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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#263: Heroes and Villains

If you’re an avid cinemagoer, you’ve probably seen trailers or posters for the recently released superhero comedy film Deadpool & Wolverine. Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing two beloved characters set aside their differences to save the world — and potentially start an unlikely friendship along the way.

Inspired by Deadpool & Wolverine, this week's prompts center around protagonists and antagonists. Create a new kind of hero or villain, parody a character who already exists, or go totally off script and interpret the prompts in a creative, unexpected way… the choice is yours!

This week's prompts

Write a story from the antagonist’s point of view.

Character – 84 stories

Start or end your story with a hero losing their powers.

Character – 42 stories

Write about two mortal enemies who must work together.

Character – 29 stories

Center your story around someone facing their biggest fear or enemy.

Character – 71 stories

Write the origin story of a notorious villain.

Character – 89 stories

Stories

“Backup Failure” by David Willett

Submitted to Contest #263

Bolts of multicoloured laser fire rained down over Sherrif Masran Usa’s head. She dodged the barrage by diving toward the floor and breaking into a somersault, landing behind a crumpled hunk of debris that had previously been a computer console. A faint smell like freshly welded metal entered her helmet from numerous near misses. She peaked above her cover, taking a chance to identify her attacker’s position. Her combat suit instruments indicated their tactical advantage, elevated on a mezzanine at the far end of the cavernous shuttle bay. A...

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“With Managed Self Care” by Angela Gilmartin

Submitted to Contest #263

from:Quanta <quanta.superhero@thenexusorder.gov>to:Accelera <accelera.superhero@thenexusorder.gov>cc:Dr. P <drp.superhero@thenexusorder.gov>date:May 3, 2019, 10:44 AM subject: Re: Hey! mailed-by: thenexusorder.govSigned-by:the nexusorder.gov.2043927.gappssmtp.comSecurity: Standard encryption (TLS) Learn more:Important because previous messages in the conversation were important.Hey Accelera,Thanks for the flowers. They really brighten my hospital room. At first, I had them right by the bed, but I co...

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“Sunny Wobbles: the Cat Who Couldn't Jump” by Dr. Kat Cleary

Submitted to Contest #263

Dedication: to anyone trying to reach new heights. When Sunny was born, he didn’t know he was any different.He was a little wobbly when he walked – but no one is born a marathon runner! Unsteady on his feet, Sunny would sway from side to sideLike a sailor who hasn’t gotten his sea legs yet! When he would try to go down the stairsHis bottom would outweigh him and he’d tumble down the steps - flip, flop, ouch! Despite this little nuisance, Sunny became quite the explorer!Up, down, left, and right – every corner had to be investigated. Once he...

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“A Lionheart's Feast” by Alyssa Krestal

Submitted to Contest #263

She was magical. Powerful. Mystifying. My grandmother was the brightest light in our home. More welcoming than the sun after a thunderstorm. Warmer than a mug of hot cocoa and a freshly lit fire. The reason I wanted to learn witchcraft myself. Her vigor inspired me regardless of the dangers ahead. I remember the way I felt when her exuberant spirit shriveled into something lesser. A normality of sorts. I felt the shift for only a moment before the strength transferred to me. It was the same feeling as a moth begging for warmth th...

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“Gideon” by Barney Defanfaler

Submitted to Contest #263

Gideon is a superhero with physical and mental abilities far beyond the vast majority of the human species bar his teammates. Unlike the comic book character, Gideon cannot move faster than a speeding bullet but is a marathon-level athlete. Gideon can fly, although he requires a wing, and, with the aid of a jet-pack, can leap over tall buildings in a single bound. His up close and personal fighting skills are akin to those of any martial arts warrior, and his proficiency with a vast array of weapons is masterful, whether up close or at a dis...

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“Party Time” by David Pearce

Submitted to Contest #263

Henry’s mum was aghast. “The viper,” she gasped, “the reptile, the slimy little…” Ellie thought it best to let her anger run its course. She would not have used such language to describe her child and this was not the time to point out the inappropriateness of “slimy” with regard to…or to remind her that her son was nearly nineteen. “How did he..? Is it too..?” She waved the invitation list below Ellie’s nose as if to imply that it must be her fault. “Both of them! That Viking! That Thor!” She had begun to run out of punctuation, first quest...

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“Story 26” by Paul Simpkin

Submitted to Contest #263

(This is a sequel to Story 25 published on this site in June.)In the history of the world there have been many times when mortal enemies have decided to work together for the good of the common purpose. For obvious reasons the historical accounts must usually remain secret but for less obvious reasons on very rare occasions the stories can be made public. In the following account confidential information has been redacted.Robin Hood was looking carefully at his new recruit as he showed him round the camp, which was based in S******* Forest. ...

