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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

“Marriage Fever.” by Peace Nakiyemba

Submitted to Contest #50

Today is the day! I know it is. I also know that I’ve said this every two weeks when it’s his turn to plan our date night but there is something different about today. It doesn’t matter that there are no roses littered around our table when we walk up to it, his cologne is intoxicating enough and I’m sure the two of us add enough colour to the scenery. There are no candles on the table either but again, that doesn’t matter since the view of the city lights do the twinkling just fine. No minstrel to serenade us but that’s just me looking...

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“Different Ways to Mourn” by Arthur Tiberio

Submitted to Contest #50

The dust made it hard to breathe. It was incredible how quickly it had spread in such a small time, as if it had been skulking in some quiet corner, waiting for a chance to attack.He collapsed on the beanbag with a sigh that devolved into coughing. It was a hot day. There was a fan in the corner, with a cable looping out the window to a crank generator on the ground, but it was exhausting to charge and he'd left it well alone as he clambered up the ladder, much to his present regret.He traced a pattern in the ground, not really thinking abou...

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“Misunderstandings” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #50

Penny reflected over the series of incidents that led up to the moment that she and her husband, Clark were now facing. Never in the length of their seven years of marriage, had Penny and Clark had an argument that lasted this long or had the ferocity of two lions fighting over the dominion of a pride. Penny could feel her heart pounding against her rib cage as they continuously barked out demands and insults a...

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“Popsicle” by Jillian Oakes

Submitted to Contest #50

The jagged plastic on the side of my popsicle sliced through the skin conjoining my lips, giving the sweet melted juice in my mouth a metallic twang.Jared had forgotten to pack scissors, so we tore open the plastic tubes with our teeth. I didn't do a very good job.I reached up and wiped away the blood, my hand still icy from the frozen treat. The difference in temperature startled me, as I had started to lose feeling in my hand.Jared reached into our cooler and pulled out a piece of ice surrounding the sack of popsicles and offered it to me....

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“THE AUTOGRAPH BOOK!” by P. Jean

Submitted to Contest #50

(Write a story about a proposal.)George sits on the old wooden front steps of the house in which he grew up. He is waiting for the best part of everyday. He is waiting to see Gladys open the curtains or drapes of her dining room windows. If today is like every day for years and years, she will wave to him and then disappear into her home to do whatever needs doing that day. The wave is his signal that his day can begin too so he gets up and goes into breakfast.~~~~~George remembers the first time he really noticed Gl...

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“Click Submit” by Brandon Johnson

Submitted to Contest #50

I often wonder what was my purpose in life. I seem to be constantly surrounded by people with outstanding talents and achievements. When I compare myself to them I feel small and worthless, a waste of space. That was before I found the one thing that gave me a little bit of hope. The one thing I could hold onto that I felt made me stand out. It might not amount to much, but it amounted to me. What's my special thing? Well...It's writing. I recently discovered my joy in creating stories to share with others. I might not be the best or eve...

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“One-Sided Affair” by Daniel Nti - Boakye

Submitted to Contest #50

Ama, a very smart and attractive young lady—breathtakingly endowed, gets quite a number of heads turning when walking down the street.Ama and Kofi's friendship started by studying together as classmates.Kofi's natural inclination towards well-endowed women makes his closeness to Ama less surprising.He never became her friend with the intention of watching her hips swing him into craziness for more times in the week than he cares to count … but the issue is, Ama goes over to his place almost every day of the week for their study sessions, whi...

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“Where the Children Used to Play” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #50

They couldn’t climb, so she knew she was safe, even if only temporarily. Mary let the sunlight fall upon her face, closing her eyes in the warming glow. She knew she should be doing something, as opposed to the nothing she was currently doing, but did it really matter that much, in the grand scheme of things? It wasn’t as if there were many people left to judge her, any more.The rough square that had been sawn into the boards offered her a perfect view of the lush green trees swaying in the wind and the endless cobalt blue of the o...

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“Treehouse” by Harken Void

Submitted to Contest #50

Tommy wished he hadn’t woke up that morning. Spending the night in his treehouse somehow saved him from the fate that struck the rest of them, but now he was the only one left. Now he was alone. He wished he wasn’t spared. His eyes were red from crying, but the tears have dried on his cheeks, while his nose kept leaking. His stomach was growling, remembering him that he hadn’t eaten since last night’s snack. He huddled in the corner of the treehouse, knees pulled up close to his chest and tried to snuff out the hunger. He should have picked ...

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“The Playground” by Kendall Defoe

Submitted to Contest #50

Okay, this is how I remember everything. It was a beautiful day. I remember it, even though I was just turning twelve. We always went out in the summer to find a park and have a picnic, and that time was no different than any other. Well, I didn't think so. Why would I? Like I said, I was just a little kid at the time (almost thirteen), and it was a great day. Well, why great? We were going out to have a barbecue with the Stephens (I mean, Stevens). We had known them our whole lives and they now lived close enough - almost next-...

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“To the Races” by Red Herring

Submitted to Contest #50

With the evening dew settling into his oversized buckles, Pierre chuffed at the cold. By no means at all did he measure up to the hale and hearty stockiness of his brothers and sisters working the fields, nor did he quite yet attain the misshapen corpulence of the well statured servants. Simply put, Pierre was a runt. The frills of his court uniform hung limply into his concave chest, while the over-starched tails of his coat outshone his skeletal frame in propriety. With his wig askew (his slick oily hair a childhood contention of his moth...

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“As planned” by Vincent Guillemin

Submitted to Contest #50

Champagne would have given it away so I have decided on one of those cheap bottles of chardonnay we like to down on summer evenings just like this one. The sun lingers on at the crest of buildings bathing the park in a warm and damp orange hue. It glistens on the wavelets of the lake ,roiled with the oars of lovers rowing this way and that. A couple of swans gently drifts together , going with the flow. Hungry ducks are expectantly waiting for the checkered tablecloths to be spread around the damp and still warm grass. Families, youths , eld...

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“Her Name Was Moky” by Rose CG

Submitted to Contest #50

The bright sunlight peeked in through the cracks of the withered wooden door of our childhood tree-house, which stood perched in the old oak tree in the afternoon quiet. Only the low chatter of some sparrows echoed from the forest at the edge of the backyard. Undaunted by the darkness of the room the sunlight slithered across the floor to rest upon my eyes until I could no longer ignore it. The sunlight poked in from in-between the spaces of the branches of the oak tree; it must have been up for hours before I noticed it watching me from abo...

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“RUN AWAY!!!” by Mry M

Submitted to Contest #50

I was in trouble with the queen. When l reflect at this, l feel so immature and know that in the past l moved with my eyes closed. My lips never hesitated and they dared to speak such threatening words to the queen. My mind never thought about the stories l had heard. It was said by many that she was a hostile and ever commanding queen. I had felt very fortunate when l was given the opportunity to meet the queen. My drawing talent reached me that far.The wind blew with all it's might that day and at that moment. I ran at high speed looking f...

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“Confidence” by Quill Porter

Submitted to Contest #50

The crowd's cheer was deafening. So was Zanaya's heartbeat. She really couldn't help it. Her curly chocolate hair was neatly placed as a bun on top of her head. Her purple dress was gripped by her trembling ebony hands. Her feet shaking inside her silver sandals. Her palms sweating more than it should. Was she nervous? Another cheer erupted from the other side of the large red curtain. A shiver ran up her spine. So, it seems like she's nervous. She hears the rush of footsteps of the make-up artists rushing towards their clien...

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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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