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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#34: Staying Inside

These days, we’re all being urged to stay home as much as possible... which means you might find yourself with more time to write. So in the spirit of art imitating life, this week’s prompts all revolve around the notion of staying in!

On that note, we wanted to make a special announcement: today, Reedsy is hosting a live writing sprint on YouTube. Bite-sized writing bursts are a proven way to make progress on a project, and we figured there’s no time like the present to virtually connect and support one another.

The writing sprint will take place today at 1pm EST. You can register for the event using this link, or subscribe to our YouTube channel and simply join us at 1pm EST. We hope to see you there!

Most of all, we hope that you and your loved ones are safe and healthy.

This week's prompts

Write a story about a family game night.

Fiction – 70 stories

Write a story from the perspective of a dog, thrilled to find their owner has been spending so much time at home.

Fluff – 73 stories

Write a story told entirely through text messages or emails.

Dialogue – 104 stories

Write a story about a rainy day spent indoors.

Spring – 146 stories

Write a story about someone who finds a secret passageway in their house.

Short Story – 147 stories

Stories

“Out With The 'Unknown'” by Artemisia Pearl

Submitted to Contest #34

Unknown NumberTuesday, January 7・ 7:33 p.m.UN - When did you say that you were available? I need to know ASAP!ME - Who is this? UN - What!? Come on, Kate. It’s me! Stop pretending that you don’t know me.ME - I’m not Kate. My name doesn’t even have a ‘K’ in it.UN - I’m serious, Kate. We Have a missionto complete! If we don’t, we’ll be EXTERMINATED. Exterminated, Kate. UN - If you don’t comply, I will come and get you tomorrow. ME - Um… Sorry, but you have the wrong number. I AM NOT KATE!!UN - Yeah, real fun...

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“Passage to Epiphany” by Gip Roberts

Submitted to Contest #34

"You do realize the last person who lived here died, right?", Brian Quiverland's neighbor asked as she stood in his doorway with one hand on the upper-left corner of its frame and the other on her right hip. He already didn't care much for this woman named Marla, whose middle age seemed to be the only thing the two had in common. But her use of that tired, worn-out way of phrasing a question had him looking at her with crossed eyes and wrinkles at the bridge of his nose while backing away a full...

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“The Manuscript” by Eric Falvey

Submitted to Contest #34

With the world descending into chaos, and panic flooding the streets, solitude became a welcome relief. In my time and training in the United States Army, I learned to find comfort in the silence. While most raced to various forms of media, I went back to my roots. I had bought this house after my second tour in Afghanistan. It was large, roomy, and built in the 1800's. If you listened closely you could almost hear the history in it's walls. It's two most adorning features were a large, antique, oak bookcase in the office, loaded with variou...

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“Raindrop Races” by Adriana K. Maxwell

Submitted to Contest #34

My drop is losing. I want to tap the glass but that would be cheating. I do not cheat, not even when I am at home alone. It quivers, raising my hopes… Finally.. But no, it stays in place. Its neighbor is slowly slipping down when it bumps into another raindrop, absorbs it, and together they race down to the windowpane. Why do they never go straight down? They always leave behind a zig-zag trail, like sleepy liquid lightning. The glass is smooth. I don’t understand. My drop shudders, then fina...

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“Just One More Smile” by Aniruddh Pramod

Submitted to Contest #34

“Joshua! It’s time for your meal!”I dart towards the kitchen. From my bed, through the corridor and under the legs of my table and sit down eagerly at my bowl. I wag my tail as Elijah pours some dog food out for me. I was hungry, I’m sure Elijah was too, but he barely ever ate nowadays. I don’t know why he did so.As I gobbled my bowl hungrily, Elijah caressed my left hind leg, the metal was still perfectly intact – ‘Fine German Engineering’ as they call it and it felt perfectly normal. I could have forgotten my leg was ever flesh and bone. O...

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“One Rainy Day” by Vicky S

Submitted to Contest #34

The rain drops were large and heavy, and already beginning to cause a minor flood in the front entrance of the museum. Several of the workers were trying to stop the flow of water reaching the display of dinosaur bone’s, using mops and a large amount of paper towels, while shouting instructions at each other.Kate shivered as the cold wind seemed to blow right through her clothes. Gently, she blew onto the tips of her fingers and then stuffed both hands into her coat pockets, feeling the scrunched paper that had been the museum map brush agai...

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“Re: Dear John” by Dafni Ma

Submitted to Contest #34

Liz Malory lizmalory89@yahoo.com Thu, 31 October at 12:35 a.m.To:john_c_malory@yahoo.comDear John,This is not a Dear John letter. In fact, it’s not a letter, it’s an email. I find it difficult to write with pen and paper nowadays. I also don’t live in the 16th century, so there’s that as well.Forgive me. I ...

