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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

“I am you and you are me” by Sarko Meene

Submitted to Contest #255

I realized this morning that I have this unsatisfiable need to see myself in new mirrors often enough that it makes me feel uncomfortable about myself. The new mirrors at new places that I go to, the mirrors I cannot lie to. I am getting older, my body is changing and I am not the pro tennis player anymore. Now I am an artist. My body is getting soft, as maybe I am too, and though I look somewhat thirty, I can feel the forty in my bones, especially upon waking. I can feel the effects of the dreadful medicine I have been taking for the last s...

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“Enslaved Freedom: Echoes of a lost world ” by Afia Mubasshira MOMI

Submitted to Contest #255

The rhythmic singing of crickets used to lull me to sleep; perhaps now even that music is banned. I used to sleep in pitch-black darkness, and now it's everywhere, but I can’t sleep. I stay awake almost all night, dive into my memory lane, and think about the past, where there was life. I sit on the couch, torn and old, that once greeted guests with its shiny velvet at parties. I took the book from the side table again. The book's original cover was stripped away, replaced by a crudely handwritten label, 'N...

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“The Evasive I - Anomalies and Miscalculations” by G.S Rodson

Submitted to Contest #255

We never anticipated the difficulties we would face in encountering the Human race. Of course, we had been monitoring them for many of their Earthen centuries. They were first discovered in CY4545 of the Alobian calendar, which we tend to use for systems so far out from our own Morgon Prime System. We landed on their only moon, Luna, in that time and set up a base of operations. Initially it was to be a fuelling station and mining colony to enable further exploration into the deeper reaches of the universe. Their planet was unattractive to u...

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“One step forward” by Dunja Inajetovic

Submitted to Contest #255

"Grief is like a moving river, it's always changing. I would say in some ways it just gets worse. It's just that the more time that passes, the more you miss someone." - Michelle Williams“Come on, sweetie, one more step to mommy”, I open my arms for him to crash in them. He balances himself with his little arms, waiving them around one unstable footstep after the other. I see his joyful face and his toothless smile that gives me all the happiness in the world. A few inches before arriving in my arms, my little kid falls, just before me.My wo...

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“DENIAL ” by Jeremiah Glenewinkel

Submitted to Contest #255

DENIAL There’s a friend that I have that won’t take accountability for there actions. They rather deny to the death than to accept defeat. They see it as if they don’t admit to the denial then everything should be good. Then don’t have to scar there reputation or what everyone thinks of them. In all reality it’s hurting them on so many levels. For example one would be to draw out a situation longer than it has to be. Creating a circle that has no solutions. Resistanting everything that comes out of your mouth plus reacting before you finish...

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“The Fool and the Donkey Track I ” by Emily Grace

Submitted to Contest #255

TRACK 1 – “The Castle” – accredited composer – Lewis, Lynsi.The red curtain lifted and the Eldritch silenced its many hands. This audience, made of human and not-so human-shaped silhouettes, inched forward in their red leather seats. An entity of singular and many, it watched the events unfold on stage. After all, what other entertainment was there if not on Earth? With the Modern Plague coming, anything was possible. On stage, the Beast readjusted Lynsi’s bed and set it upright. The Beast stood, smoothed down layers of blankets, and plopped...

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“D.D.'s Denial” by David Marshall

Submitted to Contest #255

Denial has always been a part of D.D.’s life. It all started when his grandmother passed away from a long battle with tuberculosis. For many years, his grandmother has been in and out of hospitals battling this retched disease. However, it was the times when he was out of the hospital that D.D. enjoyed the time with his grandmother in a beautiful house outside of Burton, Michigan, swimming in the pool, running around in the huge backyard, or playing with the other children next door. His unique relationship with his grandmother lasted throug...

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“The Arrogates” by Jolie Hobbs

Submitted to Contest #255

TODAYThe screen flashed rhythmically, its cold blue light casting grotesque shapes on the wall of the unlit room. It was barely past 3 am. The sycophants started early today, Frankie thought. She opened her email anxiously, straining toward the screen. Every fiber in her body seemed hyperaware of each fraction of a second that passed. She fumbled around her desk, swiping at papers until she found the card with his email. She let out the breath she held. The white light of her inbox took over the screen, and her fingers flew across the ...

