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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

“Joey's Past” by Amanda Oglesby

Submitted to Contest #44

The coffee shop was crowded to an almost standing-room-only capacity. Joey didn’t know how she would be able to have the conversation that was coming up in the midst of so many people. What if someone overheard? What if someone she knew happened by and overheard? Maybe this was a bad idea. She’d gone this long without ever telling anyone what happened. Why did she feel the need to do so now?But Joey knew why. She knew she had to share this piece of her history, and it had to be now. She had lost enough sleep already. Besides, as she saw her ...

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“A Mask of Glass and Sorrow” by • Iridesuetude •

Submitted to Contest #44

She has been dead for nearly a decade.Or maybe it was six years or so. Truth is, she already lost count. All she knows is that she is still breathing and alive, yet dead, unfortunately, and will remain in this place until she disappears into nothing.A little dust in a huge pit. Easy to discard, easy to throw away.In this pit, time does not really matter, to say the least. Souls pitifully waiting for the remained to forget their mere existence before they vanish and die happily ever after. Until they reach their end's end, life is of no ...

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“Ungifted” by Lana Winters

Submitted to Contest #44

Mira sat at the bottom of the staircase of her enormous house, wishing that she had something better to do. She didn't. She was ungifted. Everyone in the town knew. She was an embarrassment to her family, and for that reason, she guessed, her parents had never considered her their child.It wasn't easy being ungifted in a town of human and animal hybrids. An extremely famous town, no less, known for the nobleness of its people, who used their supernatural gifts to do good for the rest of the world. Being the first, and only ungifted one in th...

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“Descending the Spiral Staircase ” by Genevieve Lemon

Submitted to Contest #44

I remember taking a deep breath and tasting the salty air when I slowly walked down the wharf toward the sail boat at the end. “Hmmm not a bad length”. It had been quiet and empty there. The sound of my pumps echoed in the night air mixed with the rhythmic sound of the sea water that lapped constantly on the side of the dock. It had a sensual sound that I quite enjoyed and I revelled in that moment. The naughtiness of what I was about to do. I had checked my pocketbook to make sure I was at the address my ...

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“The Things” by Coco Hoff

Submitted to Contest #44

I stared at my sister in astonishment. “You...what?” I demanded. “I made it into Area 51,” Crystal repeated. “Lucinda. There are aliens.” I shook my head in disbelief and collapsed against the wall. She watched me worriedly, sitting on her couch in her small house. She had been sent on a trip for work three months ago and had only just gotten back. Crystal had invited me immediately to her house to tell me what had happened. “This had better not be anothe...

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“Cheese Cube Curse” by Rosine M

Submitted to Contest #44

I knew you fell in love with me when we made eye contact while I held twenty cheddar cheese cubes in my mouth. As the only person who could do that rather odd skill at the college party, I held the honorary “Champion of Cheese Cubes” title, which I could tell thoroughly impressed you by the way your pulpy ears bounced and your chubby tongue wiggled out of your mouth similar to the likes of the Pepto Bismol tongue of Herbert, my Leopard Gecko. Of course, I really like Herbert, so, quite frankly, you should be flattered. You’re welcome for the...

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“Three Bowls” by Foxtrot Campbell

Submitted to Contest #44

All I eat is cereal. Not just one kind of cereal though, I’m not a monster. Every day I start the morning with a sensible bowl of Muesli and every day I finish the day with a bowl piled high with glowing, delicious, honey sweet Golden Nuggets. You see, cereal is reliable. It is easy. It stays with you. With every bowl I know what I’m going to get. I eat from the same 3 bowls every day and use 3 matching silver spoons for each bowl. A simple, steadfast regime. My morning bowl is yellow, with blue birds flying around the rim, wings outstretche...

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“With a Flick of the Wrist” by Ashley Palma

Submitted to Contest #44

Can you believe that I can’t tell time? It’s not for lack of trying. It must be a block, some kind of mental block that’s just keeping me from understanding. I look at the hands, the little hand and the big. I look at the numbers (but sometimes there are no numbers! Sometimes there are just those frustrating little lines, or even worse roman numerals!) I stare at those numbers, I will those numbers to speak to me to tell me what time is it! But instead of recognition, instead of me saying “Ah! It’s 10 past 7!” instead of me saying “Oh ...

