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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

“Fourth Wall Mystery” by Jori Sheppard

Submitted to Contest #34

“And I conclude that the murderer… is Bethany Hiland”. Shock spills through the room as faces turn to me, following the finger of the clever detective. Lightning follows his voice and whitens all of their horror for a split second. The room is silent afterwards, smoke drifting between each person from the pipe the Salesman puffs on. All eight people stare at me, the ruffian, the pinch faced woman, the suit man, the young daughter and the maid.“Clever detective, what ever do you mean”, the widow of the victim asks, turning back to him with a ...

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“When the Rain Refused To Let Up” by Haruko Otonashi

Submitted to Contest #34

The family was staying in the house a lot more than they used to. Another war? That was the first thing my mind leapt to. But as the younger brother carried in the mail, I scanned through it and noticed no propaganda screaming on the headlines. Nor any posters urging young people to enlist for the army. The father locked himself up in the office, the mother cooked for nearly every single meal, the younger brother and older sister did not go to school, even though it was a Monday. I was definitely not used to the noise. As I wrote in my jou...

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“Actually Having Fun” by Magnet Marsdaughter

Submitted to Contest #34

The Martens were not a family who played games. A few years ago, in a moment of inspiration, Daddy had decided that they would institute a family game night every week and had spontaneously gone out and bought up the clearance section at Gnome Games. They had played each game for five minutes before moving on to the next one, and by the fifth game the meeting had degenerated into chaos. The baby, Marguerite, was eating the cards, Bethie was using the Monopoly tokens as characters in her soap opera down by the fireplace, the two little boys, ...

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“Oil and Water” by Hazel Eshleman

Submitted to Contest #34

To say my mother and I had a good relationship, a relationship period, was an understatement. It wasn't an awful childhood; I was genuinely a happy kid. My mother and I never connected like Charlotte and her. I guess you could say our relationship was always based on me being water and her being oil.Charlotte and I have finally gathered ourselves together enough to go through Mom's things. The Death (because we still can't say it out loud) was hard, but we knew sooner or later we would be in this exact spot. Charlotte leans down to look thro...

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“Mum Left us a Pie and Other Things” by Zara Noor

Submitted to Contest #34

Lewis and his little friend were sitting on the carpet, watching the television while lightning struck somewhere far away. The roll of the thunder was so loud that a sudden, involuntary shriek escaped Thomas' mouth. He looked at his friend with wide eyes, but Lewis only increased the volume of the cartoon and ignored his frightened friend.Thomas was disappointed in his friend's lack of concern, but afraid that he would be teased for pointing his fears out, he turned his attention the television. Still, he couldn't help but succumb to hi...

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“What A Surprise” by Blane Britt

Submitted to Contest #34

What a SurpriseIn 1969 my mother and I went house hunting. Back in them days there wasn’t any realtors for people who dwelled on the other side of the train tracks, if you know what I mean. Basically, it was word of mouth or a friend of a friends third cousin who knew who was selling a house. After looking at around 16 homes I was kind of bored with the whole process. All I wanted was a bedroom of my own. The house or home or cabin or shack or treehouse or barn or adobe or igloo could have been on the moon as far as I was concerned at 14 yea...

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“Game Night Again .... and again.” by Marilyn Carter

Submitted to Contest #34

March 22/20 I sit here, listening to the tv, but not really watching it, while my family; husband, daughter, her partner and stepdaughter, all play a game. Sequence. It’s a good game, but I’m all gamed out and we’ve only been secluded for less than a week. What on earth will I do if we have-to do this for months? I am not a socially adept person. I’m the type of person who likes my own time. I’m quite happy read...

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“Curly's Day” by Sue Marsh

Submitted to Contest #34

Curlys' DaySuzanne MarshI don't know why human mommy and daddy are home but we are going to have some fun. I sure am not going to let them sleep in. I am already hungry. I'll start by jumping up on the bed, if that doesn't work, I will stand on daddy's chest. He makes funny noises then he pushes me over to mommy. I begin to lick mommy's face...she sits right up, then rolls over and covers her head. It must be time to dig mommy out of the bed. Ah, maybe I should growl a little that usually gets at least one of them moving. Oops, maybe not. Hm...

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“THE NATURE BLISS OF HER CONTINENT.” by Ifeoma Favour Simon I

Submitted to Contest #34

My grandmother happens to be a very good woman who loves seeing the cloud set and the high wind blowing. She feels so excited knowing that. The rain is a symbol of nature's glory given to her as an African woman on the east coast of Nigeria. She gathers her goats, chickens, and firewood inside and set her local bed to lie down while the rain falls for hours none stop. I feel blessed to have known that l came from a continent we have to answer the nature's call which is the six months of the outpouring of the rain.A period everyone prefe...

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“Rufus: The small brown dog” by Emma Friedman

Submitted to Contest #34

I am Rufus Henry Gardner, and I love my owners! I was adopted almost 2 years ago when my family moved to the U.S. Usually though, I don’t get to spend too much time with them. Maggie, and Carson, my siblings go to school. My parents, Mrs. Mary Gardner and Mr. Paul Gardner. I don’t really know why they go to these places, or what they’re doing. All I know is that I am left at home... ALONE. Occasionally, our neighbor, Susie comes over and takes me on walks, but it’s not the same...

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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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“Dead Mans Lake” by Charlotte Piontek

Submitted to Contest #34

My Parents decided that we would sell our perfectly good house in a perfectly good neighborhood and buy this old cabin way up north where our closest neighbor is miles away. And on top of that this cabin belonged to an old man, an inventor to be precise, who drowned in the private lake behind the cabin. Which is great. Really great. "Mom, the twins are making a mess!" I call up to her from the back seat of the car."Sweetie, I can't right now." She puts her earbuds back in and leans her seat back. "Ugh!" She can be so annoying. I close my e...

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“Just Wet” by Pamela Saunders

Submitted to Contest #34

“Hello, yes, this is John Burt, yes I did, yes yesterday, about the roof, I called to see when you are coming to fix... yes I know but you said, well ok but oh...” “Well goodbye to you too” finishes John to the now dead phoneline.Tipping water from the crown of his soaking bowler hat into the bucket by his feet, he sighs then goes to the kitchen, kettle on, hissing steam, gurgling water wafting fragrance of India, no sugar just milk, dripping ceiling dropping rain into sink, lucky not the electrics, carries the full steaming mug through to t...

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“Anticipation and Anxiety in the Wide Gray World” by Eric T

Submitted to Contest #34

He awoke to the unmistakable pitter-patter of heavy rainfall hitting his window. It woke him up faster than his alarm would have- rain is often unwelcome in the schedule of a live performer.He looked outside and to the blurry sky, and the colorful array of umbrellas waving around on the ground. Is it cancelled? The laptop was opened in record speed. The internet was painfully slow, but his emails arrived after a moment. He sucked in his breath- the festival was cancelled.The forecast read the rain would only continue to come down, and it wou...

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“SISTER, KNOCKING” by Andrew Grell

Submitted to Contest #34

SISTER, KNOCKINGBy Andrew Paul GrellWhy Daddy still home? One day, another day, another day, now this day. Day, day, day, day only when the fat ones come to eat the big bird. Who will get the square-edge green leaves to trade for food?Mommy still in bed when sun high to come through window. Daddy comes out of the locked cave, the cave with the good water. Puts his skin on. Puts his feet on. How can they walk with only two good legs? Food where it belongs, Daddy must still have green leaves. Grabs ...

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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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