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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

“The Green Room” by William Webster

Submitted to Contest #50

Attached to the wall across from the mahogany imitation dressing table was the floor to ceiling mirror mounted in a black plastic frame that looked into the room and criticized everyone who waited to go on the air. At least that was how Anthony felt. Like a mannequin, he stood motionless in the center of the Green Room fixated at his reflection until he pulled his golf shirt down in an attempt to cover the ripples around his midsection. Not a six-pack. He saw just flab. No matter how he tugged his golf shirt down or ...

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“Passion and Nerves” by Artemis Nightingale

Submitted to Contest #50

She twists her hands nervously as she watches the performances happening before her. Her heartbeat seems to speed up every time they called a new singer out. Every now and then when there is a big event or holidays like Christmas or winter break, karaoke would happen in the library. Of course, despite many students finding it lame at first, the library was the biggest hangout of the school during lunch. especially with over three thousand kids sharing the same lunch break. If you had asked any of her family members they would say that she...

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“Feather and Gold” by Ljubica Jevremovic

Submitted to Contest #50

The harsh wind broke through all sides. Capturing the sounds of the night, it permeated fear through veins. Pushing the dead leaves, it picked up some parts and performed the last dance of death with them. The echoes of the sneakers were reminiscent of a terrifying shooting. It spread far and wide, over branches and thick grass. The blades of grass cut the wind, letting out the blood-curdling whistle. The forest swayed, each tree trampling its rival. They struggled with dominance, launching their bodies as close to the road as possible....

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“You Owe Me” by Chris Buono

Submitted to Contest #50

“Come here, Jimmy! I just want to talk to ya!” Carmine “Big C” Lucchese hollered in his Bronx accent. It sounded more like I wanna twalk ta ya! “Big C! I swear I didn’t steal from nobody,” James “Jimmy Ugatz” Carbone called over his shoulder in an equally thick accent. He started running. “You dirty little-,” Carmine grunted through gritting teet...

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“Bullet County, U.S.A. ” by Nikita Linivenko

Submitted to Contest #50

Berlin Alexanderplatz lay open on the table, his cup of coffee next to it, in the café across the street from the police station. It wasn’t even a street, so much as a strip of badly graveled road that the low, one-story building stood on the other side of. In desert country, people raced around on quad bikes, more fit for the terrain, dune and hardpan, and he had seen a few teenagers racing around in the past few hours. He finished what was left and slipped the novel in his jacket, then went out to the road, waited around a few moments unti...

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“Runaway Dreams” by Farah Javed

Submitted to Contest #50

Sarah Williams didn't get a second to stay dazed and lie on the sidewalk. Her arm was throbbing from the impact with the concrete and thought she may have broken a rib. One thing's for sure, she was going to have a gnarly bruise in the morning. But there were bigger concerns. Realizing what happened, she started to chase him. Sarah pursued this man who was almost a foot taller than her, with a wider stride. She knew that it would be impossible to catch up, but if westerns had taught her anything, it's that the bad guy always loses. &...

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“Treehouse Adventure ” by Nevar Terry

Submitted to Contest #50

It was the summer of 2016, a summer I would never forget. I was only 10 years old at the time but had the mentality of a 30-year-old. I’ve always been told this was a blessing and a curse. I never really understood what my family meant by that until July 3rd, 2016. First, let me give you a little background about my life. I am 10 years old, standing 5ft even. People around our town say I remind them of Zoe Saldana , the lady from Columbiana, however, I don’t see it. Anyways I am the oldest of 3 siblings. We live in Arizona. My ...

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“That summer afternoon” by Wordsworth .

Submitted to Contest #50

Today the sun's rays are a bit more closer and warmer to me. The trees dancing with summer wind seem to be whispering something to me. The chirping birds look much happier and cheerful than I have ever seen. You might ask why? Well let me introduce you to my surroundings. Actually I really love travelling, so I am on a world tour.At present I am in Sweden,waking up in a tree house. The warm and not-so-hot wind is really calming me down. Actually opted for this tree house resort(which some find weird) is that I wanted something different,some...

