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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#32: This Magic Moment

Last week, we challenged you to write stories about life's ordinary moments. This week, we're thinking along the same lines... but with a twist. And that twist is: magical realism.

Magical realism is a literary style that weaves threads of fantasy into depictions of everyday life. For instance, a story might be about someone sitting on their couch and channel-surfing — that's the "realism." Then they might walk up to their TV and step right through it like a portal into a fantasy land. That's the "magical."

An important distinction of magical realism is that it doesn't explain the fantastical elements or occurrences. The magic that's woven into the story just is: a character turning off the rain with the snap of a finger is as commonplace as another character opening an umbrella.We hope you enjoy the prompts — and if you're looking for a more in-depth explanation of magical realism, as well as some of the genres best reads, check out this blog post!

This week's prompts

Write about someone who works an average job — but incorporate elements of magic into it.

Fantasy – 76 stories

Write about a person who meets with the ghost of an old friend for tea every so often.

Fantasy – 111 stories

Write about two people in a relationship. One of them has special powers, the other does not.

Fantasy – 77 stories

Write a story that includes characters who are aware they are a work of fiction.

Fantasy – 74 stories

Write a story about someone who can pause time or re-live old memories at will.

High School – 65 stories

Stories

“The Ceremony” by Audrey Perillo

Submitted to Contest #32

“Beep Beep, Beep Beep” Sienna’s alarm clock glared in second intervals.“Rise and shine!”, Sienna’s mother greeted as she entered her room, “The ceremony for your father’s new company is today. You have an appointment at the spa at 12:30 and violin rehearsals at 2. Get up and let’s start the day!”“Do I have to go to the ceremony?” Sienna groaned as she dragged one eye open after the other.“Of course! Your father expects you to be there and play.”“Fine.”, she said as she dangled both legs over her bedside. Sienna pulled herself out of bed and ...

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“The interview” by Abigail Munoz

Submitted to Contest #32

I was nervous. My hands kept tensing up and my legs would go cold. This was my first job interview and I needed this job. I needed the money. I sat there for 15 minutes when a girl around my age, walked in and sat in the chair next to me. She had brown curly hair and was holding a black folder just like mine. She looked over at me and smiled, I simply nodded my head. “Are you here for the job interview too?” “Yes”. “This is my first job interview, I thought I would be nervous but i actually feel relaxed”.I just nodded. “My name is Jackie, by...

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“The Train of Time” by Makrine Tskipurishvili

Submitted to Contest #32

I have always thought that time was the longest train running in the vast field that has no borders. I am standing there in front of the massive train and watch it pass. Each carriage of it probably equals to less than a second in our world meaning it has an infinite number of carriages. Each carriage is a memory of some moment. It goes so fast. The time. The train.It goes and never even thinks about stopping or coming back.It goes and takes all the sweet moments with it.The sweet moments I want to embrace once again.If only I could stop the...

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“Broken Chains ” by Said Y

Submitted to Contest #32

It was cloudy that day and Timothy wasn’t in the mood for a walk. Usually on his mornings walks he was always cheerful and friendly but today he felt differently. Lately, Timothy felt moody and groggy. His neighbors and co-workers complained to Timothy that he wasn’t his usual self, he always responded “I don’t know what it is, I just haven’t been feeling the moment.” People always smile “Don’t worry it will get better” or “Been there before” and Timothy’s favorite response is “You gotta find the spark and make your life more bri...

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“Breaking Bone” by Henri Rennie

Submitted to Contest #32

They’d made it into Barandilla not long after sunset. You couldn’t call Barandilla a town. It didn’t even appear on a lot of maps. On a lonely stretch of the highway running through the Central Australian desert, it had a pub, two petrol pumps – one of which had an ‘Out Of Order’ sign that had hung on it so long it had almost faded to illegibility – and a stray dog. ‘Bob’s Hotel’ served as a rest stop for passing trucks and the occasional drover, and a social hub for folks from the surrounding cattle stations. ...

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“Read Carefully” by Unknown User

Submitted to Contest #32

Since the first time that Juan saw the paintings of Velázquez and El Greco, when he was 7, he had wanted to be a painter. Unfortunately, he could neither draw nor paint, and in his art classes, he painted worse than anyone. However, his love for painting never diminished, and he studied the career of art historian in collegeUpon graduating, he started working in El Prado where he spent years becoming familiar with all the paintings, restoring the museum’s new acquisitions, and planning the halls for expositions. He would also accompany and c...

