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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#57: Legacies

Everybody hopes they’ll be remembered. It’s a big part of why writers write, artists paint, and singers sing. It drives some to rise to great heights in politics or business. It’s part of why people have children.

But whether you hope to build a legacy through words, kind deeds, grand ambition, or a strong familial line, the truth is, we don’t always know how history will look back on us. All we can do is put our best selves forward, and hope that our integrity and values will resonate long after we’re gone.

This week’s prompts invite you to delve into people’s hopes for the future — and the legacies that may or may not be what they dreamed of.

This week's prompts

Write a humorous story about the descendant of someone remembered for an insignificant act.

Funny – 73 stories

Write a story about someone who’s famous for something they never actually did.

Character – 119 stories

Write a story about someone breaking a long family tradition.

Angst – 170 stories

Write a story about someone who travels to the future, and isn’t happy about how they’ve been remembered.

Science Fiction – 131 stories

Write a story that starts with someone writing their will — one they know people won’t like.

Dramatic – 183 stories

Stories

“FutureBound” by Sydney Bingham

Submitted to Contest #57

I’d die in 2023 in a car accident, the letter said. The last thing I’d see is a pair of headlights crashing through my windshield, shoving me from this world to the next in a shower of blood and broken glass. Congratulations! Your application to participate in-- “Malena, did you get the mail?” Adam’s muffled voice yelled from another room after the screen door slammed shut behind me. --the FutureBound© program, beginning October 2nd, 2020, has been approved. Your post-purchase receipt is attached for your reference. You...

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“Surprise!” by Hazel Murphy

Submitted to Contest #57

I, Pablo Rafael Sabina Dalmau, of Starbourgh Bay, Ontario, being of sound mind and body, do hereby declare this as my last will and testament. A somewhat wobbly hand moved to lift the cup of tea next to him to his lips as he thought over what he was doing and if he really had to do it. The current version of his will gave everyone something to be happy about, but then again, knowing his beneficiaries meant knowing that that wouldn’t be enough, which made him quite much more than unhappy. I revoke all former wills, codicils and testamen...

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“A not so simple life” by Karen Wright

Submitted to Contest #57

Holding the pen is hard to do when the fingers have lost the elasticity of youth; the bones in the fingers have lost their movement and the skin shrouds the hand in far too much material.The glasses; small, heavy framed, slightly blurry help the tiny veined eyes to make out the words that the hand is writing. They would help more if the owner allowed them to be rinsed under the tap with a bit of washing up liquid, but they’ve refused. Actually, the owner had bristled when it had been suggested. She had sucked in air between her worn teeth an...

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“indecent human beings ” by Ajay Jalmi

Submitted to Contest #57

Landlord of badnagari Vinayak and his family was always trouble by surrounding 6 -7 crime house people. So landlord sent his children's to city school. The unemployed crime house people use to live life's by doing crimes such as theft of agrocrops, bamboos, wood from private properties, extortion, etc And teaches their children's and other children's to do crimes. Landlord Vinayak family is the only family living decent life. Due to regular business profits lord Vinayak constructed ShriKrishna and shiva temple in the village so got wide popu...

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“The Will” by Hel Knightly

Submitted to Contest #57

Trigger warning: domestic abuse "If you are reading this then I am no longer apart of the waking world. Though news of my passing might not come as a surprise, and more so conjure up thoughts of a farewell party...I humbly regret to inform you that that will be short lived. Whilst my brother has made many fortunes by means of embezzlement, I , on the contrary have not. With that being said, I have entrusted what little I did possess to my niece. Or should I say my daughter. This may come as a bit of a sho...

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“A Cat Nap” by Russell Waterman

Submitted to Contest #57

Arthur hunted for an A on his Underwood typewriter. Feeling exasperated by the randomized alphabet, once he found the key labeled with an A, Arthur sighed and pecked it hard. Readjusting his glasses, he squinted and searched the keyboard for the next letter. Peck! After striking each key, he flinched, gritting his teeth. His fingers felt weak and brittle. He thought that at any moment they would snap in two like old match sticks.For days he worked on his will in short bursts before becoming fatigued, causing his RA to flare and his back scre...

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“Delusional Eccentricity” by Kristi Kisielewski

Submitted to Contest #57

There were beads of sweat dripping down her face. The pen kept sliding out of her fingers, dropping on the paper, and she would pick it up again. Her hand was trembling, shivering, as she scratched out nearly illegible words.I remember her kitchen tap was broken, and there was a slow, steady trickle of water. Drop after drop. The tap leaked in rhythm with my aunt’s hand, as it reached the bottom of the page and tried to grasp another piece of paper. It dripped in rhythm with the words. It dripped to the same rhythm as the pen, every time it ...

