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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#69: Ties That Bind

We’re entering the season where families normally gather together in gratitude and celebration — and though many traditions will be taking a different shape this year, staying connected with those we love will remain just as important and meaningful as ever.

This week we’re going to explore the many ways that families influence our characters. Like it or not, our childhoods and the people who raised us have a strong influence on who we become as adults, which makes families a wonderful avenue for exploring backstory and building a strong character.

While writing your stories this week, try to think not just about the events taking place in your story, but the many years of family ties that preceded it. How do longstanding feelings, old wounds, and past events impact the conversations your characters are having now? And how will these events impact their relationship in the future? After all, your characters will be seeing these people for many years to come… Or will they?

🥇 Winner

“To the Lowly Dove” by Kate Le Roux

🏆 Winner of Contest #69

It was always Amrak’s job to deal with the birds afterwards, and he had always hated it. Every Temple day after the service he would have to wait for the worshippers to leave, then hang around while Father and the other priests finished up. As soon as they were gone the work began – mopping up the spilt blood, gathering the dirty robes into a basket to take outside to the waiting washerwomen, piling up the silver bowls to carry to the kitchen to be cleaned. Amrak had asked his father many times if he could rather wash the bowls, sweep the st...

148 comments 148

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⭐️ Shortlisted

“Sweet Truths” by Korra Shere

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #69

I look at my father’s sugar-crusted hands, his shocked eyes, and I know that I am breaking his heart. It is the worst time to say anything, to just blurt it out like this, while we are cooking and preparing the house for guests – especially because my father is busy doing the one thing that I am about to tell them that I will never do. But I can’t hold it in any longer, and I need to say something now, otherwise I’ll just be delaying the inevitable and probably have an anxiety-induced breakdown in the meantime. We are standing in t...

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“My Uncle By the Sea” by Scout Tahoe

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #69

1. Backpfeifengesicht | noun | (German) ‘A face that begs to be slapped.’ My uncle married a woman when I was three. Her name was Katharine and she had golden threads for hair and a voice like the tinkling notes of a piano. Coming from a long line of Germans, she could be sweet and sugary or tight-lipped and harsh. She chose me and my older cousin to be the flower girl and ring bearer, giving us a basket full of creamy white rose petals and two silver rings with the instruction not to lose them. Now I was only three and there are t...

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“The True Tradition” by Marissa Yates

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #69

At the conclusion of meeting #379, Jane covered her webcam, turned off her speakers, and dropped her head into her hands. It was the same every time. These video meetings left her drained and emotional, questioning every word she said, every half-heard phrase, every glitchy movement from her coworkers. It was difficult enough to work from home when communication in companies was so poor, but to add a video meeting to the mix was almost too much for her to handle. At least it’s just for work. And they’re usually relatively short, she tho...

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“Daisies” by Briana Spring

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #69

My daisies stopped growing overnight. They had been consistently blossoming for the past seven days; a full year after I planted them, which in itself was normal, except they were meant to start sprouting petals by now. Instead, I found when I measured both of them this morning and checked with my growing chart, that neither had grown a millimeter taller since yesterday. I huffed in frustration. They had to be ready by tonight. I needed them to be. Otherwise, I wouldn't have any achievement to talk about in the barbecue.I had no experie...

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This week's prompts

Write about a family adapting a holiday tradition to take place over video chat.

Holiday – 59 stories

Write about someone who falls back into childish behaviors whenever they’re around their family.

Kids – 66 stories

Write about someone who didn’t get along with their family as a child, but has since found an appreciation for them.

Teens – 112 stories

Write about a family’s first holiday after a parent has gotten remarried, and now there are new faces at the table and new traditions to be honored.

Holiday – 98 stories

Write about someone telling their family they won’t be continuing the long-standing family business.

Sad – 175 stories

Stories

“To the Lowly Dove” by Kate Le Roux

🏆 Winner of Contest #69

It was always Amrak’s job to deal with the birds afterwards, and he had always hated it. Every Temple day after the service he would have to wait for the worshippers to leave, then hang around while Father and the other priests finished up. As soon as they were gone the work began – mopping up the spilt blood, gathering the dirty robes into a basket to take outside to the waiting washerwomen, piling up the silver bowls to carry to the kitchen to be cleaned. Amrak had asked his father many times if he could rather wash the bowls, sweep the st...

