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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 Tree House on Yates Street” by Jesse Meir

Submitted to Contest #50

I was not, as so many people insisted, the toughest kid on the block. I was, in my humble opinion, just doing the best that I could every day. The truth is, my father and I had built the refuge in the old cedar tree in our backyard. I remember helping him by simply holding a tape measure or passing him a hammer. Being honest, I was only three when it was built, I couldn’t really be relied on to do much more than that. I had traveled a long distance, well, for me it was. That hot July day, I lingered in the heat, lying down on the tree house ...

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“Into the Grey” by R. Becca

Submitted to Contest #50

The sky was still grey when we walked to the water, each carrying the things we thought we would need. You with your microscope and your notebooks, me with my books. More than one, because who knew what mood the day might bring?I loved your strong, narrow back flexing as you passed the paddle left, then right, then left, as we paddled into the mist. We paddled into the grey, and with you it seemed rosy.We stopped on the opposite shore, onto the solid ground surrounding the bay. We pulled the canoe high onto the pebble beach and clambered, ba...

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“Kings of Liberty” by Dan McKeon

Submitted to Contest #50

It had been a brutally hot summer, even for Kentucky, so the afternoon shower was certainly welcome. It was the ominous, silvery-gray sky that gave Hank pause. It was a three-mile trek on the dirt road back to his family’s livestock farm, or a half-mile saunter across MacGillan’s field. At the rate the storm clouds were traveling from the West, Hank opted for a jaunt through the buckwheat. MacGillan only planted it for cover anyway; he had no intention of harvesting it. He’d just till it over once it blossomed to ready the soil for the next ...

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“My Treehouse Is Never Empty” by Henry Hidgens

Submitted to Contest #50

My treehouse is never empty. I constantly visit them, the house and the owner. Ever since I moved here I was always in good company. Liam, he was 18, lived there for as long as I can recall. Unchanging but forever warm and welcoming. At times I wondered whatever kept him here in these small wooden walls. He never tells. Which is okay, it isn’t particularly my business. It’s been two years since I moved here, and met him. Two years today, and I turn 18 on top of all that. I’ll be honest, I’ve always had a bit of a ...

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“" She: An Influential Folk@85th "” by Mc Kenzie

Submitted to Contest #50

---Written Yet Untold Philippine Mythology Literature--- I was up late at 9 o'clock in the morning. It was weird waking up with no one else at home. I was wondering where did mama, papa and our bunso go since they haven't told me anything about going out somewhere today when we had a talk last night after our dinner. The only thing I can remember is that we had so much a fun talk with my Lola who came to visit and have dinner with us. Lola Tansya was an 85 years old native Filipino. She is living with my tito Roro, papa's brother. ...

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“Chaotic Tree House. (Summer afternoon spent in a tree house) ” by Kainat Bilal

Submitted to Contest #50

The old roots and the eroded soil were tightly holding on to each other, as if they’ll never get a chance to feel each other’s warmth again. The tree stood tall above me, looked down upon, made me feel like a grain of sand in a world full of gigantic rocks. The competition and toughness of this world was clearly being represented by this artistic expression of nature. Apart from all the negativity attached with nature’s beauty, the house built above it was the only safe place i had ever known. The branches were slightly bent down, earth was ...

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“My Own Magic Treehouse” by Shaly Laevulins

Submitted to Contest #50

The breeze smells faintly of salt, but not the unpleasant low tide smell. The comforting smell that paints a picture in your head of warm sand under your feet, the cold sea spray in your face, and collections of shells gifted from the sea collecting in a bucket to take home as treasures. I can feel the salt on the driftwood floor . The breeze comes through the door that faces inland beyond the porch outside and out the window that faces the sea. The ladder swings in the small breeze, the only passage that allows visitors in and out. A...

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“Little Bluebird” by Coco Ady

Submitted to Contest #50

I am a tall tree with branches reaching from the bottom of my body to the very tip-top. Birds often land in me to rest. I love the feeling of their feet wrapping around my smaller branches. It tickles a bit. I even have a little blue bird who nests in me year-round. The best of mothers she is. I am proud to have her. And it always brings me great delight to hear her young ones chirp for the first time every spring. She brings them worms and warmth and I play my part. Sheltering them among my many arms. Squirrels climb me as well. Running all...

