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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

“Stage or the Cubicle?” by Claire Riddle

Submitted to Contest #50

“Hey Laura, will you come out?” “Just let me be.” “You come out right now. There’s only two before you.” “I will. Just leave.” I heard her sigh, and her footsteps faded away. I knew I had to leave the cubicle, but I wanted to stick to the closed toilet seat. A sweet voice singing a beautiful song and the crowd’s cheering could be heard slightly. In a few minutes, my name will be called out and people will be waiting to see ‘Laura Chapman’ on the stage. Katie will come and bang on the door, begging and yelling at me to come out. I stood up...

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“Going Solo” by Barbara Burgess

Submitted to Contest #50

I didn’t need the alarm telling me it was five am. Sleep had not found me at all, apart from a few minutes when I had a nightmare. A dream about swimming in an outdoor pool and then suddenly the water all draining away. Me still swimming as if in treacle and waking up with a pool of sweat on my chest.The image in the mirror opposite my bed didn’t look like me at all. Some white-faced, red-eyed ghost had slipped out of my nightmare and was staring back at me.Placing my head in my hands, I sobbed. Why was I putting myself through this -again?F...

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“The Cardinal's Task by Jaylynn Strong” by Jaylynn Strong

Submitted to Contest #50

Almost there. I thought. This castle isn't infinite, right? As Ben and I ran down the seemingly endless corridor, I could tell he was getting tired. He took a few deep, raspy breaths as if he was trying to breathe through a straw. "Are...we almost...at the exit?" He said, panting. "I don't...I don't think we'll...ever find a way out." "We'll be out of here." I assured him. "I promise." I can't imagine breaking my promise. I don't break promises. Never have and never will because I knew the end result, someone gets mad and they lose thei...

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“Ocean Eyes” by Lol D.

Submitted to Contest #50

They say "Forget about the past, and dont bother to look onto your future, you just have to focus yourself in the present, Today. But what if that past keeps haunting you? reminding you the pain? Can you truly let go? I am Lercivha Esquente, and this is my story. It was a Sunny day typical kind of day because Summer's waving. I'm combing my hair as I watched myself in the mirror. I trailed every inch of my face, my pointed tiny nose, my pinkish lips, my almond like eyes, thick eyebrows, and my long eyelashes. I got up and wen...

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“Catching Red ” by Brittany Smith

Submitted to Contest #50

Cascades of tears stream down pinched cheeks. I swiped viciously across my eyes with my bubble gum pink turtleneck sleeves but it doesn't matter, I'm soaked. The reflection in the car window magnifies red-rimmed eyes and chapped lips. My nose is a leaky faucet but the tissue box stuffed in the seat pocket is empty. I guess sleeves are a good enough substitute. I kick the back of Daddy's seat as he flies down Main Street. "Faster Daddy, it's getting away." My urgent cries punctuate the small interior of our Mustang. Mom prefered to driv...

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“chasing away the flames” by Noey Witwer

Submitted to Contest #50

The first thing I did when they called me to tell me my house was on fire was 'ever so fucking lovely this week has never gone my way surely it will be the worst fire ever' I thought grabbing my art stuff off the ground and quickly packing it away in my side bag before clocking out with my teacher and leaving a note; then I run down the street hoping to catch a bus. I see one that stops near my house but it's about to leave so I jump in the door way as it closes."that was mighty brave of you miss; but you better have the money for a ticket."...

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“THE CHASE” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #50

It was early morning when the plane from Kochi landed at Chennai airport. There was the usual rush at the baggage conveyor, and among them were two women who stood by to find their bags. Thais was the elder woman who was about 30, and Xenia who was with her was in the twenties. Both of them had good facial features and were dressed in jeans with matching tops. They picked up their suitcases and walked along towards the taxi stand. Boarding a taxi Xenia said “Take us to Lydgate hotel.” It wasn’t a long drive, and they reached in only ha...

