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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#63: Autumnal

It’s finally fall in the Northern Hemisphere. While the leaves are being slow to change out my window this year, the air is crisp and the pumpkin spice products are out in full force. Time to break out the sweaters!

Beyond all the colorful trappings, though, fall is by definition a season of change. So as you craft your stories this week, try to think about how the events you’re writing will change your characters' lives, whether fundamentally or just a little. After all, even a seemingly mundane afternoon can be the turning point of your entire life…

And if you want to drink some apple cider or a pumpkin spice latte while you write, more power to you!

This week's prompts

Set your story in a coffee shop that’s just introduced a new line of autumnal drinks.

Fall – 161 stories

Start your story with the line, “By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire.” (Whether this is a literal fire is up to you.)

Teens – 324 stories

Write about a character making fall decorations out of construction paper.

Kids – 45 stories

Write a story from the perspective of a bird migrating for the winter.

Winter – 128 stories

Write about two characters going apple picking.

Fall – 249 stories

Stories

“Candy Corn Latte” by Sam W

Submitted to Contest #63

“Discontinued?” What do you mean, discontinued?” She shrieks.Laura has waited all year, as she does every year, for autumn to come. She’s waited all year to come to the local coffee shop, Lus Córdoba, and drink the Candy Corn Latte every Saturday, for as long as autumn lasts.For the rest of the year, it’s too painful for eighty-year-old Laura to come to Lus Córdoba. Ever since her husband, Beckett, died of a heart attack coming out of the shop twenty years ago, Laura can’t stand the sight of it. She can’t stand entering the coffee shop that ...

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“The First Day of Autumn” by Grace Lynn

Submitted to Contest #63

Mrs. Clark stood at the door, welcoming each young student with a warm smile and a high-five. We are missing two students, she thought. Almost as soon as the thought passed through her mind, she saw young Julia skipping down the hallway, her backpack dangling off her shoulder. “Hello, Julia!” Mrs. Clark said, stepping into the classroom after her. “Good morning, boys and girls! Today is Tuesday, September 22nd. Does anyone know what is special about today? Ben?” “It’s my daddy’s birthday,” Ben said, his blue eyes sparkling. “H...

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“Conversations With Mom” by Marcia H.

Submitted to Contest #63

“To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in it’s perfect power.”--Maya Angelou It was raining hard in October. I wasn’t very surprised after all, it was the beginning of fall or Autumn and rain is supposed to be a normal thing for this time of the year. But, it had been a long time since rain fell from the sky in any month. I was excited and didn’t even use my umbrella as I walked to the car. My hair got wet and I didn’t even care. I jumped in a puddle like I was a toddler and laughed hard. My next door neighb...

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“Old Man Gaymer's Orchard” by Bob Bobson

Submitted to Contest #63

I miss this, I thought as I stepped over the lone branch fallen in the narrow road. Wind touching my face, I began to think of all the times I used to do this with my father. Yellowing leaves around me on the verges, tangled branches hanging over the bushes and the smell, oh the smell: damp leaves and the richness of my wool scarf that had long ago faded. Perhaps it was time that had faded that smell. I put my hands on the cool and slick metal fence as I jumped the fence into Old Man Gaymer’s field. Dad had always said that Old Man Gaymer h...

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“Seasons Change” by Saron Mengistu

Submitted to Contest #63

I remember the day Milo hammered in my swing on the highest branch of the apple, the car tire dangling from the rope, and every day for hours until the reddish sun dipped beneath the houses, I’d go back and forth, touching the orange-streaked sky, pondering how something as simple as swinging could feel so magical. I’d be dizzy and light-headed from the whirling, and he’d carry me, in the lulling nutmeg smell of his clothes, and I’d nearly fall asleep. He’d set me down on the couch and I’d loll back on the armrest, waiting for him and his sw...

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“I Picked a Peach” by Hazen D

Submitted to Contest #63

Rudy and Celeste woke early in the frigid house, on an icy bed. He leaned over and kissed Celeste on the cheek and quoted one of his favorite films, based on a Waltons’ Christmas. “I picked a peach when I came a courting you girl.” Celeste smiled at him but hurriedly whipped out of bed. She had planned this trip early and could not stand for delays. This morning, they were going to pick up her niece Natalee and carry her around the famous apple orchard they had heard so much about. Apparently, Stephen King’s family owned it and Rudy, having ...

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“Waning Crescent” by Rimi Ray

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. I’d been up in my unlit room, lighting matches and throwing them out of my second-story window. When I would strike a match, the flame burned red-hot against my face, but I didn’t turn away from it. I stared it straight in the eye as it darted around in the breeze and lit up my room for a brief second. And as it fell, it would sway with the wind until it became too much and the light flickered out. And it would fall to the ground. Another disappointment. The movement was almost mechanic...

