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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

“My Warmth” by Brennan Bilberry

Submitted to Contest #63

HARBOUR It's cold. I hate the cold. 35 degrees is just too cold for late September. At least it is here. Despite the freezing weather, I'm burning up. My cheeks are flush and I'm simply petrified. I look over at him. I never expected him to say yes. Last Friday Ireland asked me to invite Brett to apple picking. I mindlessly agreed. She promised me something, although I can't remember what. We had hung out a few times with groups of people but we never really were alone together for that long. It was a stupid idea I can tell anyone with compl...

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“Mary and Lynn's excellent adventure” by Annie Gipson

Submitted to Contest #63

Mary and Lynn have been friends since Jr. high school. All through high school, they were inseparable but after they graduated they went their separate ways. Lynn went to college out of state and became a lawyer. Mary went to a local college and became a teacher. They both got married and got on with their lives but always stayed in touch.When they were 25 years old, they decided to get together and have an adventure. They left their kids at home with their husbands and went sky diving. The instructor took a picture of them in the air holdin...

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“The Forbidden Fruit” by Porcu Pine

Submitted to Contest #63

“Give that back, Zia! I called dibs on that apple!” “ But I’m hungry! Besides I picked it from the tree first!” she yelled jumping off the tree and landing clumsily on the grass. “Zia,” he gritted his teeth, trying not to cuss, “ my sweet little sister, I’m the one carrying our load of clothes on my back remember? I’m the one carrying you when you tire! And..and I haven’t eaten anything since that night. So. Give. Me. That. Apple.” “Neither of us have eaten a thing since that night.” she said defiantly. And then almost in a whisper, “ It’...

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“Apple-gate” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #63

Joe Swanson 1056 Words Eugene Or. 97401 joebswanson@hotmail.com Apple-Gate Apple-gate “You ever see that movie about...

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“The Great Blooming Festival” by Jessica Young

Submitted to Contest #63

Have you ever been apple picking in a magical forest? Well neither have I! This year is my first year going to the forest of Peridot and my big brother Olly is taking me. I’ve never been more excited about anything in my life before until I started learning about the festival of apple picking. Once a year, in the forest of Peridot, the great blooming tree bares the most delicious fruit. Travelers from across the world migrate here to harvest the sacred apples, but not before they are blessed by the forest’s guardian Thunder. Thunder is the...

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“Return to the Orchard” by Christina Hansen

Submitted to Contest #63

Apple picking? What am I, seven? This latest in the series of my father’s attempts to buy my forgiveness falls so short of the mark it’s behind the starting point. “Beautiful weather for this, eh sweetheart?” He receives my glare with a chuckle so awkward the scarecrow grimaces, but he’s right. It’s one of those perfect autumn days, just cold enough to need a sweater but not so cold that you’re miserable if you forget one. I forgot one, but I’m sixteen and therefore as immune to the cold as I am to my father’s bribery. My father has his pla...

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“The Sweet Taste of Autumn” by Mary Ellen Hulburt

Submitted to Contest #63

As we got into the car in the early morning, anticipating the long ride, we made sure to bring our morning coffee and some snacks to eat while traveling to the orchard. It seemed like both my oldest daughter and I have been waiting for this moment all summer. The trees along the side of the road was slowly turning the colors of fall, the reds and yellows glowing in the morning sun. As we started our journey, the streets were empty of cars, but inside the car there was laughing at each other, singing loud enough that we were sure the truckers...

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“Of Apples and Alpacas” by Debbie Teague

Submitted to Contest #63

Note: There are two main characters to this story (twins Aidan and Angelina) “Advice from a Tree - stand tall and proud, enjoy the view” - Ilan Shamir The enticing aroma that wafted up the stairs was enough to wake the peacefully sleeping twins. It could only mean one thing - Grandma Joseph was here and she was making her famous apple fritters. Both took the stairs two at a time to high tail it into the kitchen. After big hugs all round, they sat at the breakfast nook while Grandma finished cooking. “Where’s ...

