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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#44: Just the Beginning

Two weeks ago, our theme was story endings. This week, we're circling back to the starting line and focusing on story beginnings.

 

From Zora Neale Hurston's "Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board." To Jane Austen's "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." And George Orwell's "It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen." Memorable lines stick with us because they're what propel us into the world of the story in the first place.

 

For more inspiration, check out our tips for crafting intriguing opening lines, and then dive into our beginning-themed prompts below!

This week's prompts

Write a story that starts with two characters saying goodbye.

Character – 248 stories

Write a story that starts with a life-changing event.

Novel – 175 stories

Write a story that starts with someone returning from a trip.

Character – 111 stories

Write a story that starts with a character-revealing something unusual about themselves.

Character – 142 stories

Write a story that starts by establishing its setting in a different time period — without explicitly stating what that period is.

Historical Fiction – 114 stories

Stories

“Hallucination prt 1.” by Roxie ...

Submitted to Contest #44

There was a tree, the branches curved over my head letting the shadows fall on my face. I could see the sunlight peeking out from in-between the leaves. This was where he died. Or so I believe he did, for after this moment I have no memory of ever being with him again. It’s almost like he died in my heart, he must’ve been lonely to reside in such a cold, dark heart such as mine. A place where no one else was ever in, yet a place that was made warm by his touch. I don’t know where he is, I can never see his green eyes...

1 comment 1
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“The Talking Field” by ℤ ℍ☮️

Submitted to Contest #44

The field was long and grassy. It was filled with thick-stemmed dandelions and sunshine marigolds that twinkled like stars in the sky of green. The tree's leaves were defined and vividly green-they were beautiful enough to be in heaven. The little sweetpeas would twirl like distant wedding dresses. There was also a row of tall elegant trees that were always lemon yellow, they grew fine red-tinged flowers on their leaves. But the field was more glorious when the sun flooded the place, the flowers would be crested with pink light and each blad...

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“It's Ok to Forget Sometimes” by Elaina Goodnough

Submitted to Contest #44

I might be crazy. In fact, I most likely am. Who else works with the dying? Who else creates relationships with families in the hardest time of their lives? I met my husband on the day I came to care for him before his death, six months later we were married, and six months after that he died. My best friend also is currently dying, and I have to watch it. All in the hospice line of work. I guess it isn't recommended that we create intimate relationships with the ones passing, but I think they are ones who need it most, and boy, do I have an...

6 comments 6
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“Sweet Boy” by Catherine MacKenzie

Submitted to Contest #44

      The road hummed underneath my tires as they burned up the road. Finding a clear spot on the shoulder, I pulled over, my eyes no longer able to view past the tears blurring my vision. My chest ached and I screamed with the force of my breaking sobs, his little screams echoing through my head, playing in movie-like fashion against my closed lids, I remembered…           We were laughing before I told him I had to go to work. His blue, little boy eyes shi...

14 comments 14
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“Really!” by Blane Britt

Submitted to Contest #44

What I’m about to share with you, you must swear upon all the gothic statues that atop the roof of Notre Dame de Paris. You see those  gargoyle were carved or formed into grotesque looking dragons or demons from the underworld ruled by the grim god Hades and his queen Persephone with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building, thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between. I often times wonder why didn’t they just design gutters instead.Rumor has it tha...

0 comments 0
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“Missed Opportunity” by Steve McKenney

Submitted to Contest #44

“Goodbye Eric, see you next time.”        “Bye Dad. Yeah, see you next time. Hopefully it won’t be as long between visits now” Eric said as he climbed into his 4-Runner for the long drive home.        Arriving home early that evening, Eric found a State Police car parked in front of his house. That certainly was not the kind of welcome home present he had envisioned. Truthfully, he had expected Jennifer, his girlfriend of several years, to have let herself into h...

6 comments 6
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“No Goodbyes for the Grieving” by Talia M

Submitted to Contest #44

It's not goodbye, just see you later.The sound of her voice saying those seven short words rang loudly in my head.No, not goodbye.But how can it not be goodbye if I don't know if I'll ever see you again?I lost myself for a moment in my emotions, then attempted to pull myself together. I had to be strong. Not for myself, but for her. She had always been my beacon of light, and now it was I who needed to be her pillar, her strength.I picked up her hand gently in mine, and lightly stroked her tired, aging skin.I remembered when I was a little g...

