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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

“Escape ” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #34

The following text messages were recovered from a person working in a biological research laboratory in the Center for Disease Control to Mindy Walton, a tenth grader from Window Rock High School. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is still investigating this top secret correspondence. Please do not post the following on any sort of social media outlet as these facts still have not been ascertained or authenticated by investigators still working this incident. The text messages have been label as follows:CDC is the unidentified resea...

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“The Intangible Door” by Arthur Tiberio

Submitted to Contest #34

To be sure, the house was theirs. Its stones, its bricks, the very fiber of the creaking wooden skeleton belonged solely to the Cardmonts of Grensville Manor. Yet still, after ten long years, its soul evaded their mastery with a vile and contemptuous scorn. It was visible in the little things: in all the nooks and crannies which take the course of centuries to bend to any one will. The family that had been here before -- an ancient line culminating in the death of a dreary bachelor whose portrait had hung on a damp spot of the main hall -- h...

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“Keeping the Light in the Dark (Dog) Days” by Julia Roberts

Submitted to Contest #34

What an unusual time this has been. At first, I thought it might be a dream, for it surely had been very pleasant. Even more pleasant was it to find that it was now my daily reality! For some days now, the Tall Ones had been remaining within the bounds of our territory, disappearing only once or twice to visit with the unseen Food Givers, but never for more than a few moments of sunshine. Normally, the two Tall Ones leave our territory in the early parts of the day, the Wise One first, after making food for the Tall Ones and their ...

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“Tunnel Vision” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #34

Tunnel Vision Tom had just bought a house. It was a relatively small brick house built sometime in the early 1960s. It had no particular visual appeal in any of its mundane features, and had only a one car garage. It did possess, however, a roomy backyard surrounded by mid-sized trees at the furthest end. Most of them were maple, a few were white ash. All of them coddled at least one nest in its outstretched branches. Tom felt that he knew them, like familiar figures in a story. Most of the rest of the yard was ...

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“Fractured Glass” by Julie Le Blanc

Submitted to Contest #34

Anna felt the bed sag beneath her. The blankets bunched under her weight, drawing in pleated wrinkles that splayed out around her like a crown. She thought of her grandmother’s face, eyebrows like two dusty caterpillars, at the sight of the creases. It didn’t matter now. She sat on the bed, and watched her hands. They were average for a twelve-year-old, she supposed. Not terribly remarkable. The rash covered the backs of them from nearly half-way up her forearms to the tips of her fingernails, an angry, poisoned flush. Its crags and gulleys ...

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“Rain Cafe” by Chiya Hoyle

Submitted to Contest #34

“Hell yeah. It's raining.”Denna was ready to tear off her ponytail when the air grew musty. A good sign for business, she stared at the wet pavement. Pedestrians hid their faces under bright umbrellas. A few of them showed distress and hurried inside the cafe. None of them ordered. “Welcome to Rain Cafe,” said Denna, smoothing her bangs to the right. “Are you ready to order?”The pedestrians shook their heads. Their trousers dyed into a darker color.“It's okay.” Denna signaled the pedestrians to wait and ran inside the cafe. "You ar...

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“The game that never ends: Part One” by Jacob Swensen

Submitted to Contest #34

The game that never ends: Part One Have you ever taken a deep breath, and thought about life. About how it’s all about chances. There’s always a choice, and a consequence. Good or bad. It’s like rolling dice. If you roll, you have no idea what’s coming. Life is a game. A game that you can never win . . . It was late November, when it happened. Almost eight terrorist attacks were targeted at the local mall. Hundreds of lives were lost, including my best friend, so my parents decided to get a fresh start.&nbsp...

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“The Perfect Family” by Eric Hyzer

Submitted to Contest #34

“I’m bored,” Tina said, her thirteen-year-old face expressionless. “How long we gotta stay in this house?” She leaned against the refrigerator. “I miss Massachusetts.”Karen Miller sighed, placed her hands on her hips, and said, “Sweetheart, we move every year, you know that. And how many times do I have to keep explaining to you about the damn virus situation?”“But this is stupid.”“Until the virus shit is under control, we have to avoid unnecessary interaction with other individuals, understand? We don’t want people to ask questions, right?”...

