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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#60: Face Your Fears

This week is a special edition of the Reedsy Prompts contest because our friends at IndieReader are taking it over with their own theme, prompts, and bonus prize! We'll let them take it from here...

Hi! Amy from IndieReader here. If you’re not familiar with IR, we’re one of the original (paid) review services for self, hybrid and independently published authors, providing professional book reviews since 2009, in addition to unique marketing and distribution solutions.

We know that 2020 has been a memorable (aka stressful) year for many. According to experts, one of the recommended ways to manage stress and anxiety is by thinking about what scares you most and then writing about it. So fittingly, this week’s theme is post-apocalyptic stories.

Don’t worry if that doesn’t sound like your genre, as we’ve written 5 prompts below that work whether you’re into that kind of thing or not. So pour a glass of wine, take a few deep breaths, and start typing. And we wouldn’t be surprised if, after you’re done, the world around you doesn’t look so bleak. At least there aren’t any zombies!

(As a bonus prize, the winner of this week's contest will receive a discount code for 20% off an IR Pro Review.)

This week's prompts

Write a funny post-apocalyptic story.

Funny – 110 stories

Write a post-apocalyptic story that features zombies.

Science Fiction – 178 stories

Write a post-apocalyptic story triggered by climate change.

Adults – 134 stories

Write a post-apocalyptic thriller.

Thriller and Suspense – 144 stories

Write a post-apocalyptic romance.

Dystopian – 196 stories

Stories

“The Four Housemaids of the Acropolis” by Roger Pattison

Submitted to Contest #60

The Four Housemaids of the Acropolis. Death was fed up. It had to happen, though. War, had been attending anger management classes, and Pestilence was Pest-off with the fire of London that cleaned up the city, big time. He twiddled his thumbs. Sitting on a rock watching the flames lick higher, he could see that most sensible folk were standing in the Thames. Bad for business, that. Not good for Death's blood pressure either. Not that he had any, to speak of. But, two thousand miles away in Ancient Greece, things were taking a diffe...

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“Finding Phoenix” by Wallabee Beetles

Submitted to Contest #60

“Marco, we’ve been walking for hours, can’t we stop and take a break?” “We’re in the middle of the desert, genius, we stop to take a break and we're dead,” he says, “besides, this place is probably crawling with screechers.” “But I’m tired,” he groans. “Sammy, I swear to god if you don’t move your ass,” he says, leaving it open. He frowns but catches up to him, leaning against his arm, “please?” He looks down at him, the brown eyes widening as he juts out his bottom lip to pout. Marco rolls his eyes, “fine. We’ll stop for ten...

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“An Introduction to the Ever So Lovely Killer Bunnies” by Taylor Crosby

Submitted to Contest #60

October 17th, Week 2 After All That Crap Happened A lot of people in the world thought that humanity would eventually be brought to its knees someday, whether it be caused by global warming, war, technology, or even by bizarre and oddball ideas such as an alien invasion or the zombie apocalypse. Everyone had their own theory, unique to him or herself. However, you could bet that not one person in the world population of seven billion thought that humanity would come to the brink of extinction due to rabbits. It’s been a couple of w...

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“How it Went Down the Pan” by Martin Egginton

Submitted to Contest #60

“I did it for a laugh,’ Death mumbled sheepishly, trying to look anywhere other than at the young girl glaring at him. That is to say, she looked young. Probably about twelve to human eyes but in reality she was older than all of them. “What?” she roared and took a step closer to him, tilting her head upward to get a clear look at his face, which was bowed down. Death met her gaze nervously and said again; “I did it for a laugh.” War, who was standing behind the girl sniggered. Probably relieved that he was not the one getting chewed out, ...

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“Mary Poppins and Mr.Beans” by Hareem Nadeem

Submitted to Contest #60

Survive, I can't remember doing anything else but that. Its been 15 years since the world we all knew ended and we were left with this wasteland. There was no greenery, no highrises, tropical resorts, or Neverending oceans anymore. The accelerated climate took away everything from us and burned our mother earth to what it looks like now. A dry, barren, gloomy wasteland filled with cold-hearted survivors. In my world family wasn't a priority anymore, it was to each their own. I had been used to that rule too until I met the most annoyin...

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“Melting Pot” by Yvonne Barker

Submitted to Contest #60

MELTING POT ‘What's that coming over the hill?’ ‘Is it a monster?’ Sang Ben. ‘Come on stop being flippant,’ accused Laura. ‘This is serious, we haven't got time to play the song game.’ ‘Is it one of them?’ Asked Ben. ‘I think so, though it's hard to tell from this distance.’ ‘Well, we'd better get a move on just to be sure.’ ‘Where to?’ ‘Anywhere but here.’ Laura stood staring at what was coming towards them, unable to move, feet like cement anchoring her to the floor. Billy grabbed her hand & galvanised her into acti...

