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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#255: The Five Stages

It's a commonly held belief that, when we grieve a loss, we go through five emotional phases: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance. Science tends to disagree; there's no actual evidence that we go through these stages, or at least not in a neat, linear fashion. But despite this, the model remains a part of our popular consciousness, and is frequently referenced in art, literature, and day-to-day conversation — perhaps because the idea of having a map to our grief, a way to organize and compartmentalize our most complicated feelings, is so alluring.

This week's contest is inspired by the model, and by the feelings described within it. Your characters don't have to be grieving a loss of some kind; they may simply be navigating the challenges of life in general. Whichever route you choose, begin with one of the five stages.

This week's prompts

Write a story about a someone who's in denial.

Character – 68 stories

Write a story about anger.

Angst – 64 stories

Center your story around a character bargaining for something that's important to them.

Dramatic – 43 stories

Start your story with a character in despair.

Dark – 91 stories

Write a story about someone finding acceptance.

Character – 99 stories

Stories

“JUST THOMAS” by Bill Davis

Submitted to Contest #255

JUST THOMAS Thomas Mahern wasn’t a perfectionist, by any stretch of the imagination. His grades in school were always in the lower B range, any academic awards that he received could be counted on one hand, and he certainly hadn’t made the honor society. His pursuit of mediocrity continued into his professional life where, although he had pursued a medical career, he stopped way short of trying to be a doctor and instead attended school for an associate’s degree with medical technician certification. There was only one thing that drove him t...

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“Make a Wish” by Angie Lucas

Submitted to Contest #255

Her long hair, mostly gray now, is pulled up into a ponytail that swings back and forth as she runs. Rose has no particular destination and the whole of this mild March afternoon to get there. Her daughters, both grown and convinced they now know better than her, would sigh and tell her she’s too old to simply go for a run. But sixty-eight isn’t that old, Rose tells herself. And it’s far from her biggest problem at the moment. Plus, running is what she’s always turned to, whenever the stress of life got to be too much. The fresh air, the dis...

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“The Jumping Chair” by Amy Hinerman

Submitted to Contest #255

The Jumping ChairA.J. Hughes The tears kept coming as I tried to fall asleep. As much as I strained to stop, blowing my nose and wiping my eyes, there was no beating down the quakes of sorrow. I was thinking about how Dad used to get up during the night. He used that time for his true passion—writing. He was so quiet in the wee hours of the morning, but sometimes, he would get hungry. When he cooked a piece of cod in the toaster oven, its odor would wake me. For those few ...

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“The Ones We Lean On” by Keb Rogers

Submitted to Contest #255

The Sun used to peek around the mountain and onto the small plot I’d built this cabin on, but not anymore. I couldn’t even remember the last time its light had shown anywhere around my home, like it had forgotten I was there. Its neglect allowed in the cold, an unceasing cold that lingered no matter the layers, furs, or fire used to combat it. It siphoned life from everything. Spindles of dead trees and dense brambles of lifeless shrubs surrounded the cabin in a bed of withered spikes, and the ground was brittle and frozen, incapable of prod...

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“Timelines” by Katelyn Davies

Submitted to Contest #255

Content warnings: Discussions of infertility.The cold tile floor doesn’t sting as badly in the summer as it does during the winter months. I find solace as it soothes the heat from my fingertips. I stare mindlessly at the countertops, taking in the chipped corner and alienated hair tie nearly invisible in a sea of granite specs. Drops of water fall from the shower head behind me, diving directly towards the drain and echoing throughout the tub. I close my eyes and listen, eased by the already dim space. I sit like this for what feels li...

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“No Explanation” by Michaela Utter

Submitted to Contest #255

Beep! Beep! Beep!Xavier groaned in dismay. Has his alarm always been this loud? He flailed his arms wildly trying to subdue the siren. Cracking his eyes open, he registered the pink walls with posters of cliche 2000s movies and Disney memorabilia. That was when he registered the blaring alarm as an iPhone, not the soothing Samsung jingle he was accustomed to.The alarm ceased as Xavier rolled over to see blonde hair with pink highlights strewn across the black pillowcase. His girlfriend, Sam, was a different kind of beautiful, changing her ha...

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“Warmth Beyond Flames” by Mason Monteith

Submitted to Contest #255

(Story includes death, and sacrifice) Two lovers were almost dead amidst a crowd, yet both denied any possibility of a future without the other. After all, like a pair of swans, one would not go on without the other.It was the last night of nature's culling, and the harshest winter the village of Andanca had ever seen. Everyone gathered in the Drunken Grotto Inn. 'Everyone' being around fifty people. Forty-three were locals, and the remaining seven were travelers trapped by the snow. The lovers were also among the outsiders. Stuck. On a simp...

