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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

“A White Lie Won’t Hurt Anyone But Me ” by April Summers

Submitted to Contest #68

“Stella...I‒I...I think I’m gay!” “And I need to go home and watch the next episode of my korean drama! Now will you shut the hell up and help me with this damn banner!” Stella yelled back as her usual self with no hesitation what-so-ever, as if what I had just said was just a normal thing to say like, “Oh, what lovely weather we’re having today?” Although I do think it’s slowly starting to be acknowledged and normalized, it still’s got a long way to go towards being accepted with open arms and no judgemental views. I don’t think judgementa...

2 comments 2
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“Synchronous” by GRACE LARSON

Submitted to Contest #68

The sky is fading from black to grey when I quietly open the door and slip outside into the chilly morning. The air, sharp with the tang of the sea, comes rushing up my nostrils, stinging them with its salty fragrance. I breathe in deeply, sucking after the cool air like water. It is deep and fresh and buoyant, soaked in memories of cool sands, white mists and breaking waves. I start down the path to the beach, the crash and slap of the waves becoming louder as I draw near. Just before rounding the bend, I pause, savoring the antic...

19 comments 19
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“For Love's Sake.” by 𝔞𝔰𝔥🤍 𝖔.

Submitted to Contest #68

“This was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives,” Deanna's voice quivered and had already shrunk. Shards of Veuve Clicquot bottles were scattered like roses around her, the marble floor of the Dëclorage hall had never felt more comforting than this moment. She groped around the glass shards, achieving nothing more than larger cuts in her palms; she was left alone, they all left... He left. *** "SHUT UP! SHUT UP!!" The shouting was violence in the air, a way to take the anger from him and transfer the tension in Deanna. He didn't...

5 comments 5
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“When The Sun Rises But Never Sets” by ✰ 𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐲 𝐣𝐚𝐧𝐞 ✰

Submitted to Contest #68

   This was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, at least that's what They said.   I stared at the window of my pod. All I could see was the hazy green air filled the room, like it had my entire life. Like it had for the past million years, except today, it was even worse. A red light flicked on and off above me. This was the last five minutes on Earth and I was spending it in a stuffy pod filled with recycled air. The same air that I would be breathing on the four week trip to Mars. Everyone who cou...

5 comments 5
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“I Have Something to Confess” by Annette Lovewind

Submitted to Contest #68

“Can I confess something to you?”, my friend Anglea asked me.   “Sure, anything for you”, I reply.             “I killed somebody.” My brain does a 180 at those words. She would never. “You're joking?” I say. Anglea looks at me, her facial expression hard to read. She stares at me. I wonder what she is thinking. Anglea opens her mouth but shuts it the moment she opens it. I can see she is trying to figure out how to say things. I just hope that those things are along the lines...

5 comments 5
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“The Reunion” by Pratheeksha R

Submitted to Contest #68

This was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives. After several failed attempts the three best friends had finally succeeded in having a reunion.  “This only worked because Mai is going to the States and you wanted to see her one last time. You guys don’t respect my initiatives otherwise ” Dimple asserted as she drove the car. She was the leader and basked in the spotlight whenever a chance opened up. “And, she wanted to bully me one last time.” Anwesha groaned, riding shotgun. She was an introvert, who seldom spoke.  ...

12 comments 12
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“A Killer Secret” by S. Closson

Submitted to Contest #68

On the side of the tracks that no one bothers to wander except the homeless and the hopeless, JP and I sat quietly behind the burnt-out shell of an old Firebird. Were things ‘business as usual’, we would be halfway through a case of Coors right now, plotting our next longshot plan for fortune and fame. The past week had changed all of that.  For a fleeting moment earlier in the morning, I’d completely forgotten about the murders that had rocked our block. I woke up happy as a lark, fished out some clean-ish clothes out of the sma...

2 comments 2
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“Until The End Of Time” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #68

           Fourteen-year-old, Becky Swanson was mesmerized at the brilliant color spectrum that filled the sky over Lake Canatoga at dawn. A gaggle of geese honked as they skimmed across the almost-still water. Becky heard the snap of a twig off to her left and turned quickly to find its source.            About fifty feet away, a young man with auburn-brown hair sat on a boulder staring out into the lake. He looked to be about sixte...