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“The Picture” by Paige Leppanen

Submitted to Contest #34

“Are hangover headaches supposed to last for a week? I still feel like my brain’s gonna explode,” Melanie said, flopping down on the bed next to Marion.Marion groaned and opened one eye. The only light on in the apartment was a lamp, but it was enough for her to see that her sister had an ice pack on her forehead. “Maybe you caught something,” she grumbled, closing her eyes again and rolling over.Melanie didn’t take the hint. “I don’t know. My neck’s been killing me, too. Maybe it’s from sleeping on the futon last night.”“You know the secret...

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“YOU PLAY THE CARDS YOU'RE DEALT” by Scott Smock

Submitted to Contest #34

"Well, family, what game shall we play tonight?" Papa, as he was known by all, chimed in with this pleasant question. The group, a ragtag bunch gathered from the four corners of Granger Falls, were sitting nervously, fingers drumming on the old fashioned TV trays that sat before each one. "I know!" Papa cried out, "We'll play Old Maid!" A collective sigh arose from every throat and at this Papa glared around. "Do I take that to mean you don't wish to play?" Jason Reeves quickly spoke up. "Of course not, Papa! You know we want to play tha...

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“A Family of Suspects” by Iona Cottle

Submitted to Contest #34

“I accuse… Miss Scarlet, in the ballroom with the lead pipe.” “Ah, sorry. Here, look at this.” Lucy was still frowning as her mother showed Uncle Keith a card. He gave his usual hum of consideration as he studied the evidence, then he did his over the top secret note taking. Across the table Dad made a note as well, but Lucy was still busy glaring at all of them with her arms folded. One of them committed the heinous crime, and she was going to find out who. So, what did she have so far? Miss Scarlett and Reverend Green (Mum and Dad) had bee...

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“A Dog's Human” by Alia Falcon

Submitted to Contest #34

Hearing the door open, I sprinted to the frontline incase of an intruder. She wasn’t supposed to be home until later, but there she was. I was elated to see her, she took off her jacket and hung it up. Something was a little off, she didn’t bother saying ‘hi’ or to acknowledge me whatsoever. She just sat down on the couch, dropping her stuff on the floor. She talked to the voice in the wall and the big screen magically appeared people, a lot of them. I took a seat next to her, resting my head on top of her, she looke...

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“Scary Valentine's day text message prank ” by Tyra Johnson

Submitted to Contest #34

short setting- This story is set in California in the middle of the night on Valentines night.Hannah is at home alone, in her bedroom waiting on her husband to come home to spend Valentine's together.Tick and Tock, around and around the hands of the clock move.Ping! , Ping!, the phone of Hannah sounded as text messages came in from a stranger and restricted number.Unknown- ("Hello Hannah.")Hannah-("Yes, this is Hannah and who is this?)Unknown-("This is your stalker, I been watching you for years now.")Hannah-("Oh let me guess, now you're goi...

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“The Endless Rain ” by April Summers

Submitted to Contest #34

The darkness is a scary thing. Don’t you think so? ...A dream from the past…no…a memory from a time long forgotten…I could hear it…I could hear the sound of the heavy rain falling outside. It was pouring so hard. It was a if someone left the faucet on and the water kept on gushing out non stop, continuously...endlessly. It made me feel as if I was drowning in the tub again…I tried to open my eyes, but my eyelids feel heavy. I felt so tired and sick. My whole body was aching and in pain. It felt cold. So very cold. I tried opening my eye...

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“'Molly the dog' ” by Tyra Johnson

Submitted to Contest #34

In the month of August, around the summer season. In a sunny afternoon in the backyard, Wofoo!, Wofoo!, I barked running around and around like a roller coaster ride, trying to catch my bird feather enemy called Tacco.He is a chicken owned by my Mexican neighbour name Maria. She is a Spanish speaking and old woman, that always wore curlers in her hair.Tacco would come through a small hole in our wooden fence; he would always normally escape from the jaw of my canine teeth. I pictured myself daily dressed in an apron with Tacco on a barbeque ...

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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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