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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#262: Turn Up the Heat

What’s not to love about summer? There's something so wonderful about spending lazy afternoons taking a stroll in the sunshine or cooling off with an ice-cold drink by a pool. I can still remember how excited I would feel on the last day of school, just hours away from barbecues, beach days, and family picnics.

With summer in full swing for many of us, let’s write some stories that center around long, sweltering days. Will your tale take place at a fancy resort or a crowded park? How about a county fair or an island getaway? No matter what you choose, make sure to bring on the heat!

This week's prompts

Write about a summer vacation gone wrong.

Summer – 66 stories

Start or end your story with a heatwave announcement.

Summer – 34 stories

Write about a character who is allergic to heat.

Summer – 26 stories

Center your story around an unexpected summer fling.

Summer – 53 stories

Set your story during the hottest day of the year.

Summer – 88 stories

Stories

“Art Must Have A Meaning” by Olive Key

Submitted to Contest #262

The sun burned down with an intensity that felt like cruel intentions. The grass stood as still as the statues, and the statues as sturdy as the great trees whose boughs hung calmer still so as to not disturb the shade that hid beneath them. Yet what the scene lacked in movement it made up for in glory and richness of scent and colour; surrounding the lawn, flowers of all shades shone as if seen in a fresh photograph, perfuming the hot air as the sun drew out their fragrances the way burning oil blends spices. In the centre, as pretty as lit...

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“Playtime in the Summertime” by Jamie Adams

Submitted to Contest #262

‘Private Jimmy, join your comrades in the sand!’ Said, Sergeant Davidson. ‘Yes, sir,’ I said, my right arm boomeranged to my head, my fingers extended on my forehead. Beads of sweat trickled down my fingers, they felt like my only companions. The liquid horizon crested and receded like waves of heat, distorted by the scorching air. ‘Focus on the mission, defend the water,’ I told myself, sprinting to the heaps of rock on the battlefield. An unwelcome blanket of heat wrapped around my body, and what felt like a noose of fire snaked around my ...

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“A Bad Day” by Tom Mollica

Submitted to Contest #262

A Bad Day By Tom Mollica “If only I had remembered to wait until the microwave stopped before I made the Pop Tarts,” Arnie Merkle said to himself as he looked at himself in the mirror. Arnie’s bad day started twelve hours ago when he stood drinking a cold bottle of Pepsi in his hot, steamy apartment above the Lucky Perch Tavern. The heat wave was not ending and today was too hot for coffee. A news show, AM Milwaukee, played on the flat screen television on his kitchen counter. Wink Walters, the show’s weatherman, whose dream was to be a s...

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“Too Hot to be Outside” by Ian McPhail

Submitted to Contest #262

I was working diligently in our jam-packed cold storage room condensing and piling away skids of fresh produce to make room for tomorrow’s order. Having cleared a skid, I picked up the heavy and cumbersome empty pallet and carried it above my head, kicking open the swinging door and marching out. I was stopped by my favorite co-worker, Dylan, who smirked at me and had a comment to make about my shameless showing-off. “Don’t work yourself too ha...

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“PEOPLE WATCHING AT THE BEACH ” by Douglas Malear

Submitted to Contest #262

On my way to work this morning, the voice on my radio announced that this could be the hottest day of the summer. By lunchtime, I had fulfilled my obligations and covered my bases, so I plotted my exit from the office. I grabbed my towel, trunks, and the comfortable beach fold-out chair my daughter and son-in-law had given me as a gift for the many times I would take their daughters to the beach and lunch. During the summer, I would often take the girls (my granddaughters) to the beach for a couple of hours in the afternoon. The parents were...

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“Desert Memories” by James A. Irving

Submitted to Contest #262

DESERT MEMORIESBy J. A. IRVINGCalifornia desert, approaching the Seventies. The sun had just come up, and they said this would be the hottest day of the year. The shadows still felt cold, but already the sun had weight when it leaned on you. Ben Bastion walked from the van where he had spent the night in the racers’ parking lot into the Costa Mesa International Raceway garage. His blonde curls seemed extra unruly: a typical case of pre-race nerves had kept him from resting well, even in a down-filled sleeping bag with a foam pad between him ...

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“The Summer of the Limes” by Odile Glatz

Submitted to Contest #262

That summer didn’t have a particular theme song. There was no particular color that summer. But, ohh, the smell of fresh cut limes and limeade, that was the memory. Wherever I went that summer, to my potential future father in law’s, my mother’s house, my friend’s Spanish-style villa, limeade was served, and the scent of fresh cut lime lifted my soul. I, Vicky, was engaged to be married that summer. Life was getting hectic with work, planning ...