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“My Lamar Loves Me” by Rosemary Covington

Submitted to Contest #255

My Lamar Loves Me As told by Ethel May Jones Written By RoseMary Covington Morgan Eastern ArkansasNovember 1, 1936 I know y’all gon’ think I’m crazy but I ain't. No way. This stuff did happen. It happen yesditty and some o’ it happen most er’day since they say my Lamar died. You see, Lamar is my husband. He ain't the kinda husband that beat you, gave you babies you didn’t wan’, and then, talk bad about you if you...

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“Discarded Delusion” by Richard Morris

Submitted to Contest #255

Derek Erickson had been a romantic dreamer, believing in the power of love to conquer all. But that was before Celeste Spencer broke his heart. Celeste was everything Derek wanted. For three years of high school and college, they shared dreams, whispered promises of forever, and planned a life together. His heart had belonged to Celeste, a spirited and kind-hearted girl whose laughter and bright eyes could light up a room. They were happy, in love, soulmates, engaged, and placed each other as the most important thing in their young lives. Th...

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“Indoor Cat” by Sam Colleran

Submitted to Contest #255

In the months following the loss of his father, Richard began to obsess over death. He certainly wouldn't have described his behavior as such; cautious, maybe, with a greater awareness as to the fragility of life, but not obsessive. He bought a motorcycle helmet to wear in his car and started citing statistics about annual automotive fatalities. He kept his kitchen knives locked in a drawer because he heard a story once about a woman who had committed suicide while sleepwalking. His friends became concerned, but he blew them off with a casua...

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“The Courageous Act of Accepting the Inexplainable” by Madeline Stevens

Submitted to Contest #255

Trigger Warning: Suicide, Substance Abuse, Mental Health.I died three times that day. The first was when my mother told me she had relapsed; the same drugs she used to go on a year long bender eight years ago. The second was when my husband told me he wanted a divorce. And the third was when I brought the pistol to my temple, and pulled the trigger. There's nothing much to dying. There was a moment of blinding pain, then I was ripped from my body. The actual feeling of being ripped from my body was similar to the twists and tu...

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“Healing Together” by Martha Lueck

Submitted to Contest #255

Trigger warning: Substance abuse, death, mental health, and language“I don’t G-GET IT!” Brooke yelled, digging her nails into her scalp. “Why didn’t h-he tell me he r-relapsed?! He was doing s-so well!” Brooke fell back onto her pillow and wept. She alternated between yelling and crying. It was 10 p.m.—five hours after Brian’s funeral ended. “I’m so sorry,” Abby said, hugging Brooke after she briefly calmed down. “I wish I had a time machine to stop Brian from drinking. But you know what? He loved you so much! And even though it’s ...

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“Ask Yourself” by 𝔊𝔲𝔞𝔡𝔞𝔩𝔲𝔭𝔢 𝔗𝔢𝔩𝔠𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔞𝔯

Submitted to Contest #255

The gray metal of the freighter spacecraft's halls rumbled and vibrated with the activity of the engine. Fans whirred, pushing purified air into the living spaces and sucking out the stale. Heaters warmed the walls and floors. Lights glowed on the balding heads of some, and cast stark shadows on muscles pulled taut in many faces. The freighter’s entire crew was assembled in a line with their backs against the wall, hands on their heads. Their safety suits and air tanks were on, but not their helmets. Those had been taken from them. The ...

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“Till Death Do We Part” by Daralynn Dennis

Submitted to Contest #255

Alex and Tammy were late. They bustled around their bedroom and master bath anxiously and excitedly. It was the night of the Military Ball, and it was the first time Alex and Tammy had been able to attend. “God damn it, Alex, we really should have takenthe day off to get ready!” “Come on Tammy you know hell of well I can’t be taking time off just for a dance, I’ll be laughed into oblivion by my superiors!” “Well Jesus Christ I’m a train wreck right now, I could’ve taken the time off today, my boss wouldn’t havemissed me in the least I bet.” ...

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“The Secret of Lanesville” by Mirza Pasic

Submitted to Contest #255

In the quaint town of Lanesville, a closely guarded secret revolves around an extraordinary love story. Even now, as time passes, locals can be found in bars enjoying their favorite drinks, recounting stories of James and Elsa and their passionate romance. The stories vary greatly, each painting a different picture of the couple and their love. These stories often culminate in intense arguments about who really knows the real story, leading to heated discussions and the occasional friendly spat. Meanwhile, the moon above Lanesville kee...

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$250

Prize money

365

Contest entries

142

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 21, 2024 EST

Won by Phoebe Barr 🏆

Title: Some Peace and Quiet

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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