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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

“An Eternal Spring ” by Arianna Noelle

Submitted to Contest #32

 We met in Tokyo under the city lights. Everything about you intrigued me; even your silhouette was beautiful. You taught me the art of falling in love. Eventually you taught me the art of letting go. I still dream about you sometimes.  *** The cherry blossoms bloomed again this spring. Some days I go and sit beneath their branches, listening to them whisper in their native language about the past. They asked me about you. Remember those days when we were just children? How we used to chase the falling petals as they descended to t...

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“Tea with Leonardo” by Tia Jain

Submitted to Contest #32

It is a foggy summer day. However, all the sunshine is gone and the rain is slowly pouring out of the unreal clouds. just how Leonardo liked it.I walk down the street to the library because Leonardo says technological advancements are overrated and just increase pollution. he's right though.I step over each large puddle of water and let the whirls of oxygen caress my deep blue hair. I head to the dark brown establishment, inside, the smell of finely roasted coffee arouses the room. I look at the delectable donuts each topped with p...

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“You Will Look a Ghost in the Eyes, but Not Me” by Lily Kingston

Submitted to Contest #32

People don’t make eye contact with me anymore. Most either look away or put on sunglasses so their staring goes ‘unnoticed’ and people won’t think they’re weird. Though, I doubt anyone in this store would consider them weird when they’ve got me to compare to.As I glide into check out, the cashier fixes their gaze on the pink feather boa I’m buying and already wearing to avoid eye contact. I take off the boa to pay and pretend I don’t notice them judging me.“That’ll be 3.99, sir,” the cashier tells me.I slip her a five.“Do you want a bag,” sh...

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“Moments with You” by Whitney Trang

Submitted to Contest #32

It was just as Presley remembered, but better. She was still here. “Pres, can you get the basket?” Ross asked her. He carried Kiora in his arms. “Yes. Yes, I can.” Presley took the basket filled with goodies out of the trunk and followed her husband and daughter to find a place on the beach. It was the first day of summer and they decided to celebrate by having a beach day. Kiora was so excited, she couldn’t sleep the night prior. But now, she was exhausted and slept on the way there. She was still asleep in her father’s arms. “I think ...

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“The White Tea Wish.” by Brandon Johnson

Submitted to Contest #32

Harry was excited to finally move into his own house. It was an old cabin located deep in the woods of the countryside. He was lucky enough to inherit it from his family after his grandpa, Joe, passed away of old age two years prior.Harry was riding along in his pickup truck while remembering the good memories he had of Joe. Harry remembered going fishing, camping, and the other miscellaneous adventures they went on together. However, the one thing he remembered the most was white tea. More specifically, he remembered how they used to drink ...

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“Waiting for Manny” by Mike Garrigan

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #32

Every Saturday, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, Fred Flannigan sat on the third bench to the right at entrance of Oscar Park. Sometimes, his best friend, Manny Mandinkos, joined him for the hour. When Manny actually showed up—you never could tell with Manny Mandinkos—Manny brought a thermos of camomile tea. Manny was unpredictable like that. Manny was also dead. A year ago, Manny decided, on a whim, to climb Mt. Everest. He did none of the rigorous training one normally does before that infamous climb. He made it to the top, but then died fr...

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“In Time With Music.” by Peace Nakiyemba

Submitted to Contest #32

I travel through time in music.By music, with music, through music – whichever sounds most appropriate to you. That’s how I travel. You know how you hear a song, and it resonates with your heart and head so well that whenever you hear it, it takes you back to that moment in time. Well, that’s me – literally. I do go back to that moment in time and if I have the music with me, I can pause it and in so doing pause time for myself, only me.I figured this out when I was five.With how much I love music, it is no shocker that it is how I get by. I...

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“Little Cafe on the Hill” by Ben K

Submitted to Contest #32

Once a year, every year. I take a special winter trip into the mountains. I always pack the night before, and wake up early to leave. Embracing the chilly morning air, it doesn't take long to toss the few bags I take with me in the trunk. Brew a quick cup of coffee for the drive, lock up the house and I'm on the road by six. I'll let the radio play whatever it will as I hop on the highway to the mountains; sometimes I might even drive in silence and just listen to the sounds of the road. Cruising along I slip past any major traffic before it...