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“No Show” by Ndai Irene Nyamakura

Submitted to Contest #262

The tour-guides led us towards the beginning of the ascent, their footsteps deliberate and sure. As we started our climb, the forest enveloped us in a cocoon of greenery, and the summer sun cast a warm, golden hue over everything. The air grew crisp yet carried a fragrant warmth, infused with the scent of earth and ancient wisdom. The journey up Ayotha promised not just physical elevation but a spiritual ascent into the heart of Rosina's natural sanctity, where the vibrant energy of summer matched the mood of our adventure. I have alwa...

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“For the Last Time?” by Andrea Krist

Submitted to Contest #262

Kelsey sat in the car with her cheek on her fist and her elbow on the armrest. Brian--her husband--had been inside the Resident Hotel for almost an half hour talking to the hostess about getting a room. He had, unfortunately, taken the keys with him, so the air was thick. Sweat poured down the sides of her face and dampened the hairs on the back of her neck. She had long since tuned out the cars that lined up behind them in the drop-off area. Their horns and shouts for them to move had faded along with their attempts to get her attention. T...

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“Summer vacation gone wrong ” by Shaista Munaf

Submitted to Contest #262

Summer vacation was supposed to be a time of relaxation and fun for our family. We had planned a week-long trip to the beach, hoping to spend our days lounging in the sun and playing in the waves. But from the moment we arrived, things started to go wrong.The hotel room was small and cramped, with a strange smell that seemed to linger no matter how much air freshener we used. My husband, John, and I exchanged a disappointed glance, but tried to make the best of it.The next day, we set out to explore the beach, but were greeted by a sign that...

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“the doll” by Maria Ewa

Submitted to Contest #262

It seemed like the winter would never end, and I couldn't remember it ever starting. The dark sky hung ominously over the city, threatening permanence, while the falling snow assaulted my body with its sharp coldness. By the time I saw the bus stop on the horizon, my feet were numb and my fingers red, unable to move. It was no surprise when I lost balance on the icy sidewalk. Face down in the snow, I felt so tired that standing up seemed unbearable, my body too heavy to lift. It might have been five minutes or five hours before I felt a warm...

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“Ninety-two degrees” by Maria Wickens

Submitted to Contest #262

Trigger warning: Theme of Family violence / Sexual abuseIt’s the time of year when the depressing chill of autumn should be settling in, yet the sun is unrelenting stark radiance. No shadows, no perspective just a harsh white light providing a spotlight for my stepfather’s gaze as he watches us. I’m supposed to call him Daddy but under my breath I call him Kronos. Devourer of children. Unhinged titan. Seems more apt.He’s going stir crazy with the pressure of no work on the horizon. We’ve ducked his ill temper, dodged the petty arguments he t...

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“Focusing too much on Work” by Gabrielle Holly

Submitted to Contest #262

On the sixth day of his vacation, when he’d finally stopped thinking about work, Kenneth saw the CEO of the company worked for check into the hotel he was vacationing at. Kenneth tilted his head back and laughed, causing the other hotel guests in the lobby to move away from him. He opened his eyes and sighed. The steely blue eyes, angular jaw, and half smile half smirk weren’t softened by the Hawaiian shirt and Bermuda shorts he wore. The CEO would have been an indistinguishable tourist if it weren’t for the gold Rolex watch on his wrist tha...

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“The Summer of Disaster” by Faith Holtkamp

Submitted to Contest #262

TW: Includes mentions of self harm, mental health, and substance abuse (alcohol). I laid back in my bed, holding Jane Eyre above my head to read. I've been reading the same line for the past hour. I don't know why I haven't given up yet. Probably because my parents want me to get as much extra credit as possible with how horrible my grades have been. Tomorrow we're heading to the summer house, and I'm dreading it. We go to this house every year expecting it to be different and magical, but our family lost the magic a long time ago. I roll o...

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“Finding Peace on the Beach ” by Christina Beller

Submitted to Contest #262

Sensitive content: Car crash, depression, mental healthI eagerly hopped out of the car, hearing the crackling of the gravel beneath my sandals. The house looked serene, untouched. I could faintly hear the waves crashing, despite the wind hitting me from all sides. Although the sun was out, I kept my sweater wrapped around my shoulders. A 60 degree day on the Oregon coast was about as warm as it got.It was a three hour drive to Yachats, a small town on the coast. I spent the afternoon weaving through packed minivans and trucks that boasted Or...

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$250

Prize money

267

Contest entries

91

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 09, 2024 EST

Won by Tess Ross-Callahan 🏆

Title: Hair-Dryer Day

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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