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“To Catch a Super” by Stephen Hansen

Submitted to Contest #263

Flyguy landed squarely on the sidewalk in front of Dave’s Midtown Bar & Grill. He smiled and held the door for an exiting patron then entered. Yacht rock filled the room signaling that ladies night was well underway. Flyguy waved off the dining hostess and made his way to the bar where Jamie, an ex-marine with extraordinary biceps and a dimpled chin was serving up drinks. There were no empty bar seats. Flyguy turned sideways and squeezed his otherworldly physique between tw...

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“The horror under the bed” by Astrid Doncker

Submitted to Contest #263

No one ever believed her. Not her parents and not even other children. She knew parents everywhere would dismiss it as an overactive childish imagination, but her friends? Her friends should at least listen. They wouldn't be able to help but at least she wouldn't be trapped alone with it anymore. But no one listened. Her parents started laughing it off once they had exhausted all their ideas on how to reassure her. It was easier to think it would pass. And she was alone. And even her first memory was about it. She was...

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“Bona Fide Hedge” by James Barrett

Submitted to Contest #263

The accounting firm of Schwartz & Schwartz employed Leo Logan as a clerk in their local office. There was nothing remarkable about Leo other than the fact that his father, Zachery, had made a deal with the Devil years ago, where Zach would win more bets than he lost in exchange for sacrificing his immortal soul to the Devil upon his demise. Zach was a cigar-smoking professional gambler, and because of the deal mentioned above, he could provide a mode...

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“Jessica's superheroes” by Mirza Pasic

Submitted to Contest #263

IHer name was Jessica, and she was 20 years old. Illuminated by the glow of youth, she was thirsty for knowledge and, step by step, explored everything in the world that surrounded her. She was a student at the University of Bridgetown. Her dreams of studying at a great university melted away in the challenges she couldn't answer in a significant way. She became increasingly aware of the inferiority of her intelligence and knowledge. This inferiority caused teasing and laughter from colleagues and scathing comments from professors. She often...

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“Bolts, Rhum and the Sea” by H.e. Ross

Submitted to Contest #263

The first strike was off to port, disappearing before the corner of my eye could catch it, but its presence remained with a vague twisting thunder. The sky was hidden by a dense brooding continuing line of cloud. The horizon hid somewhere between a steel grey sea and a light grey setting of the sun somewhere West of South. Water lapped lazily alongside the hull. It passed slowly in the light airs. The sails were moist as if it were morning in the place of evening. Another crack echoed to starboard but turning I only saw monotony all ar...

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“Personal Growth” by Gabrielle Holly

Submitted to Contest #263

“Alright class. Your final assignment due next week, will be a 3-to-5-minute oral presentation about the benefits of group-based classes.” At the words “oral presentation”, Raven stopped taking notes. She gripped her mechanical pencil in her hand so tight, she felt it indent into her palm. She couldn’t see anybody else’s reaction; she just saw the back of 30 heads in 30 blue desk chairs. Different shades and lengths of blonde, brunette, black, one red, and one purple. She tried making eye contact with Ms. Hall to convey her horror. Ms. Hall,...

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“A Father's Tale ” by Kadeza Rabbi

Submitted to Contest #263

A Father’s TaleTrigger warnings: Mental health, substance abuse, physical abuse, and harsh language. “Ashik, what is wrong with you? How can you be so stupid?” I exclaim. Ashik looks over at the grey leather couch that I sat in. Dressed in baggy ripped clothes with stains on them, and a beer bottle in one hand. My son was lying on a white hospital bed with the couch across from me. The hospital put him on suicide watch after his attempt on the bridge. I continued to stare at Ashik, hoping for some sort of a reaction. The room was filled...

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“The Charming Man: Savinkov's First Encounter ” by Igor Borisov

Submitted to Contest #263

CW: Implications of violence / Profanity“As it tends to happen, it is raining in Chicago” A man, well-put-together, in a free-flowing, almost spacious dark navy blue suit with stripes vertical to the body, stands with a cigarette in the right hand, and with the left in the pocket of his free-flowing, almost spacious dark navy blue suit pants with stripes vertical to his legs. His black, slick back hair only accentuates his rather lacking right eye, the hole of which is covered by an equally black eye patch. After yet another drag from his c...

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$250

Prize money

315

Contest entries

109

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 16, 2024 EST

Won by Eliza Entwistle 🏆

Title: Petrified

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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