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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

“March of 77” by C Alexis McGregor

Submitted to Contest #44

I wore a floral, green, long-sleeved dress sewed by my mother. My raven black hair lay straight down my back, reaching to my shoulder blades. The parking lot was overfilled with cars and milling with chattering people. As if on auto-pilot, I was seated between my Daddy to my right, and my Uncle Jasper, Mommy’s youngest brother, sat to my left. The hard wooden bench was cool under my thighs, and the bare-back felt bruising to my spine. At twelve years of age, I felt like a grown-up; however, as I look behind, from adult-hood, I recognize...

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“Sunshine” by Taryn Holmes

Submitted to Contest #44

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.” Charlie softly sang, his forehead rested against mine. My hand clenched his as a train whistle cut through our connection. I felt tears rush to my eyes as I finished the song we shared through childhood, “You make me happy when skies are gray.” Charlie pulled away, shouldering a duffle bag and stepping on the train. He turned to look at me and grinned, his trademark smile unable to cover the regret glowing in his eyes. Was it only yesterday that things were perfect?Yesterday I had watched the rippling...

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“trip to the sun” by Jocelyn Hunt

Submitted to Contest #44

I'm Jake. I'm the first man to ever visit the sun. I just got back from my 2 month vacation. I wanted to go somewhere where no one goes. I know it's kind of crazy to go that exotic and risk my life for a measly trip to the sun. but i found a way to get to the sun and back with no burns. you may not believe me but my oh my the wildlife on the sun is just so beautiful. The trees were taller than giraffes and I know because there were these tall, handsome giraffes. these great big elephants, monkeys, and flamingo's. There was every animal you c...

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“Grassland Alley” by Kristen Jan

Submitted to Contest #44

For me, nothing restores peace like creating and fostering beautiful things, then destroying them with fire. Moonbeams break through the wispy branches as I snap photos in a bewildering frenzy. I know I look like a mad woman, but nobody would be able to see me tucked deeply into the neglected forest. My knuckles are white from gripping my polaroid tightly, and I feel dizzy after whipping my head around several times to capture every beautiful image possible. I love to photograph green. Moss on a lonely rock, leaves on a towering ...

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“A Place to Call Home” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #44

There’s always something odd about returning to the familiar, thought Pauline. Something that makes it look slightly out of focus, makes it feel a bit disjointed, makes the sounds echo a little more. She wondered how long you had to be away for that to apply. Obviously just a day trip wouldn’t have the effect, nor probably a weekend. But she had been away for three weeks now, and the truth was, the Tiverton Lodge Hotel had started to become the new familiar. She had become one of those who kindly told newcomers where...

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“At The Top” by Jaimee Wilmott

Submitted to Contest #44

My gut warned me something wasn't right, or that I ate way too many nachos. Either way, I couldn't bear standing around any longer. My dad just did not want to let Jennifer go. I mean, she was coming back in a couple of weeks. What's the big deal? Sometimes I'd hope the plane would never land, that she'd be stuck citcling the air forever. "Tell me all about how it is over there! I'm sure Bree here..." I feel a slightly painful nudge with his elbow on my arm. "Would love to see Texas sometime." Dad smiles wide like she's his hard earned troph...

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“The Final Goodbye.” by Alexis Ward

Submitted to Contest #44

Bang! Bang! "Goodbye, I love you." Mother said silently. Whispering mother told me to get under the floorboards were father made a crawl space yesterday before he got taken. I scurry to my spot. The guards kick the door down and grab mother by the head. I can see through the slight crack of the boards. The day before mother had slipped me a map, she told me to wait three days in the crawl space before following it. I remember making a mental note to avoid the men wearing red scarves around their arm. "Where is she?!" they demanded from my mo...

