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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#49: Worth the Wait

Mrs. Dalloway follows a woman running errands in preparation for a party she's hosting that evening. A Single Man depicts a day-in-the-life of a professor. Molly Fox’s Birthday features one friend housesitting for another.

Of course, these novels are actually about much more than their mundane premises may imply. That's the wonderful thing about fiction: something as ordinary as running errands can turn into wildly different stories at the hands of different authors.

This week, we're working with a similarly mundane premise (on the surface, anyway): waiting. It's up to you to dig beneath the surface of banality to reveal the interesting story happening underneath!

This week's prompts

Write a story that takes place in a waiting room.

Thriller and Suspense – 256 stories

Write a story about a person waiting for an answer to a question.

Thriller and Suspense – 171 stories

Write a story about waiting — but don't reveal what's being waited for until the very end.

Nonfiction – 323 stories

Write a story about a relationship where one person is always running late and the other is constantly kept waiting.

Romance – 108 stories

Write a story about two strangers chatting while waiting for something.

Dialogue – 196 stories

Stories

“Stay (pt2)” by Catherine MacKenzie

Submitted to Contest #49

There was something in Jack’s eyes that Daniel didn’t understand as he spoke those words, nor did he know how to decipher the sadness that resounded within his chocolate colored eyes. Instead of speaking further, Daniel watched Jack hit the call button to alert the doctor he was awake. He watched Jack’s face, the tightness around his eyes and shoulders. The expression that took residence as he looked Daniel over. “Oh, Danny, I’m so sorry,” he whispered as he took Daniel’s hand. “I never meant for this to happen.” “What did happen, Jac...

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“Within” by Sav G

Submitted to Contest #49

I gaze across the cliff as I steady my legs so they don’t collapse like jell-o. The view is absolutely breathtaking. The sun is rising over the horizon. I don’t even feel like i’m here right now. I feel as if I'm dreaming, and that I’ll wake up any second realizing that 20 years have passed as I'm staring at the sky. As my eyes blind from the rays of the sun, I suddenly realize that today is the day! Today is the day that I receive the answer to the question that I have been asking for the past 15 years. My heart is racing so fast tha...

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“The Old Man and the Sea of Leaves” by Eugene Baldwin

Submitted to Contest #49

The Old Man and the Sea of Leaves He waited. He sat on the splintery green bench in the woods and waited. Twenty years since retirement, he waited. His entertainments were mostly birds. A mockingbird and a Carolina wren perched overhead and dueled for his pleasure. He liked them, and those mourning doves which sidled up to him, and he fed them sunflower seeds. He had staring contests with bluetail skinks, and once he saw a litter of water snakes being born and wrapping around their mother’s body. In the winter months, he got to be friend...

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“A Timeless Ending” by Lulu Bird

Submitted to Contest #49

I pulled up beside the curb and parked. Waiting, I took in my surroundings. A small parking lot packed with vehicles, long windows on a rectangular building, and trees without leaves. I turned the radio off in my old Honda, wondering when I'll be able to stop waiting for a new car. The paint was chipped, the exterior was ruined by dents from hail, and there are strange noises that come from under the hood. However, it much resembled me.Waiting. Normal people who live regular lives grow sick of waiting for everyday things. They take advantage...

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“Refreshments anyone?” by Shawnalynn Cromwell

Submitted to Contest #49

Jennie checks her watch for the umpteenth time, wondering when her turn will be. She arrived an hour early she was so nervous about the whole thing if she missed her chance "again" it would be the end of everything for her and her husband. Her husband wished her luck and told her to keep focused.The other people that had arrived were not as nervous as she was just were better at hiding it than she was. "I cannot believe the spread they put out for everyone some good eats!" said a man enthusiastically while stuffing yet another...

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“Winner takes it all” by Hope Wells

Submitted to Contest #49

I have always wanted to win. I check the leaderboard regularly and hope to see my name creep into the figures. There is something about seeing the numbers rise. And there is something about likes, follows and more follows. Facebook, Instagram, whatever, it is the same feeling. Being seen, being valued, being top of the list. There is something exciting about seeing words bright and vibrant coming to life, sparkling off the page. I am reminded of the sparklers on fireworks night, which I would wave around when I was a little girl, making nu...

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“A Perfect Holiday” by Amy DeMatt

Submitted to Contest #49

He never had any respect for what hung in the balance. The day had started off with such promise. The sun shone, glittering on the snowbanks and she had packed a perfect picnic lunch, roast beef on a hard french roll, hard-boiled eggs, a thermos of thick mocha and a sleeve of chocolate sandwich cookies. It had been one of those February days when spring tiptoed to the front door and stuck his nose out, while the sun was still high in the winter sky. She was always the one to attend to the details, she thought. She'd suggested the weekend, bo...

