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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

“A Ring for the Fugitive Princess” by Cami C

Submitted to Contest #255

It was a night of velvet and desire. Faris sat with his palms twisting frantically in his lap. He had escaped the palace and wandered listlessly through the garden. The air was thick, and he breathed in the faint sweetness of midnight. Faris's hands shook as he untied his turban, fingers clumsily tugging at the fabric. He ruffled his hair, undoing the crusting gel that itched him so. He was tired, and she was not there. Faris did not belong here. He was not truly a prince. Faris’s wife, Nova, had disappeared a few months prior. They liv...

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“Antique” by Christine MacPherson

Submitted to Contest #255

Even though it was well over eighty degrees outside, Crystal wore black jeans and a faux leather jacket over a red top; her lips smudged with bright red lipstick, her eyes shaded gray and black. She was nineteen, with a backpack full of her things strapped over her bony shoulders and almost no plans to speak of. She stood at the counter of the pawn shop, looking intently at the man behind the counter as he evaluated her item. “I can give you… twenty for it,” the man finally said. “Twenty?” Crystal said. “It’s got to be worth at least, I don’...

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“Angel of Death” by Hannah Nicholson

Submitted to Contest #255

My boots scuffed against the gravel road as I walked toward my destination: a cross-roads. My backpack thumped heavily between my shoulderblades, the contents inside: my great-grandmother’s grimoire, black candles, and a rib bone from my beloved. Digging up that had been the really tricky part. Nevermind digging the grave up. Honestly that had been the easier part. Katia had only been buried a few days ago. The soil had still been loose, and it was still too early in the winter season for the ground to be frozen. No, the hard part had ...

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“Win-Win” by Lisa Lapointe

Submitted to Contest #255

Focus, she thought. She’d been standing there, towering over the creature for several minutes. She could hear him talking, but she wasn’t registering what he was saying. What the hell IS he? “And what do you think of that, my dear?” An elf? A gnome? A leprechaun? No, a leprechaun would be dressed in green, wouldn’t he? He’s got ears like Spock, that alien from Star Wars. No, that’d be Star Trek. “Did you HEAR me, dear?” He lifted his hands up, palms towards her and waved them b...

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“APPs🍎” by Margie Marek

Submitted to Contest #255

“A HUNDRED DOLLARS?!! Jesus fucking Christ, Treesha where’d all the money go?” Drake demands, rudely interrupting my idyllic slumber. “I wass onnnn the beach innn Caboooh,” I moan, wiping the crust off my eyes and notice for the first time how sallow he appears. “A hundred BILLION dollars,” he’s repeating like a mantra, while pacing around our cavernous dwelling like a caged lion. Now it’s much closer to London’s Christchurch Greyfriars after the Blitz with only it’s tower and outer walls left standing. Our once opulent Great Gatsby style sp...

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“Post Vin” by Samantha Kabiling

Submitted to Contest #255

“Selene! He’s gone!” Pam yells shaking Selene off of Vin Selene’s eyes widen, only seeing tunnel vision of Vin lying there with a pool of blood surrounding him. Her breathing started to become irregular as she looked down her hands to see that same blood. She was trying to stop the bleeding not realizing there were other wounds on his body that were pouring out. Nothing felt real, she can’t even hear Pam yelling in her ear. All she sees is Vin’s lifeless eyes staring directly at her as if it was her fault she didn’t protect him. It was...

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“Pretty Deadly” by Patricia Parent

Submitted to Contest #255

The cell was cold, reeking of piss and desperation. How the hell did I end up in jail? Me, a promising future beauty queen! It was all because of Ellen Stanton, or The Crooked Queen, as they dubbed her in the news. I was laying down on my bunk bed mentally cursing Ellen when I heard a buzzing sound. The door opened, and there it was, the most intimidating person I’ve ever seen. It looked like the result of a cross breed experiment between a mammoth and a human. The shit-shaped human looked at me, grinning creepily:-Bow down to your new cellm...

