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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

“The Star and the Moon” by Izzy Knutson

Submitted to Contest #68

“C’mon it’ll be fun!” Aster smiled, his eyes glinting with mischievousness as they always did. “It’s 6 in the morning and freezing outside. How is that fun at all?” Luna leaned more into her blanket, shivering. “It’s really not fair that you're always so warm, are you a human or a heater?” Aster laughed, throwing his head back and closing his brown eyes. “I believe I may be a heater but I’m not completely sure yet.” He grinned, his one dimple showing. He looked near where the sun started to rise and his large brown eyes widened. “We ...

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“Pinky” by Jennalee Love

Submitted to Contest #68

Hues of purple and pink played together in the background of the sunrise, as if they were old best friends. A spectacular view that belonged on a postcard but Kenzo’s eyes were fixed on her. A short distance away a girl danced in the sand. Twirling a hula-hoop around her body and throwing it into the air. Waves crashed in the background. Bewitched, Kenzo stood up wiping the sand off his shorts. He had to be near the girl with a rainbow for hair. He had never been in love before. Not with anyone who had ever loved him back. But he thought ...

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“Trapped in paradise ” by Vameerah Darren

Submitted to Contest #68

The sun, crimson and beautiful, peeked out from the horizon, shining through the clouds, illuminating our faces. “Beautiful isn’t it?” I turned to him, “It is, breathtaking even.” He sighed and leaned against me, his arm draped around my shoulders carelessly. “I wouldn’t want to watch it with anyone else," he said softly. I smiled, “Not even your Aunt Susie?” He chuckled, “Not even Aunt Susie.” “Brady.” I said, more as a statement than a question He looked at me, “Hm?” “We should get back to the boat.” He kissed my forehead...

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“I Wish I Heard Him” by Brammy Rajakumar

Submitted to Contest #68

I Wish I Heard Him “I didn’t marry for love.” We were friends. I cared about him. One day, drunk and upset, I had recounted how I needed to be married. He had awkwardly patted my shoulder and sympathized, telling me about his problems. I offered the solution. He accepted. The perfect answer for both of us, dropped straight into our laps. Izra chewed an ice cube thoughtfully. “Then why did you?” It had been one of the hardest decisions I’d had to make. My parents had fought through an advancing civil war, an unstable...

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“Defying Gravity” by Mary Corbin

Submitted to Contest #68

It was a long travel day. Waking up at dawn, catching the subway to the airport, only to learn about the two-hour delay. They settled in at the gate, Adam with a newspaper and Naomi scrolling her mobile. When it was finally boarding time, they were suddenly aware of each other again, double checking for tickets, shuffling into place on the plane. Adam remained optimistic, ready to share his truth in the proper setting. Climbing into their rental car finally, Adam made easy banter to ease the tension, reminding her about the soaking pools, ...

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“Over the Edge” by Cristina Perea

Submitted to Contest #68

Anna stood across from Sam, her best friend since their diaper days. Her eyes studied Sam's face, looking for the slightest sign telling her that the words she had just heard were a lie. Some distasteful joke and nothing more. All she found though was a deep, painful sadness in her hazel eyes which leaked tears that streamed down her flushed freckled cheeks. No… Everything Sam had just told her was the honest to God truth. When the reality of it hit, Anna could only stand there. Even as Sams's lips moved to speak Anna could not hear a word a...

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“Trust and Truth are Mirrors of Reality” by Ingrid K.

Submitted to Contest #68

Trust, a mirror, is a fragile thing; once broken, it can't be restored. "William." "Yes?" Looking up at Candice's familiar face, I blinked as I sipped a glass of water. She never called me by my full first name. "I have something to tell you." Candice Rosia. My wife of more than fifteen years. My high-school sweetheart. The girl of my dreams. The mother of 'my' child. "Reagan isn't yours." Or, at least I had thought so. As if I didn't notice. Plastering a surprised expression on my face, I let the glass slip from my fingertips. The shot ...