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“Just Peppers, Wine, and Cheese” by Kathleen March

Submitted to Contest #44

I think this is a journal.***Life-changing events, for the most part, are a dime a dozen. Birth, marriage, death, things like that. This one wasn’t in that group. Not at all. I’m not sure if the biggest factor in making this event life-changing is the seed or the coarse salt, but maybe we can determine that by the end of this story.***It was an accident that I visited to Galicia for a few days. We went to a well-known restaurant, because they insisted. It was a very quaint place, like so many in the area. The people I was with ordered some t...

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“Leland's bar” by Imogen Bird

Submitted to Contest #44

Oh boy did the government fire a blank when they hired me. The out of touch jackasses at the top never accounted for the wills and capabilities of a man taken advantage of. Mind you, it isn't just me. New York is thick with deception. You'd have to look for many miles to find a man who didn't want a drink, a man who wasn't chasing away his ghosts from the war with whisky or gin.I stalk the streets at night, playing the part, turning over a beer barrel here or there. The big boys don't pry if you are seen to be doing even a little something, ...

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“The Parade” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #44

Robert walked along the sidewalk, heading home, such as it was. In one hand was a sack of the potatoes his mother asked him to go buy. With his other hand he shoved his bag of camphor he wore as a necklace down into his shirt. He did this because Maria, who lived in the next block over was heading his way. He was fourteen years old and the smell was awful. It reminded him of the old lady down the street that owned all those cats. But his mother said it would protect him against getting sick. God help him if he argued with her. She had the bo...

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“Do you know who you aren't?” by Sabrina Smith

Submitted to Contest #44

I was awoken by the rumbling of the plane landing. Up and down and up and down went the newspaper sitting on my lap. Up and down went my stomach. I gripped the arm rests next to me, trying to steady myself so that I wouldn't get sick. Then it slowed. The bumps decreased and the plane slowly rolled over to its gate. I sighed in exasperation. I had been dreading this moment since the day I landed in Switzerland. The day that I was so delighted to see my 3 granddaughters. It was the happiest I had felt in a long time. They brightened up my worl...

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“- The Quest -” by Ivy Sage Penget

Submitted to Contest #44

“You will be hunted by all, child,” Mama said to me, placing me on the doorstep of a brick building. It gives me the shivers. “Oh, you’re cold.” she throws a velvety green blanket over me. I don’t say anything. My Algae-green cloak is enough to keep me warm, and now I’m nearly suffocating, but I love the smell of Mama; apples and bread, and I’d rather die than be complaint about Mama. “But don’t lose faith. Hope and Trust, and you shall win.” her voice is growing fainter by the second. A cool breeze floats over us, and some of her auburn hai...

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“The First Time I Returned from Japan” by Ronda Everson

Submitted to Contest #44

My friend called us "the fabled seven." We had been in Japan for a semester, a group of students from Oklahoma Christian University. We had been studying at Ibaraki Christian University in Japan together. We had gone through culture shock together. We had studied Japanese together. We had gone site seeing around Japan together. We had lots of Japanese friends, but everything good has to come to an end. We had to go back to America. We were on Japan Airlines a Boeing 747, a huge airplane. The year was 1976, ...

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“Zephyrs of Change” by Caitlyn Ash

Submitted to Contest #44

“Alright, Peter, your turn,” Tom said slowly, distracted by the race car game the three boys were playing. Peter looked away from the screen and thought for a moment. “Something different about myself, right?” he clarified. The boy to his right, Bradly, added, “Unusual. Something unusual.” An idea popped into his head, “Oh! I like to draw. You guys don’t know that about me,” Tom seemed surprised. “Really?” he asked. “I should have known you were a softy.” While Bradly snickered, Peter was offended. “I am not a s...

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“The Last Question” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #44

Author’s Note “Quids in Questions”, using the British expression “Quids in” which means “in the money” is an entirely fictional gameshow. However, should anyone wish to commission it, I am open to offers!!!! “Now here is your final question, Vicky. The final question of this series of Quids in Questions. In fact, though the host, Martin (who isn’t quite as smarmy in real life as he seems on TV) is being studiedly upbeat, probably the last series ever. QIQ as it’s nic...

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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!

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