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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#41: Fuzzy Friends (or Foes?)

Hey, writers! I'm Tracy Gold, an editor, writer, and mom to a toddler, horse, and dog. And this week, I'm taking over Reedsy Prompts!

As an editor, I've enjoyed working on young adult fiction (like Amanda Searcy's Watch You Burn), non-fiction (like Gary Vikan's The Holy Shroud), and sci-fi/fantasy (like Nikki Richard's Demon in the Whitelands). Visit my Reedsy profile to learn more about me and my work!

My theme for this week is "fuzzy friends." From Hedwig in the Harry Potter series to Enzo in the The Art of Racing in the Rain, nothing captures hearts like a beloved animal. Animals can be powerful antagonists, too: just look at Jurassic Park! Perhaps what I love most about books featuring fuzzy friends (or foes) is that they mine the depths of the human heart by exploring how we interact with animals. I hope these prompts help you sniff out a good story!

This week's prompts

Write about an animal who changes a person's life (for better or worse).

Kids – 232 stories

Write about an animal species that doesn't exist in real life — an alien, new discovery, imaginary creature — it's up to your interpretation!

Middle School – 145 stories

Write about an animal who goes on a journey.

Kids – 69 stories

Write a story featuring an animal who subverts expectations (like a snuggly tiger, or something more magical, like a literal fish out of water).

Kids – 69 stories

Write about an animal who causes a huge problem.

Middle School – 99 stories

Stories

“A Folded-Up Dream” by Zea Bowman

Submitted to Contest #41

Ava took one look at her new drawing and folded it up, preparing to toss it into the trash can. She didn't believe in crumpling up papers; if you folded them they took up much less space in the trash. But something stopped her from putting this particular drawing in the half-full can. On this piece of paper was something she had wanted since she was little: a Bernese Mountain dog. She had to admit, this drawing was decent...it almost made the puppy look alive. Yet again, it wasn't. And so she tossed it into the trash with purpose. ...

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“The Fighter” by BRoOkE HAs A COwBoY HAt

Submitted to Contest #41

"Get her! Come on, or are you too scared to hit her? Whatever. I'll just let you get beat up then." After Marvin left, Tia hit Michael one more time and then got up and walked over to the monkey bars. Michael followed. "What do you want, stupid? Another beating?"Tia asked. She was sitting on the top of the monkey bars now, Michael close behind. "No. I want information,"Michael replied. He was sitting next to Tia, both of them looking over the playground. Kids were running everywhere, some of the kids were sitting under the big shade tree, re...

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“The Unusual Suspects” by Ruth Porritt

Submitted to Contest #41

James West1st recorded interviewJuly/05/2019Time: 9:15 AMDetective Adams: Yes…uh…my name is Detective John Montgomery Adams, and I’m here with my partner, Detective Peter Davidson. This interview is being recorded via video. Detective Davidson and I are located at Glencove Police Station in Glencove Alabama, home of the Glencove Raiders.Detective Davidson: Sir, you don’t need to mention that.Detective Adams: Mention what?Detective Davidson: The Raiders.D. Adams: Why the hell not? Best damn college football team in the state.D. Davidson: (sig...

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“Blue Moon Cockroaches” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #41

New litters of blue moon cockroaches were piled in three cardboard boxes along the side of the farm wall and Ima Kölher was counting down the seconds until her mother came home so she could stop watching them scrabble against the walls of their boxes. The blue moon cockroach harvest had just been finished and Ima had been put in charge of watching them so her mother could go get the rest of the broiler baskets from one of their neighbors. Ima hated the way the blue moon cockroaches looked though, with their violently violet legs and their aw...

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“Stimuli” by 𝔸. Triangle

Submitted to Contest #41

The earliest memories that I can recall was the feeling of dew brushing up against the soles of my feet. It was one of the coolest and calming sensations one may ever experience. Grass is a rare sighting where I come from, it comes and goes is waves closest to what you may know as seasons. In the distance, I could make out a vast array of hills and dips in the atmosphere, each one extending its arms out towards the sky as if hoping to bottle up all the stars in the vast night sky.Today I sit in the same little clearing, atop the same little ...

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“Sniveling Weasel Goes to School” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #41

Once upon a great time ago, there was a weasel named Snovlin. Except he was whiny and pathetic so everyone called him Sniveling Weasel. He was a purple and reddish weasel, with two eyes and a mouthful of tiny sharp teeth. One day his mother said, “My Boy, I think it’s time you go to school. Mostly because I can’t stand your face!”So he packed his bag like the sniveling weasel he was. He packed a tiny sharp teeth toothbrush, a lemon juice parfait, three waffles, a crayon, his tire swing, no pants, because he was a weasel, and a stuffed panda ...

