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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

“When Mrs. Magpie Came for Tea” by Jane Loden

Submitted to Contest #32

I had met Mrs. Magpie when I was a child. I had moved to an old victorian-styled house with my mother and saw the pale lady with the tightly pinned bun and the tiny brows that always made her look surprised. She had told me stories of the wonders of the world back in her day, all about great wars, wonderful ladies, and beautiful dancing. She was the one who taught me how to make tea and was the first one to hear the stories I came up with. Ever the captive audience, she would always float closer while I rambled on about whatever story came ...

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“Teatime Tradition” by Laura Austin

Submitted to Contest #32

Dominique sat patiently at the table in her garden, the gentle breeze stirring her hair and the birds chirping their greetings. It had been a long, tiring week and she’d looked forward to this rare but cherished opportunity for teatime with her grandmother. The table was beautifully set, as her Grandmother would have done, with a linen table cloth, matching linen napkins, a lovely fresh floral center piece, and a silver tea set that had been in her family since the early 1700’s. Her dress had been chosen carefully; a ...

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“Evelyn” by Izzie Chavez

Submitted to Contest #32

Back Then... She died holding my hand. That's the last memory I had of my sister. She was happy that I had been there with her. She died happily. That's what everyone told me. It sounded so incredibly stupid. Death is never happy. At least that's what I believed until she came back. They tell you that death is permanent, they lied. 2 years later on a cold stormy day, I saw her again. I had just had a particularly hard day at work and was beyond ready to go home. I was walking down 9th street, soaked to the bone because I had left...

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“Earl Grey and Jasmine” by Elizabeth Scott

Submitted to Contest #32

The wind blew gently, caressing the old woman’s face as she walked across the flower garden to the wicker table and chairs set up under the old oak tree. The spring afternoon was particularly lovely as she noticed the peonies had finally come into full bloom. Peonies were her favorites with their big petals that looked like they were bunched together with hardly any room to breathe. She had plenty of different flowers in the garden; roses, marigolds, buttercups, irises just to name a few and she loved the way the sun filtered ...

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“Tea for Two” by Georgina S

Submitted to Contest #32

I am not weird. I am lucky. I don’t mean lucky as in winning the $60 million dollar lottery jackpot lucky but lucky in other ways. Like sometimes I find a penny on the ground or a feather. There are not birds around or anyone that can have walked past with loose change in their pockets when I find them. I know they are signs from my friend Peter. Peter passed away fifteen years ago in a tragic plane crash. He was an experienced pilot and the irony was that in that crash he was a passenger. Peter caught this flight to get home in time for his...

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“The Meeting” by Falyn Owens

Submitted to Contest #32

I waited in a chair beside the roaring fireplace, mug firmly clasped between my frozen hands. The flames did little to heat my shivering body. Despite our frequent meetings, I’d never truly gotten used to Vernal’s visits. The ghastly paleness of her skin made her red eyes bulge in a way I’d never seen; the stench of her rot reminded me of a worm’s innards. She was not the sister I remembered her to be. Her skin did not glow with the same light. Her laugh did not warm my heart any longer, but rather sent it thundering in fear. I grew to under...

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“Afternoon Tea” by Izzy Slone

Submitted to Contest #32

The rain drizzled as I walked down the old path. My umbrella was tattered, but I couldn’t find the time to go and buy another. I liked it, anyway. It may not have been the brightest of umbrellas, but it was functional. Sure, it was old, but it worked just fine. I suppose I felt this way about most things. They weren’t new by any means, but they surely weren’t broken. I could still use them for a while. I didn’t see the sense in wasting what I had, especially because they were things that simply didn’t matter to me. I stopped walking when I h...

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“Blueberry Muffins” by Ella Guthrie

Submitted to Contest #32

I crossed the road and entered the park. The grass was greener than it had been the last time I was here, the trees had started to regrow their leaves. A faint hint of blossom was creeping on some of the branches. It was truly Spring now, though the air was still crisp; as if Winter was sending whispers to the wind like a jilted lover. The silver ring around my index finger felt cold and began to irritate my skin, so I carefully removed it and placed it in the pocket of my long woollen coat. I found the bench. It sat in a small garden, ...

