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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

“Super LaLa” by Chloe Sehr

Submitted to Contest #263

Super LaLaBy Chloé Sehr Ode to Jennifer, the LOVE OF MY LIFEJenniferJenniferJenniferDo you remember, Jennifer, when we French kissed under the bleachers after cheerleading practice?I can still taste the sweet Dr. Pepper of your Bonnie Bell lip balm on my lipsthe tight polyester of your uniform was really tight against your boobsthe pleats of your skirt rising up just enough for me to see your little cotton panties, the ones with the tiny cherry blossoms on themyour sweet head gently resting on a pillow of our pom-pomsI tenderly fondled yo...

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“Blessings” by Chanel Romaine

Submitted to Contest #263

In this world, everything was black and white. You were either special or you weren't. They say 100 years ago, blessings started to be bestowed upon humans. Just one day the birth of children everywhere happened simultaneously, but every child was born with a mark. Later on, when those children hit puberty some earlier than others, they manifested gifts of different abilities. Some could fly, some could turn invisible, some controlled plant life, there were just so many. Now anyone born with a mark is treated with the utmost care. They are r...

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“Balance on Earth” by Alexis Trobe

Submitted to Contest #263

Is it possible that the world would be better off if humans were nonexistent? It is a question that has haunted my mind for the past fifteen years. Ever since my ten-year-old self was exposed to the horrors of the world, I have been obsessed with finding a solution. There are millions of people across the globe who are starving due to the lack of resources needed to support them. So many countries are wastelands due to war. Is it really fair that they should have to suffer just because our world leaders cannot work out their differences? I m...

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“Hench” by TJ Samek

Submitted to Contest #263

Sunshine. Sunshine stabbing him, assaulting him, hijacking him like a mugger on a cheap amphetamine high. George groaned and rolled over. Wrong move. His stomach roiled, tossing like a hurricane sea, and the turbulence fought its way up his gullet and– He made it as far as the edge of the bed before vomiting on the floor. He stared at the mess with bleary eyes. He really should clean that up before it stained. He should get up, get moving, eat some breakfast. His stomach churned again in response. Breakfast was definitely out. Apparently, so...

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“Magpie by Keira Page” by Keira Page

Submitted to Contest #263

Magpie is notorious around the world for committing horrific mass murders. She got her name from her mask but like the bird, she is a sign of bad luck to many. She wore a black bird mask over her pale face and a catsuit on her body. Magpie had many reasons to hate the world the way she did. Many rumours circle about her but only me and her know the truth. The truth is Magpie was once a little girl called Anna who so desperately wanted to protect her mother from her father’s anger. Alas, she was an only child and was too small and weak to do ...

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“The Color of Betrayal” by Liz Hayes

Submitted to Contest #263

The sky flashed with bolts of blue and purple, illuminating the tiny, broken corpse at my feet. The hospital lay in ruins with bits of plaster and dust filtering through the flickering light. I stared numbly at more broken bodies littering the floor. I thought I had seen all the horrors this miserable war had to offer - but gods, was I ever wrong. I knelt and scooped the lifeless child into my arms, stroking back the wispy locks of hair. “I’m so sorry.” My voice broke with the whispered words and finally the tears came. I clung to him as sob...

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“The Beginning in the End” by Lynn Johnson

Submitted to Contest #263

Death is something I am familiar with, an old friend that I never have to look too hard for. My story started with the death of my people, it’s only fair the story ends with the death of theirs. When I began, I had no desire to fight. As a lone survivor of the war that eradicated my species, I was determined to live a small but content life consisting of myself, and the vegetables I grew on my farm. But fate is determined to remind us of her folly. The humans around me began to grow hungry and when they saw their crops die while...

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“The Alley King” by JT Hellebore

Submitted to Contest #263

In the halls of Ralnd there were rarely exceptions for non-believers. Especially in the crown capital of Baskcalon, yet Pentley Hourslate both worked honorably under the searing Arrosian sun and held truthful to Koshoab. Hourslate’s brilliant mind bested all other scientists beyond the unpragmatic laws that dedicated the Ralnd ruled Dominion. And in reward was given a teaching position in the Cassiopeia dormitories where after hours the professor could be left to invent and dream. Dream of a world beyond trade w...