148 comments 148

Read story

“Sweet Truths” by Korra Shere

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #69

I look at my father’s sugar-crusted hands, his shocked eyes, and I know that I am breaking his heart. It is the worst time to say anything, to just blurt it out like this, while we are cooking and preparing the house for guests – especially because my father is busy doing the one thing that I am about to tell them that I will never do. But I can’t hold it in any longer, and I need to say something now, otherwise I’ll just be delaying the inevitable and probably have an anxiety-induced breakdown in the meantime. We are standing in t...

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“Thank You” by 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐿𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝓌𝒶𝓃

Submitted to Contest #69

“She’s here!”“You're kidding.”“She’s here!”I couldn’t believe it. Our new mom is here? Right now?“Come and meet her, April!”“Michael! Alright, fine. I’m coming!”We stomped into the yard, the gravel scraping our boots. The garden here was empty and barren. We had stopped growing things after Mom had gone. Kicking at a clump of dirt and weeds, I pushed off the overwhelming thoughts of death and roses, and focused on the new mom. I was… happy, nervous, and sad. What if she takes advantage of Dad? What if she beats us and abuses us? What if…I st...

272 comments 272

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“Redecorating Delilah” by 𝕜𝐞𝕟𝐝𝕣𝐚 𝕤𝐭𝕠𝐧𝕖

Submitted to Contest #69

Bree Del just texted us. “I lost my job today,” Marissa read. “LOL, love you.” She shook her head, making her flashy rose gold earrings jump in wide surprise. I shrugged. We both knew Del. Her job wouldn’t have lasted a month. Or, in this case, two weeks and six days. But who’s counting? “She needs to stop making this a habit,” Marissa said, twisting her lips into a salmon-colored line. “Why can’t she stick to something she actually knows how to do?” Delilah, or Del, was the color orange. She was organized and disorganized at the same time, ...

122 comments 122

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“My Uncle By the Sea” by Scout Tahoe

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #69

1. Backpfeifengesicht | noun | (German) ‘A face that begs to be slapped.’ My uncle married a woman when I was three. Her name was Katharine and she had golden threads for hair and a voice like the tinkling notes of a piano. Coming from a long line of Germans, she could be sweet and sugary or tight-lipped and harsh. She chose me and my older cousin to be the flower girl and ring bearer, giving us a basket full of creamy white rose petals and two silver rings with the instruction not to lose them. Now I was only three and there are t...

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“Creepy Farmer Guy for Christmas Dinner” by 𝕜𝐞𝕟𝐝𝕣𝐚 𝕤𝐭𝕠𝐧𝕖

Submitted to Contest #69

I already hated him when he stepped his foot inside, sweat giving a glimpse of his ugly tan face. His ragged jeans were splotched with dry dirt, and his hat just made everything worse. He looked like a proud farmer. The creepy kind with the frozen smile that matches his wide eyeballs.The wood creaked as he came inside. “Hey, fellas!”I kept quiet and barged into a bundle of noodles. He quickly came over and sat down across from mine. “What are we having today?”My mom appeared in the kitchen. “Chicken and mashed potatoes!” she called out.“Why ...

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“Rianne's” by Amaya .

Submitted to Contest #69

When I pushed open the peeling door and stepped onto the dirty tiles of our family store, I was immediately encompassed by the smell of mildew and rotting wood. My high heels clicked on the floor as I walked past the empty clothes racks to the small counter in the back. I was glad I left my purse in the car. I wouldn’t have wanted it to touch any surface in this building. This wouldn’t sell. It had become so neglected that nobody in their right mind would want to buy it. I turned around slowly, surveying the cracked, moldy paint on the ...

226 comments 226

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“Childish dream” by Keerththan 😀

Submitted to Contest #69

"Don’t always nag at me," my mother shouts at me as I keep roaming behind her."I will be home for just a week, I have been working day and night for the past 6 months, please let me nag," I plead with her. "Okay, just for this week.""That's enough for me!" My face brightens up. I love my family and especially my mother."The main door of the house is a little creaking," I complain to her."Yeah.""Do something.""I won’t."I get to complain about things only now ’cause I’m not far from the call from my boss.My boss, who is a fat, bald man sh...

