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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#51: Two Hundred!

It's the 200th edition of the Reedsy Prompts newsletter! This means that we've officially sent out 1,000 short story ideas over the last couple of years, inspiring tens of thousands of stories. (Speaking of which, did you know that before our contest was hosted on our current site, we used to publish the winning stories on our Medium blog? Find over 100 older winning entries here!)

To celebrate, we've decided to revisit the most popular prompts of the last year. We hope they prove equally as inspiring the second time around. And here's to the next 1,000 prompts! 🎉

This week's prompts

Write a story that begins and ends with someone looking up at the stars.

Middle School – 405 stories

Write about someone who has a superpower.

Kids – 148 stories

Write a story that involves a mystery — it doesn't need to be crime-related, it should just include something that remains unexplained until the end.

Mystery – 206 stories

Write about someone who returns as an adult to a place they last visited as a child.

Character – 237 stories

Write a story about someone who's haunted by their past.

Character – 252 stories

Stories

“Fear Knot” by Jonathan Blaauw

Submitted to Contest #51

I count him braver who overcomes his desires than he who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self – Aristotle Phrygia, Western Anatolia, 850 BCE The Phrygian King was dead. The council of elders called a hasty assembly to discuss the tricky matter of succession. The monarch had died suddenly, leaving behind no heir. Such a thing had never happened before and Phrygian custom made no allowance for this eventuality. The lobbying for power had already begun am...

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“House of Memories” by Lynn Penny

Submitted to Contest #51

NightCrawlers: Victims of a Parasite that turned into Nocturnal Cannibalistic Hunters whose only instincts are to kill and eat.Onyx felt like quite the creep, but she didn’t know what else to do. Datura’s breathing started to slow, tension leaving her expression as she fell asleep. The light from the fire caused her hair to glisten, highlighting the grease it held. Maybe she could help Datura wash up before they hit the road again, the build-up of grime probably wasn’t the most comfortable for her.Onyx wasn’t sure how long she sat there acro...

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“A Bad Feeling” by Raquel Rodriguez

Submitted to Contest #51

Taisiya's eyes slowly open, and although her vision is a bit blurry and she can't really tell what's going on, she gets a bad feeling. The short, blond hair on her neck and back stand up straight. "Daddy?" She murmurs, slowly sitting up and untangling her legs, which are wrapped in her light, carnation pink blankets. All Taisiya hears are Chip's paws as they hit the hickory-colored wood floor. "Daddy?!" She exclaims, jumping off of her bed.M-maybe he's at work? Is he?Taisiya wonders, her hazel eyes wide. "See, these are t...

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“The Pain of the Past” by Raquel Rodriguez

Submitted to Contest #51

You shiver and squirm in your bed, your nightmares and daydreams - if they can actually be called by that name - showing you what you don't want to see or remember.Five things you remember from that night:One.His whispers in your ear, coercing you not to tell anyone.Two.Watching his blond hair to distract yourself from what was going on.Three.The smell of pina colada in your nose, making you even more confused.Four.The taste of coconut chapstick, which your mother told you to put on.Five.The coldness of his touch against your skin.Every day,...

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“Should Have Kept Sleeping” by Kathleen Doidge

Submitted to Contest #51

“You have got to be kidding me!” Harry’s wife screamed. There was a patter of feet, then a softer holler up the stairs, “I need you to fix the washing machine again.”Harry moaned, throwing a pillow over his head to drown out the morning needs. It was only six in the morning. Who got up and trumpeted about broken washers at bloody six in the morning?Harry’s phone buzzed from where it slept on the nightstand. He flopped his hand out from beneath the pillow, desperately looking for the handy dandy decline call. It buzzed again.“Come on,” Harry ...

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“we'll still be best friends when all turns to dust” by Masha Kurbatova

Submitted to Contest #51

Mock trial practice ends late these days. The stars are already out when I leave school. I join our youngest team members, the yet-unlicensed fifteen year olds waiting for their parents in the carpool lane. The air is sweet, the grass swells with dew, a breeze gently scrapes the clouds aside to reveal a crescent moon. The kids are buzzing. It’s their first competition tomorrow. They look to me approaching with such awe, it breaks my heart. Three years ago, I was them. I was the one anticipating my first ever mock trial, nauseated and imagini...

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“Stardust” by Elliot Thomas

Submitted to Contest #51

I took another step closer to the edge and looked up at the stars one last time. I didn’t feel cold anymore. I didn't feel anything except very alone. How many of those stars had already gone out? Maybe I was staring at a sky full of dead stars. Would people notice if one more went out? I looked down at the water and saw the same night sky reflected back at me, this one distorted by the ripples of a breeze but still just as beautiful. A small smile broke my face. Yes, this was the sky that suited me. I raised my arms and leane...

