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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#50: A Moment Like This

Throughout this contest, we’ve read wonderful entries that provide sweeping overviews of characters' lives (such as "The Tree"), as well as submissions that offer glimpses into distinct life-phases (like "Time Bomb"). We’ve also been captured by stories book-ended by the start and end of one particular moment in time: such as "The Price of a Nice Guy" (a woman gets a flat tire and parks on the side of the road), "Who Speaks to Death" (a story told through a single text conversation), and "To You" (a 50th birthday party).

In the spirit of those last three examples, this week's prompts challenge you to embrace the short story's ability to really dive into and explore one single scene.

This week's prompts

Write a story about a proposal.

Valentine's Day – 211 stories

Write a story about an argument that seems to be about one thing, but is actually about another.

Dialogue – 121 stories

Write a story about a person experiencing pre-performance jitters.

High School – 162 stories

Write a story told entirely through one chase scene.

Thriller and Suspense – 143 stories

Write a story about a summer afternoon spent in a treehouse.

Summer – 303 stories

Stories

“DON'T GO THERE” by Claire Tennant

Submitted to Contest #50

I had heard a whisper he might be there though why I could not understand. It had been long over between us, but I was still curious to see if his new life had changed him, the way my new life had altered me. There I was, sitting with my gin and tonic, listening to the last-minute suggestions from Darren my team partner, as we went over the subject again. The great debate for the evening: that a woman should accept the chivalry of a man, with our team to the affirmative. Instantly my mind went back to Rick, whose presence was exp...

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“The Red Curtain” by Patrix D

Submitted to Contest #50

She stood behind the red curtains. She could hear the chatter of the crowd on the other side. Her wide eyes staring at the thin line where the velvet would part revealing her to the audience. She knew there were tens and hundreds of people. Sitting, anticipating… expecting. Expecting a show of the night. Her show. Just the thought of the judgement that she could smell in the air, even worse – the pity looks she would see if she failed tonight. It made her heart skip a beat and her feet go numb. The woman’s breath hitched, and her knees start...

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“Questions” by Ethernia Thiadi

Submitted to Contest #50

Question: How are you feeling now? Answer: The petrichor from the unseasonal rain only served to fuel my nausea. I don't feel really well. It's... a strange feeling, as I was healthy in the morning. A few hours later and here I am. Question: Where are you now? Answer: It's some kind of a vast field with tents set up over it for a certain event, I believe it's for the National Education Day. Question: How did you get here? Answer: If that question is literal, then by the school bus, with two other teachers from my school. If the que...

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“Lethal addiction” by Mya Wl

Submitted to Contest #50

Her name was Niara, Niara Francis, and she had a secret: she was prone to panic attacks, and she was in love with Sly Hamilton. If you know Sly, that was hardly a good combination. Niara sat at lunch trying and desperately failing to follow her best friend Diamonds rant about her French teacher. She was preoccupied with the fact that the love of her life was across the room, and he wouldn’t stop looking her way. She forced her eyes down to her plate, though at the sight of him she had lost her appetite, and pretended not to notice. “...

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“The Rush” by Ava Mele

Submitted to Contest #50

It’s been another long day. The rush at the hospital was almost unbearable but in the end was somehow manageable. It was all the classic motions that I have practiced everyday for the past four years. The same cycle to be repeated everyday till the end of our time. Another piece of machinery in society. Society will say you are useful but in the end you are nothing but replaceabl, temporary. Everything remarkable you did in your lifetime someone else can do. Life is often so bland and tasteless. I feel it again, like a growing rock in stomac...

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“Valor in the Milliseconds” by Chad Lehrmann

Submitted to Contest #50

We all have a defining moment in our lives. For most of us, those defining moments are infrequent. They crash into your life, then years go by before another one lands in your lap. Our daily choices are ones of life and death, so for it to be a defining moment, it must be one that answers life toughest questions. Am I a coward? Am I a liar? Am I honest? Can I ...

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“Why We Run” by Dominic Lapi

Submitted to Contest #50

The sweat was slick on the nape of Josh’s neck. His extremities burned and ached in defiance of his action, and he was afraid that if he stopped running, he might not be able to start again. The burning sensation his lithe muscles produced was only exacerbated by the midday sun. But despite the pain, he had to go on. He was still three runners behind and nearing the end of the race. The front runner, Adroa, number 55 from Uganda, had been ahead the entire race, at a pace that pushed Josh to his maximum. As Josh willed his legs forward, he ...