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“Library Book” by Emily Lawson

Submitted to Contest #32

As I wandered the halls of the basement, trying to find an empty shelf to store old dictionaries, I sneezed again. Stirring up even more dust bunnies in the musty, stale air. I never realized how many books had been relegated to storage due to the creations of e-books.After a small eternity, I found a shelf and slid the heavy box next to a collection of cookbooks. Another type of written word forgotten about because of the internet. Yes, the internet has made things easier in a great many ways, but it was also kinda sad to see rows and rows ...

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“More” by Marianne Wieland

Submitted to Contest #32

More He felt the difference as soon as he left the warmth of his car. He stood silently. Unwilling to move on just yet. He stood and stared out over the York River as he had so many times in his life, but this was different. Like a finger running up his spine and gripping his thoughts, yet he could not say where the feeling was coming from. This was where he had been coming since he was old enoug...

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“a psychic revenge ” by Walt Landers

Submitted to Contest #32

Hello, my name is Roland. Roland Nomanowski. I am a person who is psychic... I must speak to you, the person reading this document, before continuing. You must know that any further reading will gently lock you into my influence. A psychic bond will form from which I am unable to release you. I advise you to look away for a moment so that you can make an independent decision. If you decide to stop reading, I am not offended, but if you stay, you are welcome to join me. Our plane has...

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“Tom Orrow's Detective Agency ” by Katie Andrews

Submitted to Contest #32

The phone rang, screen flashing while upbeat electronic music played. Kai opened his eyes, head leaning back against the worn office chair. Yawning, he scooped up the phone and held it to his ear. “Tom Orrow’s Private Detective Agency, we strive to find, solve, and resolve your issues. How can I help you?” he said, legs propped up on the desktop. The fractured colors of sunlight danced with the motes as it threw different colors into the air. A woman hovered in the doorway, watching with round brown eyes. Light moved t...

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“Day in the Life of a Doctor” by Ashley Reiter

Submitted to Contest #32

Sitting in my office with my colleagues and boss, I attempt to act as average as possible. As average as a superhuman can at least. Working in the field of medicine, I have the opportunity to use my life-saving abilities to enhance the lives of everyone within the world. Each day, I miraculously save a patient on their death bed because of my superhuman abilities, but everyone working in the office believes I simply have marvelous education and physician knowledge that permits me to save everyone I touch. Honestly, I do not know how it works...

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“A weird kind of special gift” by Paula TSF

Submitted to Contest #32

My name is Pau, Pau Tori. I’m a forty five year old male. I’m an auditor in a large size company, in a major city, but I live in the suburbs. I don’t like to leave in very crowded places. I also cannot afford to rent a house there. I havent had a salary increase in 2 years. I dont think my skills are fully appreciated (It is just reality you know?) I wake up every day at 5.45 am, have a shower, shave and eat my cereals for breakfast. My morning coffee I always take it at work, from the coffee machine in the hall. It’s a new machine but the ...

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“The Book Shoppe’s Keeper” by Emily Coston

Submitted to Contest #32

My life and my world have found struggle in a way I had never dreamt to be possible. I hope that you, yes you, can make a difference, every person can make a difference. This Letter is the only piece of literacy I have ever authored, I hope it finds its way into the hands of someone who will take these words to heart. My deepest wish is for this story to find its way across the sea of collective and into the hearts of the individual. I’ve always wanted to own my own book store, to get lost in the words of a thousand pages...but I never ...

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“Lunch Breaks and Sick Days” by Amelia Wood

Submitted to Contest #32

“Jacklyn!” The shout comes from across the office, in the break room. In the cubicle beside me, Jacklyn’s hooves begin to tap a steady, but frantic, rhythm on the floor. The source of the yelling storms out of the break room. Harold’s red eyes lock onto Jacklyn as he barrels across the office.“What is it, Harold?” Jacklyn asks, playing the nonchalant role.“You left another tree in the fridge!” His thick country accent draws out the word another more than what’s necessary. She spins around in her chair and glares at him.“Yes, I did. It’s my l...

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“The Color of Awe” by Beckie O'Neill

Submitted to Contest #32

The Color of Aweby Beckie O'Neill “It’s a girl!” Meg said to the couple who lived deep in the Adirondacks. The mother’s face was flushed, blonde hair matted from perspiration and pressure on the pillow. Ray, who helped catch their newborn, handed his wife their crying, naked miracle. Jackie peered into her infant’s gray eyes which suddenly turned sky blue then back to gray. She had heard that because fetuses live in darkness their eyes, upon birth, are gray or blue and eventually change color but over months, not seconds, and certainly no...

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$50

Prize money

403

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 13, 2020 EST

Won by Thiago Loriggio 🏆

Title: The Tragedy of the Trainee

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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