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“Pen Pals” by Libby Carter

Submitted to Contest #34

Email Correspondence between Richard Lawrence and Willa Reed:From: R. Lawrence To: W. ReedTime: 4:47pm EDT, March 11th, 2019Dear W. Reed,Good evening. How are you? I thought I’d share a little about myself. My name is Richard Lawrence. I am sixteen years old and attend Hall High School for the Academically Gifted. As part of my English project, I must maintain close correspondence between a peer chosen by my teacher at another school for the next six weeks. I look forward to getting to work with you on this project.Good wishes,R. Lawren...

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“Some Reasons” by Festus Airuedomwinya

Submitted to Contest #34

"Life sucks. And I mean that. Life is a fucked up piece of an abattoir.""Hey! I agree that life is shit but abattoir? Come on.""Ok, well scratch that. We'll go with you. Life is a piece of shit.""No problem. I'm ok with the fact that I'm smarter.""Always the hypocrite. Asshole.""I've been called worse names than that, Nelly, so I'm thinking you could up your game.""I'll think of other names, Jeremy😊""You could even google it. Have you ever heard of Google? It's like a search engine...I'm pretty sure you can manage.""If you weren't my brother...

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“The Open Window Lets the Rain In” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #34

1It’s three o’clock in the afternoon when I discover the open window in the upstairs bathroom. I know this because the alarm I’ve set to remind me to eat has just gone off, bleating its digital protests from the bedside table. Beep! Buh-bleep! Beep! Buh-bleep! It won’t stop until I either push the button to silence it or wait ten minutes. If I wait ten minutes, the alarm will snooze for another ten, and then it’ll start back up with a vengeance. I know this because it happens every morning; I lie there listening to the screeching a...

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“If Walls Could Talk” by Maxine Sevilleja

Submitted to Contest #34

Riley Haynes gaped at the sight of a huge door which hung open in a slit. When she pushed it hard enough to create a huge space, a dark hallway greeted her, enveloping her with fear and confusion."Riley?"The voice of her fraternal twin sister—River—floated across the upper floor.Riley ignored her as she carried her legs further down the darkness."Riley, where are you?" River added, voice drowning into echoes.The more Riley proceeded, the more her heart pounded violently against her prison-like ribs. The sight of such a secret room flew too m...

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“Old House's Secret” by M.D. Smith

Submitted to Contest #34

The old house pre-dated the Civil War in South Alabama. “This old house is a treasure of history, even though it’s going to need a lot of fixup.” Ernie strolled though his new home with his wife of five years. Nicole nodded, “I’m glad it’s finally ours. I loved it after the first tour when we made the offer.” She motioned her hand over to the study. “It’s a perfect setting for you to continue your writing career. I hope it’s not too spooky spending our first night here.” The cleaning crew did an excellent job on the little old two-story ho...

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“Waiting For The Rainbow” by Shirley Medhurst

Submitted to Contest #34

When a person is confined indoors, every day is just another rainy day. Today, I am that person. I am sitting in the room where some of you might have been sitting for some time now. The room where others amongst you might only find yourself sitting tomorrow. Then, and only then, will you begin to ponder on life’s absurdities the way I find myself doing right now. A cup of coffee and a chat in a café with a colleague? Groaning at having to do another boring weekly shopping run? Just another humdrum working day? All that is an entire lifetim...

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“There's Gonna Be a Better Day, Just You Wait” by Lily Kingston

Submitted to Contest #34

Trigger warning: mentions of suicide and abuse.Text messages from xxx-xxx-8432 to 911Start time: 12:34 pm, 6-7-2020 Julie the 911 Operative: Hello 911 speaking. xxx-xxx-8432: I need an ambulance. Julie the 911 Operative: Can you please describe what happened? xxx-xxx-8432: I think my husband had a heart attack. We’re at 97 Greenville Avenue. Please hurry. He’s all choked up and red! Julie the 911 Operative: Okay. We’re sending someone now. Please stay in contact in case anything develops. ….End time: 12:58 pm, 6-7-2020 Text message from xxx-...

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“Confined to Texting” by Keri Dyck

Submitted to Contest #34

MOMMom 24/03/20 3:47pmHey do you know what time you’ll be home?Mom 24/03/20 4:52pmSupper’s readyMom 24/03/20 5:23pmI just got the email from the hospital! How are you doing? Mom 24/03/30 7:26pmWhat, you don’t speak to your mother anymore?Mom 24/03/20 8:45pmGood nightKeri 25/03/20 10:05amHey Mom, sorry I missed your texts. I couldn’t have my phone while they did the testingMom 25/03/20 10:07amAnd???Keri 25/03/20 10:07amYou know how the virus could only get people whose respiratory systems were compromised? Well now it’s mutated and I’ve ...

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$50

Prize money

540

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 27, 2020 EST

Won by R Kon 🏆

Title: Who Speaks to Death

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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