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“The Will” by Maahi S

Submitted to Contest #57

“Your tea, Mr. Fletcher.” I gazed up from the blurry pieces of paper on which I began to pen down my will. “Thank you Jenna.” I beamed at her round glassy-eyed face. “And your glasses.” She gingerly set them down beside the tray of morning milk biscuits. “Ah yes…I knew I was missing something.” Despite being hired just as a part-time house help over the years, Jenna had become somewhat my daughter. “Now you finish all o’ that breakfast, ya hear?” She fixed her wavy black hair into a casual bun above her head. “I’ll be goin’ out in a...

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“Time for the Truth” by Ariel Smart

Submitted to Contest #57

If you are watching this video it means that it has finally come. The day that I am dead, I knew that this day would come that’s why I have recorded this. I have a few things I want the people at my funeral to know. So, the first part of my will is that this be played at my funeral. Know on with a few things before the rest of my will. Money this one simple thing can make people crazy. I knew that the moment I got money people would try to use me to get it all. I knew this all through out my life. I was one of the lucky people who succeeded ...

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“At long last ” by Leanne Drain

Submitted to Contest #57

The last will and testament of Mary Shed As told by Mary herself at 99 she does well and wants all her family to know this: Dearest family, As you know, I am getting on a bit now, at 99 years old and still feel like a teenager dancing on bars on holiday and chatting up the young bingo callers. But all in all, my life is reaching an end of milestone and here I want you to know that I love each one of you. (Yes, even you ray.) My darling ray I will miss you when I am gone , but time has come to its essence and I need you to understand t...

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“Morwenna's Malevolence” by C Alexis McGregor

Submitted to Contest #57

The room is hushed allowing me to hear the buzz of bees, the whoosh of the wind, the voices in my head, the hammering of my heart. With my lids closed, the scent of lavender loops around me, caressing me to calmness. Click As if hearing my mother's admonition, I breathe a belly breath before I straighten my spine. Mada slips onto the mauve tub chair a twin of mine. Her face beams in welcome. "How are you Morwenna? I am so pleased to see you — it's been quite a piece of tine — since our dinner at your house a month ago." ...

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“His Will” by Aanisah King

Submitted to Contest #57

"I, Yusha Khan, legal first son of the Khans, born on the 22nd of April hereby declare that this is my last will and testament. I hereby revoke, annul and terminate all wills, addendum and cocidils previously written by me, jointly or individually. I also declare that I am of legal age to make this will, and that I am of sound mental stability. In this last will, I have expressed my wishes without undue coercion, influence or duress. To my mother, Leanna Khan, I bequeath 50% of my estates an...

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“The hidden will” by Joan Opoyi

Submitted to Contest #57

The phone rang; hello!,as I answered hello _but no one spoke." Who might that be? Mr Johnson thought over and over,the caller called again;in furious Mr Johnson picked up the phone_ " Are you a joker or what_ " My name is doctor Jude from Saint Matthew hospital, can you check in today at the hospital? " D_doctor Jude, smiling through the phone; I didn't know it was you.Mr Johnson had an appointment with the doctor; waiting anxiously _" what was so urgent for my call." He was disrupted when the front desk nurse called him. "Mr Johnson!Mr Joh...

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“Final Decision ” by Mello Timothy

Submitted to Contest #57

"Paris Willet", I say. "Are you sure?", Dale asks me for the 3rd time. "Yes Dale, I'm sure", I reply. "I want her to have everything thing. Mother can keep the house and the car. The rest goes to her. Every last penny. I know mother will be upset but my decision is final", I sign the final documents and walk out of his office. DoBret and Associates was a depressing place to be. I know where the last place I want visit for the day is. My last day, I call it. Kind of dramatic, but it's true. Walking down London Lane brought back a lot ...

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“Quest for Treasure” by River Russell

Submitted to Contest #57

"Dear loved ones, I have decided that when my untimely demise is to come, I want to make sure the right people get the right things. The right things.. a rather subjective term, isn't it? Being right itself, is a bit of a gray area. What does it mean to be righ- ah, I've started rambling, my apologies. Anywho, we can first start off with the house. I've come to a decision that may cause some- er, confusion. The house will go to nobody. It is mine and will be even as my corpse lay rotting six feet under. Oh! I'm sorry, that must've come off a...

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$50

Prize money

676

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Sep 04, 2020 EST

Won by Iona Cottle 🏆

Title: Et Tu?

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.

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