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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 Season of Change” by Angela Doverspike

Submitted to Contest #63

An October breeze filled the trees, sending colored leaves sailing through the air. A gust picked up and nipped at Joelle’s rosy cheeks. She welcomed the chill. Her silky chocolate curls flew from her shoulders, sending her ochre scarf fluttering. She pulled her brown leather jacket closed and fumbled with the buttons. Fallen leaves scraped along the sidewalk. The children ahead hopped and crunched each leaf in their path with joyous grins plastered below cold-reddened noses. Autumn. The season of change. A time when trees release their old ...

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“A Day in the Coffee Shop” by Raven Adkaing

Submitted to Contest #63

The Early Bird Coffee Shop is already bustling with people by the time that I get there. I stop in the front of the room, and take a moment to breathe in the smell of freshly ground coffee, cinnamon, and autumn ingredients. I order a pumpkin spice latte and a steaming, still-hot cinnamon roll. My favorite table in the corner is still open, and I take it. I wolf down a bite of cinnamon roll and am about to start typing on my laptop when one of my friends, Sara, sits down next to me. “Hi...

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“Pecan Pie Latte” by Kayla Mosley

Submitted to Contest #63

Elise sighed as she watched a spider crawl into the safety of its web in the dusty corner of the coffee shop. The café was as quiet as a classroom on Saturday. No one had come in for hours. Elise gazed out the big window which was the portal to the bustling downtown street. She watched as shoppers and diners strolled right by her aunt’s café. It was a crisp autumn Sunday morning and every business on Main Street was thriving. Every business, except Aunt Edna’s Café. Elise peered around the outdated, yet cozy café her aunt had owned for over...

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“Hanging Premonition” by Mariel Soccal

Submitted to Contest #63

It smells icky and strange. An orange glow welcomes me as I step in. Not the usual soothing rusty mat orange that Per takes so much pride in having us wear everyday. “I despise Baristas wearing black, they look like Dark Metal wannabes”, he told me once, when I dared asking why we all looked like Buddhist monks. Today, the Mormors Café smells oozing and gross, like the insides of an old sponge, and everything glows. A nasty vanGoghish glow. – FALL! Per cries out while I am nervously juggling with my bike’s chain lock, one metal ring strang...

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“Autumn Spice” by Carly Clarissa

Submitted to Contest #63

"Welcome to Top Coffee!" A woman and a smaller man greet Immane from behind the counter with warm smiles as if they were wrapping her in a huge hug. She looked at both corners of the coffee shop, seeing only a young couple on one side, and a lonesome man on the other side, glancing up at her. Immane froze in place for a moment, remembering what had happened. He looked up at her the same way he had just a few moments ago. They continued to stare at each other, both seeming lost in thought, until the coffee shop bell rang, snapping Immane back...

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“Midwestern Gothic Coffee” by Rachael Pittiglio

Submitted to Contest #63

Good morning! Thank you so much for coming into Midwestern Gothic Coffee today. We’re featuring a few new fall drinks, as you can see from our specials board. Oh yes, the names are a bit unusual. Would you like to hear about them? Of course I’d be happy to tell you all about each one! The Pumpkin Sriracha Latte If you love that pumpkin spice but don’t want to look basic, we’ve got you covered. The Pumpkin Sriracha Latte has a triple shot of espresso and a two ounce pour of genuine sriracha sauce for a kick that wil...

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“Taste of Fall” by Mriganka Bhattacharjee

Submitted to Contest #63

The night was at its brim. I was still awake and brewing a mild black coffee, strong enough to keep those red and cumbersome eyes running, not so strong enough to tart my tongue by its lasting bitterness because at last, I was creating the latest autumn drinks and I HAD to taste it when done. Same recipes and same technique, from the amount of extracts to the limit of sugar – everything was used and done accurately yet for the first several endeavours, I could not produce that nostalgic flavour. It made me frustra...

