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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

“Final Requests” by Sandy Buxton

Submitted to Contest #57

“Bob, I’m sorry to leave this to you.” Barbara whispered the words slowly pausing to take shallow rasping breaths. The clear oxygen tube snaked around her lined face and off to the unit in the corner of the crowded room. The small gray-haired man patted the hand gripping the blanket edge. “It’s OK, Barb. With this video, you have taken most of the pressure off me. It will be Sarah handling the disbursements who will get the abuse. I’m just sorry it came to this.” “Don’t be. It...

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“My Eleanor ” by A K Littler

Submitted to Contest #57

The old man hunched awkwardly over his desk, the back of his head lit up by a halo of sunlight streaming through the gap in the curtains. No noise existed in that moment but his breath: shallow and ragged, his lungs feeling every one of his seventy-nine years breathing on this earth. His fingers, gnarly from years of painful arthritic suffering, loosely gripped a biro. The pen was desperate to make contact with the sheet of paper it was hovering over. It was determined to tell the old man’s story. And yet he held off, contemplating the exact...

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“The Last Word” by Paula Blackman

Submitted to Contest #57

The cursor sprinted across the screen, as letters popped up one by one, like little soldiers, banding together to form the words that would be her army, guaranteeing her victory at long last; a reckoning that would shock everyone. A tiny malicious smirk creased her lips. It was a thing of beauty, perfect in its simplicity, finalizing and satisfying all legal and financial obligations flawlessly. So perfect that should anyone try to contest the document their efforts would yield nothing. Eyes sparkling with satisfaction, Vanessa skimmed over ...

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“The Will” by Great Osagwu

Submitted to Contest #57

"I wish I knew what I know now," that always seems to be the cry of the aged figure once magnificent now on his deathbed. The clock hands perform the steadfast march as he ponders the meanings of meaning. You become the therapist you needed on your deathbed. I'm no different, unfortunately, but I must concede to something: I have always found the idea of a will strange. It functions more as a consolation prize to the living than any genuine appreciation of the life of soon-to-be-dead. Who has these thoughts, you wonder? Only a man like mysel...

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“Last Will and Testament” by Bettina Karpathian

Submitted to Contest #57

Fortunately, since she could hardly see through the rain, Ellen could have found her way to the house blindfolded after her many years of employment. She gave up on the battle to keep her umbrella from turning inside out. She turned up her collar, tried to ignore her squelching shoes and hurried on. Old Lady Dorothea had been irascible, demanding and hard to please. Ellen had been her housekeeper, companion, cook... she really didn’t know exactly what her position was, but she’d lived there for years. Ther...

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“The People Believe Flowers Are Fantasy” by Jide Fadairo

Submitted to Contest #57

On the night of July 14 3045, the home of world-renowned scientist Timothy Ziguarsen, age 358, was found burned to the ground. Locals nearby say they heard screams and banging from the house before the fire started two hours later. The New Omaha Police Precinct has not yet responded to questions about the slow response times to several concerned calls about the noise. Neighbors claim that three gunshots were heard about thirty minutes before flames engulfed the house. The Daily Sunrise Press reports that they have received what is supposedly...

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“Smelly Feet Spinelli” by Kimberly Bennett

Submitted to Contest #57

Imagine living in a small town surrounded by beautiful hills, winding roads, a curvy river, and cows. Lots and lots of cows. And of course, in this little town, everyone knows everybody, and everybody knows everyone’s cows. My family had six: Betsy, Luna, Moody, Mona, Stinky Bell and Lazy. Before school, I always had to wake up three hours early to milk all six of them. Luna was the easiest, and Lazy, the fattest, always took ten minutes more than the others, but Stinky Bell was the absolute worst! Because of anxiety, she couldn’t get throug...