114 comments 114

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“Uneven Hearts” by Deidra Whitt Lovegren

Submitted to Contest #69

“You don’t hate me,” my older brother smiled slyly. “You admire me.”With that, he slapped down the queen of spades on top of the pile of cards, adding another 13 points to my score. It was the third hand in a row he’d gleefully beaten me.Roy was only half right. I admired him; it was true. But I hated him with a fury that only a marginalized younger brother can muster. “It’s your turn to shuffle,” my father said, handing me the deck, adding points with his sharp pencil to my already disappointing tally on his scoring sheet. He spoke in ...

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“You'll get used to it” by B. W.

Submitted to Contest #69

November 28th, 2031Are you kidding me? It hasn't been that long since it happened and Father is already with someone new. I'm pretty sure it's only been a few days since then, what the heck? I guess I'll try to keep this updated.November 30th, 2031Father had told us all today how much he 'loved' this lady, I think he said her name was Zia. Did he end up falling in love with her at first sight? That wouldn't really surprise me that much, I'm pretty sure that's how he met Mother. He wants us to go meet her in a few hours or so.December 1st, 20...

441 comments 441

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“Malefice Pt. 1” by . .

Submitted to Contest #69

"Lariona, get down here. Customers are coming", my mother said, tight-lipped and emotionless. That was what happened when you worked with dark magic for all your life. She, like all my family, extended and close, had never seen what life was like outside of Malefice crafting. They'd drawn me in too, but I was different. I had dreams. Dreams of helping the world, of happy days, not supplying the Maleficers of the world with their means of terrorism. I didn't want my life to consist only of that. Still, for now, I would have to make do. I ...

120 comments 120

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“Thanksgiving Surprise ” by 𝕭𝖑𝖆𝖎𝖗 𝕷𝖊𝖒𝖔𝖓

Submitted to Contest #69

I gaze around the room and sigh. It’s full of old cardboard boxes, both big and little, that seem to make the tiny room even smaller. I walk over to the mattress beside me and plop down on it, sending a cloud of dust up into the air. It’s lumpy and covered with an unsafe amount of dust. Probably a victim from Andrews’s college years, which he claims was not that long ago but we all know different. Andrew is my new stepfather, he’s… fine. He is a middle-aged man with a semi-large bald head and a tall body, six-foot-three to be exact...

179 comments 179

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“A Virtual Tradition” by ✯𝐋𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫✯

Submitted to Contest #69

Title: A Virtual TraditionAuthor: HaripriyaAuthors Note: Hello everyone! I wish you all a happy Saturday! Other than the previous one, this story is a bit more traditional, yet still cheerful and happy. During these tough, challenging times, we might have a negative mindset. But please remember that this won't be permanent. Everyone is working together to solve this! But there are always other solutions we could do which are just as effective as being together, and this story teaches that. I hope you enjoy it!"Students! During your fall brea...

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“The Assassin's League ” by 💛🤍 L U N A N A 🤍💛

Submitted to Contest #69

I tapped my foot nervously, my hands trembling. A foot from across the table kicked my shin, and my head snapped up. I looked across the table to see my sister shooting daggers through her dark brown eyes. I made a face and waited for Fallon to apologize but quickly realized she had kicked me to get my attention. “Keiran? You all right?” Mom asked, rubbing my shoulder. I met Mom's eyes and bit my lip, nodding. Mom grabbed my trembling hands and rubbed her cold, icy fingers over them. “And you're feeling alrigh...

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“Who I am Today” by ✯𝐋𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫✯

Submitted to Contest #69

Title: Who I am Today Author: Haripriya Authors Note: Hello everyone! I hope you are all having a great Sunday! I took a bit more of an interesting take on this prompt. I didn't really write this as a story, but more of an inspirational piece. I wanted everyone reading this to also feel appreciated by themselves and to show appreciation to their own families. Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoy this short story! Have you ever felt undeserved by your own family? Unappreciated? Always been told that you forgot to do this&n...

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$50

Prize money

510

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Nov 27, 2020 EST

Won by Kate Le Roux 🏆

Title: To the Lowly Dove

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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