2 comments 2
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“A Diamond” by Diana Reyes

Submitted to Contest #68

It had been twenty-four years since I'd last seen it, but the place looked exactly the same, the goose bumps, the shivers, and the memories inculcated deep within my soul never vanish nor grant me a sound sleep. "What are you doing here?" the soft yet intimidating voice echoed inside the room. I knew him, without looking at his visage; his voice is enough to drive me nuts. I decided to not face him, I tried to make my feet move to keep my sanity but half of me wanted to stay, even a little longer. "You have not changed a bit, Felicity", ...

0 comments 0
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“The Victim” by Jude E.

Submitted to Contest #68

The Victim “I killed him.” I smiled maliciously at my friend, who looked as frightened of me as ever. Clearly he wasn’t too comfortable associating with a murderer, but I couldn’t be bothered about it. He’ll leave just like everyone did, but that was okay. The ugly lone light bulb that was illuminating this garage made everything look a disgusting shade of olive-green. His face was already yellowed ever since I did it, but who was I to keep peeping around him? His metal chair screeched painfully as he inched closer to the lustrous ta...

6 comments 6
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“She is right here” by Srishti Singh

Submitted to Contest #68

We both were on the bank of the river watching the sunrise. She looked so pretty under the scarlet sky. Her skin had a surreal glow. She closed her eyes eyes to feel the fresh air. This was the only place she wanted to go before her heart transplant. "This place has some power, Meghan! Some kinda positivity. Everytime I come here I forget all the pain inside me" Chrissy said. " Yes, Chrissy you're right" I said. We are best friends since second grade with really no boundaries, I mean I can possibly tell you how many zits she had ...

10 comments 10
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“New Beginnings Start With A Gun” by Iona Cottle

Submitted to Contest #68

The gunshot echoed around the foyer. Anya had never heard a gun go off before, not in real life, and yet she knew what it was straight away. The coins she was dividing up into the till scattered to the floor, the noise of them lost beneath all the screaming. There was another gunshot. “Everyone, shut up!” The single voice reverberated as loud as the gun, cracking a little at the end with the strain of being heard over all the chaos. Bit by bit the hubbub died down, until the only sounds were whimpering and the occasional soft sob. “Tha...

4 comments 4
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“The Marriage of Her Dreams” by Kate Winchester

Submitted to Contest #68

This was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives, or so she thought. Today was the day! June 1st would become a new holiday for the Mr. and Mrs., and it would be one that Amelia would mark on the calendar just for Wesley because she would always remember the date. In terms of planning, Wesley was along for the ride, but he had faith in Amelia. All that mattered to him was the marriage; he would have been content with a courthouse wedding. He had no qualms giving Amelia the reins. If she sought his input h...

6 comments 6
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“Forgotten Stars” by A. S.

Submitted to Contest #68

The moon hung heavy in the sky that night. Smooth ivory silk that had been draped over a bulb, filtering the sparking, golden glow into something luminescent and unreachable. Stars were scattered throughout, drops of mercury splattered onto a canvas by an artist’s tired brush. The surrounding ink landscape was illustrated in such careful clarity that a single breath threatened to smudge it.             Feather-tipped fingers lightly traced the edges of the open window. Clear eyes sa...

6 comments 6
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“Welcome Home” by Daniel Roueche

Submitted to Contest #68

It had been twenty-four years since she’d last seen it, but the place looked exactly the same. The door was that same olive green she’d hated as a little girl. The roof hung down over the red brick like a thick eyebrow. It always reminded her of the look her father gave her when he disapproved of her. Low and angry. The windows glared down at Gwen, daring her to come in.   Her mind screamed at her to stay away. But she couldn’t. She felt she needed to go back, and not only because her therapist explained that facing childhood...

4 comments 4
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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!

Prompts | Many Hands | 2024-09

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Prompts | Many Hands | 2024-09

Join our weekly contest

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