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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

“Marley and Me” by Ramneek Dhami

Submitted to Contest #49

"Come on, Honey" Mom says. She helps me sits down on the cool plastic chair. "It'll just be a few minute wait. And then we'll meet Maria. She's here to help you. Remember that." I nod and take my seat. Grabbing one of the magazines from the coffee table. It's about trusting yourself. I flip through it, not really reading just looking for a distraction. I don't want my mind to wander off to that night. That nightmare. Shuddering, I continue to flip through the magazine. It's no use. My mind will wander back to that night no matter what I ...

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“The Amazing Adventures Of....Chicken Suzi! Chicken Suzi And The Long Wait+The Mystery Of Mr. Pig” by Andrew Sasenaraine

Submitted to Contest #49

Meet Chicken Suzi. She is a chicken nugget that loves to go on adventures. Chicken Suzi had been counting down the days till today. Today she was going to a book signing. You would not only get your book signed, but you would also get to meet the author, Mr. Pig. He had written Chicken Suzi's favorite book of all time. She had read it so many times as a little chicken nugget. It was called Goodnight Little Piggy. Chicken Suzi was aware that lots of animals would be going to the signing, but maybe if Chicken Suzi got there very early she woul...

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“waiting on Thursday” by Harps Mclean

Submitted to Contest #49

"Mr. Meckett. Mr. Meckett?" The emergency room nurse is finally calling your name. "Right here." You raised your hand and spoke quietly. "That's me. I'm not ready yet, though. Can you move me down the list and take care of somebody else? Maybe that person with an ear in their pocket?" It's too early. There is no reason for the medical professionals to know you'd been awake all night thinking about it. The receptionist doesn't need to know your alarm went off at midni...

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“Sketch” by Jhumki R Vincent

Submitted to Contest #49

My hangout was all set to be gloomy with the preconceived notion of having to spend the early evening in a badly lit and unclean waiting room of a railway station. These ‘refugee halts’ did not have much seating capacity; one such experience, about 5 years ago, had me standing in the waiting lobby for almost 2 hours before I managed a chair for myself; the regular commuters under such crises helped themselves by spreading newspaper or bed covers on the floor, almost setting up a feast for a picnic. The littered room infested with rodents for...

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“The Heart is an Imperfect Creature” by Priyam Saharia

Submitted to Contest #49

The worst place to find out that your wife is having an extra-marital affair is in a hospital waiting room—while she is dying inside. David wished Shelly had deleted those voice messages on her phone. Despite being married for twelve years, he knew there were parts of her that were always elusive, that he could never read. But he had never imagined that she could have an affair behind his back. How little we know the people we think we know. “She has serious brain injuries. At this point, we cannot say if she is going to pull through,” the ...

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“cry me a river” by Vivian Henry

Submitted to Contest #49

CRY ME A RIVER I awoke with a faint cry as was the norm, my body all tensed up as I waited for a stomach refill from the best pacifier known to man. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. Could it be? I stretched out my arms in a bid to grab onto something, anything. I got nothing. My eyelids flew open. The white washed walls with its four-legged creatures of various sizes and colours sent a strong signal to my brain. I sat up. A quick scan of my surroundings confirmed my thoughts. Nene’s gone. Again. My gaze flew to the door and sure enoug...

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“At Xenty.” by Bukola Detims

Submitted to Contest #49

Early Monday morning on Watford street, were busy heads moving up or down with different steps adding to the honk of vehicles and as usual, Jeff was running his way through the crowd, "Watch it man" the man yelled with readiness to break his hand. "I'm sorry," he said, not giving a second look, he waved down a cab. "Xenty". "Yeah man" the driver replied. He blankly stared through the glass. "Here we are" he pulled up at Xenty Institute, "what do you think could be wrong here?" No reply. With no light on Jeff's face, he un...

