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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

“Squid and Tony” by Brian Libby

Submitted to Contest #44

Headed for Dorchester, and not far from the Walpole prison, its roof siren screaming in the background, Michael “Squid” D’Agostino was breathing hard and shimmying out of his pumpkin orange jumpsuit in the backseat of Tony “Paddywhack” Zanetti’s Lincoln Continental, when Tony, now negotiating a turn, the power steering squealing, said, “Hard to believe this is good-bye, Mikey. I’m really gonna miss ya.”Squid laughed to himself—Tony was the only one left who called him by his real name, that’s how far back they went. And that’s sayin somethin...

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“Be Happy ” by Samantha Morgan

Submitted to Contest #44

Tears are streaming down my face. I’m here waiting next to the hospital bed for him to wake up. To say something. People keep staring as they pass by, but I don't care. From this point on, I don’t care what people think of me anymore. “Mmh.” My eyes dart up to Josh. His face appears blurry due to my tear filled eyes. “Josh?” My voice cracks. The beeping of the machine makes my heart hurt. “Riley.” He says, looking up at me. He uses the little strength he has to wipe my tears. “Josh.” I try to stay strong for him...

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“The Wedding Scene” by Tobi Thomas

Submitted to Contest #44

It truly was a beautiful affair, I looked around and saw the people, none of whom I recognized celebrating a man I had forgotten. My heart started to stutter but the presence beside me calmed me. I looked to my left at the face of my husband, his disinterested face at the meal the harried waiter brought out before us. He looked at me, with the look, a look I gave back to him. His smile showed he understood my response. This was a truly dismal meal, but he would eat it because I had to be here. I grasped his hand as I looked on, holding on to...

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“The Good Bye” by Julie Murrow

Submitted to Contest #44

The Goodbye“I suppose you’re leaving then.”I considered the reclining figure of my husband, slouched in the corner of our black faux leather suite. His corner. You could tell it was his corner because it was bowed where he’d sat in it day in and day out, getting fatter and heavier. His T-shirt barely covered his belly now and his chin nestled among folds of fat. “Yes,” I said, quietly. “I take it the boy’s going with you?” He didn’t bother looking at me, just carried on watching whatever was on TV. I barely breathed. I knew it was over....

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“Action Man ” by Tara Leigh

Submitted to Contest #44

The time was 18:00 when Tanya and Moshe arrived at Paphos Airport. Before tomorrow was their last day together. In just a couple of hours, they will have to travel home, to their separate lives in two different countries.After Bags checked in ,both sat down side by side, her head tilted on his shoulder. Tourists met by their Tour Guides, relatives welcoming one another.She looked up at him as he relaxed wearing his Blue Cap. She snuggles back onto his shoulder in reminiscence on their last day spent together. ...

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“Over Yonder” by Taryn Catdance

Submitted to Contest #44

Over Yonder a short storyFelix and Jamon, two best friends. They had been friends since they could first remember things. They went on trips together. They went on adventures together. They did everything together, but just like every friendship, it was time to say Goodbye.Felix POVThis was the end. We had to part our separate ways. We had been doing everything right. We had gone on trips and adventures. We had been good people throughout our 26 years of life. I didn't think we would have to ever say goodbye.We had been friends for so very l...

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“Coming to Grips” by Ed Friedman

Submitted to Contest #44

The actual words were just scrambled eggs in my head. It started with, “We need to talk”, the scariest four-word sentence I know. I got up from the couch leaving Gwendolyn and Cecily curled up together. Since we got them as kittens a year ago, they’d been inseparable and impossibly cute. Ann slid into the dining alcove I always considered cozy, but now as I sat down on the opposite side, I felt like a defendant awaiting a verdict. She looked directly into my eyes but with ...

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“The Pond” by Marrisa Avery

Submitted to Contest #44

I will never forget the day that I had to say goodbye to one of my best friends, Cody. We were friends since childhood and had promised to always be together. Until one day when he left me and went somewhere I couldn’t not follow. Fate can be so cruel. We were twelve years old the day that he vanished and he had come over to my house to play. It was a hot summer day, the air thick with humidity and we decided to go swimming in the pond in the woods behind my house. We ran down the narrow path behind my house, laughing and chatting like we di...

