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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 WORN-OUT VIOLIN” by Alicia Uy

Submitted to Contest #255

A WORN-OUT VIOLIN An unassuming pawnshop stood in the heart of a bustling city, in a dimly lit alley where the world's noise seemed to fade into a dull hum. The air inside was thick with dust and memories, items crammed onto shelves that spoke of forgotten lives and discarded dreams. Behind the counter sat Isaac, a middle-aged man with weary eyes who had seen more than he remembered. He is a man with a rugged appearance shaped by years of hard work and life's hardships. His face is weathered, with deep lines etched around his eyes and mouth....

5 comments 5
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“The Weight of Things” by Nick Denning

Submitted to Contest #255

On the top of a wooden table he sat. Calm as a tree absent the breeze, calm as a chef without orders. He cleaned himself, like always: slow and methodical. Is it strange that I wonder at the texture of his tongue? Elegant as the creature might be, he rarely allowed for the kindness of touch. What an odd thing to find oneself lacking, after a husband, after a son, after a time when physicality seemed the only constant in whirlwind days. Compared to those fingers, or even this cat’s fur, the click of keys on my laptop leaves a cold mark. Where...

5 comments 5
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“Anger” by Rozmarin Ideas

Submitted to Contest #255

 Mahogany is a very nice wood. When polished to a mirror-finish, the dark tones of chocolate and fresh planting-soil shine through to the top. That was what Reid was focusing on, the wood of the desk.“So how have you been feeling?”Her voice was crisp, professional, like a fresh sheet of printer paper. It held just the right notes of concern and curiosity. It was as polished as the mahogany. His fingers tightened, pulling at the fabric of his jeans.“Good,” he said, trying to inject his voice with levity.The dry rumble that issued from hi...

6 comments 6
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“The parable of the general and his daughter” by Josefin Björk

Submitted to Contest #255

There was a general, long ago, far away, who had earned the trust and the respect of his emperor. The general was swift, merciless and above all competent, and thus he amassed both wealth and loyalty from the soldiers he commanded. He lived well and deserved every accolade that came his way. The general had a daughter, whom he doted upon. She was raised to be a beautiful, skilled and well-spoken young woman, and she was the greatest accomplishment of his life. His riches, his career, the men who fought for him, they were nothing compared to ...

4 comments 4
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“The Might of Magic” by Lily Lloyd

Submitted to Contest #255

*crude language throughout*"For the last time, Mom, I don't want you to read my future!"Hyde loved his mom very much. He could take or leave his twin brother Axel but that's just the nature of being related to a douchebag. What he did not love was his mom's insistence upon meddling with his life in any kind of magical or mystical way. Occult meddling was how the woman made her living, he knew, but it still irked him."Why can't you keep your work life and your home life separate like a normal person? I appreciate that you want to help me unde...

1 comment 1
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“And the Future Will Be Gravy” by Michael Jefferson

Submitted to Contest #255

Joyce Gleason spins in circles in front of a full-length mirror. “Think President Madrid and the First Lady will be impressed?” Colonel Benjamin Hotspur, late of the First Northern Army, turns and winks at his fiancé, who is resplendent in a sparkling coral dress. A stocky 5’ 5” with wavy black hair and a bushy mustache, Benjamin, a nationally ranked wrestler during his college days, is affectionately called “Benny the Bull” because of his tenaciousness. Benjamin began his career as a bodyguard for Birmingham Madrid, then a Northern Province...

7 comments 7
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“ Blinded by a smile” by Tiffany Davis

Submitted to Contest #255

  Have you ever heard the saying the truth shall set you free? This phrase is no longer just a saying. It's a hard reality for me. Hi, my name is Katt, and life has been good for a while. I have thrived in my career. Soon, the pandemic hit, and life started to slow down. The birds that were chirping started to have no sound.  The internet soon became the only way to interact with others. It started with a message saying I saw you on my page as someone I might know. A woman as beautiful as you, I definitely would...