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“The Llama's Driver” by Sean Desautelle

Submitted to Contest #44

There’s a llama in the back seat of my Kia. His name is Alexandre and he’s television’s most famous llama. Quite possibly the world’s most famous llama, which in my five years working for him, I have learned is actually quite a tough competition. Yes, that’s right. I work for this llama. I’m his driver. It all started when a friend of my mother’s, Rebecca Snow, heard of an open casting call for llamas in New Jersey and drove Alexandre from their farm in Connecticut all the way down. And, as Rebecca likes to say, the rest is history.A ve...

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“Power of the mind” by Nina Hadzi

Submitted to Contest #44

"Good morning Evelyn. How are you doing today?""Hello Dr. I wouldn't be here if the answer to that was positive would I?""And here I was thinking we were friends. Since we're jumping straight into it..tell me. Why did you ask to come in today? It's not our usual scheduled date. Did something happen with Rick?""No no! Rick is fine, he's out of town actually. Work stuff.""Then what is troubling you?""I really wanna tell you, but you'll probably think I'm crazy. You always thought so.""I have never thought that Evelyn. You know you can share ev...

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“MAX” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #44

Mrs. Evans watched as Max, the cat slinked out of the darkness and hopped onto Mr. Evan's favorite recliner. He circled twice, and then curled up in the corner of the armchair and stared at her. After giving her a short meow, he nestled against the chair arm and the cushion. Mrs. Evans chuckled as she thought. "I've never seen you sit in Mr. Evans's chair unless you were in his lap." Max hissed. "Don't let look at me like that, Max. I had to get rid of him." Mrs. Evans glanced down at her knitting, avoiding his piercing striking yello...

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“At The Roadside” by Hayley Eden

Submitted to Contest #44

The car by the side of the road was a great hulking machine of pastel pink and chrome. Its rear lights sat nestled within two sharp fins, as though it would be blasting off into space at the moment of engine ignition. The car sat parallel to Teddy, shimmering in the summer heat. The white rims of its tires stared at him questioningly; the rear fender skirt gave the impression of an eyebrow lowered in query. It was nothing compared to the pinpoint gaze of the woman stood beside the car, who was appraising Teddy as though he was resurrected ro...

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“The Costume Party” by Gwen O'Connor

Submitted to Contest #44

“Hey! Wait up!” Aaron called from a block away. We were just leaving the cinema from the special screening of Ghostbusters at the Drive-In by our neighborhood, even though it only came out 6 months ago. I was too busy listening to The Smiths’ new album, The Smiths on my Walkman to hear him and stop walking. I had to wait in line for two hours outside the record store by my house to get it on release day, and was still enjoying it 8 months later. “Hey!” Aaron exclaimed as he jumped in front of me to stop my stride. I heard him mumble for a se...

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“Freedom” by Sammy Ismail

Submitted to Contest #44

The sun is shining brightly on a cold afternoon, wind sweeping past by gently. Instead of the noise of the bombs and the speeding of war planes across the sky, the birds have returned and started to chirp merrily, creating a happy atmosphere in this already broken and gloomy place. Germans seemed to have disappeared from this place, as if those Nazis have never existed. Instead of the German language, I heard a mixture of Russian and Polish languages, tangled together. Instead of Nazis lurking around, I saw the Russian army, driving through ...

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“The Catholic Mission in Low Earth Orbit” by Samuel S.

Submitted to Contest #44

There was a mistiness in the man’s eyes as he affixed his gaze upon the wooden idol of Christ suspended above the altar. In the past few months, Father Rodriguez had become familiar with this look. On a day-to day-basis, few inhabited his pews, but whenever there was a visitor, they did not come lightly. It did not surprise the Bishop, given the geographic nature of his churchgoers’ profession, to see the immense anguish and anxiety they brought to this place of worship. Still, he could not help but look upon the dark expressions of the men ...

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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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