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“Dancing with Elizabeth” by Lily Wilder

Submitted to Contest #32

Jack studies himself in the full length mirror in his bedroom. He is going to see her and wants everything to be perfect. She deserves perfection. Once he is content with how his suit sits on his frame, he turns to the bed. Carefully, he picks up the single pastel pink carnation that will serve as his boutonniere for the night. Pale pink carnations were her favourite flowers. They had featured in their wedding. Jack checks his appearance once more, now, that the flower is pinned on his jacket. He makes the last minute adjustments and looks a...

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“Tea and Gossip” by Margaret Rodeheaver

Submitted to Contest #32

Tea and GossipBy Margaret RodeheaverKendra hurried in from the garage and put the bakery box on the kitchen counter. She shrugged off her spring coat, hung it on the peg by the door, and glanced at her watch. She just had time to put the kettle on.The kitchen table was already set with Staffordshire teacups and saucers, and a blue and white transferware sugar bowl. Kendra filled the little matching pitcher with milk, arranged the bakery cookies on her prettiest tiered tray, and placed everything on the table.The teapot was ready. All she had...

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“I MET SADDAM HUSSEIN” by RADIUS HAVWAALA

Submitted to Contest #32

“Yes, you are right. We Iraqis are fools,” Terek Aziz burst out laughing. “Why? America would not divide us if we were intelligent.” “I did not mean that,” I protested. ‘What I am saying is that you may be naïve not to exploit Trump’s troubles.” “But what do you expect us to do?”His cube shaped head dropped a few degrees.Trump is well defended.We are just a small country which cannot even protect its oil.” “Let me speak to your leader,” I said. “I am in possession of ...

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“Vasya`s Story” by Daria Valeeva

Submitted to Contest #32

"These.""You always know how to make the right choice, Vasily Ivanovich!"- a smiling woman in the sales hall held out a box from her strong young hands to the knotted, worn hands of Vasily Ivanovich. He bought new shoes every year, almost always on the shift of the smiling saleswoman.He was returning to the small house that his father had built on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, and now surrounded on all sides by hordes of identical and multi-colored high-rise buildings in the dark. A couple was walking towards him, a girl and a g...

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“A Secret Space” by Alexis Martin

Submitted to Contest #32

I never liked being too social with people. They were all just a bunch of butt cheeks but every so often I’d keep up with Finnn. His name is spelled with three n’s because his father was so shaky when he was born that he put double the amount of n’s than he was supposed to. He died about twenty years ago in a fire trying to save his dog Petey who would also accompany us. With the advancements of technology I was able to visit him whenever I wanted to. It was always nice to see him. We always met up on the fifth of every third month at our se...

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“Loved Ones” by Miranda Serrano

Submitted to Contest #32

We sat together on the couch in the living room. Our food was on the coffee table getting cold while Margherita and I were lost in conversation. I thought about how everything was just as how it used to be. I smiled as I watched her talk about the time this photographer stopped her on the sidewalk to take her picture for his portfolio or something. Margherita was gorgeous. She was a beautiful Italian woman with her bright blue eyes that seemed to sparkle in the sunlight and twinkle when she laughed, wavy brown hair that bounced ever so sligh...

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“Flies” by Angelina G

Submitted to Contest #32

Having afternoon tea at midnight wasn’t a novel idea to Tabitha. Since graduating from university and pursuing the field of gallberry research, she and her co-worker Maggie O’Foley have made it a weekly tradition. Maggie has the stereotypical personality of a scientist. Exacting and precise. Having tea was an event she took as seriously as any other, so when the clock struck twelve, Tabitha wasn’t surprised to hear a knock at the door. “Just a second” Tabitha shouted, balancing the tray of cookies in one hand. “I’ll be right there...

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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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