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“In the Woods” by A.J. Brown

Submitted to Contest #50

He was already running at full speed, seeing the blur of the houses go by the sides of his eyes. She had to have 60 pounds on him so he was pretty sure he would be able to outrun her either way, but her legs were longer and stronger than his so he didn’t want to take any chances. If he could just do an all-out sprint and lose her immediately that would be ideal. Of course, if he ran this hard and wasn’t able to lose her, he’d have a big problem. Thinking he was far ahead enough in front of her to do so, he turned his head to...

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“High-Speed Chase” by Skylar Schylar

Submitted to Contest #50

There’s always the heart pounding scene of a high-speed chase in action movies, with the police grimacing, seizing the challenge of locking up yet another felon like myself. The camera zooming in, the distance in front of the officers, the suspense. I mean, they’re, I guess, OK to watch every now and then. But my point is what about us? Where’s our blockbuster film or legendary major motion picture? I have yet to see a criminal’s point of view—where’s his cameo? We have feelings, too, and after all, not all of us are bad. Well except for tha...

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“Trails” by Lizzy Burt

Submitted to Contest #50

Breathing heavily, I tried to ignore the burning sensation in my throat. My heart was about to pound out of my chest, but I pushed myself to go faster. My legs soared over muddy patches, following the twisting, winding trail. Without having to think, my feet found the best routes on the rocky path, sometimes bending around the rocks, sometimes using them as stepping stones. My legs screamed and my side jarred with pain, but I ran even faster, knowing everything counted on my speed. Finally, I felt my phone vibrating. Slowing to a walk...

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“Lady Mary” by Natalia Go

Submitted to Contest #50

A bottle of liquid foundation came flying out of Karen’s hand barely hitting her friend’s ear. It fell with a loud thud on the wooden floor but didn’t break. Kim growled as she held onto a chair undecided if she should lift it up and throw it or put it up to protect her face in case Karen throws more makeup her way. She pushed it aside instead and walked two steps toward her. “I swear to God, Karen, if you do that again I’m going to rip your fake hair off!” Karen gasped and step...

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“The Amulet” by R L Brewer

Submitted to Contest #50

He raced through the woods, trying to think about a course of action that was more about action than running. He wasn't the greatest runner in the world, always coming last in every race he ever attempted. He was sure to be captured. He could hear them, The captain of the guard was shouting orders at the foot soldiers and they were close. Too close for comfort. They were crunching through the autumn carpet of oak leaves, obvious in their desperation. He had stolen one of the most valuable treasures of the Dark Lord. He'd be executed if the...

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“I Love You” by Megan Prause

Submitted to Contest #50

Katrina smiled as she inhaled the scent of apple blossoms surrounding her. The sun warmed boards below her felt comforting on her back as she gazed at the wooden walls around her and reminisced on all of the memories she had made in this treehouse. Hours spent reading and discovering the worlds of Harry, Anne, Laura, and countless others. Of writing her own stories in honor of her literary heroes. Of tears shed over friends lost and unrequited loves of adolescence. There were both good and painful memories made in this old treehouse. Today...

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“Memories of a treehouse” by Pamela Berglund

Submitted to Contest #50

I remember when I was just five waking up from a horrible nightmare. In my nightmare I found myself falling from a huge oak tree and breaking my leg in two places. So you need to understand why I tremble with fear when looking down from a tall building or an open window. Of course such fears were irrational since I lived with my parents on the fifteenth floor of an apartment house in Brooklyn. Like any other five year old I knew that it was a bad dream and I completely forgot about the dream until my parents and I finally settled into a b...

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“My sweet tree boy” by Alexandra Grenier

Submitted to Contest #50

"It's so loud down there. I wish I could tell them to be quiet." I ran my finger across the carpet. I started thinking about when I was little. How I'd hide out here for hours while everyone played outside. I wanted to play with them but I was scared. I was scared of them. One day I gained enough courage to ask a group: if I could play with them. They said no. They thought I was disgusting because I stayed up here all day. Then they started spreading rumors about me. Saying that I didn't know how to speak and that I was in love wit...

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$50

Prize money

940

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jul 17, 2020 EST

Won by Emily Hemmings 🏆

Title: Life in the Trees

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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