11 comments 11
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“Priority” by LeighAnne Ferreol

Submitted to Contest #44

I sighed as I looked around the baggage claim. I guess she really wasn't coming. I wasn’t too surprised after the last fight we had, but I still thought she would come to welcome me back. After all, she was my wife and I’d been gone for months. I tried calling her, but it went to voicemail. I resigned myself to the fact that I’d have to take a cab home. It would be a little expensive, but I guess that was part of her revenge. I wish Nora could understand my point of view. My job had to be my priority right now. Did she really think I was wor...

5 comments 5
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“Prophecy” by Angel Brookins

Submitted to Contest #44

She moved like poetry in motion, all the grace of years of dance training making every gesture seem practiced and polished and perfect. The kitchen was bright and sunny. Light gleamed from the clean surfaces, and sparkled in Alice's cerulean eyes. She put two spoonfuls of sugar in each teacup, stirring three times clockwise and three times counterclockwise. She brought the cups to the patio table, handing one to me. "It's my homemade blend." "Mmm, my favorite." I smiled and took the cup, breathing the mixed scent of black...

2 comments 2
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“Uxío” by Kathleen March

Submitted to Contest #44

Uxío Quiroga was a very accomplished architect. He was from the province of Lugo, in the interior, but he currently resided in Santiago. He held a position in the important Colexio de Arquitectos de Galicia, the main school of architecture in the area, and planned to retain it in the upcoming elections. That wouldn’t be difficult, because his resumé was stellar and, even more important, he had allies among his colleagues in the Colexio who would support him unconditionally. Uxío was also quite striking in appearance. His once-black hair...

7 comments 7
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“Prophecy” by Kira Krieger

Submitted to Contest #44

It was a time of Kings and Queens. Of full harvests and lavish parties. And, most importantly, of magic, abundantly. Or at least to my story. My mother was always proud of me, even when I broke something. My father, on the other hand, never wanted to see me doing anything other than housework with my physical two hands. Living in two different worlds was more comfortable than living my father’s standards of a daughter, at least until a sickness hit our small village.     Mother and Father came home from the market, and by...

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“Hallucination Prt3. green eyed pov” by Roxie ...

Submitted to Contest #44

A/n: Ok so this took a while and I don’t know if anyone will take the time to read this but this story is based off of random memories that make no sense in my head, it's about a person who I knew a very long time ago then suddenly they vanished and I never saw them again. That person did have green eyes and messy light brown hair, and to this very day I still question his existence. This next part it part three of hallucination, it's from the green-eyed persons perspective. Please read ...

2 comments 2
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“The Pariah Of Battlefield Elementary” by A O

Submitted to Contest #44

I was once the bell-bottom-wearing pariah of Battlefield Elementary School. I hadn’t thought about that for years. Then, last week, I was in a hurry, parking the BMW, bypassing the school pickup line, and wading through a sea of swarming kids to the place where my daughter’s fifth grade class usually stands after school. I was by my Brianna and another girl, both unaware they were being observed by an adult, when the memory of my sojourn through Battlefield rushed back to me like a tsunami. Battlefield Elementary was situated out in a V...

4 comments 4
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“Celestial Life” by Josh C

Submitted to Contest #44

If I asked you to describe an Angel, how would it look? Would it have wings, a halo, or maybe a flaming sword? Perhaps you think of a naked baby with a bow and arrow? I’m guessing you wouldn’t describe an orphan, with no job, no friends, living for free in a studio above a bakery. You wouldn’t describe me, basically. But I am an angel. I have a unique ability. I can understand people. Not just in an empathetic way, like understanding that someone is upset, or reading their body language, but really understand them. I see or hear what th...

4 comments 4
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“Good morning. Goodbye.” by Elena S. Kodermaz

Submitted to Contest #44

“Good Morning. Goodbye.” he whispers and lets Wild Horses by Rolling Stones take his place. For a moment he stops, closes his eyes, and lets music cuddle him. Afterward, he hangs the headphones on the microphone in front of him and winks at the sound supervisor behind the fingerprinted glass.“Great job as usual Dan.” Says the young new lever as Dan walks out of the recording area.“Bye Jack.” Dan smiles warmly, the boy always greets him this way out of politeness. In reality, he only listens to his radio show for the last half-hour,...

4 comments 4
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$50

Prize money

790

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 05, 2020 EST

Won by D. Holmes 🏆

Title: A Gamble

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!

Prompts | Many Hands | 2024-09

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Prompts | Many Hands | 2024-09

Join our weekly contest

Get 5 new writing prompts every Friday. Write and submit a story for a chance to win $250.