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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#68: Meet in the Middle

If there’s one thing we know, it’s that the internet loves to argue. Perhaps one of the stranger fights I’ve seen is what constitutes a “sandwich” — you’d think the definition would be universal… and you’d be very wrong.

But whether you classify hot dogs, pitas, and burritos as sandwiches or not, one thing we can agree on is this: no matter how similar the components, there’s endless variety to be found when you combine the ingredients in different ways.

With that in mind, this week we’re celebrating the infinite diversity of fillings. To do so, we’re going to provide you with the beginning and ending of your story — and it will be up to you to fill these two slices of literary bread with whatever you can imagine!

This week's prompts

Start your story with two characters watching a sunrise and end it with one of them seeing the moon reflecting off a lake.

Adults – 301 stories

Start your story with someone admitting a secret and end it with someone telling a lie.

Dramatic – 180 stories

Start your story with someone robbing a bank and end it with two people driving on an interstate.

Dramatic – 86 stories

Start your story with the line, “This was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives,” and end it with, “By then it was too late.”

Sad – 132 stories

Start your story with the line, “It had been twenty-four years since she’d last seen it, but the place looked exactly the same,” and end it with, “[…] and that was all that mattered.”

Adults – 178 stories

Stories

“From Dusk 'Till Dawn” by Black Raven

Submitted to Contest #68

We are here at last! After months of long, boring planning the show is about to start! There were so many different candidates, and I wanted to do them all, but knowing Ace, I should have known better. He's always all about planning and making rational decisions. If you can consider robbing banks all over the world something rational. Unlike him, I don't care about planning. I think it's a total waste of my time. I prefer living in the moment, enjoying the thrill, you know. We are total opposites, though they do say that opposites attr...

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“Stay ” by Heather Ann Martinez

Submitted to Contest #68

Stay By Heather Ann Martinez We were up early looking at the first sunrise of our marriage. After many proposals, I finally agreed to marry you. The sunrise was perfect. Our coffee cups were warm and seemed nestled into married life. We thought we would have thousands of mornings to look forward to like this. We thought there would always be sunrises we would enjoy or some we would even forget and spend a few extra hours in bed alone. We forgot our hearts, our passions and what we were asked to do. We knew we were not born to be on thi...

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“Seashell” by Ellie C

Submitted to Contest #68

Seafoam graced the soft white-sanded shore and two twin doves soared overhead. A light wind carried the calming ocean air and pushed the small sails of children's play ships. Together the children, hand in hand, chased their ships as the ocean carried them away. Their light steps made small indents on the sand and scattered the small shells and fish that lingered near the shore. A gust of wind came and the tiny ships drifted further so that the children could no longer follow. It was early morning, there was no lifeguard on duty, so the chil...

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“Journey to Fate” by Sue Marsh

Submitted to Contest #68

Journey to Fate Suzanne Marsh It had been twenty four years since she’d last seen it but the place looked exactly the same. Sally Miles dressed in her best silk dress, sat quietly on the steam locomotive, hating the cinders blowing on her dress; into her eyes. She had no real desire to return to Fate but it was something only she could do. Her brother Sam had become a notorious bank robber, her fate was Madam of the best brothel in New York City. Why, she questioned herself was she returning to her shack of a home, here in Fate. The answer...

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“Cigarettes and an Orange Soda” by Makayla Boden

Submitted to Contest #68

I have to tell you a secret.When I was younger I made a mistake. I haven’t told anyone because I was too afraid of what they’d think of me. But I am older now, and all the people who I let down have long since been returned to the ground. All these years I let the weight of my knowledge settle heavy on my mind like cement, coating my thoughts, weighing me down.I was ten years old when I found the receipt. It wasn’t much, just a water stained scrap of paper that had slipped down behind the driver’s seat of our ‘72 Ford Squire station wagon. T...

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“Blue Eyed Invasion” by Roth Sassin (inactive)

Submitted to Contest #68

This was supposed to be the happiest day of their life. Sarah was nervous. "C'mon," coaxed Zoey. "It'll be awesome.""I can't wait for MY wedding," said Chloe."I bet Elijah's just as nervous. But he's still coming. So you're still coming," comforted Grace."I-I'm coming. I-I'm just. . .really nervous.""We know," Chloe says. "You told us a million times.The two other women shush her."What Chole means," Zoey comforts. "Is that we know you're nervous, and we're trying to help. So if saying it a lot helps, you can do it, and we won't care, be...

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“The one constant” by Stephen Timm

Submitted to Contest #68

The sun was just emerging over the mountains, with the light turning from a light blue florescent to bright pastels of blue, green and brown, when I heard her stirring in my tent. I was standing outside, crunching on a pear, with a small container of yoghurt in my left hand. I smiled. “Come look at the sunrise,” I said to her (Catarina was her name), in hushed tones so as not to wake anyone. The other tents were quiet. So, I suppose we were the first up. The idea had been to wake early so that we had time enough to make it on foot to the ...

