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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

“The Ribbon” by Tony Liu

Submitted to Contest #42

Pearl was awestruck by the ribbon. It was diaphanous in its sway and frighteningly graceful in its colors, and its earth-shattering beauty was potent enough to burn a hole through the very bosom of her being. Every time she clutched it in her hands she felt almost ethereal, as if the swaying strip of gentle fabric was stroking areas deep within her soul like a sort of benevolent spirit. Brilliant. Beautiful. Raw. Breathless. And forever gone. She had been given the heavenly ribbon about a month ago, and one day after it came into her p...

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“The Photograph” by Sarah Johnson

Submitted to Contest #42

The sign read “Welcome to the Black Hills Powwow”. I could already hear drum beats in the distance and they seemed to call out to me. I had hoped to arrive early, wanting to get some good photos of the “hills” and surrounding landscape, but the tourists were already out in full force, which made it more difficult to get a pure image. If it wasn’t the Hills they wanted to see, it was Mount Rushmore. I could see the dark hills in the distance and knew they were considered sacred by several different tribes, most especially the Lakota, who cons...

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“Natural Disasters” by Carlitta Mcnulty

Submitted to Contest #42

35 hours into my 72 hour psychiatric care unit hold. My mother's new elaborate plan to keep my mouth closed about what happened that night and all years before. Some grow up being taught that lying leads to bad consequences. I however was taught telling any living soul about what was going on in my house would bring greater consequences. My mouth stayed shut until i realized other people didn't get treated how i did and didn't have the same problems, other children felt safe in their homes. I didn't get the pleasure, unfortunately i was one ...

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“Killing Time ” by Montserrat Gonzalez

Submitted to Contest #42

Based on the prompt "Write a story that ends in the past". As soon as I press the little round button on my watch, the portal opens and sucks me in. In the next second or so, the world starts materializing around me. Colorful cars parked outside the small suburban houses, deserted streets, and some trees growing on the sides. "Wow," I think to myself, "they really had trees growing right there, as if it was no big deal. Why did they have to screw it up for us?" The year 2140 is pretty great, with some nice inventions like the time machine I...

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“Modern Love” by Natalie Leinbach

Submitted to Contest #42

Modern LoveBy Natalie Leinbach Passing through the doorway to first-period American History class, I smiled as I was welcomed into a roomy, open space. It was a lot homier than I expected for my first day of high school. My eyes scanned the room frantically for a familiar face. When I spotted one, Tori, a middle school friend, I quickly snagged a seat next to her. Tori gestured to the desk in front of me, where I noticed a small yellow sticky note labeling the desk with a student’s name. Not me. Crap, I thought, assigned seats. I got u...

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“Danny the Daydreamer ” by Chris Vitale

Submitted to Contest #42

Danny was a fan of World War II. He also loved a good dystopian story. All the greats: Brave New World, 1984, Fahrenheit 451. And he was enamored with technology: touch screen devices, 100% wireless communication, waving his hand as he walked through rooms, turning lights, TV screens, sound systems, on and off, all with the wave of his hand.He never understood why his parents, his elderly neighbors, and the conspiracy theorists on the news were so frightened about living in the year 2053. Life was convenient. Life was filled with endles...

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“I Died Today” by Celeste Kuun

Submitted to Contest #42

I died today.I know I am dead. I can see my body lying on the floor. My lips have turned blue and I have not moved for quite some time. If you were to put your finger in front of my nose, you would perceive no vapour of breath.The phone rings. A landline. It goes to voicemail.“Hi, Roger, it’s me, Alan. I just want to know what time you think you’d be in today? It’s just, the working day started an hour ago. Call me as soon as possible.”“End of message,” says a robotic voice.I shake my head. I have been a very reliable employee at Homez 4 Sal...

