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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

“My Best Friend” by Maria Callender

Submitted to Contest #68

The art of lying is not about body language or which words you use. It’s about believing. To be a good liar one has to repeat the lie over and over until it becomes a fact. So when Katherine wrapped her arms around my neck and confessed that she was very glad about me finally accepting her as a friend, I just hugged her back. I am her friend. “I have to tell you something,” Katherine said taking a step back and looking straight into my eyes. “I’ve always admired you. You are the coolest and most amazing girl in our class. I wish I coul...

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“Keep this to Yourself” by Tim Benson

Submitted to Contest #68

“Keep this to Yourself” Most people deal with it at some point in their lives and usually more than once. It’s one of those times when someone walks up to you, glances around and then leans in and says something like, “Hey, I just heard something and you can’t tell a soul.” Some people react with the thought, “Why in hell do you want to tell me something that has to be kept secret?” Of course there are others who react with “Oh my God, what is it? Tell me!” It’s like you’re being handed a box that might contain a firecracker or it might co...

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“The Spy Who Birthed Me” by Katana Grennay

Submitted to Contest #68

“...and that is how I managed to infiltrate the Department of Justice’s system just long enough to delete the criminal records of the Black men in jail for marijuana charges, but I think I found something, but I could only download a partial file before my security system was breached, so it’s only a matter of time before they’re knocking on our-” Three sharp knocks on the door interrupted me. My mother continued to stare at me with her mouth slightly agape. Three more knocks came, followed by a gruff voice on the other side. ...

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“No Man on Earth” by Sadie Bell

Submitted to Contest #68

The way Maman squirmed in her chair, fiddled with her hands in her lap, suggested a deep discomfort I’d only known her to experience once before, when she received news of my brother’s defection in 1813. Never had she mentioned him since. The reason for tonight’s uneasiness came in the form of a confession, and it was I who delivered the intolerable news. It was a marked departure from my usual role as the reticent and obliging daughter, characteristics belied only in the secrecy of my bedchamber where I ...

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“<(O)>” by A Mehendale

Submitted to Contest #68

Angie’s hiding something.Or, maybe that’s not quite right. Too definitive, it suggests she’s succeeding. And she isn’t - not in any way that matters. She keeps shifting her gaze, and her nails are drumming out the theme to Beverly Hills Cop on the table, and she’s already started speaking and cut herself off three times.I doubt it's anything serious. Angie has a tendency to work herself up into a panic over any small thing, and then face any serious problem head on and stone faced. No one I’d rather have at my side in a crisis - she can be a...

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“The Black Bear” by Robby Cowles

Submitted to Contest #68

I suppose I’ll tell you (whoever reads this, if anyone ever does besides myself) about the Nicolet Bank in Boise, Idaho. If anyone does read these half-remembered scribbles they’ll probably most want to know about the last day of John Blake, or as the scum of the news media called him, “The Black Bear.” It was early winter morning on a Friday. There were four of us then, including John and me. Nicolet wasn’t a big score. (We are, after all, talking about Boise.) We just needed a little extra money for our upcoming travels to Canada. But, as...

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“Towards the South” by Fatima Imran

Submitted to Contest #68

I robbed a bank today. It wasn't my first time. Nor wasn't my second. I lost count after hundred. Robbing and stealing was something I was good at. Or it was something I had to be good at. After staying on the streets for half of my life, eating the leftovers and praying for death every night before sleeping, I had to be good at stealing. It was the way of surviving and I do not have to struggle to live everyday. Taking out a bottle of water from the fridge I took a sip and then moved towards removing my lenses.Green eyes or more s...

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“And That's How It's Done!” by HL Love

Submitted to Contest #68

Puffing up my chest, I prepared to bellow. “Down, down, down, NOW.” I shouted. All 20 people hit the floor with a series of thuds, scuffles, and muted cries. I looked around and without turning to towards the back where I knew my partner waited, I raised my hand to signal that all was under my control. It was difficult not taking the extra time to savor having reached this part of our plan. As my size 13 foot firmly pushed down onto the back of the guard’s neck—without my permission, my mind wound back to when we had cooked up this grand sch...

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“The Drive to the Interstate” by Iris Sarama

Submitted to Contest #68

The beginning of my day started normally. I woke up, got dressed, ate breakfast, and then went to my job at the bank. I was getting people accounts, making deposits for them, and a whole bunch of other boring stuff. Then the incident happened. It was around lunchtime, so I was getting ready for my lunch break. Then a tall hooded figure entered. He was wearing a black hoodie, navy blue jeans, and a nice pair of combat boots. He looked nice, though too casual to be here to do something important. He came up to my counter and said one simple th...

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“People Disappear” by Khair Harun

Submitted to Contest #68

Milo heard about the ATM in the suburban area of Muara Town, a rundown dockyard that harbored around three to four fleets monthly. Various news outlet has reported about government’s plan to transform the old town into Singaporean-like busy shipping industry. Because of the sudden drop in the oil prices, the country’s main revenue, the commercial buildings around the town were stranded with tenants losing their businesses that pushed them to rent elsewhere. Only one particular building has survived the onslaught of the plummeting oil prices....

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“THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS SIGNAL” by Joselito Laraya

Submitted to Contest #68

Valentin glared at the two huge and masculine security guards behind the slightly open glass door of The Royal Bank of Scotland. Instinctively, he slowly lowered his broad shoulders, relaxed his tiger looking eyes and took three deep breaths into his lungs. He feels his muscles and all senses are very alert. His heart beats fast; probably due to the double espresso he had few minutes ago. He now quietly froze his sensitive body. It is now 3:50 in the afternoon; the bank will be closing in ten minutes time. Valentin tilt his head slightly and...

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“IN THE HANDS OF FATE” by Dolapo Omoleme

Submitted to Contest #68

The banking hall fell silent after the first round of shots. Everyone’s attention was instantly pulled in the direction of the gunshots. They knew the sound, and they knew what it meant, given the environment around them, but they wanted to confirm it. It didn’t take them long to find the origin of the sound and the person who had triggered it. The bank customers watched in horror as the robber turned the gun in the direction of the other guard in the banking hall and squeezed off two shots. The guard was slow to pull out his gun. Both bulle...

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“Sleeper” by Jennifer Hansley

Submitted to Contest #68

He stared through the fading November light, searching for his girl. Working with a partner had never appealed to him, but Ambrose could not deny the instant awareness which had flowed over him upon meeting her. Entering the bank had been normal procedure for preparing. Reentering the same bank over the course of three weeks had been solely because of her. Delaying the job for two more weeks had also been because of her. Their meeting did seem apropos to Ambrose when she had described the upcoming shipment of 100 grand for one special custom...

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“Mask on, Mask off” by Aryan Dhar

Submitted to Contest #68

It is always said that there are two kinds of people in this world- sheep, and wolves in sheep's clothing. The two gentlemen who had just now assumed the command of this cold bank lobby were definitely no sheep.While the one with a blank white mask made the teller squirm, the one wearing an ogre mask held a woman by her nape, and pressed his gun to the back of her head.One always does assume that they won’t be possessed to commit such acts of barbaric brutality, but these men had no delusions about their capabilities. The white faced guy was...

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“its over ” by Qa'sai Pena

Submitted to Contest #68

This was supposed to be the happiest day in my life. It was going to be my first time going to predominantly white school. It was going to be a chance to prove to them that I am just as good as white people and that they shouldn't treat me differently because of the color of my skin, but when I arrived at the school it was not liked I thought. Everyone was looking at me , when I was walking down the hall everyone stared, they made fun of the way I dressed and laughed at my kinky hair. When I got to my class the teacher asked if I...

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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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