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“The Eyewitness” by Linda Rossi

Submitted to Contest #49

She was always the rock - the one that the family could lean on for strength and wisdom about, well just about everything. She always knew where to find the best watering hole to catch all kinds of bass, the best meadows where perennial wildflowers, including Aster and Milkweed grew, where colorful butterflies clustered that the kids could catch with a net. And she knew the best trails for hiking and birdwatching, which were her very favorite things to do.&nbs...

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“Just Wait” by Scarlet S.

Submitted to Contest #49

I'm just a typical teenage girl who resides in Chicago, U.S. my granny raised me up and I'm extremely grateful for that. I’m the kind of person who would never tell anyone what’s going on in my head, perhaps I’d elucidate my feelings with some selected individuals who are somehow like me. Greta (my granny) is an amazing Lady, How can a person stay gleeful all the time? Greta grew up in Shanghai, China. She was a successful athlete in her teenage years and I always wanted to be the very picture of Greta however I ended up as a High school ner...

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“Waiting” by Sav G

Submitted to Contest #49

My entire life, I've always been waiting for something. In kindergarten, I was waiting for recess. In second grade, I was waiting to go to 3rd grade. In 5th grade, I was waiting to be a middle schooler. In 7th grade, I was waiting to get my period. In 8th grade, I was waiting to become a high schooler. In sophomore year, I was waiting to drive. In junior year, I was waiting for the SATs to be over. In senior year, I was waiting for prom and going to college. And then I waited to become an adult, vote, get a tattoo, drink when I'm 21, ...

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“Penumbra” by Spider Baby

Submitted to Contest #49

Under the bed, there was a cobweb planet of darkness--waiting in the sallow shadows. The hellish sun was sinking well below the horizon when an airglow monster arched its back and peeked it’s head out from beyond the abyss of the netherworld. It had awaited putridly, underground, for the perfect moment to become silhouette and saturnine once more. Being a colossal creature of the blue hour, it had to stay hidden until all the humans---especially the adults, were in a cocoon of chasmic bottomless sleep. Only then, could it mount off...

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“FATE IS CRUEL MY FRIEND” by RADIUS HAVWAALA

Submitted to Contest #49

FATE IS CRUEL MY FRIENDThe sun was attempting to climb on the eastern horizon. But the correct time was six hours when the clock hands stretched out like the legs of a squatting ballet dancer. That same time the alarm shrilled cutting into the stillness of the morning coolness. The sound banged Monica’s ears causing her a mild headache for discomfort and significant annoyance for tempers.She started by jerking like a startled rabbit, throwing about a pair of eyes widened to look like dark ringed balls. Her hands, by the instinct for self-pre...

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“The Honeybun Show” by Renee Padmore

Submitted to Contest #49

At 6:14 a.m. Fiona opened her dark brown eyes. She remained motionless, anticipating the nausea that plagued her every morning like clockwork and threatened to replace her daily alarm. It never came and her smile grew like slow moving molasses. She dwelt for a few moments in the peace that had eluded her for the past few weeks. Fiona tried to roll over and grimaced as she was impeded by her fiancé’s large bicep crushing her waist length dreadlocks. She gently massaged her scalp and turned fully onto her left side to take in Caleb. Be...

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“Before Inspiration Strikes” by Candela B

Submitted to Contest #49

I stayed in the same worn-out space. I traveled across the country. Looking at my life, I often asked myself the question: Am I spending time searching until l find it, or killing time waiting until it finds me? I don’t know which it was--shoot, I don’t even know what “it” was. But when it did happen, it was unmistakable, and I cruised with it for miles until it ran its course and I had something beautiful to last me until the next one. I avoided human interaction at all costs. I did whatever it took, dipping down cul-de-sacs, speeding pas...

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“ The Molly doll” by Tyra Johnson

Submitted to Contest #49

I sat in the big, red chair while watching the hands of the clock move around,dressed in my skinny and tight jeans waiting on my grandfather. Today is the best day in my life, my grandfather is not here yet as yet. I start counting my toes and fingers saying this little piggy went market,this little piggy went home and this little piggy went wee-wee all the way home. I really enjoyed playing that game,it was fun.I learn that game in school from my teacher name Mary; she is a pretty,kind,funny person. Miss Mary when we do good in spelling and...

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$50

Prize money

1054

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jul 10, 2020 EST

Won by Courtney Stuart 🏆

Title: When The Northern Lights Finally Reach You

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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