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“Welcome to [REDACTED] Labs Inc.” by A. Kettler

Submitted to Contest #60

For archival purposes only. The Assistant (H.R.A-634) was terminated after this pamphlet’s extremely short print run for failure to properly edit the pamphlet in spite of the direct order to, “never alter the word of the Director”. Hello, and welcome to [REDACTED] Labs Inc. where our Doctors are working around the clock to help you forget about the nightmare our world has descended into! If you are reading this with the proper clearance then congratulations, you have been selected to be Born to the role of Assistant! Good for you! If...

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“Reklaw and Azar - The Story of a Post Apocalyptic Writer and Publisher” by Raza Adil

Submitted to Contest #60

“Hurry up, we ain’t got all day” spoke Reklaw in a hushed tone as Azar scrambled to search for a rock. “Tryn’ my best here you old fool,” Azar retorted as the fading daylight made it difficult for him to find a rock large enough, throwable enough, to kill the hare they’d been stalking for the last few hours. Reklaw spat contemptuously, “Next time, maybe you should make more arrows before we go out on a hunt, you lazy bastard.” “Fucking old fool can’t shoot for shit and wants me to make more arrows,” Azar muttered under his breath...

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“Denny” by Moji Sola

Submitted to Contest #60

It was funny, really. All this talk about nuclear explosions and cancer pandemic, it was all funny to Jane. Of course, her parents didn’t find it amusing, her mother’s forehead was designed with wrinkles and all her perfectly manicured nails were almost gone. From the chewing to the biting to- for crying out loud- the snapping, her mother’s fingers were almost non-existent and begging for release. Her dad was more of the silent worrier, he didn’t show it, not in the obvious ways her mom does, in fact, if you didn’t know him, you wouldn’t eve...

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“NanDroid” by Madisson James

Submitted to Contest #60

“So what’s she good for…I mean apart from the obvious” Chris chuckled then grinned wide. “A lot.” Mike answered curtly. It wasn’t just that he was seriously absorbed in punching in formula and code into the old rusty computer board; he just didn’t think Chris was worth the effort. “You can’t fool me. You resurrected or made, or whatever the hell you call this process, you brought this thing back to life for one reason. Admit it! You’re getting thirsty for something more than just spring water in this god-forsaken desert.” Chris chuck...

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“Date with Death” by Martyna Kuklis

Submitted to Contest #60

Benjamin jerked awake and swung the heavy curtains aside. “Oh bugger…not again,” he groaned as the brightness of the midday sun spilt inside his tiny room. Pain blossomed in his temples and he closed the drapes again before collapsing into the pillow. I really need to stop testing those potions on myself. Wiggling his lanky legs from under the duvet he sat on the bed. Nausea assaulted him without warning. Grabbing the bedpan, and thanking the fates it was clean, he emptied the contents of his stomach into it. Twice. It is not going to be a...

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“Resurrect the Forebears!” by Josef Beeby

Submitted to Contest #60

“Aim it far from you – and from me.” “And press the big green button on the side?” “Slowly.” The Chronicler tried to keep the nervous edge from her voice. The new Searcher was diligent but overeager. His eyes danced. He handled Artefacts with youthful recklessness. In time they would teach him patience, one way or another. He held the box dutifully at arm’s length. He pointed what they’d agreed was the front at a pile of debris on the far side of the room. When he had turned to it, the Chronicler took a step back and held a hand in fro...

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“Send in the Clowns” by David Dicaire

Submitted to Contest #60

Send in the Clowns Hello, my name is Graham. I am writing this down for future generations because the history books are going to be really warped and maybe even unbelievable. It all started with this virus that wouldn’t go away. The authorities tried everything and the concentrated effort was tremendous, but in the end failure was the inevitable result. So they took all the humans that were left — less than a ten thousand -— and they were put in isolation. While this was going on, a d...

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“Organic” by Pablo Mascaraque Glenn

Submitted to Contest #60

“Ugh, Jack is being quite the nightmare today. Poor kid, though,” said Christine. “Poor kid?” replied Hellen. “I was helping Jessica find the right crayons for her drawing, but before she could make a choice Jack grabbed the whole bunch of them and flung them out the window. Not only that, but when I asked him to bring them back he launched the cello tape after them. Don’t you go poor kidding him.” They looked over at the mats next to the wall, where the children were fast asleep after a messy and exhausting lunch. Jack was at the far end, c...

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“MARGIN BOMB” by Joe Holek

Submitted to Contest #60

MARGIN BOMB by JOE HOLEK I guess now that time permits I should at least try to recount a small sliver of what happened. Not that it’s too important, its the future that matters, not so much the past. But it has been said before, ‘If we don’t take a lesson from history, we are doomed to repeat it.’ Those who said that are now the dust in my lungs, the grass beneath my feet, and the bacteria under my nails. Its odd how the tables turned. Is it sad to envy them? The earth has been ravaged by a holy war, nearly everyone lost their ass. The air ...

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$50

Prize money

762

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Sep 25, 2020 EST

Won by Ruth Midgley 🏆

Title: Unpaving Paradise

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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