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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 – 42 stories

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

Fantasy – 35 stories

Stories

“Entomo-Eclipse” by Beth Templeton

Submitted to Contest #245

We stare at the sky as our world becomes dimmer. The constant drone is almost a lullaby. The sun is nearly gone, and as it slowly fades from view, we too fade into darkness. Holding hands, we think back on our lives as our minutes turn into seconds. I can’t hear my mother beside me but can see the tears streaming down her face. Her mouth fills with black as we begin to become one with the flies.It’s hard to imagine a life without constant buzzing and blackouts.My grandmother tells stories of her childhood, running around outside and catching...

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“The end?” by Gloria Parker

Submitted to Contest #245

It has been 42 days since the beginning of the end of the world. Well, that’ s what everyone says. I should really say, it’s been 42 days since the sun disappeared. And 34 days since my parents left. They were supposed to be gone three days. “We’ll be back soon,” they pro...

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“Timeless Dark” by Manny DeAngelis

Submitted to Contest #245

Report to Administration of Control for Possible Zone of AnomalyLocation: Masu Star System, Planet Ankou, 83.74°N 235.73°ETags: time distortion, gravitational disruption, confirmed lethalAbstract: Akuzawa Space Industries has held corporate claim to Planet Ankou for 23 years, during which time they have established only one research facility claiming to study the geological nature of the planet. Ten days ago, this facility went dark. Akuzawa immediately cut all legal ties with the planet and made no attempt for rescue, claiming the pla...

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“Take It With Both Hands” by Season C

Submitted to Contest #245

I wasn’t sure if mom could make it. I know how much she really wanted to and I knew I had no right to tell her no, but damn was I torn over it.I knew her and my dad had some kind of connection during the eclipse in 1979, but she’d only ever told me that it was “pretty amazing” and nothing much else.“I can do this Ronnie, I know I can. Let’s get the rest of this stuff in the truck,” she said a little breathlessly but full of her normal scolding tone I’d known since childhood.I dutifully grabbed two more of her bags and shut the truck–maybe a ...

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“Starry Vigil” by Ava Morgan

Submitted to Contest #245

It’s been four years. 48 months, 208 weeks, and 1,460 days. It feels like I’ve hit a milestone that with each passing day, wrenches my heart and slowly begins to rip it in half. It’s been four years without her smile, without her laughter, without that gleam in her eyes that lit up a room brighter than any star could. Four years and I miss the storyteller she was, laying down next to me, without a book, but instead she spoke words poured directly from her heart. I miss the adventurer she was, the way each night, she took...

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“Eclipse: Origin” by YC Son

Submitted to Contest #245

Haela is the Sun, Dalia the moon. They are the two sisters that reign upon the Earthen sky, peacefully taking turns sitting vigil over all that happens beneath the sky.***“Dal hasn’t been the same lately,” Haela protested to anyone who would listen as she ascended the marble steps of the Sky Temple, escorted by a chariot of clouds. She stopped at the entrance, standing right before the Line of Horizon and the Guider of Time. “Has she mentioned why?”The clouds seemed to avoid answering her. The Guider of Time, quite aged now, around 4 billion...

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“This Is What I Do, This Is What We Do” by Doux Ancolie

Submitted to Contest #245

Lying on the green grass, I drifted off to sleep, contemplating life beyond Earth. When I open my eyes, before me is the beautiful moon. Swirling prisms of glittering light were bouncing off my body, the spirit of love was so bright I raise my hand to protect my eyes. I am floating above the ground, looking around and I see other celestial bodies swirling and dancing, sending off sparkles of prism light.The Moon looks to her and tells her it is time for a wonderful love story. Feeling calm, she relaxes as the Moon begins to tell his love sto...

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“Kage's Creation” by J.D. Nighthammer

Submitted to Contest #245

Before the first drops of rain fell upon the soils of the world, and even longer still before the wars of heaven and gods, there was the eternal darkness we call Kurai. This being existed long before gods and men, the numerous stars and the stars before them, and even the first whisper’s of the cosmos. He was an ancient and eternal darkness who was alone and only ever wanted to be alone.From Kurai came the first question. We do not know of the nature of Kurai’s Question but we do know that out of it’s answer arose Mitsu, the first divine lig...