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“The Architect's Plans” by R.T. Donlon

Submitted to Contest #49

Two hundred and seventy. The number of stripes across the lobby’s wallpaper. She had counted the entire length of the room three times, starting her fourth. A one hour wait had turned to two before... “Ms. Crawford? Hello? Ms. Crawford?” The receptionist flailed her arms for added effect. “Can you hear me?” Alex flopped an unread magazine from her hands to her lap, swallowing a nasty bit of irritation rising into the base of her throat. “Yes?” she answered. The receptionist adjusted her mad clumps ...

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“Number 52 Please” by Babylon Jasmine

Submitted to Contest #49

“Number 27 please” I looked down automatically. I knew my number wasn’t 27. I knew it was 52, almost twice 27. Every time that voice came over the speaker, announcing a new number, I still couldn’t help but look down to see if that number had somehow, magically, made it’s way onto my slip of paper. It hadn’t this time, just as it hadn’t the previous five times that I had heard a number and looked down. I looked around. I wanted to see number 27 get up and go through the door, but nobody did. There definitely weren’t enough people in the ...

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“Rules Guy” by Scott Doran

Submitted to Contest #49

“It’s on airplane mode. It’s the same as if I was sitting here using a calculator. A calculator won’t haywire medical electronics.” Even before my snippy little retort had hit the back of my throat, I knew it was hopelessly impotent. The smug amusement exuding from the unctuous smirk of the receptionist told me immediately that my clumsy riposte (and obvious lie) had been lobbed right into the sweet spot of a Rules Guy, a niggling bureaucrat for whom exacting enforcement of meaningless controls is ...

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“The Vet Clinic” by David Dicaire

Submitted to Contest #49

The Vet Clinic Andrew Cain sat patiently in the vet’s clinic waiting his turn trying to keep Ohio, his five-year old Pug happy. The room was packed and everyone was trying to give everybody else some breathing room. Doreen, a thirty-something woman with her three children in tow kept on eye on the rabbit that was in the cage. The kids, particularly Dylan her eight-year old son was getting antsy. Sid, a twenty-something dude with tattoos and piercings sat with a snake in a cage. It looked like a ...

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“Until” by Kaye Salangsang

Submitted to Contest #49

I hate hospitals. I look around the small waiting area and I can see that I wasn’t the only one. No matter the reason, hospitals always have the air of tension and uncertainty. The reason for my vigil is nothing bad, per se. My younger sister is about to give birth. And as excited I am to welcome a new member of the family, I cannot help but feel tense. I saw my mother praying quietly in the corner of the room. No doubt asking God and all the saints in heaven to keep her baby girl safe. Athena is a strong girl, having married right after col...

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“No longer, I wait. ” by Duckie Carson

Submitted to Contest #49

“How is it you know Rupert?” Concentrating on dust particles, dancing beneath sunbeam spotlights, deemed difficult when the rasp of her voice tore through my ear drums. I didn’t need to glance her way since her peach curls framing a keen-edged jaw leading to full ruby lips had punctured my memory. The moment I opened the door to fox like eyes, fluttering in confusion and frustration, sunk it’s teeth into the backs of my own eyes. Marian seemed to be struggling keeping her focus on the beauty, also. Instead she traced each diamond shaped i...

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“The Revelation.” by Susan Grant-Suttie

Submitted to Contest #49

The Revelation. By S. Grant-Suttie belgone2001@gmail.com The Bishop had his back to the door and his face buried within his hands. He rested upon his knees, The scrapped baldness of the top of his head bobbed while whispering. He never saw the young Alaires genuflect as she was ushered into the private chapel. The priest was in mid conversation with his almighty. Alaires looked around the room and saw the candle light bending in the draft. When the man finished, he placed his fingers on his forehe...

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“Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go” by Katharine Johns

Submitted to Contest #49

Kennedy swiped right and matched with a handsome twenty-six-year-old named Cody. The tags on his dating profile claimed he worked out, looked for a relationship, had no kids but wanted them someday. He didn’t smoke, earned a college education, and even shared her political and spiritual affiliations. What’s more was that he lived five miles away in the next town over from her. He had to be the most local match she found so far who met enough of her personal criteria as well!Kennedy didn’t hesitate to answer the dating app’s prompt encouragin...

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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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