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“The Life and Times of Rick the Red” by Renie Smith

Submitted to Contest #263

“Rick! I told you to give that to your sister. She’s smart and deserves it.” “But Mom, I worked for it. It’s mine.” “You do as I say! Give it to her!” Rick turned to get away with his new hero book. His sister wouldn’t even like it. But his mom grabbed him and hit his head against the wall. “Give it to her.” “Give me what?” Sally asked as she walked into the room. “Give it to her NOW!!” His mother hit his arm so he dropped the book. “Give me that?” Sally asked. “I don’t want that book. Besides, Ricky earned that book.” “Now, Sally, Rick need...

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“Hero and Villain” by Day Williams

Submitted to Contest #263

“I’m King of the Hill! I’m the hero! My team wins!” Judas shouted. He stood on top of a dirt mound with three of his friends around him. The hot midday sun beat down on the sweaty boys. The other four boys glared at him. They hated it when he won, because he gloated so much. “Judas, I need you!” his mother called. He ran to his home. “Judas, please take this to Zacharias’s house.” She handed him a small package. His mother was a short woman who bustled from task to task with energy. She had long black hair and dark eyes. Today she wore...

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“Sovereignty Regained: The Villain Remains the Hero, An Origin Story.” by Marcella Comerford

Submitted to Contest #263

She bit the knuckle heedlessly dragging flesh into unnatural twisted forms with blood forming into rivulets and giving way to several views of bone, with newly emerged teeth, that came to points in her mouth instead of the dull reluctant bite of the teeth she showed the world. That was before. Now in front of her was justice enacted, the thing caught making a whining, guttural and high pitched grotesque squealing noise of indignation at being interrupted in it’s task of despicable, lavish sadism, that of a young girl who needed to be reminde...

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“Villain and Proud” by Matthew Scully

Submitted to Contest #263

Trigger warning- references to sex work and addiction. They don't have a name for what I am. I don't quite fit in to any of their categories. I'm not quite a psychopath, not quite associate path. I don't quite have Borderline personality disorder, I'm not quite across the line with paranoid schizophrenia. I have traits of all the above without quite qualifying to be labelled as any of them. I am a unique case, and alas, remain unnamed. This seems to bother these learned men. If they are ancient magicians who can only wield power over somethi...

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“NETWORK Man” by Chris Ashline

Submitted to Contest #263

NETWORK MANBy Christopher Ashline In the year 2372, the people of Earth set forth on an ambitious undertaking that brought forth the next age of man. Deep space probes had detected planets outside of the solar system that had a high potential of supporting human life. The countries of the planet came together and space mission Odyssey was established with the purpose of colonizing another planet, the planet was given the name New Eden. Since humanity hadn’t mana...

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“A Hungry Magic Must Feed” by Odette C. Nassar

Submitted to Contest #263

Screams rent the air and Merrick jerked awake. “Merry?” He pulled himself up, scrambling from his bedroll to check on his sister bundled up in the back of the wagon. “Merry?”Another skull-splitting shriek filled the air and, in a panic, he ripped off the blankets from her heated body. The icy boots he had generated to bring down her fever was clinging to her legs. “What’s wrong, Merry?”She cried out incoherently, rolling back and forth. He jumped into the wagon beside her, worried about her fever, and that he shouldn’t have stopped at the si...

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“The Starr Story” by Karina Lurye

Submitted to Contest #263

The fairy council gathered along with King Asher, the ogre king and Queen Heidii, the elf queen. “So… are we all going to ignore the threat?” King Asher demanded, breaking the silence. “My warriors will fight-” “With all due respect King Asher, fighting ISN’T the answer to everything. We learned that the hard way”. One of the five fairy counselors spoke up very quietly. “Oh really? Why then may I ask do you have me send over my warriors to you?” King Asher countered. Counselor Enki sighed. “Counselor Sunita… I agree. King Asher- we nee...

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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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