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“When the Weather Turns” by Karen McDermott

Submitted to Contest #63

“Harvest Mooncha? I mean, surely even you must admit that’s a bit of a stretch?” I laughed, nervously. It’s my knee-jerk response. Only involving my mouth, not my knees. Ferry and I were browsing the menu in Bean and Gone. As soon as the first leaves began to fall, they’d wheeled out the chalkboard list of seasonal drinks. The coffee shop was one of five branches the independent had grown in Brainton. People came in droves to photograph themselves and their friends sipping lattes in the reclaimed furniture or against wallpaper bearing f...

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“The Apple Tree” by Lara 🦋

Submitted to Contest #63

Six months and three days ago, I visited 1920. It was the day they said I killed the boy. He was quite a cunning boy to tell you. He wanted to kill me, to ‘preserve us in the afterlife’.How they found him dead, how he was flung with a gushing chest, pouring red onto the orange leaves remains a mystery to me. He lay there atop the fiery mosaic of leaves and blood. It surprised me to see him in solid form; he used to look as misty as a ghost. He told me he was already dead, killed in an accident on apple picking day, September 26th, 1920.A hun...

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“Punjabi taste of Malaysia ” by Huma Imran

Submitted to Contest #63

The girl, who lived with her family in Pakistan, was living day and night in a backward area where food and hunger was considered more than education. Mehak was a lower middle class girl. Mehak ,her mother and grandfather was living with her uncle and aunt and their family (her three daughters) in a house of four marlas . No one except her grandfather loved her . She was known as a burden for her aunt and uncle and was not considered good like others. After the death of her father she had no one even her mother couldn’t do anything . But Meh...

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“The Golden Apple” by Tim Law

Submitted to Contest #63

The first day of autumn saw that it was by then a week that Hans and Rebecca had had naught to eat but the dry almost stale bread they could beg from their neighbors. Times were indeed tough; the village of Nin had a gold mine that had sadly run dry. Those who could grow coaxed from the hard packed earth carrots, turnips, even some potatoes. Those whom had once served the mine and had the might physic chose to leave when the riches vanished. Those foolish enough to think they could coax a little more from the dry veins of the rock ventured f...

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“Sunsets in the Karoo ” by Louise Muller

Submitted to Contest #63

The small bird knew it was nearly time to go. He could feel it in his bones. Every morning was a little colder than the one before and the days were getting shorter. He knew he would soon start his journey north to a warmer place. He had done this so many times before but this time he knew would be his last time. The years had gotten away from him and he was an old bird now. He looked out at the sight that spread itself out in front of him. It was perfect, wide open spaces that had nothing to hide. It was welcoming and free. He loved this ...

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“THE JOURNEY WITHOUT LUCY. ” by Loud Paper

Submitted to Contest #63

Lucy woke up to the sound of birds early morning, stretching and smiling through the brighter sun. she pull up the curtains and saw numerous birds feeding on the grass not far from her backyard farm. Lucy walked up to the birds and tried getting one as a pet, unfortunately she slipped and fell. Her neighbour's children giggle and chuckled at her. One of the children walked up to Lucy and said, would you love to keep one? She nodded and said yes, would like to keep one as a pet, I wouldn't mind if you offer a help.maybe your friends...

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“Honeycrisp” by Robyn Barlow

Submitted to Contest #63

“I thought you said this would be fun,” Aiden mumbled as he walked between the endless rows of apple trees. Jordy tailed behind him slowly. His gaze was fixed on the branches above, searching in vain for any glimmer of a shining red apple, but at Aiden’s remark, he looked down and smirked. “I never said that. Tristan did,” he said. “Why? Aren’t you having fun?” Aiden glanced over his shoulder at the other boy. “Sure. We’ve been walking through this stinking orchard for two hours, and have only seen, like, three apples -- and one was moldin...

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“Faded Overalls” by Paige Leppanen

Submitted to Contest #63

North Carolina is 1,332 miles away according to the online map I’m looking at. The flight time isn’t too bad, but driving would be an all-day event. Possibly longer the way Sarah drives. She insists on stopping anytime she sees something that looks fun and, preferably, inexpensive. It makes for a great adventure when I’m in the mood for it yet a long trip when I’m in a hurry. I took it for granted, though. I never thought we’d live so far apart that we couldn’t take random road trips. I expected the business of work, marriage, maybe even kid...

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$50

Prize money

907

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Oct 16, 2020 EST

Won by Masha Kurbatova 🏆

Title: come to atlanta!

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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