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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#54: Second Chances

"Third time's the charm."

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."

"Rome wasn't built in a day."

The English language is full of aphorisms that get at a universal truth: human beings aren't perfect, and oftentimes we need to keep trying (and trying again) in order to get something right.

This week's prompts all revolve around the theme of second chances. Whether your characters are circling back to something from their past, getting a start on something they put off for a long time, or simply in the process of learning after a swing and a miss, we're looking forward to the 'second acts' you come up with!

And speaking of layered characters, on August 12th, bestselling novelists Caroline Leavitt and Gina Sorell are hosting a free webinar on creating believable characters. RSVP here!

This week's prompts

Write a story about high school sweethearts coming across one another after many, many years apart.

Romance – 283 stories

Write a story about someone going back to school as a mature student.

High School – 88 stories

Write a story about someone looking to make amends for a mistake.

Adults – 223 stories

Write a story about someone struggling to learn a skill that in no way comes naturally to them.

Funny – 154 stories

Write a story about a TV show called "Second Chances."

Novel – 108 stories

Stories

“If Only” by K A

Submitted to Contest #54

Trigger warning: suicide All he could do was wait. There was nothing beautiful or calming about the art of being still, not like he had expected. The world was spinning uncontrollably, while life suddenly seemed to be seeping through the cracks of his broken visage. How could he be still? The room he had been instructed to wait in, was filled with a disturbing silence. An elderly couple were seated in a corner to his left, neither of them acknowledging each other or anyone else for that matter. A few seats down, a middle-aged woman sa...

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“Phases of the Rhoon” by Ed Vela

Submitted to Contest #54

Treatment for proposed TV series.Anthology show: SECOND CHANCESEpisode One: Phases of the RhoonScene One-We open on the cluttered, messy, but not filthy double wide trailer of Langdon Janssen (late 60's), a weathered old cuss with thinning white hair, known as GRANTHER to his trio of grandchildren all from Granther's daughter Shaunessy, the... Free Spirit. DOBBIN (12) is a befreckled ginger with a mop of blazing red hair, the bangs from which tend to cover his eyes like a shaggy dog. SOJOURN (9), from a different father, is a slightly built ...

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“Second Chances LIVE with Your Host: Jake Jacobs” by Lily Kingston

Submitted to Contest #54

Jake Jacobs smiled at the camera lens with those so-white-they-say-salt-is-spicy teeth of his. “Annnnnnddddd welcome back to Second Chances! The game show where we pick three lucky contestants to complete to win a chance to use our time machine…” He pointed over at a big, bulky, glowing-green pod in the corner, “to give them a second chance at one of their life’s tragic events. I’m your host: Jake Jacobs! Now let’s meet our contestants!” Strolling over to a young, plump lady with a face full of freckles, Jake Jacobs said, “And what’s your n...

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“Guilt Doesn’t Make Good Second Chances” by Caroline Greaser

Submitted to Contest #54

The noise the tiny graphite pencil makes, as it drags its way across the uneven paper in the dimming light of the flat, is discouraging. The words aren’t quite right, but they’re as close as she’s going to get tonight. She groans and rolls out the muscles in her shoulders. They’re stiff and with a grimace she realizes she’s been sitting for far too long. She makes her way to the dingy fridge in the corner. All that’s left inside are a couple of half-empty takeout boxes and a carton of milk for the morning coffee. Despite Perry’s never...

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“Fate” by David Abu Bonsrah

Submitted to Contest #54

I wasn't in for marriage, yet I was continually dating so many girls. I was clothed in my suit waiting for the girl I had tried to describe to My Dating App. I wanted marriage although I didn't want to show it, my heart was eager for it. Living a simple life with my wife and our children somewhere peaceful wouldn't be something hard to ask for. My past lovers called me the slow type but I called it my technique.''What's she wearing?'' I asked the App as I parked my car. I smiled and checked if everything was alright. My perfume was perfect a...

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“Two Men by a Duck Pond” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #54

Nell had realised it long before seeing what she saw – or more to the point, whom she saw, in front of her in the queue at the Post Office. Melvin was boring. He was quite monumentally, soul-sappingly, brain drainingly boring – and the latter, at least, was ironic, as nobody could say he was stupid. He had, most people agreed, more or less single-handedly pulled up the Pub Quiz team at the Chandler’s Arms up by its bootstrings, so it was now challenging for the local championship, not languishing in the fourth t...

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“Pleading for Forgiveness” by Keri Dyck

Submitted to Contest #54

Most Kind and Gracious Sir: This letter is being anonymously written on behalf of a friend. You probably know of whom the writer speaks, therefore they shall not mention his name. Beware though, prior to reading this, that he merely gave the writer a few points to make and did not specify how to make them. Perhaps you are one of those sophisticated souls who prefer ancient language, and in that case, you shall enjoy this letter immensely; if not, the writer denies any further association with the person in question. &nbsp...