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“The day I lived everyday. ” by Vinay Moses

Submitted to Contest #42

This was the same breeze which touched my brow since I was a child, but today I couldn't feel it. Maybe it's because I was happy. I was also numb, I was not in peace, but was very happy. I joined this club 'Incomplete' formed by some unknown guy several years ago. It was being run so secretly that, being a local even I didn't know about it until today.This club really felt like heaven. I was free here. All day long, we sleep over the branches of this great Banyan tree, which was beside a graveyard and at night our activities started. We sing...

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“A Foundation of Glass” by Fumi Ersan

Submitted to Contest #42

"Why are you here?" Sitting at the edge of the room, various tables strewn about sat a girl of teenage years. Her body frail, yet her eyes gave off such a fierce aura towards the man that stood directly across from her at this point. Seeing the kneeling figure of the girl, his eyes relax. “I’ve found you.” His voice conveys a hint of relief, but the glare of the girl doesn’t seem to reciprocate the emotions he holds out for her. She clenches her fist tightly as her eye twitches at his comment. What do you mean ‘I found you’ as if there was a...

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“Stones” by Michael Wills

Submitted to Contest #42

Jeff had potentially found the vaunted Benitoite boulder that was famous treasure hunter/mineral collector lore. Originally found in the newly formed State of California, the miner who had found the gem in 1904 but could never confirm the type of stone and stored the “dark blue rock”. That miner did not stay in California after striking out at mining, he returned to Texas near Fort Worth to start a supply and service business for oil producers and made a good life for himself. During his years he stored his valuables in the local bank, never...

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“Dreamborn” by Joandra Luna

Submitted to Contest #42

The silver ribbon wrapped around Alira's arm sparkled underneath the light of the pale moon overhead. Any new member of the Commission of Dreamborn Reconnaissance would have recoiled in surprise upon seeing it shine bright, but she had been captain of this squad of four for almost three years now. They knew the power that single strip of ribbon had. Knew what it meant to Alira, especially in this night. The captain had unconsciously touched the ribbon once she realized where they were. Their target had entered the dreams of a teacher at...

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“In Your Dreams” by Spencer Hyatt

Submitted to Contest #42

At night she dreams I’ll return. Like the hero of a great story, I’ll arrive just in time to hold her and protect her against the coming storm. I know these things now. These things which I could only imagine before. All parents worry for their children in some way. Only now I see inside her head. I see her dreams and her nightmares. She tosses around in terror in the night, and I wish I could do something more. ...

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“Spinning Time Zones” by Adi Raber

Submitted to Contest #42

A rapidly spinning globe can turn a 24 hour period into the tiniest fractions of a second. Watching one in action has always fascinated me. There is just something so spectacularly soothing about watching globes spin. The blues, greens, and browns blur into a marvelous, albeit murky, uniform shade. The continents blend into one, a humbling reminder of how our lands were once connected. How the world is so big, yet at the same time so small. Here in front of me now, I watch as it slows down, from Oceania through Africa to South America and ba...

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“A Midnight Conversation ” by Tessa Gray

Submitted to Contest #42

was almost midnight when the call came. Like many others on this particular evening, Frank was still awake. Unlike most people however, it was not a view of Times Square that captivated his attention. Instead, he sat gazing intently at his cellphone, as though he could will it into making a sound. When it finally did, he pressed the accept button before it had finished its first ring. “It’s done?” he asked by way of greeting. “What do you think? You know I don’t make mistakes.” The words might have sounded arrogan...

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“The Slow-tear House” by Robin Singh

Submitted to Contest #42

A large truck took a sharp turn, squealed, and stopped near the delivery gate of a manufactory. A pure-white Rabbit disembarked from the truck. He was wearing a blue-colored polo t-shirt with a red strip of about 60mm thick running over its middle region. His head was covered with a blue and red colored delivery cap with two small holes punched symmetrically in it through which emerged his large straight ears. His blood-red eyes looked as if he had installed a night-vision inside him. Probably, it was the Florida White Rabbit. He approached ...

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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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