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“To Your Credit” by H. R. Robin

Submitted to Contest #57

Allen gritted his teeth as the woman droned on. He could feel them grinding under the pressure, a habit newly formed in the recent year. A habit his dentist would notice, that is if he went to a dentist. It didn't surprise Allen when he noticed the tick, he actually expected it with everything that happened. "Is everything alright, dear? You look- you look uncomfortable." The woman stopped praising him and looked Allen up and down with concern etched in her wrinkle-lined eyes. "It's just that time of year. It has gotten me on edge"...

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“The Tinsley Expedition catastrophe” by Justin Barrette

Submitted to Contest #57

As I returned from the ships section of the museum where some kid had - once again - tried to climb on top of the mast of one of the exhibit, I took a peek in the Explorer's Lounge to see if anyone was there.Hank. As always.Sitting on the bench in the middle of the room, a small cup of coffee in his hands, he was starring at the window facing him. This particular section was honoring the career of Robin Tinsley who was considered a pioneer in the study of the Arctic. It was the only one exhibit I was familiar with as I took some time to read...

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“National Icon” by Lara Nicholson

Submitted to Contest #57

Isaac and I have been best friends for like, fuck… it’s been ages, probably like fifteen years now I reckon. Well, we were - Isaac stopped speaking to me months ago so I don’t know how legit the term “best friends” is anymore, but he’ll always be mine. My best mate ever… but I fucked it all up. We met when we were like seven, I’d just moved to Dunedin from Christchurch and I remember feeling so scared man; It was my first day at my new school and I'd been buddied up with some random little shit that ditched me on the slide...

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“Sweet Old Terrible Artist Grandma Margaret ” by Emily Davied

Submitted to Contest #57

I was named after my late Grandmother Margaret who many people know and love. By many, she was known for her murals across New York, but by me she was known as someone who just happened to be standing next to a painting wearing clothes covered in paint. My grandmother was a wonderful woman. She grew up in a poor family, worked on their farm and was surrounded by her extended family. Family can be a handful especially when eight of you share a small room. With much love in her heart for all her family, she was ready to get out of there as soo...

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“Leonardo's secrete” by Bogdan Kross

Submitted to Contest #57

Leonardo’s secrete. Florence 10th April 2002, 5 days to Da Vinci International Conference celebrating his birthday’s 550 anniversary. It was early afternoon when after a three hours flight from Poland and short taxi journey, David King was getting out of an old Fiat Tipo at the doorstep of Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze, Italy’s largest national public library at via Tripoli just by the Arno river. He could not refuse his old professor’s request to attend the annual conference about Leonardo Da Vinci. Professor White could not c...

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“broken heart” by Kara Assmar

Submitted to Contest #57

It was a cold night in the town of Lawrenceville but underneath the Hazel curse of the dark, the doors Creek in the alleys were empty darkness spread of murder. The best type of murder storybook kind where everything was laid out perfectly. blood ran through the town's cracks and rivers running towards it Ring the bell rang in Lauren James emerged she was as beautiful as she was strange. The classroom was empty except for her, her best friend Nancy was normally there but today she was strangely absent and Lauren walkthrough The Halls Alone...

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“Family or fame” by Jaymie R

Submitted to Contest #57

As the lazy Sunday morning clouds rolled in and blanketed the sky the clock ticked away getting closer and closer to Mary’s eleven o’clock meeting. She scrambled around her bedroom for the black leather boots she bought last week practically in the dark as the area was dark due to the natural lighting. Stepping towards the open closet door she knelt down on the hard tufted carpet floor and plunged her arm into the pitch black depths. After just a few seconds of flailing her hand back and forth her nails grazed the smooth exterior of the boot...

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“The rightful king” by Rosalin Swordrunner

Submitted to Contest #57

The boy sat and watched. Thin, frail arms gripped the hilt of the sword. The boy couldn’t resist the smirk that showed itself on his face. Many men tried to lift the sword. None of them managed. Yet the small figure that stood on the stone still tried.It was late. The crowd that had formed around the sword has long since dispersed. Yet, the boy still sat in the bush and watched. And was shocked to the core. The girl, with her soft and tender arms, managed the impossible. Steel screeching on steel, she pulled out the sword from the anvil. The...

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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.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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