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“Of old treehouses and happy dogs” by Nils Tremel

Submitted to Contest #50

Sally never thought that this would have been part of her visit. She hadn’t even known that the old treehouse was still standing and intact. Truth be told, she was slightly anxious when she awkwardly climbed up the tree, huffing and puffing, her face a deep shade of red not just from the physical exercise, fearing that the tree house would not hold her and would collapse. After all, it had been nearly 25 years since she had built it with her dad and needless to say, she had grown quite a bit since then and (to her great displeasure) not only...

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“I Still Love You...” by Lucy Phiri

Submitted to Contest #50

It had been a while since Lee had been in the tree house. The last time he was here, he had got into a fight with Mo and it was the fight that had ended their friendship. That was four years ago and since then a lot had changed. He had been engaged, been promoted, lost jobs, lost a baby and in all those moments, Mo was not there. This had not been easy for him, out of all the moments in his life, saying goodbye to Mo ranked as the third most heart-breaking moment, right after losing his mother and his child. Being in the tree house brou...

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“a lovely afternoon” by Nina Wanger

Submitted to Contest #50

It was a slow afternoon in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas. You can tell it’s slow, since the stray dogs aren't even barking at the squirrels and no one outside mowing. The Henderson’ three children are staring at the old grandfather clock, watching it tick away. " I can't stand this, I'm gonna go find dad!" Alex huffed as she stomped her way to the office. The two younger siblings followed after her, telling her to stop. " Dad said not to bother him, he's in a meeting." Luke said with urgency, while Tanner pulled on their older sister's arm....

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“The Trees Breathe” by Jessa Riddle

Submitted to Contest #50

My mind is so full of, well, everything I decide that I am going to take a walk. I dash out of the house before anyone can ask to come along. I have to hide behind a bush so that my 11 year old doesn't see me. I finally sneak away into the woods that surround our home. I following the winding trail barely paying attention to where I am going. As I am walking I am picking up little rocks and flowers I think the kids will like. I placed one more snow white rock in my pocket. I stop and take a deep breath. Hands extended as high as I can get...

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“Going Away or Saying Hello Again?” by Claire Lewis

Submitted to Contest #50

"Come on, we don't have all day," Alyssa yells down as a much more cautious boy climbs the rickety ladder into what has to be the oldest tree houses this town has ever had. A wooden beam breaks beneath the boy's foot, forcing him to cling onto the rotting board above him for dear life. "I... I don't think I like this," The boy mumbles. Alyssa laughs from above him grabbing on to his arm. "Come on, Stephen," Alyssa pouts and tugs upward on Stephen's arm. With a little of foot flailing and shoulder tugging, Stephen finally gets to the top o...

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“The Messages In The Treehouse” by Atraeu Kirsten Corpus

Submitted to Contest #50

Summer. I will never forget that one summer where all of us met. It felt like fate brought us together as I met my best friends; Bruce, Laila, and Rafaela. I remember our school ended. As summer vacation came rolling around the corner, my friends and I spent the entire summer on my Uncle's farm. My Uncle's farm held a special place in our hearts, because we found our haven there, and that haven was our treehouse. "Can I tell you guys a secret?" We turned our attention to him. We sat on the ledge as we stared out into the blue ...

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“Afternoon Summer Nightmare” by Lua Y

Submitted to Contest #50

I am living in a beautiful dream. Lying in the treehouse in the yard, without worries or problems, I feel as if in a perfect world. The summer sun is mild, the air pleasantly warm and with a subtle breeze passing through the windows: I could never imagine a more idyllic scenario and, when drowsiness surrounds me, I let myself be carried away by its rhythm, protected in memories of a childhood that was gone long ago but that, in this place, is stuck in the walls, refusing to leave. Before I fall asleep, I blink for what seems like forev...

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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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