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“Death do us part” by Aya Nariaki

Submitted to Contest #44

A long shriek could be heard from the demonic creature as the two siblings ran deeper and deeper into the everlasting forest. Ever Since the population died down in the United States from the continuous pollution and riots, the stories of horrifying monsters our parents had told us to keep us home were becoming a reality. Tall, lanky figures with fur head coverings roamed the land, happily awaiting whoever went outside to be tended too, as the eye within their chest paralyzed whoever fell into their grasp. Sharp dangly claws and fangs ripped...

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“New Home” by F David

Submitted to Contest #44

“That’s it. That’s the last box.” I said to myself, feeling content in my mountain of belongings. My room is so barren now.I’m not sure why, but I chose to stack my boxes of memories in my room instead of placing them by the door for my brother and I to just grab and go. Subconsciously, I wanted my mom to have one final look at everything she helped create. I wanted her to say adios to her little boy with the trophies and video game posters. But maybe that’s why she refused to help. She doesn’t want to let go and I get that. Goodbyes are nev...

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“In Another Life” by Lilly Young

Submitted to Contest #44

"Maybe in another life, I could have stayed with you. For now, it must be goodbye. I love you.""No, please don't go. It is so lonely here. Please. I'll do anything."A long silence passes, as Preston begrudgingly slides the planchette to "goodbye." Sabrina sits in silence, unable to sob, unable to feel anything but emptiness. She had spoken to him every night since her death, and now she would have to find a way to move on without him."How could he just leave me after all this time? I thought I was the most important thing to him in the world...

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“THE UNDISCOVERED LAND ACEEPT’S ME” by Hamza Asif

Submitted to Contest #44

Goodbye Allen! I am sure that after fulfilling your aspiration you would retrace back as a successful person. May God assist you in your arduous time. I love you. I Love you too mom I said and left for the airport. The plane glided from America at 10:30 am sharp and arrived at Heathrow airport London at 4:45 pm. As soon as the plane landed, I passed through the passport control and afterwards I approached to baggage retrieval to collect my luggage. First problem which became my headache was, that I was the very first person to arrive at bagg...

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“The Ray of Hope” by Sepia Roy

Submitted to Contest #44

“Goodbye”.Looking down at the peaceful face of her sleeping sister, Adelynn heaved a sigh. Returning to her room she looked at the knife she had brought from the kitchen.“I want to die”,she whispered. Tears streamed down her cheeks as screams of agony echoed in her mind. She had wanted to kill herself as long as she could remember. But these past few days, it was becoming unbearable. She felt it in her heart: a void gnawing at her, mercilessly eating its way through her body, her soul. A little voice in her head had whispered, “Why, why...

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“Thank you. ” by Miranda Lane

Submitted to Contest #44

"Goodbye Hailey."I’ve always been an outsider. Especially when my mom decided it was best to move to a place called Fairhope, Alabama. She said she wanted to move here because we needed to “start fresh”. Right. I call bullshit. She wanted to move here because my dad killed himself in the attic of my house when I was only fifteen, and if you’re asking if he left then let me answer that for you. No he didn’t leave a note. I wasn’t expecting him too either. He’s always been a shitty dad. He did shitty things all the time. He didn’t show up when...

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“See You Again” by Nicholas Keck

Submitted to Contest #44

Again, I am standing in a foreign land. Somewhere I never wanted or asked to be. When I told Natalie goodbye that day, I had no idea how permanent that word would become. A simple conversation, a short embrace, memories otherwise forgotten, instead, it’s all I have left. Years of friendship boiled down to a few last words. “Let me drive you to the airport.” I had offered. “I wish you would have said something sooner, my Uber is almost here.” she replied. I shook my head, as I saw the small blue sedan pull up to the street curb. She swiftly p...

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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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