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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

“Death to the Puppet Master” by Bruno Lowagie

Submitted to Contest #32

Dina was done being defenseless. She laughed at Charles’ futile attempts to convince her that he cared for her, that he loved her, that he had always loved her.She didn’t listen to him anymore. The way she saw it, he left her no choice. She had been his puppet and he had been holding the strings. It was time for Dina to cut those strings and set herself free. Sure, there was romance involved when they first met. He had rescued her from an unenviable position. She was in a dark place and she had been praying for someone like him to come ...

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“Different Proposal” by Gordon Petry

Submitted to Contest #32

A Different Proposal Here I go again. Who am I? I’ve had so many names, so many identities that I’ve lost track. Unfortunately, I’m not the only one. Yeah, that’s right, I’m talking about the guy upstairs, the one who’s supposed to have some control or at least some idea of what’s going on. It’s like whatever whim comes into his mind, that’s what happens next, no plan, no clue where anything is going or how one thing relates to another. Complete chaos, that’s my world. It’s not like I haven’t tried my hardest. You think the big guy with his...

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“I invented you” by Olivia Fairfax

Submitted to Contest #32

...as a bullet pinged off the brickwork behind them.“Come on Anita. Can you make it over the wall?” he croaked barely able to speak. A burst of gunfire rattled in the silence of the night. His chest was burning, his breath rasping...Lance clutched her around the waist and with the last of his strength hoisted her onto the rough stones of the wall. “Go, go” he tried to shout but his breath was all but gone.“Lance give me your hand.”“I'll be too heavy for you. You go. Tell them what's happened. Tell them I just couldn't make it.” He was about ...

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“Final Moments” by Charles Bowman

Submitted to Contest #32

Silas walked down the long corridor toward room K108. He was visiting Alice for the first time since she had been moved to this facility. It had taken all of his strength to come here today to face her. It wasn’t really even Alice that he was afraid of seeing, it was seeing what her condition had done to her.  As Silas got closer to the door, he could remember countless Sunday dinners at the local diner down the street from their house. Alice would always order the same thing, a chicken salad sandwich with apple pie and vanilla ice crea...

2 comments 2
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“A Sometimes Machine” by Darren Tayloe

Submitted to Contest #32

    There I was on my deathbed, looking Death dead in the face and he tells me, "You can have it all back."    I was dying of cancer. I didn't stand a chance. Then he looked at me and smiled a smile so innocent, I swear I almost cried. He said, "I can hold this off, and you are welcome back anytime to draw the curtains, but until then you can enjoy the trip."    Then he thrusted me back with such force I was pushed back into my first memory.I was drowning, and the presence of Death ...

2 comments 2
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“Tomorrow is a New Day” by Sage B.

Submitted to Contest #32

"Today was a boring day." Evan hummed thoughtfully, the soft cushions of the beige couch underneath him lulling him into a somewhat dormant state, the familiar crash of exhaustion that came after a strenous day of work or activities wise.He wasn't lying about what he said. Today had been an awfully boring day and Evan Miller felt it to be a loss of time in his life, just a little bit...At least the tea in his hand was good, a little cold from his mind's travelling contemplation, the taste of lavander a little watered down for his liking. But...

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“Time stop my booty” by D Myers

Submitted to Contest #32

“GET YOUR BONEY BUTT IN HERE, COME GET YOUR SPANKING!” Dexter’s Mom yelled. Dexter sighed, this was going to be his 6th spanking in nine months, all because of a little mishap. Once again, Dexter mixed the wrong combination of elements and made a “mini-explosion” in his science room (laboratory). Dexter’s bum was already beet red because he was sitting on it, for almost 24 hours straight, trying to master his latest creation. This time he was working on the most “specialist” especial type of elixir potion. Dexter joined a local science conte...

