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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#58: Lights Out

Whether it’s a summer storm or a blizzard, we’ve all had the “pleasure” of going about our day when suddenly the lights flicker out. No matter what you were doing before, it’s fair to say your plans are now disrupted — and may be for quite some time.

In the modern era, electricity is the backbone of pretty much everything we do. From keeping our food fresh to helping us stay connected, it powers our daily lives. These days, it’s even how many of us get to work.

This week’s prompts invite you to consider what happens to your characters when those routines are broken. Do they flounder, or do they thrive? And what lengths will they go to in order to return to normal?

This week's prompts

Write about someone who purposefully causes a power outage.

Thriller and Suspense – 146 stories

Write a story where the power goes out on a spaceship or submarine.

Adventure – 86 stories

Write about a character who’s stuck in an elevator when the power goes out.

Thriller and Suspense – 252 stories

Write a story about someone feeling powerless.

Narrative – 284 stories

Write about a family who decides to camp out in the back yard during a power outage.

Funny – 111 stories

Stories

“Curiosity Killed the Cat” by Lina Oz

Submitted to Contest #58

I did not expect to end up here.Mr. Wilson was––rather, is––my charge. From birth, I was assigned to his case. Mr. Wilson is my past, my present, my future––he is my everything. I had only meant to follow him, to quench my curious thirst.But I did not expect to end up here.What had happened? How did I end up in this place, this horrible, treacherous place, soon to perished, soon to be gone from the only world I have ever known?I had followed Mr. Wilson and his guardian––the tall woman with the sweet-smelling aroma, whose hand wrapped around ...

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“Violent Regret” by M Daly

Submitted to Contest #58

It’s said that the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. So what does doing the same thing over and over again and receiving progressively worse results define? Stupidity maybe. Just stop doing that thing. But when you’re in that life, it isn’t always as easy as ‘just stopping’.I’m in the back of the car, next to Skins, Kit’s driving and we’re just cruising round this fancy neighbourhood that’s like 5, 6 minutes from the estate and Skins is talking some shit next to me, like he’s try...

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“The Camp Out” by Catherine Stevens

Submitted to Contest #58

“Mom! Where are you?” Allie cried out when her room was plunged into darkness. “Mom!” At the sound of her panic her Mom rushed into the room.“Honey, it’s alright, it’s just a power outage. Your Father is getting a flashlight now.”“Why would the power go out? It’s not storming outside.”“When you live in a rural area, like we do, power outages happen. Maybe a tractor hit a pole, or they had a power surge that has knocked down the system.” Allie’s dad came into the room with a couple of flashlights and handed one t...

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“Silence” by 🄼🄹 🅂

Submitted to Contest #58

Goody-two shoes, geek, dork, I’ve heard them all. They never bothered me. I float through life on pure ambition for the future. I know exactly where I’m headed and how I want to get there, so it’s easy to turn down the volume of the world. Now though, now, I don’t hear those names anymore. No one even talks to me. They throw me looks of pity and sympathy, like they really know what I’ve been through. They could never understand, and I don’t want them to. And as that one group of brats makes a circle around me in this dream, closing in f...

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“Take Me Tonight” by P. Jean

Submitted to Contest #58

(Write a story about someone feeling powerless.) Elizabeth caught a glimpse of herself in the drugstore window. I guess there was no denying the years, she had changed so much over time. The image was slightly cloudy and the display inside distracting but it was clear enough for her to feel the edges of hopelessness. She felt old and powerless, she felt very tired, one shade short of helpless! Returning home she was happy to find no bills in the mailbox but no letters or cards either. She expected cards, her birth...

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“She was Me and I was You” by Morgan McHose

Submitted to Contest #58

“You was waiting for a friend, ‘till you turned and saw the end, watched her lips turn bright and blue, and in that moment knew, that she was me and I was you.” The words feel raw in my throat, scraping callously against my tongue and teeth. My hands shake as I flip through the notebook for the umpteenth time. No more entries. No more scrawled words. Why had I written this? When had I written this? Why couldn’t I remember? To the surface of my foggy mind bobs the soothing voice of Thomas, our resident doctor. “Hypoxia can cause memory loss,...

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“Hopeless World” by 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜

Submitted to Contest #58

Trigger warning: domestic abuse This was supposed to be the happiest day of my life; nevertheless, I can't even get myself to smile. I continuously ask myself if I am genuinely delighted with my life, is this how I want to live. Am I wasting it in fear and unhappiness? If my mother would see me now, would she think badly of me, or would she be happy for Michael and me? I can pull myself to standing, I always can, yet tears come in such generous streams. I failed myself, and her too. If I would have left sooner, this would maybe be dif...

