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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

“The Spirit of Hallahan” by Courtney Thomas

Submitted to Contest #63

“By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire.” The scrawny, red-faced boy gasped. Breaker paused for dramatic effect and took a swig of mead, amber droplets sloshing over the sides onto the wooden table. His captive audience of one was supposed to be bussing his table, but his rag hung limply from his hand, forgotten. “Oh go on, what happened next?” he squeaked. “Well…” he whispered, leaning forward and giving a dramatic, furtive look around before continuing. “I made sure the tribe leader wasn’t looking, and I swiped a few of the...

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“The Sun and the Ashes” by Adriana Tapia

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. My dreams from countless nights had apprised me, but once I laid my eyes on it, I knew I wasn’t ready to see it. To imagine I had to endure it, what could remain from such destruction and what beautiful colors would be lost to leave behind burned wood and black piles of ashes that the October wind would make sure to vanish as well. My dreams had already warned me, and yet, I preferred to avoid it. Every morning the ache I felt on my body ended up on nothing but glimmers of denial and ...

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“YELLOW LEAVES” by Mara Masolini

Submitted to Contest #63

YELLOW LEAVES I walked a long time after I came out home. I started my walk towards….I did not knew where, passing through the park. Walking across the park, I felt the grass still damp under my feet, but I should say under my shoes. Feeling the grass you step on, walking on it___and your feet are inside your shoes___(feeling the grass) damp, wet, still drenched in rain, it is a sensation which I have never been able to explain myself, since I have always worn waterproof shoes. After leaving the park I walke...

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“FINAL HOPE” by Zqueen 1214

Submitted to Contest #63

WARNING- HAS VOILENCE AND A LOT OF DEATHS. PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU CAN NOT HANDEL SUCH CONTENT. By the time I stepped outside the leaves are on fire. You might assume when I say “on fire” it means that they’re color between red, yellow, to describe autumn. Well allow me to burst your bubble.They’re literally on fire and that’s my fault. Sirens buzz and my legs sprain .I keep on racing through the trees that are to me a blur of red and yellow. One wrong move and I’m dead, if I don’t well I assume I’ll live a few minutes longer .I know ...

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“Leaves of life” by Hannah Santos

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside the leaves where on fire,The tree that I grew, It's leaves where on fire because I saw him again, Him, a memory from the past, the past I wanna forget. "Hi." he said. I rolled my eyes. "The hell, you doing here?" Anger rose from my voice. "Come on, Caroline! It's been three years already. When will you forgive me?" He sounded so desperate, so sad, but still not enough to believe. "I thought you where dead, honestly." I was nonchalant. So cold, like all of my emotions where swept away by the wind, it sent...

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“Jealousy fire ” by Joan Opoyi

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time i stepped outside, the leaves were on fire.The dark smoke that darkened the clouds;horrible smell that filled the air as people watched from a distance.Oh no!I remained helpless as the fire continued spreading from one crop to another; tears filled my eyes watching my beautiful rose flowers burn to the ground. "What's going on here? "pa! Look my beautiful garden all in flames - why do they want to hurt me? "I hugged my grandpa with tears flowing down my cheeks. I realized a hodded man coming from my backyard;rushing towards the s...

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“Fire Proof, Everything Proof” by Jaymee T

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. So was my car, and so was my entire garage. I could see the firetrucks turning into my street. If they didn't already know my address, they would have seen the flames, and more than that, they would have heard me, screaming my voice box hoarse, and probably being heard 5 blocks over. I knew it had been a bad idea to put windows in my garage door. But the Pinterest boards were too enticing, and in the end, my needs for aesthetics won over. Aesthetics also burned down my garage, so, tak...

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“Apple Cider, Spiced Tea and Stovetop Hotdogs” by Madisson James

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. It moved a lot faster than I had expected. I grabbed the closest thing nearby and made a dash for the water faucet. Old man Kibbler’s boots weren’t much but it had to work. I filled the boots with as much water as they could hold and then ran back to the pile of burning leaves. I dashed the water onto the small fire and smashed the remaining smolders with my sandals. “What the hell are you guys doing?” I shouted at Benji and Lole. Benji had matches in his hands and Lole was holdin...

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“FIRE DANCE” by Dolapo Omoleme

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. I’d gotten too close to her too soon, and I’d noticed the books before I could control it. Mrs. Simpson discarded the burning books as quickly as she could and jumped a few steps back to put as much distance as possible between her and the flames. She hissed, and then scoffed, and then contented herself with a scowl. That wasn’t the first run-in I’d had with Mrs. Simpson. We’d had many run-ins in the past, some as early as a few days before the encounter on the front porch that morning....

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“Wild Fire” by Steak AndEggs

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. They were a burnt mix of brown and bright yellow. The life was slowly fading away from them. Smoke billowed throughout the trees around my home. Honestly, I was a bit surprised it spread so quickly. The tv blared in the living room. Some reporter going on about a local wildfire. I’d like to see that reporter get this close to it. I want them to taste the burning tree sap. Nobody would be crazy enough to make their way up here now. There’s far too much smoke for that. If they could only ...

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“A Replica of Goodbye” by Karl Ekstrom

Submitted to Contest #63

“By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire.” He swallowed hard, the taste of smoke still in his mouth. “You have no idea what we went through, no idea what that psychopath did to us. I watched my friends die one by one while you assholes did nothing to help!” Myles looked at the officer across from him and scoffed at the impartial look on her face. “I know you think I did this because I’m the only left, the only one that escaped that freak’s death trap. He’s still out there though and he’s going to kill again or come for me next...

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“The Imperfect Solution” by E.G. Reid

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. The drizzle that had dulled the October morning had run its course, and now a brilliant afternoon sun slanted its rays down on the leaves that shimmered under the sky’s pristine blueness. I knew exactly how long I had been in the ruins, reading, pondering, and experiencing the world, yet I had not predicted the complete change that mere hours could achieve. I watched the afternoon grow darker. My sensors detected the cooling air corresponding with the seep of shadows t...

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“The Sanctuary ” by Aprill Michael

Submitted to Contest #63

The Sanctuary By: Aprill Jones By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire, and so was Saint John’s Mental Health Sanctuary behind me. The heat was burning and melting the plastic knife I had in my hand, I was completely numb until I felt its wax-like frame melting into my hands. I tried hopping over the charring leaves, trying to save my bare feet from the same fate I could not save my hands from just seconds ago, but that was not working. The ground beneath me was already so hot, I decided to just make a break for it, running...

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“The Light” by Cody Mitchell

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. I walked toward the nearest tree and flung the bottle onto the concrete at its base. The glass shattered and the bottle’s contents burst into flames, whiffs of sweet cinnamon overtaking the smoke for only a moment. A tendril of foul air slithered down my throat and I convulsed, overtaken by a coughing fit as I turned back toward the house. I slammed the door behind me, barricading myself from the growing heat outside. With the windows boarded up, the only light in the room came from...

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“Grocery Shopping” by Gurupavan Sudhakar

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. Trees had shades of orange, yellow and red. Only a few infrequent trees were still somewhat green. The sky was a bright blue dotted with clouds. Pigeons flew in cohesive groups around buildings. As I walked past the door, a cold breeze smacked my face. The weather was deceptively cold for the bright sun. I pulled the metallic zipper of my gray hoodie in order to try to negate the effects of the cold weather. I had not been outside the house in a long time due to the pandemic. But I stil...

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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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