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“Tastes as Good as it Spells” by Debbie Rae

Submitted to Contest #32

“Welcome to Kong’s Castle,” Faye said, forcing cheer into her now raspy voice, resisting the urge to collapse unto the restaurant’s hardwood floor and empty herself of a well-deserved sigh. “May I take your orders?” “Really?” The woman on one end of the square table whipped her head up from the menu she was scanning, then slapped the leather-bound book shut, with enough ferocity that a draft must have fanned her face. She trained furious eyes on Faye. “That’s it? May I take your orders? No apologies?” She ran her fingers over the fringes on ...

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“Magical Fingers” by Felicity Edwards

Submitted to Contest #32

My family always described Auntie Jen as a magical person. She never married, but that didn’t seem to bother her in the slightest. She was so involved with the lives of all her nephews and nieces. It thrilled her to welcome each of us into this world with a baby blanket, a little comfy cuddle blanket, and a toy. We all grew up loving these treasures from her. Of course, I don’t need a baby blanket or a comfy blanket anymore, but my beautiful brown crocheted teddy still sits on my bed to this day.   Everyone who knew Jen said s...

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“Swing.” by Mia Anderson

Submitted to Contest #32

“Katelyn, I know you’re there. Grandma doesn’t live here anymore so you don’t haveto worry.” I spoke into the sweet smelling air of my home. It was perfectly clear out but the pale pink curtains shuddered with fear as something zoomed by them. I smiled and casually poured out the green tea into a porcelain tea cup that matched the pastel floral tablecloth that had a few rips from over the years but it was still my favorite for these occasions. With a whisper in my ear and a swift movement of the chair across from me, I knew she was here...

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“Whispers of time” by Tahlil Om

Submitted to Contest #32

It has been two weeks ever since i found out about the whispers, And it has been one year and a half ever since my love left this life.I didn’t even get to say goodbye, my love died and left me all alone.It felt as if my heart was crushed into a million pieces.After that i was just a walking body, no soul, no human-like.It’s like half my soul just vanished.I had no desire to do anything, until i heard these whispers calling for me.It was his voice, calling my name.It was a friday night and i was in my bedroom reading a book that i know I’ll ...

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“Friends Forever” by Steve Cripwell

Submitted to Contest #32

Gordon wiped the top of the kitchen work surface and threw the cloth into the sink. He liked things to be clean and tidy before eating so, satisfied, he slid onto the dining chair. He ground some black pepper on his spaghetti and wrapped the pasta around his fork and put it in his mouth.‘Delicious,’ he spoke aloud, although there was nobody else in the room to hear him. It was a practice he’d come to use ever since Shelly, his wife, had died a year before. It helped him to combat the loneliness he felt every day when he came home to this emp...

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“Breaking Through” by Laura Simmons

Submitted to Contest #32

 John sat at the kitchen table, swilling the last of his third martini.  “I’m leaving you! For good, this time!” exclaimed Cheryl in tears.   “What! I would never act that way!” declared John to his friend, Bob. No wonder Cheryl is leaving me; I’m a lush.”  “John, you know you can’t help your actions. You’re a character in Sharon Adams’ novels. So is Cheryl. “  “Sharon Adams’ schlock novels.”  “Sharon Adams’ lucrative schlock novels. “  “I don’t underst...

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“Jeffry's Gift” by Laura Austin

Submitted to Contest #32

  Jeffry watched as Lucinda pulled on her sexy tights, twisted her hair into a neat bun, and donned her bright red cape. It was going to be a long, lonely night. Since Lucinda had mysteriously developed her powers the year after graduating college, he had spent a lot of nights alone. Her super speed and strength made it easy for her to help those in need and fight crime, and although he’d initially agreed that wasting such a gift would be a tragedy, he’d regretted it ever since. He’d hoped that he would eventually get his own super...

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“Trip to Heaven” by Samuel Jennings

Submitted to Contest #32

Me and my wife have been married for many years. We are an open book between one another. There have been many trials and tribulations, but there is just one that was hard to accept. It took a long time for my wife to try to understand the special ability I had in life. I have a special power that no one that I have ever met can do. My wife now sees this as a gift from God. I could say that I’m lucky, but I know I’m blessed. I get to have conversations with people that nobody else can have conversations wit...

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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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