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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

“Sandman” by Brandon Rich

Submitted to Contest #32

Milan Boudreaux had never heard a sound as simple yet terrifying as the pop of the glass jar which had shattered into a thousand just pieces six-feet across his room. Sand fell upon his head. He braced for his mother’s reaction. This was the third time that she would walk into a room of sand which Milan couldn’t explain. She was stupefied as to why her son kept leaving heaps of sediment all over the floor of their shotgun house. Milan was too.  Strange things had been happening to him for nearly two years. Turning glass into sand brough...

3 comments 3
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“Jilly and Karianne” by Oliver Paradox

Submitted to Contest #32

Jilly had been dead for decades. Everyone knew that. Everyone also knew that Karianne was a witch. Those were just the well-known facts of the neighborhood.Karianne wasn’t even her real name. She had forgotten a long time ago. It wasn’t memory loss, just the fact that no one had ever asked her. Except for one person, Jilly.They had met when Karianne was going to a museum. She looked like someone not to cross, with her then-auburn hair pulled into a tight bun, and her crisply pressed dress. Therefore, everyone avoided her gaze, and most ...

4 comments 4
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“Papa's Story Book” by Artemisia Pearl

Submitted to Contest #32

 A happily ever after lasts forever. Except for when the next person opens the book. As soon as the book opens, we spring into action. Until then we remain doing things according to normal life. We automatically go through the motions as we play to the script of the book.  Our favorite audience is a little girl, who always dawns a smile and cute pigtails. She always tries to read the words but can't, so she fetches old man with a smile and spectacles upon his face. His eyes smile with his mouth as he reads to the young girl. "Place...

1 comment 1
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“Miss Defay's French Lessons” by Tori Routsong

Submitted to Contest #32

Emmerson flinched as the cashier reached out with the change. “Your change is three sixty-three, and I’ll have those out to you in just a second.” “Thanks,” Emmerson murmured. Rubbing the palms of his hand with his thumb nervously, he sat down at the table across from the coffee stall and avoided eye contact with the other customers. If he had his phone this wouldn’t be a problem, but the Holly Circlet hated technology so. Emmerson popped his knuckles, lost in thought, and jumped when the barista called “Hot ginger tea, an iced Mint-to-be ...

2 comments 2
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“Characters Anonymous” by Megan DeRouin

Submitted to Contest #32

Characters Anonymous            I bounced my knee impatiently as I sat in the circle of eight chairs that had been set up in the musty basement of some backwoods town hall. If I listened closely enough I could still hear the music and pounding of feet on the floor above that I had snuck by to get here. I’d been sitting here by myself for a half hour. I fidgeted and twirled a lock of hair around my finger for a moment. I was starting to think that no one else was coming when Aydin wa...

3 comments 3
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“For Once, Please Listen to Your Annoying Sister-In-Law” by Lily Kingston

Submitted to Contest #32

Only expensive fabric on a mannequin, but a blooming white flower on the woman you love. Her wedding dress cost half of last month’s salary. And she spun in it, creating ripples of white lace and sewn pearls like a daisy in the wind. And her smile. A smile from a feeling only that dress could generate. A smile I’ve only seen on our wedding day. A smile worth a thousand wedding dresses. A smile I miss. A smile I haven’t seen ever again. I haven’t seen any smile in a while, either. But, I don’t move past that day, past that moment. I just keep...

3 comments 3
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“A tale but true” by Ola Hotchpotch

Submitted to Contest #32

Many children loose their parents in childhood. Sometimes due to death of a parent or divorce and separation between them. I must have been a little more than six years old. I can still recall the day, the shock, sorrow and the loneliness that followed from that day.*********When I came home from school in the afternoon I found the front door locked. It was not unusual. Maa did that quite often. She would go to buy either vegetables and other stuff or go to watch movie. My Uncle's house was in the same locality. I used to go there and eat lu...