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“Blackout” by Philip Clayberg

Submitted to Contest #58

“… The relentless heatwave continues. The heat index today, 126, has already broken the previous record, 125, which was only set two days ago. That record broke the previous record, 123, set only the day before that. New York State power companies are doing their best to keep the power flowing, but they warn that there may be brownouts or rolling blackouts. Please try to find alternative ways of keeping cool, not just by turning on fans and air conditioners. Go swimming. Sit in the shade. Anything that helps reduce the load on the power grid...

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“Headed to the Top” by Taryn Holmes

Submitted to Contest #58

My high heels clipping against the limonium floors, I wove through the crowds of people in the lobby. A cup of coffee in one hand and a small purse swinging on my shoulder, I cut a quick path to the shining elevators across the room. As I neared the silver doors I could see a man tapping the button, then stepping back to wait as the “up” symbol lit up. Even though I could only see the back of him, dark black hair cut short against his neck and the top plastered with gel,, a clean navy suit settled across his broad shoulders and a solid gold ...

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“The Power Outage” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #58

Rick looked into Jill’s eyes. “Once we leave, there’s no turning back.” “Uh huh. Meaning what again?” “We’re off to the wilderness and we’re dependent only on what we can carry with us.” Jill sounded skeptical. “You mean the wilderness out in our back yard?” “Right, ‘til tomorrow. The contractors promised. They need the power off for twenty-four hours to finish.” “And excepting bathroom breaks.” “Of course. We’re not barbarians. Plumbing, yes. Electricity, no… Let’s do a quick inventory and get a move on. Are the kids all packed?” They were...

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“Hope.” by Marsha Webb

Submitted to Contest #58

Trigger warning: abuse Suzanne was not feeling well, she dragged her body out of bed battling against every fibre of her being that wanted to pull the blankets over her head and stay there warm and protected all day. She forced herself to shower and dress hoping it would make her feel better but it did not. Her head ached and she felt queasy, just get the essentials you need from the shop then you can come home and put your feet up she told herself in an effort to keep motivated. Suzanne picked up her keys and purse and forced herself...

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“The Budgie, The Witch, and The Guy in 10B” by Bree Kokiri

Submitted to Contest #58

June 12th, 2036 Wow! It’s been a while since i opened this old thing. My therapist recommended journaling to help digest my thoughts during the quarantine. I figure anything is worth a shot at this point. It’s been almost a week since the outbreak. At first they just called it the flu, and now it’s a deadly virus, contaminating everyone who comes into contact with it. I was just a kid the last time something like this happened. 2020 I think? I’m not sure. But I remember it threw the world into mass chaos. They aren’t taking any chances thi...

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“Dark Knight” by ✧ﾟ･:h̶o̶p̶e̶ ❦

Submitted to Contest #58

CarterI've come this far to back out now. There’s no turning back. I shouldn’t turn back! The clothes on my bed were carefully handpicked four days ago for this mission. I’ve tried wearing it in the dark, there’s no doubt that I’m going to be completely invisible. I slid on the black worn-out trousers that I bought years ago, black long sleeves shirt with a few holes at the bottom, a pair of worn-out dark blue sneakers, and a pair of black rubber gloves,...

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“It Went Wrong” by Mihret Adal Gidi

Submitted to Contest #58

It seems my house came to life so suddenly. I think I am unusually paying unusual attention to everything, all thanks to the power that’s suddenly out. It might be the call I received earlier anyways. It’s not like I am used to staying at home but today I had to, it was raining heavy that I had to come back home. Whoever the caller was, I was harassed the whole day; a call and no utterance from the other side. Six times a day and two times after six o’clock; if not to mention that I felt someone was there in the house. The last call was dist...

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“Night of the Glow Worms” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #58

“Mum, can we …..” Any number of thoughts crowded into Nicola’s head before her daughter Leanne finished her question. She ought to say MAY we. Well, never mind, she could leave that to her English teacher, though come to think of it, Leanne probably did say may when Mr Compton was there to hear. So far as 10 year old Leanne was concerned, Mr Compton was the world’s greatest authority on such things. She would probably have to say no. It wasn’t that she was an especially strict mother or Leanne an especially...

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$50

Prize money

879

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Sep 11, 2020 EST

Won by Julie Bissell 🏆

Title: In the Dark

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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