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“Good Boy” by Lori Kuechler

Submitted to Contest #50

He could feel his heart racing, and the smells tasted different, periodically changing from dark earth to fresh grass as he drew deep breaths. Things slapped into his face as the world blew past in a blur of green, but he was undaunted by it. This race was close. He just knew that he would catch his nemesis finally. Leaping forward, he easily jumped a small hedge and landed in a clearing. With nothing to impede his vision, the young Beagle could see a flash of white as the cottontail dipped around a rock about thirty feet ahead. So close! I...

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“Last Lap” by Justine Mae D

Submitted to Contest #50

Luke swerved on the next turn. He leaned dangerously sideways in his green Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R motorcycle, his gloved hand gripping the handles tightly. The wind was whipping violently against him while he endured pelts of rain that thrummed against his helmet. It's too late to slow down now. He thought his balance will fail when suddenly, the motorcycle righted itself and he sped away from the other racers. He was only five meters from the tail of the dark blue Ducati motorcycle but it seemed light years away. I must not lose here. Not ...

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“Another day in the life” by Nikita Gorczynski

Submitted to Contest #50

Another day in the life Written by Nikita Gorczynski It was the three of us. Like it has always been. None of us has changed since middle school. Except, Polly. She has grown more in many ways. Sara and I have just gotten taller. All of u s were within the same age. Sara being 16, Polly being 17. Turing 17 during the summer. And then there's me. 16 and a half. We all grew up on the same road. Friends from the womb our mothers would say. But in all honesty. We hated each other till last year. That is when we built a treeho...

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“Playing House” by Bruce Charles

Submitted to Contest #50

Dave woke up and wasn’t sure where he was. When he saw the posters on the walls and the stacks of paperback books, he figured that he had fallen asleep in his treehouse. But aren’t I too old for a treehouse? Dave asked himself. He couldn’t quite remember his age, but after thinking it over, he shrugged. Apparently he was still a kid, and he didn’t give it any more thought. “Hey!” Dave walked towards the entrance and saw a girl around his age at the bottom of the tree. Dave couldn’t remember ever seeing the girl at school or at a neighbor...

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“Once Upon A Summer” by A.M Mobius

Submitted to Contest #50

March 16, 2020 Its spring season, I'm all pack and ready to go to visit grandma this is the best spring of all. I love trees, flowers, grasses and the lovely blue sky especially when we all gather to our treehouse talking about things and everyday life but what I'm most excited about is that I'm going to meet Zayn after 4 years he's my childhood friend or should I say, my first love, we both live in far places but our hearts are all near and I don't know if he'll recognize me because I'm only fourteen when we last met but now I'm eighteen ...

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“Remember When We Rode the Coaster?” by Rachel Esposito

Submitted to Contest #50

How funny would it be if I fell off the ladder today, of all days? Years of reckless boyhood, without a care for safety or caution, and not one major injury to speak of. It’s a miracle that none of us got seriously hurt, especially this high off the ground. And wow, it’s a lot smaller than I remember. I manage to squeeze my now six-foot frame into an opening the size of a dog door, somehow, and try to stand. I can’t even extend my legs before my head bangs against the wooden rooftop of the treehouse. Ow. I sit back down, curled in a feta...

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“I Remember” by Maddie Dossey

Submitted to Contest #50

I remember that night very vividly. Alex called me and asked me to come over to his house. He told me that he had a surprise for me. I got a little nervous as I walked around the block to his house. I remember the lively expression on his mother’s face when she answered the door. I remember Alex and I running out to his backyard while his mother yelled warnings at us to be careful. I could tell he wasn't listening. He and I just wanted to play in the tree house! How dangerous could that be? I remember climbing up the rope ladder, I remember ...

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“When The Living Was Easy” by Marcia H.

Submitted to Contest #50

When The Living Was Easy When Jake brought his house five years ago he wasn’t married and didn’t have any kids. He only had one nephew who was barely two years old. Now, five years later Jake is engaged and about to be a dad to a bonus daughter who is 5 years old. Lila, Jake’s soon to be daughter, loved to play in his backyard. Jake couldn’t blame her much. If he were 5 he would love it too. It was a super big backyard with lots of grass to run and play, lots of room to have summer cookouts and even a basketball court near the gara...

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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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