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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

“"At least we've met" ” by Tammy Baroma

Submitted to Contest #68

“This was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives,” She barely stood upping from her bed because of the loud vibration and noise of her clock. It's another day, the sun rays all over her face. She hears a birdsong from the window, the breeze of the dancing trees. "She sighed, Maybe it's Christmas season". But wait, suddenly hit her head. Oh, it's her boyfriend playing with the soft cotton blend pillows. Caroline is living with her boyfriend since her life goes into chaos because of her family. Her boyfriend's family is op...

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“Betrayed.” by Praise Jirgba

Submitted to Contest #68

This was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives. The day Tim, Joe and pascal never dreaded, the day that held so much for them and the world around them. They were clearly the "Three Monkiteers" in their own case. Their eyes glittered with the joy that was unmistakable, of course who in their case will hide the feeling? All the butterflies one could think of as throwing a party in one's belly were all partying in their bellies. Tim had gone all over the streets sharing the invitation cards, Joe was u...

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“ The uncertainty of happiness” by Stella Ihuarulam

Submitted to Contest #68

This was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives when the agreement too many each other started. The couple has dated for eight years. Before their university education Ekene had been with many men, she had dated so many that the villagers gave her names. On one faithful night, a ritualist dated her; she was almost used for money rituals when a hunter discovered the hide out of the ritualist he asked them to release the girl or else, he would report them to the police. In the hide out of the ritualists which was a very thick forest wa...

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“Ties and heartbreaks” by Igor Markovic

Submitted to Contest #68

This was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives. At least so far. “My little watchful mage” Bor whispered as he was waking up slowly next to Beon. The large Minotaur was hugging the half-orc who was still asleep. His rhythmic breathing was subtle, if not careful, one could hardly tell if he was even alive. Bor ever so slightly tightened his embrace, careful not to wake Beon, but also bringing them closer, and closing the small gap between their bodies. It was warm between them, a sharp contrast to the chill outside. He could hear t...

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“From the Stage ” by Sailor Gascoigne

Submitted to Contest #68

“This was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives,” I called out from the stage putting my hand on my heart, before I could say my next line I was interrupted. “Cut, cut, cut! Isabella what was that? You just learned your sister is dying. Put more emotion into it! Tomorrow is opening night. Get it together people!” I rolled my eyes and flipped back in my script, “Mother what happened? This was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives! Not the last.” I forced a tear and let out a sob, I let my legs give out to emphasiz...

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“Truth and Dare” by Amanda Michaud

Submitted to Contest #68

This was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives. Mark was finally going to get down on one knee and do it. But then something happened. We finally got him to talk and tell us what happened. I feel the heavy contact of metal to my jaw, as I fall to the ground and my head harshly smashes into the ground. Then everything turned black. My mind turns a little clearer, as I have light perception. My body wobbles like I'm being carried. I get set down and feel the gritty dirt on my legs. Next to me I s...

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“Prom Night” by Santiago González

Submitted to Contest #68

This was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives: Prom night. Jackie was as excited as Joe. Until blood was spilled. This was their senior year and the classes were about to end. In the student lounge, Jackie Fang was sitting in the green armchair, by the left corner of the lounge, right in front of the door. The girl had straight black hair, with the tips dyed green like poison ivy, and her lipstick was dry blood red. She was reading an Edgar Allan Poe short story collection. She was moments away from the catalyst of her breakup...

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“THE BIG HOUSE” by Terry Patterson

Submitted to Contest #68

THE BIG HOUSE It had been twenty four years since she’d last see it but the place looked exactly the same. The Big House on the Northumberland coast line was originally built in 1862 by Robert Burton. He was a renowned brick maker by trade and had an extensive business. Sir Thomas Edwards the Conservative MP for Blyth commissioned Burton to build the Gothic looking facade in 1858. Georgian styled buildings were very popular at that time and Sir Thomas liked the style of the House of Parliament in London and churches of that p...

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“Lost Memories” by Atlas Deacon

Submitted to Contest #68

It had been twenty-four years since she’d last seen it, but the place looked exactly same. The wallpaper was torn, the creeping mould having been stopped by the remaining paper on the walls. Unable to resist the urge, her fingers rest delicately on the wallpaper. It was still damp, somehow. She pulls her hand back, wiping the warm droplets on her shirt. The floor was dry, the tiles dirty with age. They had been dirty since she could remember, as if the children who traversed the halls never cleaned their shoes. It didn’t surprise her, she d...

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“24 Years Without You” by Catherine Hebert

Submitted to Contest #68

It had been twenty-four years since she had last seen it, but the place looked exactly the same. Neat flower beds lined the sidewalk and that blasted ginkgo tree was still dropping a thick blanket of leaves over half the lawn. Her heels clicked softly on the brick walk, and the front steps still creaked like they were threatening to fall apart. Once inside, the illusion that nothing had changed was torn away. The house was known for always having something going on was now silent. No dogs were scrambling after a thrown tennis ball, no c...

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“Back to Her Roots” by Mackenzie Kemenah

Submitted to Contest #68

It had been twenty-four years since she’d last seen it, but the place looked exactly the same. The old, angel-like fountain still stood tall in the front yard. The crystal clear water was slowly trickling down the sacred statue. The beautiful marble staircase still leads up to the eye-catching, bright red front door. The white colosseum porch still wrapped around the house like a giant teddy bear. Her favorite swing as a child still swayed in the mid-summer breeze. Her mother's large flower vases still sat around the porch. It was almost as ...

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“The journey of forgiveness ” by Trupthi Joshi

Submitted to Contest #68

It had been twenty-four years since she’d last seen it, but the place looked exactly the same, as eerie as ever, and still managed to give her goosebumps. A broken gate, topped with the words "Rierie Amuset ark" called out to her, luring her back into her past. The gate creaked as she pushed it to make her way in. This was her last stop. She needed this. There were no trees and yet there were dead leaves all around the otherwise bare ground. She could see the carousel on her left, the house of horrors on her right, and all the little s...

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“Unknown Future” by Tanika Perryman

Submitted to Contest #68

It had been twenty-four years since she’d last seen it, but the place looked the same, the thing was she had seen it when she was born and spent a little time there. Not sure exactly why she stood in front of the house. It was hers now, left to her by her grandmother in her will. The house was a mansion. It’s been in her family for generations. There was something about the house that she could not place her finger on it, but she was going to figure it out. She just wasn’t sure exactly how this would end. All she knew was she had a new ...

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“Him” by Martha Meacham

Submitted to Contest #68

It had been twenty-four years since she’d last seen it, but the place looked exactly the same. Sarah, a withered and depressed, woman, had seen too much sadness in her life to believe she could ever be brought down by a simple decaying abandoned building. And yet, here she was. Her will crumbling. Her faith washing away with the rain, standing before this brick and stone. Clothing, tattered and worn, provided no protection from the rain. Although her skin was wrinkled and soaked, she did not feel the cold. The rain poured down as if God hi...

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“Summer Night Secrets ” by Jobedian Kordom

Submitted to Contest #68

It had been twenty-four years since she’d last seen it, but the place looked exactly the same. It had the same shade of blue paint that now reminded her of stolen innocence. The same stark white shutters to round of the secret that the people inside the house lived with for so many years. The secret they all stilled lived with and would die with, if they knew what was good for them. She didn’t exactly know what she was doing back here. It was stupid really and she would tell whoever came up with the idea that she thought so. The whole reas...

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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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