimmering panels of the Dyson sphere began to cross into the path of the sun. Its godlike depiction of humankind only mocked Icarus, for it touched the sun and took it too. Every eighteen hours or so, a few minutes of total darkness swept through the fleet, great freighters transporting for the Government. When the darkness would overtake the fleet in a few minutes, I could finally make my escape to find the great Pillars of Creation I had always dreamt of. I...

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“Always Nothing and Always Darkness” by Hailey Chan

Submitted to Contest #245

The thirtieth flame of the northeast. Fifty days and counting. Gone and guttered out. I continue to row. A coldness spreads over my skeleton of tissues, its veins branching and connecting and wrapping. It’s been a month and twenty days since I touched the oars, but the anchored tempo, its steady rhythm of fluid swish and swash, feels almost like second nature — a slicing all around me, wagging mottled shells and letters, billows sweeping over the shrouded mist and stars. These patterns are the true comfort, a hindrance in a state of utter da...

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“The Day Ununit Blinded Her Sister” by Eloise Luxart

Submitted to Contest #245

“Appa, not again” Atar groaned.He rolled over to face the wall and buried his head under his pillow.The triplets shushed him loudly. All three wore very serious expressions on their faces as they did so.The adventures of Shearashi were their favourite stories and they did not want to miss hearing even a single bit of it. Besides, Atar was never any fun.With one hand on his rounded midsection, Appa’s body shook with the full force of his hearty laugh.“Come now boy. You love this story too” Appa said as he wiped a tear from his eye.“That was b...

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“The Virgin and the Scales” by William Derby

Submitted to Contest #245

“Come closer, children. Draw near so you can hear my words. Tell me, who knows the constellation above us? It should be clear, its stars are bright tonight.” The Astrion elder lifted his navy-robed hand and lifted the sleeve to the heavens. One of the Astrion children timidly lifted his hand. The Elder nodded and the child said, “It is Sincen, the Scales.” “Good, child,” The Elder’s eyes crackled with electricity. “Children, why does Sincen glow tonight?” “Because he is balanced,” the children chorused, their own eyes shining wit...

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“Lack of Soul to Lack of Light” by Emily Venglar

Submitted to Contest #245

My Aunt Doris was the storyteller of the family. No one knows where she learned it all, but she had an explanation for everything. Whether it be the seasons, the random chills that pass through the body, or the cause of the clouds of the sky, she had a fantastical myth for every question. Some of them were questionable, but the one I find hardest to shake is the cause of the eclipse. It all started in the kingdom of Selene. In ancient times, Selene was the picture of life and prosperity. There were fountains in every courtyard, murals on eve...

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$250

Prize money

223

Contest entries

89

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Apr 12, 2024 EST

Won by Olivier Breuleux 🏆

Title: Everything is Connected

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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