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“Changed in the Dark” by Meghan Herbert

Submitted to Contest #68

Eli and Shelby stood quietly at the edge of the woods, watching the sun rise together for the last time. “You know you could always come with me,” Eli told her, breaking the silence. Shelby shivered and pulled her jacket tighter. The sun was still rising but its rays held no warmth in the cold winter morning. She shook her head, “You know I can’t do that Eli. I belong here.” He crinkled his nose in disgust. “You mean you belong here with him.” She turned away, refusing to look at him and see the accusation plain on his face. “Wha...

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“Forgive Me, My Dear, for the Fools Call Me into Battle” by Kathleen M.

Submitted to Contest #68

“Could I tell you a secret? It’s about my father.” The Prince, blunt as ever, turned to his servant unexpectedly, causing the Mage to lose his place in his book.“The walls have ears, my friend. Are you sure you trust them?”“They are my ears, are they not?”The Mage chuckled, “They will be, but for now you are a prince.”“And you are my most trusted advisor. Would you care to shoulder my burden with me?” “I suppose.” The Mage was not immune to flattery, nor was he immune to his Prince looking so serious and trusting.“I…” The Prince started...

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“Wonderlake” by Méliss Lgrd

Submitted to Contest #68

"Clap. Clap. Clap " Emilie's feet were gently stirring in the water of the Wonderlake as we watched the sunrise peacefully without a word. A fresh breeze was blowing, characteristic of the mornings of late August, which reminded me, unfortunately, that I would soon have to leave this paradise that was Grandeaux. _________________________ I had met Emilie as a child, perhaps at the age of six. Her parents lived on the other side of Lake Grandeaux. As a child, you could already guess the natural beauty she would later become: Her round por...

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“Songkhla Lake” by Colin Devonshire

Submitted to Contest #68

Songkhla Lake “Here Comes the Sun. Watch this,” he whistled. The couple sat on a rock arm in arm. “Beautiful, you know I’ve never seen the sunrise like this in England?” “You mean not over a flat lake? You’ve seen it plenty of times, but over council house roofs.” “Yes, on my way home after a late shift at the hospital,” she laughed. “Not quite the same, is it?” “No dear, I feel a lot will change living here.” “And just think, on your sixtieth birthday you celebrate by watching nature’s beauty in Thailand.” “Thank you, dar...

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“A Cabin Vist” by Levi Alexander

Submitted to Contest #68

It had been twenty-four years since she’d last seen it, but the place looked exactly the same, Grey entered the cabin, memories flooded her mind, of all the times their family came up for holidays. "The hidden cottage." They muttered, that's what their mom would call it, as her mother's story played in her head, they repeated it, "follow the road down to Mulvoid Lake, take the hidden path through the forest of mist, the cave of terror. You'd end up in the enchanted woods." only now, they realised how weird it all was, for...

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“Unveiled” by Mandy George

Submitted to Contest #68

It had been almost 20 years, Samantha kept her secrets from the entire world and bottled it inside where she meant for it to remain for her lifetime. Night and day, she thought about those deep dark secrets that haunted her each night. Every area of her life was affected by these secrets and she was unable to perform well at high school or at anything for that matter. Samantha always assured herself and tortured herself to the point of believing that she would die at a very young age from sexual diseases; specifically aids. Furthermore, sinc...

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“75 Wedgewood” by Angela MacMurray

Submitted to Contest #68

It had been twenty-four years since she'd last seen it, but the place looked exactly the same. She stared blankly up the driveway at the house that used to be hers and felt a rush both of nostalgia and regret. The house at 75 Wedgewood Court had passed from owner to owner, a great starter home in a family-friendly neighborhood. Often families would buy the home for a few years only to sell it once their kids were a bit older and less likely to frolic with the children in the houses nearby. Rachel vaguely remembered a blonde girl named Brynn....

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“Stay” by Zena Jalloh

Submitted to Contest #68

“Do you believe in the butterfly effect?” he turned to me, long strands of wavy hair falling into his eyes. Even though we were on the roof, it was still hazy, partly from the smoke and our breath heating up the freezing air.“What’s that?”“You don’t know about the butterfly effect? Come on Val, aren’t you supposed to be the smart one?” Tony smiles and my stomach churns at the way he says my name. Valerie, but it’s always Val for him, or babe, or sometimes even poopy-head. “Shut up,” I rolled my eyes, swatting at him. He’s such an ...

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$50

Prize money

877

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Nov 20, 2020 EST

Won by FJC Montenegro 🏆

Title: Silence

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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