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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#42: End of Story

Reaching the end of a story is a bittersweet thing. Upon reading the final word of a particularly good piece, you’re often hit with a sort of story-hangover: the ache of wanting to stay in the world of the tale, yet knowing there’s no more story to be read.

A truly excellent ending can mitigate that pain — which is why, as a writer, it’s crucial to nail the end of your own stories! Of course, this can mean different things for different pieces. A great ending might underscore a story's theme, or it might pose more questions than it answers; it all depends on context and execution. For more info, check out our tips for crafting a memorable ending here, and then dive into our ending-themed prompts below!

p.s. — We're hosting a Live Copyediting Workshop! On May 20th, Editors Tracy Gold and Julie Artz will take to YouTube to copyedit passages submitted by writers like you! For a chance to have your writing featured, click this link to register for the event and you'll receive submission instructions by email.

This week's prompts

Write a story that ends with the narrator revealing a secret.

Mystery – 162 stories

Write a story that ends in the past.

Teens – 68 stories

Write a story that ends with a character asking a question.

Narrative – 260 stories

Write a story that ends by circling back to the beginning.

Short Story – 214 stories

Write a story that ends with one character waiting for the arrival of another.

Kids – 199 stories

Stories

“Granny’s Love” by Christopher Lane

Submitted to Contest #42

Oh what happiness and oh what joyAs they await the arrival of the little boy. Things are moving quickly, they cannot get to the room.Little boy is coming quickly, and he will be here soon.No one shows the courage except for one old farm girlWho slams her purse into another and says “I will give it a whirl.“She steps in with hardened handsAnd catches the oncoming little man. Instantly a bond is made.One that for years won’t die or fade. The farm girl turn proudly and said, “that is how it is done”.there for me and so many more when others tur...

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“Drowned Dreams” by ℤ ℍ☮️

Submitted to Contest #42

My dreams were forced to hide in the foamy depths of the mysterious sea, tucked away and ushered to sleep. Every wish that I made was hidden, gone. But something kept them waiting and wanting for them to come true. My house was tucked away in a little cave, which was a pocket in the big grey mountains. The white-sanded harbour was an opening to the grumpy waves that splashed violently night and day. It was lined with wintry pines and tall cedars. And deep in the mist was what I like to call, “ The Unknown.”I sat on the waves, the green ...

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“The Ageing of Seasons” by Angie M

Submitted to Contest #42

It was the most soulful spring Matt had witnessed in a long time. Wildflowers crept up from the wily cracks in the sun-baked cement; cornflowers were etched across the graveyard like buttons on a Christmas sweater.Matt was gazing down at the scraped earth in front of him – strewn with yellow roses, magnolia ribbons and ten-cent ‘In-loving-memory’ cards. The granite headstone gazed back at him. A voice broke his trance; for a moment he thought it was the cornflowers speaking.“Hi,” she said, “It’s a nice day, isn’t it?”Matt looked to his ...

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“The Path” by Kyle Smith

Submitted to Contest #42

Forty had walked the path, and zero had returned. Yet, despite this, Samantha kept on her journey along the path. The idea of never seeing her sister again fueled her to keep walking, despite the sharp pain in her side and ear-splitting headache. She had lost her sense of time hours ago, but she had a vague idea based on the unilluminated sky above her. Samantha had always been an optimistic person, but the criteria surrounding her journey faltered this feeling. Upon listeni...

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“Waiting for You” by Randi W

Submitted to Contest #42

May 1944 She applied one more coat of deep red lipstick, smacking her lips before grinning at her reflection in the long oval mirror. Henry told her he had something important to ask her, Lynn felt like she was going to explode if she didn’t find out soon what he was going to ask her. ‘We’ve been going steady for about five months now…maybe he’s going to ask me to wait for him.’ thought Lynn as she raced down the stairs and out the door before her mother and father could questi...

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“Relic Hunter” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #42

He was late and Marlin checked his watch, but then with all that was going on, tardiness was the last concern he had. Four years of research had brought them to this junction, but now there would be a definitive proof. Europe was a mess. Most of the cities had been brought to a state of ruin. Paris was supposed to be torched by the retreating German occupiers with the assistance of the Vincy Government, but through some miscommunication this did not happen. It did not mean that Paris had been completely spared, ...