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“Johnny and Sandy Went Apple Picking” by Ezra Leiweke

Submitted to Contest #63

One day Johnny got home from school on a Friday afternoon, he was in a rush to eat dinner. But the bus was taking forever. He told the bus driver to go faster and he was not going to do that so he wouldn't put lives in danger. He finally got home and he grabbed a plate and got a hamburger fries and chips. After he ate he asked if he can go apple picking tomorrow to start of the weekend right. His parents named Joseph and Michelle didn't care. So he texted his friend named Sandy and asked if she wanted to go pick apples her and her parents di...

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“PICKING APPLES ROMANTICALLY” by Brian Hastie

Submitted to Contest #63

Monica locked her seductive brown eyes into Pedro’s dark hazel eyes as they both sat in the alluring pink painted restaurant together with its Caribbean interior and best quality sturdy yellow cane chairs and shiny mahogany benches and tables drinking fine Mexican coffee. Monica somewhat youthful looking at the age of twenty-five fairly attractive with her well developed upper chest region with no hesitation in walking gracefully like any other young pretty Mexican woman. Pedro on the hand with an athletic build with a lush brown beard and m...

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“Among the Orchard” by Manuel Trujillo

Submitted to Contest #63

“Almost nothing has changed in this town wouldn’t you agree Olivia?” Connor says as he walks alongside her through the orchard. “ Honestly, I like that it hasn’t changed. I feel we can go back to our past and escape the city life when we’re out here”. Olivia responds as she grabs another apple from the tree next to her which she then adds to her growing collection. Connor smiles in agreement and looks for more apples to pick. The sun has begun to set and they seem to be alone in this portion of the apple farm with no one else in sig...

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“The Fall” by Leslie Phare

Submitted to Contest #63

Between the burnt orange and deep reds of the leaves were a handful of green leaves, hanging on to the last moments of summer harder than we were hanging on to our marriage. I thought this might be a fun outing, maybe reignite everything that had been missing in the last couple years. He reluctantly agreed to go, but made it very clear that he wasn’t happy about it. Big surprise. We walked through the gates of the orchard seeing row after row of trees and adorable little bas...

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“Apple of My Eye” by ASHTON NOBLE

Submitted to Contest #63

WARNING- SOME mature language -cursing-. Fuzzy and warm in my honey cashmere hoodie, a grin grudgingly gains ground on my stiff face. A glance at the oval mirror above my oak wood dresser saps the hearth-like coziness from my chest.Boots plop on the creaking chestnut floor outside my bedroom door."Ali," calls out James, my little brother. My heart flutters every time he squeals my name with his mouse-on-helium voice. The brass door handle twists and turns. I hasten to pull the silky hoodie over my short ponytail and tighten it, co...

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“Falling Fruit” by Sarah Bowden

Submitted to Contest #63

He kept picking up apples from the scrubby grass, taking a single bite, and then tossing them back into the dirt under the trees.“That’s rotting fruit,” she reminded him for the millionth time.“They’re fallen apples,” he said for the millionth time. “No one is going to eat them just because they touched the ground. But they tugged themselves off the branches because they’re ripe.”She shrugged with absolute neutrality. This was meant to be a fun day out, not a fight or a nag.“I’m going to pay for whatever we actually pick, Alana.”She scanned ...

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“Before the Bad Times” by Amy Wright

Submitted to Contest #63

They walked hand in hand through the orchard that was blazing with color in the dappled sunlight, sacks of apples in their free hands. Emily, with her long legs and tall, brown suede boots, had picked the delectable Jonathans that were too high for most people to reach. Liana had scampered under the low branches selecting juicy Granny Smith’s that hid under leaves and behind knobby branches. Her short, blonde curls shone and her cheeks were as red as the plump apples in her beloved’s basket. “So what’s for dinner?” Liana asked, shuff...

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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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