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“The Heart of a Wanderer” by Alice Porter

Submitted to Contest #68

"I never wanted this life," I say. My eyes flicker to Lewie, gauging his reaction to the one secret I have kept from him. I wait for what I know is coming: Anger. Annoyance. Frustration. I had lied to him. He is training me to be one of them. I told him I was excited. I had told him I wanted this. What else could I have said when my father took me to him. But Lewie's face is calm. "It's a little late to back out." Lewie smiles. He has been with the wanderer's all his life, a...

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“I Don't Love Him, I do.” by Sidnie Paisley

Submitted to Contest #68

I don’t love him. Even though he’s everything a girl could ask for, smart, caring, funny, kind, I still don’t love him. I met him last year around this time. I was at the supermarket and we were both browsing through the bread aisle. He “accidentally” bumped into me and said hello, I reluctantly said hi back. He smiled and asked what my favorite type of bread was. I didn’t know people had favorite types of bread. I scrunched up my face in confusion and before I could answer him he apologized and I reassured him that it was fine. He asked for...

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“Training Schemes” by Sara Blanch

Submitted to Contest #68

"Please, your majesty. My family needs me to do this, they need the money or we aren't going to survive this Winter." As much as it pained her to rely on someone so heavily...she didn't have a choice and deep down she knew she was making the right decision, even if it was a trickiest decision she had ever had to make. She was intelligent and tactile enough to make it in the Royal army...and what she lacked in strength she made up for in speed and passion. Only the shrewd observations of the young crown prince had gotten her into this c...

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“The Truth in Speed Dating” by Lori Colt

Submitted to Contest #68

Steven Becker had been thinking about it for a while. Actually, he’d been thinking about it for a really long time if he was being honest with himself. He had prepaid the $2,000 registration fee for the evening’s event and now here he was, exiting the taxi outside of U and 14th, one of the most crowded and recognized intersections in Washington DC. It’s not too late, to turn around and get the hell out of here, the half of his brain that was a little anxious and nervous to be there tells him. Just go, the other half tells him. He moves h...

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“The Beast” by Jordan T

Submitted to Contest #68

“So many people in this world are slaves, and the one holding the whip is the media.” These were the words that the old man had spoken late the night before. He and the old man met together occasionally to discuss the world and how things had changed over the years. Something about the conversation had put a desire in his heart. How can people be free if they don’t know they are slaves? He had to do something. The sun still hid behind the tallest buildings. The man dragged a stand across the street. It was becoming more congested each minute...

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“True Feelings” by Ben Kun

Submitted to Contest #68

Under the old and beautiful Flamboyant tree, in the umbrella of the night sky stood a hopeful Emiliano Queresma - his palms sweating with anxiety as he stood in front of his beloved Natasha Cruz, a fellow South American whose beauty was second to none in his eyes. There could be no one else for him, he believed - obsessing whatever she did or whatever little movements she made; whenever he could, he was watching. “Natasha…” “Yes?” “I’m in love with you, please go out with me!” “...” She looked a little flu...

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“Board up the lies, lock away the memories” by Vameerah Darren

Submitted to Contest #68

“I mean, I’ve gotta be honest here, I never really got over him.” Arya looked at me, “Jules, I’m your best friend, and you never thought to tell me that?” I sighed, running my hand through my hair. “I just, Matty and I, we were so… complicated. I didn’t think you’d want to hear anything else about him.” She huffed, blowing her brown bangs out of her eyes, “Well my dear, you thought wrong. You know you can talk to me, about anything, and besides, you know I’ll tell you if you’re being stupid.” I smiled, Arya Carver, my one and o...

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“Vanishing” by Seeker C

Submitted to Contest #68

Celeste and Damien were the life and soul of any party. She loved to walk around the room and chat with friends, colleagues and acquaintances. He loved to see how happy he could make her by being at her side. A couple that complemented each other in every way. They had met at a mixers event in the city. She flirted and gushed. He smiled and listened. He gave her his attention and she received his affection. A few months later they had moved in together and a year later they bought a house together. “I killed her,” admitted Damien. Peter gasp...

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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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