2 comments 2
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“The Halton Mine Incident” by Teng Rong

Submitted to Contest #255

This past weekend, I found a Spectator article from 1955. Supposedly 6 teenagers disappeared in the woods behind the mine, never to be seen again. Later that year, the Halton Copper Company declared bankruptcy. I am hoping you will know something about this mine. Articles, stories, rumors. Anything at all. Attached is a copy of Janet’s therapy journal I got from the OPP. I don’t expect it to be much help, but just in case. Please keep this between us. Dr. Anders Svenssen, M.D.[Start of Journal]September 23rd, 1988Sleep: 8 hours, refreshedMoo...

0 comments 0
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“Le Bon Dieu ” by Wendy M

Submitted to Contest #255

         Winter limped into the late autumn day like a bedraggled pup looking for a warm fire and finding only an empty hearth. Squalling rain battered classroom windows, depositing sticky bronzed sycamore leaves and diverting the pupils' already limited attention.       Most of the children would leave the elementary school at fourteen; the boys to sweep swarf in dark grimy factories, the girls going into service or shop work, unless a dozen younger siblings mea...

7 comments 7
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“A Mysterious Parting” by Paul Hellyer

Submitted to Contest #255

A bitter wind howled across the black as pitch field, the stars and the moon hidden by thick clouds. The wind chimed in his ears, like a deep and heavy bell, and the chill of it stabbed through the single layer of clothing he was wearing. Seeing nothing except the darkness, he was condemned to this lonely post at the midnight hour and so he sank to a sitting position, feeling the ruddy grass brush across the rawness of his skin. How had this happened? He thought of the series of events that had transpired earlier in the day. ‘...

2 comments 2
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“FAITH AND HOPE” by Glenna Agnew

Submitted to Contest #255

FAITH AND HOPE Layla made her way unsteadily from the washroom to the bed, her hand desperately clinging to the IV pole for support. She paused for a few moments as a wave of pain drenched her body leaving her depleted. The short respite from her journey across the hospital ward enabled her to continue her barefoot trek. She knew she was supposed to put on the slippers by the side of the bed, but truthfully, she didn’t have the stamina for it.  Reaching the side of the bed she turned and positioned the IV pole the way the nurses had ta...

0 comments 0
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“The Void” by C Russell

Submitted to Contest #255

“Was going to start this out with ‘I am sorry’, but I have said that so many times that I believe I am covered for eternity. Some people just aren’t meant to be here. Their nerves are too raw, MY nerves are too raw. It’s as though a filet knife has been used to cut through my skin, tip to tail, flipped it inside out and then stitched up nice and pretty; and I am expected to live this way, in THIS world.  It is no one’s fault, so please do not expect to have “seen the signs...

2 comments 2
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“The Puzzle Builder” by Nancy De Beer

Submitted to Contest #255

For the most part, I used to love building puzzles, but now that it’s my job, I have lost the joy in doing them. I sit at my large white desk. The room is dark, almost black, with a bright light above me like the rest of the puzzle builders. They keep us separate from each other so that there are no distractions from building the puzzles. Some days I will build 5 a day depending on how many pieces there are and the difficulty.Staring at the box in front of me, I let out a sigh. The picture is of the scene from Pocahontas where she is standin...

6 comments 6
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“The Pup” by Andy Ortega

Submitted to Contest #255

The bandaged wound on my wrist itched terribly but I did not remove the wrappings. I was afraid of what I might see. I hugged my knees closer to my body as the cold air encroached around me. It was a basement, with a concrete floor and metal door. No chairs, no bed, no blankets. Just a plate of raw meat on the floor next to the door. I turned away in disgust. The door opened with a loud creak as a large burly man walked into the room, closely followed by a young woman. The man brought my food every day, and by food I mean the plate of raw me...

4 comments 4
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“A Cozy Mystery: A Tale of Deceit and Acceptance.” by Scott Taylor

Submitted to Contest #255

In the tranquil, picturesque town of AppleWood, the chirping of birds and the gentle rustling of leaves filled the air, creating a serene atmosphere. It was where whispers flowed freely, secrets were traded like precious gems, and the air was thick with intrigue.Samantha, a woman who had grown up in this close-knit hamlet, found solace in the quiet solitude that her introverted nature afforded her.Despite being raised in the township, she had always felt like an outsider, and even her adoptive parents became distant once she left for college...

9 comments 9
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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!

Prompts | Big Blue Hand | 2024-11

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