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“The second life of Martha Sanders” by Shahnaz T.M

Submitted to Contest #255

Mr Sanders lived alone in a tiny cottage in a wholesome English village, down the road from where the church stood.Mr Sanders lived on his own and managed a tiny estate worth nothing to nobody. His belongings and affairs were neatly tied together and had been arranged to be left to a handful of local charities.It had been a month since Mrs Sanders had passed. Mr and Mrs Sanders had spent more than 50 years of their lives together in wedded bliss.So when Mrs Sanders left this world, the village collectively mourned for her, preparing themselv...

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“It Isn't Normal” by Levi Jennings

Submitted to Contest #255

Michael and Miriam could never remember how they became friends, but they clung to each other since they were in kindergarten. Even though their class had the same group of kids all the way to fifth grade, they seemed to play in their own little world. Miriam didn’t necessarily dislike playing with the other girls in her class, but she never felt connected with them. They would talk about dresses they wish they could wear, but Miriam could care less about that stuff. To her, dresses were awkward and never felt like they fit her right, even i...

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“Coming Around the Mountain” by Kyle Sager

Submitted to Contest #255

There wasn’t much use in flagging anybody down. Only two or three cars had passed by at full speed in the last ten minutes, momentarily illuminating the sad little patch of grass where we stood, hands on our hips and solemn looks on our faces. “Still no service,” he announced as she shoved his phone back in his pocket and examined the blood and fur on the headlights. I said nothing and stared at the black night. I’d never seen so many stars in my life - it was like an enormous wet paintbrush had been shaken out across the w...

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“Two Passing Strangers” by JOHN SIKO

Submitted to Contest #255

TWO PASSING STRANGERS In the back of the deuce-and-a-half mud-covered truck sat twelve members of Able company, identified by the screaming eagle on their sleeve as members of the 82nd Airborne. They are tired, dirty, hungry, and need a shower. One of the weary and dirty GIs was Stanley Dombrowski, a draftee from the south side of Chicago. This group returns from a ten-day skirmish with Charlie in a delta rice paddy. Stan is not only returning from the battle but is returning from his yearlong tour of duty in Nam. He ...

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“Silent raging sea” by Dunja Inajetovic

Submitted to Contest #255

“Alma, your arms and shoulders healed nicely.” He said, though not smiling to that piece of good news. “However, your legs… need some time – more time. You’ll have to go to re-education regularly and you’ll have to be in a wheelchair for a long time.” Dad turns pale, his hands shaking while holding my mothers’ hands as I see tears filling her eyes. It feels as if they’re the one who can’t walk and who are targeted by the news and not me. Me sitting in the chair, still. The doctor, which I never seem to remember his name looks at me expecting...

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“The Voice” by J.B. Redel

Submitted to Contest #255

TRIGGER WARNING: This story contains mentions of the following:Gun violenceStrong languageMental Health Reader discretion is advised. ****** “This is it. My life is over.” Calm down. “Don’t tell me to calm down! It’s your fault we’re in this mess!” Don’t put all the blame on me. I wasn’t the one who pulled the trigger. “So what? You were the one who told me to do it!” Oh, don’t try to act innocent. You wanted to kill that bastard as much as I did. In fact, it took hardly any convincing at all for you to– “Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP! Because...

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“The Last Day” by Marcia Szymanski

Submitted to Contest #255

Sherry’s dog, Lance, greeted her at the end of the work day, the way he did every day when she returned from the office. He was always so happy to see her. But today, she walked past him, threw and large manila envelope on the kitchen island, took off her jacket, threw it over the sofa and literally kicked off her heels. Lance came up behind her and nuzzled her hand. “No Lance, not now.” Lance backed away; circled around to face her. He licked her hand. “Lance,” Sherry grabed his collar, “no, I said not now, sit.” He sat and stare...

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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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