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“High School sweethearts Prince and Jennifer coming across one another after many years apart. ” by Prince Brempong

Submitted to Contest #54

My story is entitled High School sweethearts coming across one another after many, many years apart. The story of High School sweethearts Prince and Jennifer coming across one another after many many years apart involves a reunion in a break up between the two couples. The object of my affection is my High school sweetheart . The couples after years apart finally found love with their sweethearts. There was a high school proposal between the two couples. The high School sweethearts were of ages Prince twenty five...

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“When the Dark Things Come” by Jessica C

Submitted to Contest #54

The sun isn’t even awake yet, but she’s already a failure. It’s the formula this time. She mixes the powder and water and realizes too late that she has grabbed a bottle from the dirty side of the sink. She has to start again. As she dumps it, she does the quick math in her head; 29.5 ounces in the can. The can was $34.99. 2 ounces in the bottle. How much money per ounce? It doesn’t matter. It’s liquid money oozing down the drain. Money that they hadn’t planned for and definitely didn’t have to spare.&nbs...

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“Only Human (takes place about sixteen months after "A Parting of the Ways")” by Philip Clayberg

Submitted to Contest #54

Standing on the boardwalk, one hand in my pants pocket and the other resting on top of the wooden railing, I watched boats arriving at and leaving from the marina. It was after midnight and the wakes left behind by the boats were covered with little sparkles and speckles of moonlight.I was reminded of another night. When we'd stood right here, holding hands. Then we lowered our medical masks and kissed. Two unforgettable kisses. The future seemed bright and almost anything seemed possible.Sixteen months had passed since that night. The quara...

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“The Case of the Giggles ” by Saron Mengistu

Submitted to Contest #54

“Why do we tell actors to break a leg?”“Because every play has a cast,”Nada.“Why do bees have sticky hair?”“Because they use honeycombs,”Zip.“Knock knock?“Cargo,”“Cargo vroom vroom,”Nothing.Even though everyone else was giggling their heads off, I couldn’t let out a single ‘ha’.I am not a laugher. I have never been a laugher, since childhood. I said my first words before my first smile, and my first steps before my first laugh. It’s not like I’m a cold solemn, melancholic robot. I just see the world through statistics, facts, and figures, an...

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“Gray Hairs” by Patty Wonderly

Submitted to Contest #54

Gray Hairs By Patty Renfro-Wonderly “Damned old people coming in here raising the damned average. It’s like they’ve got nothing better to do. Gray hairs.” Jacob shook his head as I passed behind him to reach the door to my British History class. Violet shrugged, catching my eye with an apologetic bent to her head. I didn’t hear her reply but noticed Jacob’s reddened cheeks when they took their seats several rows behind me. As Professor Griffin entered, the lecture hall grew quiet except for a few students munching on snacks and the faint...

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“Addiction” by Sav G

Submitted to Contest #54

My head is spinning. I can’t even think straight. I’m riding a rollercoaster going so fast you can barely begin to digest what’s around you. And I feel like I’m going to throw up. I have started watching a lot of stuff now that I have a lot of free time in the summer, and I just can’t take my eyes off the screen. I’ve become addicted. My head ducks in shame as I look at my screen time from the present day. I used to make fun of people that would stay on the screens so much. Never would have I thought that I would become one of those p...

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“Gunter and Mabel” by Madisson James

Submitted to Contest #54

Love. So many people have confused this beautiful ever existing phenomena with emotion, infatuation and even pain. But Love is none of these things. Love is a pure ever flowing energy that has existed from the beginning of time. It is available to all who want it. Love is neither prejudiced nor biased but it is honest; it is very very honest. My name is Nan and today I will tell you a story about a thing that happened between two people. There was love present, and there still is love there but I want to share with you how love was m...

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“This Is How I Make Amends” by Saron Mengistu

Submitted to Contest #54

I know this is coming to an endAware of all the pain that will ensueAnd when it leaves a hole inside my chestI’m not sure how I’ll cover up the woundThose are the notes I play on the piano. The broken melody of a shattered serenade. The notes have no meaning or strength. Just like me.I feel the mistakes in the notes, just like I feel the mistakes in me. Each one a glass shard of a broken picture which was never perfect to begin with. The musical imbalances are like a separate stab between my fingers. They should be perfect. I’ve been pl...

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$50

Prize money

856

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 14, 2020 EST

Won by Mollie Rodgers 🏆

Title: Where the Water Meets the Sand

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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