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“The Coffee Palace” by Rajesh Patel

Submitted to Contest #63

I love the fall season. My favorite. Not too cold, not too hot. Just perfect. It is mid-October. The dominant colors in the city are red, orange and yellow. We have a majestic view on the Mount-Royal boulevard. You can smell the fall season and feel the Halloween vibes. After a long day of work on this Friday, after 6 PM, after my shift, I decided to head to this new coffee shop they opened a few blocks away from my office. I am curious. It is not a Starbucks, McDonald’s or Dunkin’ Donuts. The place is called The Coffee Palace. It is not f...

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“Fall Fell Fallen” by Ali Anthony Bell

Submitted to Contest #63

Alexander Blackwell moved from Le Prés-Saint-Gervais, a close suburb, to a very small studio apartment at 84 rue de Raspail in the heart of Paris in the summer of 2007, after having paid for Fatoumata Cissé’s flight back to Dakar and helping her to get away from a forced marriage. He was still working as the Sales and Marketing Director for ACA Atelier des Créativités Artistiques in Pantin, which is next to Le Prés-Saint-Gervais, and commuting by metro. His new apartment was made from two maid’s rooms on the top floor of a beautiful Bourgeoi...

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“Fall from Hope” by Naomi Spencer

Submitted to Contest #63

Colin was staring at his drink, a weary look on his face. Here he was, sitting across from the girl of his dreams in a lovely coffee shop, and all he could think about was how much he hated fall. The Busy Bean was cozy and lively, which contrasted with the gloomy atmosphere outside. The wind was blowing, and the leaves were swirling in the wind. Dozens of shivering people had found refuge in the warmth of the coffee shop. On one side of the room, wooden tables and a long upholstered bench crammed with fall-colored cushions lined the wall. ...

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“Laundry Day” by C Cat

Submitted to Contest #63

>>>>>>>Sent to: monajallen82@gmail.com<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>From: LuciaLosiento@gmail.com<<<<<<<<<<By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. Nature endorses revenge, Mona. And your husband needs to die.Stay with me, OK?Last month, there I am sitting on the 59, wedged in like a sweaty little sardine when I catch this man’s eye. He’s Portuguese or Greek- something tanned and salty. Cute. I smile and then he smacks me in the face with this...

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“Fall's Veil Is Thin” by Santina Loppie

Submitted to Contest #63

FALL’S VEIL IS THIN By: Santina D’Angelo-Loppie By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. The crisp autumn air made an explosive fall palette on my backyard trees. I had been woken by a brisk fall chill and windy howl coming from my slightly cracked window. We were having an abnormally chilly October and in the morning glistening frost was visible atop the multi-coloured leaves carpeting the yard. Halloween was coming, pumpkins were lined up along my deck railing and th...

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“Nice Day Today, huh?” by Emery Maple

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside the leaves were on fire. Literally on fire. And it was spreading out over the dry land and catching the old barn house. It was the middle of the night, practically pitch black. Not even the moon wanted to show itself tonight. I don’t blame it; today's been a shit show. I had been running around all day for work. We got a horrible rush out of nowhere. I got all of the lazy employees and trainees today. None of them were helpful. Then I had to deal with a rude dumpster diver. How can someone come out of a dumps...

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“I'm Fearless ” by HIA CHOUDHARY

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire, the sky was full of stars, I looked at the moon and smiled because he was just like me ......with scars. I was walking in the dark, the wind was blowing my hair with it, I felt the coldness but it was less colder than me, it was getting darker and darker with my every step but I wasn't scared. Sometimes they ask me if I wasn't scared of the darkness? I stopped for a moment and smiled saying "I'm so much scared that I became fearless." I still remember that dark night which was full of m...

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“The Forbidden Fortress” by ABRAR AHMED

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. It was the middle of summer and cold rain was pelting down from the sky. I heard the shout of the guard on my right and tried to keep my expression calm. "Hey, wait!" I didn't know the contents of the voice and looked at the guard on my right with disbelief. "What are you here for? Could you do something to stop the fire, Ordo?" He replied to the guard I thought was confused and leaned against a wall. I frowned and looked over at him. "If you're here to help me, then do it q...

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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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