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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

“Through the Glass Door” by Anonymous 1

Submitted to Contest #63

For 75 years of Carson's existence, never had he believed that such a thing as "colors" exist. He had read about it once of course, when his mama still used to tie his shoes. It was a book called "The Rainbow of Myth." For years, the idea about a multicolored arc across the horizon did nothing but dissipated Carson's faint hope about a scintillating world. He sat beside the door of his dingy cabin, his vision muddled from his sleep. His spectacle clouded by the morning mist. The cardigan stitched by his very own wife, Blessinda, rest her sou...

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“Something About Autumn” by Mia Michel

Submitted to Contest #63

“…The Caramel Coconut Cacao and Maple Mocha Magic…The Cinnamon Chai And Chia With Chilli…The Perfect Pumpkin Puree And Perky Peanut Latte With Whipped And Dipped Coffee Cream…The Molten Marshmallow—” “We’ll just get two of that pumpkin one,” Dunn said. “Can you read it again?” I asked the waitress. “I thought I heard Maple—” “Seriously?” he said. “Make up your mind. We don’t want to waste time.” “I can read it again—”  “It’s fine,” I said, clicking my jaw. “That pumpkin one sounds good.”  “Of course,” she smiles. “I’ll be back right away.”  ...

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“Turn Back Time” by S Mehjabeen

Submitted to Contest #63

A pungent smell with mixed contents of pumpkin spice lattes, freshly baked maple cupcakes, caramel apple and cinnamon brownies wafted in every corner of the cozy little coffee shop. Daniel Schulz’s ‘Turn Back Time’ played softly on the speakers. The melody was deceivingly upbeat and laughs echoed throughout the café but the lyrics were painfully relatable to one customer who sat by the window and listened in silence.Few idle minutes passed then he leisurely got up, dragging his shoes, almost as if against his will, towards the counter.“Welco...

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“Change in Leaves” by Yellow Flower

Submitted to Contest #63

In the middle of the dark cruel city laid a small bunch of buildings. They were tall and skinny brick structures. Bars and black curtains hung on all the windows. No music floated through the streets, no people walked by and talked. The only sounds were the clicking of falling water droplets and the occasional automobile. Out of the buildings, the middle one stuck out the most. Though it had no significant difference the inside shined brighter than anything. When you opened the creaky black door the second you walk in, the atmosphere consume...

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“Peppermint Mocha” by Caitlin Vogel

Submitted to Contest #63

“Mmmm, do I want a white chocolate cinnamon spiced hot cocoa or a pumpkin pie delight latte? I just can’t decide” “ I know right. Everything on the menu looks so good,” I responded. Everything really did look delicious, from the apple crumb cakes to the foamy and frothing cappuccinos. But the real excitement I felt today was getting to spend time with Claire. It’d been ages since I last saw her in person and so much had changed. “What do you recommend?” Claire asked the barista whose lazy smile and glazed over eyes attested to th...

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“It's Worse This Year” by Odette Crane

Submitted to Contest #63

“Close the blinds, do it now.” “It’s after 10, who’s coming back?” “It’s 10:04, and I promise you…” The rap of the glass rapidly buckling in the doorframe startled them both. Molly turned to see a lankey, greying man in a snapback cupping his hand to the glass to peer in. As their eyes met he excitedly motioned towards the handle he had been tugging on with one hand while giving a thumbs up with the other. “Closed. We’re closed!” After one more pull on the locked door, disappointment turned the man back to the woman standing behind...

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“Fall Season: Killing Season ” by Landon Mumm

Submitted to Contest #63

“By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire.” I told the two police officers but they looked at me with disbelief. “Don’t you guys believe me?” “Totally, we just need to understand it a little bit better. Can you tell us the story from the beginning?” One of the police officers asked. He looked professional and truly wanted to help me. The other one was a grumpy old man. He looked like he didn’t want to be here at all. “Do I have to tell it again?” I asked annoyed. “Yes, for us to understand what your doin...

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“Religion as my only option ” by Morena Srur

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. This wasn't the first time this has happened. But this time I was scared. I was terrified. I never saw something quite like it; The smoke was everywhere and I couldn't see much, breathing was as hard as seeing and suddenly I felt like laughing. A thunderous laughter came out of my mouth and I choked on ash. Still I kept coughing and laughing because God! I will die. This is it, this is my last day here. And I'm spending it like this, suffocating on air. I have never felt anything that r...

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“Fall Announcement” by United Fandom

Submitted to Contest #63

'By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were already on fire. Oh, how I wish you could have been here!'Bright blue eyes stared down at the line she had just written, wondering if it was a decent start. Deciding that it was the perfect way to start her letter, she smiled. Her best friend of fifteen years had promised to be there, but something had come up last minute and she had to miss the event. Marcie, as always, had promised to write her a letter describing everything so that her best friend could feel as if she had actually been there...

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“Where there is Smoke” by Carol Keefer

Submitted to Contest #63

“Where there is Smoke.” “By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire.” The colors are so vivid that a person can almost imagine the leaves on fire as smoke rises from the campfire. Ally, my older sister, pokes the wood, creating more smoke than fire. As I approach Ally, I can hear her tiny, quiet intake of breath. I could quickly think of offering my help, but I thought it would be best to wait. After all, she was the one who ini...

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“Entry #45” by Jordan Bonn

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. The humidity hit like the neighborhood ice cream truck, the tires of which melted onto the hot asphalt even in the shade. The heat haze drifted my vision elsewhere, a near psychedelic quality to the ever changing waves in the skyline. I could barely make out what was in the distance due to the size of the sun, just barely kissing the Earth enough to make most men squeal. That squeal is not a pleasant sound; it’s tinny and high-pitched, something less than masculine so many chose ...

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“To be Human” by Chelsea Angell

Submitted to Contest #63

Word Count: 1361 * My muse has had this basic concept for a while. This intro seemed to fit so well, I decided to go with it. Perhaps not what you would expect from a seemingly straightforward autumn theme but finger's crossed it's enjoyed! To be Human. - By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. You could consider that to be the truth of both the autumnal colours cascading through the trees surrounding the compound and the leaves of paper (Pages? Folios? Oh, what does it matter anyway?) that I had left burning...

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“The Single Brightest Red Leaf” by Jessica Tam

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. Piles of burning leaves lined the streets, sitting in front of each house. I was standing alone in the middle of the road, the only one seemingly curious about these fires. What time was it? Was it too late for anyone else to notice? I looked for the time, but it was nowhere to be found. I heard a soft beep that came from behind me as if someone needed to change the batteries on the fire alarm, but not the actual alarm signalling the fires. It was strange how quiet the street fe...

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“Burning Down” by Essy Dean

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire and all I could do was panic. That hadn't been how the day started. It had started normally with coffee and talking to my friend, Natalie. But when I looked away from my laptop screen, the trees in the backyard were on fire, throwing sparks and smoke into the air. They all seemed to land somewhere, spreading the fire. It blended with the leaves, turning to red, gold, orange. The heat from the fire rushed toward the door when I opened it to these how hot it was and it seared through eve...

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“The Sugar Maple Tree” by ENM .

Submitted to Contest #63

Trigger warning: suicide By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. Dressed in deep shades of burnt orange and carmine. I felt more at home in this very moment than I had over these past 6 months, despite being nurtured by my mother, husband, and son. Heaving a deep-heavy breath through my dry burning nose and out my spit drenched mouth, attempting to soak in the fresh autumn air I studied my surroundings, reintroducing them one by one. A rusted mailbox fastened by a singular nail, the light pastel blue of the cloudless s...

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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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