3 comments 3
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“Magic Under Arrest.” by Peace Nakiyemba

Submitted to Contest #32

CASE REPORTDetective John LakorMarch 7thKibuye Police PostThe Commanding Officer,Additional requests; Change in Partner                                     Psychiatric leaveIn addition to the case report of the robbery at Kizungu, Kabali-Kaggwa Street, House No.789 on March 1st at 0400hrs, I write this report to request a change in partner and a psychiatric le...

4 comments 4
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“Trust In Me, Just This Once” by Dayna Scott

Submitted to Contest #32

“Okay, THAT was brutal.” Arianna flopped onto the sofa, fanning herself animatedly with her hands. “I thought she was going to kill me off for sure that time, she leaves me in way too many cliff hangers!” She whined and curled her legs up to her chest so that she could rest her pouty face on her kneecaps. Life as a protagonist was no joke, she had survived three novels so far and was barely scraping through the fourth. Matthew sat on the recliner and rolled his eyes in their sockets. “You think you’ve got it bad? She left me with this i...

1 comment 1
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“In The Time Being” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #32

It was the morning of October 25 and leaves of yellow, red, orange and brown swirled upon the ground in a vortex upon my feet. The sound of a mourning dove coos in a distant tree in search of a mate, and the sun begins to rise like a volcano of colour out of the horizon to the east.I stroll along the waterfront in the cool Autumn air, sipping on a large cup of coffee I picked up on the way. The path appears to be nearly deserted at this hour except for the various squirrels and gulls scrounging for their morning meal.A sudden noise...

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“My Sister Stacy” by Clynthia Graham

Submitted to Contest #32

  The vintage red bat phone on my desk rings and I know before I pick it up, I’m going to be pissed. I bought it to provoke discipline-you know, a direct call to action, but lately the phone is an irritant. Instead of calling me on my cell, when he is going to be late, Steve calls the hot line. He thinks it lessens the blow. Since the law firm lost a partner, all I hear is “gotta keep making those billable hours.” I let it go to the answering machine. This way I have a sliver of a moment to believe it’s an aberrant salesperson trying to...

7 comments 7
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“A photograph never lies” by Pamela Saunders

Submitted to Contest #32

Ruth glanced at the black and white portrait photograph in its silver frame on her dressing table and made a decision.“Time for another meetup” she announced, as she picked up the picture and took it into the lounge, where she placed it on her dining table.Soon the old lady was bringing in a tray that held everything needed for two people to enjoy a cup of tea together.She nodded to the woman in the photograph and as she did so, the doorbell rang, and she went to answer it.The woman who entered was black and white, just like the photograph a...

8 comments 8
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“No Problem” by G Dean Manuel

Submitted to Contest #32

Elana’s pencil rasped across her order pad as she half-listened to the family in front of her reciting their meal choices. This was a typical Wednesday night family: the workaholic husband that couldn’t stay off his phone, frazzled wife who had probably already dipped into that bottle of red she had promised herself not to finish that night, and two bundles of chaotic energy that felt the whole of the restaurant was their romper room. The smile Elana wore was like the rest of her uniform: slightly rumpled and askew. Her smile continued as th...

8 comments 8
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“A Rose Tipped Cigarette ” by Dustin Softman

Submitted to Contest #32

A slow and careful opening of Tom Jarvis’ office door meant it was best to assume a fixed downward stare. It was always junior employees who prolonged their entrance. Milling around in the doorway in that way that was so incredibly annoying to him. Tom would see how long he could keep ignoring them before they eventually had to speak out or risk upsetting their productivity for the day.            So as a limp knock was followed by yet another long protracted squeak and his office door b...

4 comments 4
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“Cliche” by Sam Kirk

Submitted to Contest #32

TOMWith his parents out of town, in Thailand, for their wedding anniversary, Tom decided to host a party. It did not take long to convince his next-door neighbor – Travis, to get him a couple of kegs of beer. Travis liked to have fun, and he did not believe in restricting others from enjoying themselves. Matt managed to also bring in a bottle of vodka he stole from his parent’s liquor cabinet.After a keg stand, a swig of vodka, and a round of beer pong, Tom came up with a brilliant idea. Through the attic, he climbed onto the roof.“Shit!” Tr...

9 comments 9
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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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