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“Regrets” by Dunja Inajetovic

Submitted to Contest #255

As soon as Harriet entered the building, she headed to the top floor.She pressed the button of the old, vintage lift, then again, repeatedly, while cursing under her breath. Creaking, the lift slowly ascended to the seventh floor, the top floor of the Victorian classy building. Her heart was thumping, so much that it was almost as if it wanted to exit her rib carriage. Harriet was sweating, cursing and running her hands through her hair. The lift came to a stop.Almost immediately, she opened the door and ran to the apartment at the end of th...

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“Sandcastle in the Storm” by Tempest Phoenix Smith

Submitted to Contest #255

I remember standing on the pale sands in warm sunlight watching the boy who kneels near his sister. He is using the top of a red plastic shovel to shape each turret on the sandcastle towers with deep concentration. She is looking down at him and smiling. He is her best ever birthday gift as he was born on her birthday. Who needs a doll when you have a real baby to cuddle? Only, I don’t remember this at all. I never had children. I wanted them desperately, but never had even one. I didn’t even get so far as a miscarriage. Why does this scene...

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“Never Normal” by Lyla Janet

Submitted to Contest #255

Warning: This story contains mentions of sensitive topics such as suicide and violence.Aaron fell to his knees in front of the stone. The stone that marked that place that his boyfriend now lay, six feet under the dirt. He blinked several times, but the tears just wouldn't come. The shock was greater than the sorrow.The past events had done a number on him. His fluffy blond hair was full of dirt and grime. The physical pain inside him was slowly getting worse, although he had no idea what was causing it. One of his eyes was now a pure black ...

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“without a Trace” by Ashley Soltysik

Submitted to Contest #255

I want it to make sense. I want to state one tragedy that got me to this point. That damaged me so much; repairs were unmanageable. But that isn't reality. There's no bullseye. Just multiple fragments, some tiny and some large, floating about, cutting me up bit by bit without showing any signs of mercy. There is no one great tragedy. The story starts with just one instance, seemingly small in the beginning but foundational now as you look back on it. It was like turning on a faucet with one slight bump, then walking away. A leak began, but ...

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“The Love of an Old Dog” by Kim Dyas

Submitted to Contest #255

The words said so carefully and precisely.I was fighting my body to wake up on this New Years Day. I was heavy, my body tired from a late night, but in this moment, total comfort wrapped in pristine white hotel sheets. I could sense that there was something not right, but I was too comfortable, didn’t want to acknowledge morning or open my eyes just a little. I could sense him moving around beside me, he was awake. He slid out of bed silently trying not to wake me and went to the bathroom. Something is off. I waited for him to com...

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“Sirena the Hybrid Mermaid” by Nicole N

Submitted to Contest #255

Along the local island shores lived Sirena, a beautiful, adventurous, free-spirited girl. She was always on the go, exploring everything she could. She loved the ocean the most. Every time she visited, she couldn't help but admire its infinite existence. Getting Sirena to leave was almost impossible. She’d always sigh and say “I wish I could just live here” as she mosied home. Sirena loved exploring the shorelines for treasures that washed up. She’d make up stories about how that item got there. And she had a collection for everything, shell...

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“Jordie” by Matteo Picchietti

Submitted to Contest #255

Bam! Clayton’s hand goes through the wall, creating a large hole next to two others. “Damit!” The TV blares in front of him as sports announcers talk about the play that just scored a touchdown with ten seconds left on the clock. The 60-year-old Clayton holds a beer in his other hand. His jaw clenches and nostrils flare as he looks down at his phone in his lap. Next to him is a pile of empty beer bottles, some not even from today. Dirty clothes are piled around the room, next to overdue bills. &...

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“A Series of Dorm Disasters” by Micheline Chen

Submitted to Contest #255

“My phone !” My screams were covered by the revving of car engines. I was on the other side of the pedestrian crossing when I realized it. My handbag was – the lights turned from green to red when I felt the pavement vibrate. Then a flock of cars rumbled past. After the noise cleared, all that was left was a ringing in my ears and my dirty handbag in the dust. My legs were rooted to the spot. It wasn’t until other pedestrians started to cross the road did I reminded myself to move. Breathing was suddenly harder. My hands shook as I unzipped ...

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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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