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“Cage Match” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #32

“You’ve got to spring us, man…You’ve got to spring us …”Jake looked up from his cleaning. “What?”“You heard me. Your boss is trying to kill us.” It was the parrot talking. Jake took this in. For what he knew of Loomer, this smelled true. “How do you know this?”“You are the first human to come back here… for a long time.”The canary chimed in. “Forgotten…”The parrot continued, “I’m Senor Sur. But you can call me Sur. The far cage holds Keets…”The parakeet looked up. “Nyuk, nyuk…” “…and Harry Canary.”Harry spoke up, “I prefer ‘Harry the Ca...

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“Lost with the Winds.” by Lio Smith

Submitted to Contest #32

The dribblets of rain raced down the glass. I shifted to look at the ceiling. The ridges flowed into different shapes contorting into faces and images. I watched it turn and contort, going into a peaceful gaze, where it was just me and no one else.Then the back door slammed. Parker came to the couch, propping herself up into the corner, her glasses falling halfway down her nose, blue eyes lacing her vacant expression as she typed into her phone.I love to watch her like this, her hair messy around her face, no wedged shoes, so she barely come...

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“FOR THE SAKE OF THE PLOT” by Sharat Jacob

Submitted to Contest #32

“That’s messed up.”‘’Yes, it is.”“Like so messed up.”“Yes, it is.”“Like, wow.”“Yes.”"But what is even more messed up is that you haven't told me yet what is messed up and yet I know that it is messed up. ""We haven't reached that part of the story yet. ""That doesn't help in calming me down. "Yes, I know."“Stop saying yes again and again, damn it!” Trevor snapped, “Also how are you not panicking right now?”“Well, technically, what's the point? I'm all for it. For the sake of the plot. ” Harry smiled and burst out in laughter.Trevor felt a st...

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“Rosie's tale” by Marte Van Der Linden

Submitted to Contest #32

Right at the back of the library was a dusty shelf full of strange books that most people ignored. Sometimes a scatterbrained academic or a hipster with no sense of direction would take a wrong turn on the way to 19th century history or vegan fusion cuisine. Then they would catch sight of the strange dust jackets, and perhaps stop to read the titles and the blurbs. They invariably moved on, shaking their heads and laughing to themselves. Why on earth would anyone read that? The librarians only kept the books because it was wrong to destroy b...

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“Childproofing for a Sweetheart” by Tiana Gabel

Submitted to Contest #32

The house was a buzz of life, aided in no small part by a bundle of joy named Allie sweetheart. Allie was nearing her fourth birthday and nearly old enough to be sent off to preschool, or so her mother told her. For now, she played the day away, sucking on watermelon—as to not eat the seeds—and dipping her feet in the kiddy pool at every opportunity.  On this particular day, Allie’s mother had promised to make pasta. Pasta—fancy and covered in flowers. Her family would read her mother’s cookbook in a language Allie didn’t quite understa...

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“Boxed In ” by Kathleen March

Submitted to Contest #32

Amalia was running out of time. It was 8 pm and she knew she had to find the box before it was too late. Lately her memory had been failing her. She not only had been forgetting where her car keys were (although everybody does that occasionally), but she could not always remember the name of her favorite quilting shop. Then there was the fact that if she went for groceries, to pick up even just three items, often she could not remember the third, and sometimes even the second escaped her. She was afraid to go to the doctor, afraid she’d be t...

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“Extraordinary World” by Keli Hariparsad

Submitted to Contest #32

It was sweltering noon when the call came through. “Legion animal control services,” I heard Justin answer.The business did fairly well in tropical Durban, South Africa. The small city was edged by a beautiful sea, and flourished with thicket between the suburbs. It was animal heaven for us. We would get called out for some of the world’s finest wildlife that had skittered their way into people’s homes. Snakes were the most common. Run-ins with pesky monkeys were not too far behind.“A bird, you say?” Justin was asking. Simon and I looked ove...

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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!

Prompts | Many Hands | 2024-09

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