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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

“The Living Dead” by Lia Divani

Submitted to Contest #44

I'm dead. In movies, they'd call me a zombie, the undead. I'm dead but they don't know because save for the lack of a beating heart, I'm still relatively normal. The same could be said for my family. However, even if we did try to live as normally as we could, there were still precautions we had to take. For one, it was time to say farewell to Triton Way. I smiled sadly at the person crying in front of me: Janey Jane. If my heart still beat I knew it would hurt. Although I am incapable of genuine human emotions, I still felt a portion of hum...

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“Jace's Plan” by Ema Fabrychiang

Submitted to Contest #44

That Sunday morning, a large group sat at the table in Olive’s home. It wasn’t any larger than the group that usually sat there, and was smaller for a usual Sunday morning. Nobody had had a sleepover that night. The children's Grandmother scolded Luke, Olive's older brother, for his manners. She often scolded the children for manners at meal times. “Stop munching your food like that! This is not a horse stable!” Luke is a freshman in high school, and is by far the rudest of the family. Well, at least in terms of table manners! The table was ...

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“Fragile” by Ingrid Johnson

Submitted to Contest #44

I was 10 years old when I killed my first butterfly.I’d been out on the balcony, my mother standing overhead wrestling with the hair clippers, when it perched itself on the railing beside me. My mother was occupied, her back turned. So I watched it.It’s beauty was distracting. Wings of black and blue. So calm and trusting. Perfect. The patchiness of my hair felt, suddenly, unimportant. For a moment.Black and blue. It was beautiful for that moment. So beautiful, I didn’t want to say goodbye.I reached for the jar on the table. The peanuts insi...

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“Emrys” by Natasha Cook

Submitted to Contest #44

I work at an inhuman daycare. None of the kids here are fully human or even partly human for some. Originally the daycare was just for child demons until they matured into their powers. Then the only worker there decided that there are other beings who have kids they can’t always keep an eye on so why not add them? So we have demons, werewolves, sprites, satyrs, faeries, dryads, hybrids, and so many more here at The Witch’s Daycare. It’s called The Witch’s Daycare because the person who started it all is a witch. She started it several decad...

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“The Shadow” by Becky Sal

Submitted to Contest #44

Do you ever get a strange sense of danger being near? Do you notice it only happens when certain other things may be occurring or even at specific times of the day? Do you think you may be going crazy with things you have seen or heard that have no scientific proof of why they are happening? I do. My name is Carley and this is my story. From a young age I have seen things that others can’t see. Other people who are standing right next to me can’t see what I can. Funny thing is when this thing I see makes noises, other people can usually hear...

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“Midnight Shadows” by Katelyn Prine

Submitted to Contest #44

Schizophrenia. That's what the doctors prescribed. Side effects include hallucinations, illogical thoughts, and, apparently, strange behavior although I don’t believe I have any of those. “My thoughts are perfectly logical,” I mumbled to myself as I strolled down the sidewalk, the sound of the boots clicking against it being drowned out by the boisterous group of people. Disdain made its way onto my face, a feeling I was familiar with. I walked towards the Restaurant, The Wagner at the Battery. I opened the door, flicking my gaze quickly t...

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“Where the Blackbird flies” by Roger Shankara

Submitted to Contest #44

Lilo Kabui was playing with his siblings on the beach when he saw a ship on the horizon. It was a silver behemoth, bigger and faster than anything he had ever seen. And it seemed to be coming towards their island. His elder brother who was keeping a watch over the children ran to the village to alert the elders. The ship came somewhat close and stopped. Then a few boats were dropped onto the sea. A number of people got off and started rowing towards the island. Lilo and all the village children were now standing on the beach looking at what ...

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“While He's At War” by Alyse Morrell

Submitted to Contest #44

To me, it was easy to tell them apart. All the other girls in our class would tease that the two were identical, and could only be sorted apart when you made them play sports, since Sammy was hopelessly clumsy, but to me it was always clear who was who. When Sammy smiled, a dimple appeared on his left cheek. Tommy had a small pink scar just at the crease of his right eyelid, only noticeable when he closed them. It arched like the ...

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“Falling” by Naomi Dickens

Submitted to Contest #44

Factory smoke enveloped London in a grim curtain. The higher Ellie climbed, the heavier it got. “Are you sure we’re allowed to be up here?” Ellie asked as Nate dragged her up the curving stairwell onto the ladder that led to the roof. Nine stories up, she’d heard that this was the best place to see the city. On a clear day, of which there had been few recently, they said you could see the spires of the cathedral and even the university, but there was a reason a parish apprentice would never come up here herself. She clambered up the ladder b...

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“Her Forbidden Rogue ” by Diane Spigonardo

Submitted to Contest #44

Arabella Worsley settled herself in the carriage with her maid, Betsy. After an afternoon of shopping, they were preparing for the journey home to their townhouse located on Berkley Square. Her step-mama had asked for her help in making preparations for her sister’s coming out ball. Something was amiss as her maid was unusually quiet. But Arabella decided to make use of the silence. Once the footman closed the door, she took out the new novel written by A Lady, which she had&nbsp...

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“Leaves of Chance” by Naomi Roberson

Submitted to Contest #44

Robert scowled as he inspected the tip of his thumb. The initial sting preceded the appearance of the red sliver which bubbled to bisect the rings of his skin. Pressing the injured appendage against his lips, he more carefully resumed thumbing through the leaves of Sense and Sensibility whose heroine, like his bride-to-be was pretty, quaint, even-tempered and kind. A loud crash resounded downstairs followed by a chorus of undignified, wine-induced laughter. His frown deepened. He had been right to escape the throng w...

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“You're Shaking” by Hailey Hensler

Submitted to Contest #44

You have a beautiful palace, your majesty. The marble pillars, high vaulting ceilings, the delicate paintings. How far did these carpets and furs travel to reach you? How much did the velvet couches and chairs cost? Do you even know? I doubt my family could afford one of these trinkets, even if we worked our entire lives to reach them. I stood there, in that line outside, waiting for an audience, for nine hours. Your palace sits atop this steep, sloping mountain, the surrounding landscape is dotted with expensive shops and the nobilities’ ba...

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“The Jade Necklace” by Alex Arias

Submitted to Contest #44

The Pochtecatl man was weary from a week’s travel on foot. His slender calves ached, and the small pouch slung under his plain cloak chafed against his shoulder. He looked up, the waning sun casting a shadow on his destination: the Templo Mayor. He had important information to relay to his Emperor, Montezuma, and then he could finally return home and rest. As he passed the tall wall encircling the temple into the...

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“Of Puppets and Flames” by • Iridesuetude •

Submitted to Contest #44

Blood.There was blood flowing from his back to the palms of his hands as he felt another strike. It sent jolts to his body, tearing his flesh as the tip ran through his wounds. The guard was skilled in handling the whip, he noted, feeling the sharp lash on his shoulder, missing his left ear by a few centimeters. The sound resonated and he hissed in pain, biting his lips until he could taste agony and metal all mixed in one."Who sent you?" a voice boomed, repeating the same words over and over again. He received another whip for his silence, ...

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“A Winters Eve” by Phillip Allen

Submitted to Contest #44

Margaret stepped out of the theater and pulled her coat up as high as she could on her neck. A cold wind bit at her face. This was her third time watching National Velvet. She knew she really should save her money, but she so loved Liz Taylor, and, in her opinion, Mickey Rooney was to die for.She had rushed the hand full of blocks from the factory to the theater when her shift had ended. She missed the simpler times, before the world turned upside down. Sure, money had been tight but at least her family was all together… and alive.She could ...

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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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