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“The Curse of the Great Eye” by Joshua Timothy

Submitted to Contest #245

The Storyteller took a long toke of her pipe and, blowing the smoke upwards, saw that the sun was already half-obscured by the moon. She looked down at the children sitting before her and said, “Do you know why the streets are fit to bursting with revelers today? Why your mothers and fathers saddled me with you young’uns?”One boy raised his hand. “Because of the eclipse, Auntie?”“Aye,” said the Storyteller. “And do you know why, every twenty-odd years, the moon blots out the sun, cloaking the land in darkness?”The children shook their heads....

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“Billboard-like Moon” by Hector Luis Grada

Submitted to Contest #245

Billboard-like Moon It was a once in a lifetime experience. We all knew that. Not just any lunar eclipse, but a complete, never-seen-before, dark-pitch eclipse with the longest duration ever. Publicity was everywhere, and at the time we thought –silly us– that it was a good thing to see the myriad ads on the internet, the myriad sponsors arising everywhere, like mushrooms growing on a rotten tree trunk. There they were, all major companies joining a common, non-profit effort. I will omit their names (which is a bit unnecessary, since we hav...

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“The Twin Moons of Aksala” by Kaja Gjelde

Submitted to Contest #245

Last night’s snow layered on ice crunched beneath her boots. The harsh wind from the mountains polished the light snow into a glass sheet. The tracks left by earlier travelers helped her metal cleats find purchase, making the climb slightly less arduous. Breathing heavily, Arda reached the plateau and strode towards the gathering crowd. In the twilight she could see the few locals in attendance stood a good distance from the group of refugees. She moved past the latter nodding in greeting. Some she recognized from the camp on the far west si...

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“Circe's Comet Cometh” by Jay Dotson

Submitted to Contest #245

It was 7:00 at night. A Friday. A long-awaited end to another work week, promising a brief respite before the cycle starts anew. Oh, and the night of Circe’s Comet. Jared Dawson was leaning against a tree, the moonlight contrasting against his black-and-grey letterman’s jacket. His eyelids were getting annoyingly heavy, barely staying open as he checked his smartwatch. About ten yards ahead of him, the bonfire was blazing as a couple of dozen UPenn students danced to Paramoure with White Claws in their hands. Twenty-one-yea...

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“The Stones” by Jeffrey McDonald

Submitted to Contest #245

The cross-shaped standing stones of Callanish in the isles off the west coast of northern Britain have become the focal point of Saint Augustine’s mission to spread Christianity throughout Britain. Tradesmen, immigrants, and legionaries traveling from Rome had brought the religion to Britain by the late third century, but it never took root. Then Rome fell, their presence dissipated from the remote lands, but it was not gone. The mighty Roman empire crumbled under weak leadership and misguided ambition, but like the Phoenix from the ashes, a...

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“Surviving The Chosen” by Azeem Duran

Submitted to Contest #245

Surviving the embodiment of god, even a minor one, isn’t something just anyone can do. I did, but that was because of my skills and strength, no matter what anyone says about me. Understood?Sure, I was born in August where the Celestial Leo ruled and with it came a variety of gemstones I could empower and draw from, but one's birth doesn’t guarantee anything. I still needed to train and hone my skills to reach the deepest connection with every sliver, shard or stone I needed to find or win to be able to do any of the great feats attributed t...

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“Nations, Like Stars” by James Maxwell

Submitted to Contest #245

“Are you sure this plan will work? How do we know that some of us won’t die?”“Some of you will die. You must for the plan to succeed.”We looked around at each other in the candlelight. Eyes searched out other eyes in the flickering light, probing for doubts, mistrust, or secret alliances in the half darkness.He explained the plan again. On the final day of the month the sacrifices would begin. One during every hour of sunlight at the temple of Inti. The most pious among us would volunteer as sacrifices to the sun god. The most pious among us...

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$250

Prize money

221

Contest entries

88

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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