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“Cocoa Bear ” by Anna K Firth

Submitted to Contest #41

It was very cold. Snow fell in thick flakes from the dark sky as I walked towards the main street of town. Firelight flooded from the windows, turning ...

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“Little Red Cardinal” by Maggie Deese

Submitted to Contest #41

A petite, red cardinal sits atop a tree branch. He fluffs out his feathers on the warm spring morning, letting out a cheerful chirp to greet the neighborhood. The branch sways as he hobbles across it, looking out to the rows of houses below him. The sun is just beginning to rise, making dew drops glisten on the grass. The other birds begin to awake, as well, letting out their morning greetings to each other. The cardinal sings a chirp back and leaps off the tree branch. He swoops under high branches and in between houses. The morning breeze ...

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“Champion” by BRoOkE HAs A COwBoY HAt

Submitted to Contest #41

I was starting to go into a deep depression. No pills could help. I didn't have a job. The only money coming in was my unemployment. I had no one left in the world. Just my depression.It all changed on that cold December morning of 1999. It was about noon, and I had just gotten out of bed. There was a knock on my door and then I could hear footsteps running away.I walked to my door, opened it, and looked left and right. No one. I looked down, and there was the surprise. There was a little puppy. His eyes were closed. Sleeping. I gently picke...

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“Trigger Finger” by Cynthia Prokarym (Scott)

Submitted to Contest #41

The sign in front of the old vacant warehouse said Trigger Finger. It looked like it might blow away at any time.To Dodie, the name seemed a little mysterious.Those two words exploded in her mind like they were being shot from the barrel of a thirty-eight pistol. The mural on the side had faded over the years. Weeds were growing all around. The building just looked like a place where they could get in a lot of trouble.Grownups used to go there for target practice, and before that, it was a country bar where rednecks hung out. A twi...

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“Kelly & Richard Praegrandis Vorst the 3rd ” by Katy S.

Submitted to Contest #41

When Kelly saw something was moving about in the closed tulip bud, she immediately thought it was a fairy.She told the inhabitant this,"I thought you were a fairy"Richard Praegrandis Vorst the 3rd bugged his eyes out and and replied," Insolent Human- do not fib! Thou did not think I was a fae-kind!? "" You speak weird. Yes I did think you were a fairy. Why were you sleeping in the tulip bud? Did you just hatch? I thought dragons came from eggs?""Impudent Human ! Richard Praegrandis Vorst the 3rd guesses no better could be expected from thou....

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“Everything She Had Always Wanted.” by Avery Mason 🍍😇🤩

Submitted to Contest #41

I’m going to write a story about love, and about hope. A story of everything I have ever cared about. A story about a dog and a girl. This dog gave the girl everything she had wanted. A friend, a chance, a new life. Before I move on I want you to really think how lucky you may be. It could be a little reason, like having a cup of coffee each day. Some people have nothing. Some people have lived their whole life wishing for a chance, a new start. Cherish everything from that cup of coffee to your life in general. You have what others don’t. T...

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“The Bad Rat” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #41

One of the worst noises in the world is the sound of little rat feet scratching across the attic floor. That is an even worse noise than little rat feet scratching across the basement floor, because if the rats were in the attic, they could fall into your bed while you were sleeping or into your food while you were cooking. You had to think, what would be worse? Having rats in your food and eating them? Or having a rat fall in your bed and them eating you? Those are both reasons why the rats in the attic were terrifying to the small childre...

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“Trying” by Phoebe Barr

Submitted to Contest #41

Mrs. Sheffey’s apartment is a mess. As I stand numbly on a patch of clear floor, she picks her way over stools, boxes, stacks of books, and cat toys to the refrigerator in the corner. There’s a certain manic energy to her movements I wish I had the wherewithal to match. Instead I only watch her, hands hanging awkward at my sides, and keep one eye out for the cat.“The food’s down here,” she says. “Half a can in the morning, and half in the afternoon. And in the afternoon you can check her water bowl to see if she needs more.”“Mmm,” I say.&nbs...

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“The Girl & The Spider” by Katy S.

Submitted to Contest #41

The small girl hugged the pail of water to her chest, slightly panting. Her humble ribbon was loosening over her unruly hair, and the pail handle was slipping under her sweaty fingers. She set it down for a moment, wiped her hands on her dress and then tried to tuck her hair under her ribbon.She waited till the cool breeze cooled her skin, and was about to continue on, when the same breeze brought laughter to her ears. The rough jeers came from below the slight incline she was on. She took a few steps to the side and saw a group of...

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$50

Prize money

614

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - May 15, 2020 EST

Won by Jack Basson 🏆

Title: A Cat of Ganymede

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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