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“The Mansion Where it all Happened” by Raquel Rodriguez

Submitted to Contest #51

Trigger warning: depictions of rape (The Pain of The Past Part II) Heidi knocked on the tall, steel entry door. She waited patiently, rocking back and forth on the heel of her tan sandal. "Are you sure this is the exact place that the 'incident' occurred?" A woman behind her asked. She was short, with blue eyes that blazed almost as bright as the sun. Heidi nodded, raising her hand to knock again. Then, the door, revealing an elderly woman. She was shirt, had a gray pixie cut, and stared at Heidi ...

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“Friends Forever” by 𝔸. Triangle

Submitted to Contest #51

I used to have an imaginary friend. I believe his name was Jeff, or Tom, or something along those lines. For the sake of this story though we're going to call him Tom. I imagined Tom when I was around the age of six. He had sandy blond hair and brown eyes. He wore black leather, head to toe, and forever wore a smile. I imagined him to be around the age of thirteen, the noblest and coolest of ages to a six-year-old child. I imagined him to drive a motorcycle, modern laws forgotten in a six-year-old mind. He'd drive that motorcycles all ov...

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“Paradox of Control” by Madhurima Giri

Submitted to Contest #51

"Hailie!" "Yes mother?" "Were you counting the spoons, plates and glasses again?" mother asked angrily. "Did I say numbers out loud?" I asked innocently. "yes." She said confused "Did I use the words spoons, plates and glasses?" "Yes?" she said not sure where this was going "Then I may have been counting spoons, plates and glasses 'again'" I said stressing on again knowing the effect it would have on her. "What? How dare you?" She asked appalled. "Oh mother, if I would have been in the mood of daring then I would have been sleeping in my roo...

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“Einstein's Other Theory” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #51

What do you think would be the Number One choice of superpower? Oh yes, most of us think it could be both fascinating and useful, not to mention thrilling to be able to fly, and the benefits of being invisible are – not the most appropriate of expressions! – glaringly obvious. Or perhaps not as paradoxical as it seems – did you know that during World War 2 they camouflaged ships by something called “dazzling”? Then there are the variants on making people fall in love with you, or being able to ou...

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“The Past Behind” by Vicky S

Submitted to Contest #51

I never saw the end coming. It was only a short distance to my house and the cold wind blowing between the rows of houses causing the rubbish to fly in all directions, meant that no one else was out. They were all tucked up safe and warm inside their houses, the curtains drawn so they didn’t have to see out. Probably all watching the television. And it had been late. Maybe some were actually asleep. The thick clouds blocked the moon. The light trickling down to the ground was minimal. Even the street lights seemed to be more dim than normal...

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“Stargazing” by Raquel Rodriguez

Submitted to Contest #51

Date: June 7th, Sunday, 9:45 PM, 2015 Stargazing. Araxie's favourite hobby. Doing it with her sister feels wrong.The midnight blue sky is exuberant, twinkling with bright, white sparkles and fireflies. Jackson turns his head to look at Hope, his face illuminated by the stars. He digs his fingers into the soft grass of the hill. “Are you sure she won’t find out?” Hope asks Jackson, her voice barely audible over Jackson’s panicky thoughts. This isn’t right. Araxie does everything for me. I should...

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“End” by Prathamesh Chavan

Submitted to Contest #51

The forest glows in a green shade of colours silently speaking to winds which have been seeping from past. The wonderful photo was clutched between the hands of a boy which had been captured last year.The boy with a tiny body was in deep sleep. His parents had been planning this day since weeks ago. The door was unlocked slowly. His parents crept in carrying a large birthday cake. They touched the boys head and unexpectedly a yelling sound came and gusty figure took off his parents. The boy was shocked and woke up instantly. He was dizzied l...

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“You are lovelier than the moon.” by Avirupa Chakraborty

Submitted to Contest #51

I am sitting on the bonnet of my car; hands stretched back, eyes fixed on the stars. This night the sky is clear and full of bright stars. Some stars shine less brightly than others, yet none are any less significant or less loved by the vast sky. I was engulfing this beauty when you ran across my mind; your handsome face, big eyes, flawless smile, and something more, something magical. One of the clearest memories residing in me from my school days is of you. I still remember our first meeting as clear as if it was just yesterday. You carri...

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$50

Prize money

1248

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jul 24, 2020 EST

A winner will be announced soon.

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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