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“THE LEGEND OF THE BELSDEN PARADISE ” by Legend Generating Princess

Submitted to Contest #50

It was a hot summer afternoon and I was chilling in my treehouse. I felt lonely since my parents were out of town, and since I was the only child without a pet, things would get pretty boring to me. I almost forgot to introduce myself. Hi, my name is Isabelle Drew and I'm a 14 year old girl who attends Briarwood Academy in California. But now, school's out since we have summer holidays. People expect you to be frolicking around here and there and spend every second outdoors and if you don't, people are going to think that you're a wacky pers...

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“Sibling...God's greatest gift” by Shoaib Akmal

Submitted to Contest #50

It was two o'clock in the afternoon. The scorching sun was at its fullest; spreading its burning radiation all over the city. The heat gave people misery as well as joy. The misery was in having to spend the day sweating, and burning up. The joy came in eating ice cream, going to the beach, having a water balloon fight, taking a swim, or just lying in front of the AC after terrible hours under the sun. In her room, she laid crying. The AC was ON, She was eating chunks and chunks of ice cream, but no amount of comfort could mend her aching he...

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“Summer Schemes and Boys in Trees” by Joseph Lombardi

Submitted to Contest #50

If you touched the plywood walls they’d be a sort of wet-hot that comes only after a thunderstorm in the middle of summer. Like the wood itself is thirsty it sucks up the water to cool off, but then when the sun comes around there’s no stopping the heat from coming and turning whatever’s inside that plywood into a swampy, sticky, humid, smelly mess. But it’s my treehouse and I’m gonna stick it out. Stick what out? Well I’ve been under siege for the past couple hours by all manner of foes. I don’t got it in me to be a coward, so I just g...

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“A day to remember ” by Mya Main

Submitted to Contest #50

Monday July 12, 2018Dear Diary, I can't believe today is the day I get to see my tree house!!!. I've been dreaming of a tree house ever since I was 5. I would watch this tv show called " Treehouse masters", they would make the BEST tree houses ever! I'm talking high ceilings, nice, clean polished wood floors. The interior design was as pretty as a picture. I don't want to think about that show too much because then If I do I will begin to get my hopes up. My dad has been working on this tree house since last year in September and it is now J...

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“A Fresh Start” by Emma 🥀

Submitted to Contest #50

I'm lying on the faded and frayed white blanket I've had for as long as I can remember, adorned with patterns of tiny blue butterflies and tiny blue flowers. Underneath is my sleeping bag, now slightly too small since my last growth spurt, but I don't mind. I can sleep almost anywhere if I'm tired enough. Almost. My own house is about the only exception. My sleeping bag rests on a creaky floor of old wooden planks, just two feet above the ground. Kind of pathetic for a treehouse, right? Bu...

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“D.J.'s Run Away Day” by Monica Chaddick

Submitted to Contest #50

D.J. just wanted to get away. He was sick of everyone. His sister, his cousin, his grandmother – everyone. He was a very active child, and therefore tended to stay in trouble. He decided that he would run away, but he didn’t really want to do that. He just wanted to stay out of trouble. Finally, D.J. had his limit. He grabbed his book sack and began packing it with everything he thought he would need on his journey. He knew he would need his phone, som...

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“Choices” by Nina Boquia

Submitted to Contest #50

We never wanted to come to this point. But it wasn’t a choice we had in the first place. We didn’t even know how it got to this point. All it ever was is finding love in a place we call home. “It’s been so long since we came back to this place. It brings so many memories,” Aliana said. Memories of those days played out in front of me like a movie. Children squealing and laughing as they play chase and climbing trees. And at the very top stood the remaining figure of our childhood.“It certainly has. Little old Marilyn here has no snot on her ...

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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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