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“The Ruby Love” by Sahana Karthikeyan

Submitted to Contest #42

" Are you sure that Ruby Tusk is hidden in the center of Mount Rushmore?", asked Sierra, a famous archaeologist known for finding a great pharaoh's coffin.Tom said, with faith in himself, "Positive. We can leave tomorrow if you like. But only we two should go on this mission. It's dangerous.""Sure, little brother. If you say so.", said Sierra as she walked out of the room to calm herself down as she was going to be the first to find the legendary Ruby Tusk after centuries.The Ruby Tusk was a missing artifact that was dated back to the time ...

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“Delilah ” by Gabi Cranga

Submitted to Contest #42

Tipping the contents of his bag gently, the 53 year-old boy disappointingly dumped the rest of his stale bread into the pond. The ducks had avoided him almost purposefully. Or so he thought. Looking in their direction, he noticed for the first time a single-file line of ducklings mimicking every move their mother made. He scoffed internally at himself. How could he miss such a pleasant sight? Spitting on the ground, he wondered why the sight did not fill him with pleasantness at all.Standing and shaking his head at the nature that enveloped ...

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“Yellow Flickering Light” by Ilana W

Submitted to Contest #42

I’m Trey, there isn’t much to say about me though. I am writing this to you because there isn’t anything else I could do here. I really just kind of sit in the same place and hope for something good to happen. I sit in the room with the windows down, wearing a ripped up gray college sweater. I’m not in college nor have I ever been in one because I’m not, “trusted”. I don’t know what trusted means but that’s what I’ve been told. I get told a lot of things and have been told so many things throughout my life but yet, nothing changes. I always ...

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“Maze point.” by Emily Li

Submitted to Contest #42

"Henry waits up you're going too fast!" Said, Crook."I'm not! It's just that both of you are too slow! Aren't you excited to see the king of dragons?" Said, Henry."Not only that Henry we are also seeing the prince." Mastermind said, in a deep growl."Sure all Dark dragons like you are all handsome for nothing." Said, Crook."I'm sure ocean dragons only swim and have control over water." Said, Mastermind in a serious growl."Stop it guys!" The King of the dragons wouldn't want us like this! Said, Henry in a hushed voice."I know the King won't li...

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“Xosé” by Kathleen March

Submitted to Contest #42

The little man stood at the intersection of the Praza do Toural and Rúa Nova. A lot of people walked through there, every day, at all hours of the day. It was one of his favorite spots to stand and peddle his wares. Not that he had much in the way of wares, but they were what he had and he needed to peddle them if he wanted to eat.The man wasn’t too dirty, but he was definitely the definition of scruffy. His pants were wrinkled, his shirt collar didn’t lie as it should, his cardigan had a snag or two in very visible spaces. He wore a wool ca...

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“Can You See Me?” by Courtney Stringer

Submitted to Contest #42

My name is Apple Winters, and I have a problem, but first let me tell you a little about myself. I have dark brown eyes and thick, tightly curled, black hair. I am 11 years old. I have a sister named Chloe, who is also 11. Now, before you assume that we are twins, we aren’t. See I am adopted, I don’t remember my old family, but that isn’t i...

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“One Broken Guitar” by Michael Morales

Submitted to Contest #42

The sun rays were beaming down from the sky creating a glowing effect on the border of each person’s body, on this hot summer day the popsicles and kiddie pool seemed to make everything much cooler. In the middle of the backyard there was a brown hair child rolling around in the fluorescent green blades of grass with the energy of a newborn puppy. A couple of feet away stood a tall woman who was repeatedly shouting the name of the child, not in a commanding way but in a playful way. Everything seemed so perfect, it was almost as if the two w...

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“The Longest Night” by Bruno Lowagie

Submitted to Contest #42

With approving eyes, the high priest looked at the last of the four gatehouses he had to visit that day. Everyone —from outside as well as from inside the walls— had been working hard for several days to prepare for the grand finale of the festivities. The Longest Night would soon begin.As far as the high priest could tell, all living souls from a hundred miles around had gathered in town. The entire community had found a place to stay for the night within the safe boundaries of the city limits. It wasn’t always comfortable for anyone, but n...

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“In Among the Shambles” by S Zak

Submitted to Contest #42

There was never a time that I could ever remember that Officer Michael Jaworski wasn’t in my life. When I was nine years old, he taught me to shoot a pellet gun, and gave me my first BB gun. With the patience of a saint, he showed me how to nuzzle the butt of the gun into my shoulder, and he was the one to take the gun away from me when I accidentally pointed the barrel at the neighbours cat. It was him who took the training wheels off my bike and ran alongside me on the roads of the suburb where I lived, yelling after me to keep steady and ...

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$50

Prize money

903

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - May 22, 2020 EST

Won by Phoebe Barr 🏆

Title: The Firebird's Answer

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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