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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#77: Snow Day

It’s deep into winter where I live and here that means one thing: snow, and plenty of it.

While I’m not the biggest fan, even I will admit that it makes great writing weather. There’s just something cozy about curling up with a blanket and a cup of tea, and losing yourself in the world of your imagination as flakes drift slowly past your window.

We won’t all be writing under those conditions this week, but we can still evoke that feeling. So grab yourself a mug of something warm, snuggle up with your laptop, and dream of the bite of winter wind on your cheeks…

🥇 Winner

“Burying David ” by K. Antonio

🏆 Winner of Contest #77

I see a flock of white sprites falling from the sky. They are small, insignificant beings made of ice with a guaranteed lifespan of nothing more than a few seconds. My face is so close to the glass that I can feel the frigid air slip in through the small wooden openings. I see our parents outside digging up the graves. Dad’s gray overcoat is unnaturally thick, stiffening his movements, while Mom stands beside him, hovering and wearing a long black dress that dangles slightly above the frosty ground.Today resonates a bit differently with me. ...

169 comments 169

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⭐️ Shortlisted

“As Ice Glazes Rocks” by Deidra Whitt Lovegren

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #77

Alana’s mother had warned her about the rocks covered in ice near the edge of the lake. The Johnson boy had slipped and tumbled headlong into murk. In 40 degree water, he quickly sank in his heavy winter coat, started to hyperventilate, and drowned before anyone knew he was gone. “He’d only have lasted fifteen minutes or so before his muscles weakened. Blood moves away from the arms and legs towards the center of the body. Everything to protect the heart,” she said, touching hers. “The Johnson boy would have lost all coordination and s...

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“Realistic Fiction” by Amy St. Pierre

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #77

The window was drafty. It needed to be replaced, and I could feel the cold chill of December seeping into the apartment. As if on cue, I heard the heat click on, roiling through the baseboards. I pulled my husband’s old gray hoodie tighter around my body. On me, the sweatshirt was hugely oversized, more like wearing a blankety dress than a zip up hoodie. But it was warm and thick and it reminded me that he was still here, if not literally here right at this moment, but that he’...

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“The Assembly Line” by Elise Volkman

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #77

The boss never mentioned that the fingerprint scanners weren’t tied to the back-up generator. I suppose that made sense. A security flaw that big wasn’t something to advertise. I wouldn’t even have noticed either, except that I forgot my keys in my office when I left for the day. Six hours of overtime… If I didn’t get these projects under control, they’d nitpick my time management skills at my next performance review. Management never wanted to hear that they were overworking their employees. The convenient excuse was to blame the employee...

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“The Cat ” by Jocelyn Fryer

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #77

The doubtful guest announced itself on a bleak Winter’s morning, the unflinching bite of foretold snow hanging heavy in the air. Amelia had wrapped herself warmly in a leather coat that had once been her grandfather’s, lined with wool, and wrestled into a pair of boots a little too small but industrious all the same, leaving the sheltered confines of the log cabin for the shed to retrieve wood. She had brought with her a dog-eared copy of Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, hoping it might inspire her writing. One she was anxious to get...

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This week's prompts

Write about two people going sledding for the first time in many years.

Fluff – 130 stories

Start your story with someone looking out at the snow, and end it with them stepping tentatively onto a frozen surface.

Winter – 233 stories

Write about someone who gets stuck in their workplace during a blizzard and decides to explore rooms they aren’t normally allowed in.

Winter – 162 stories

Write a story set in the summer, when suddenly it starts to snow.

Summer – 159 stories

Set your story in a remote winter cabin with no electricity, internet, or phone service.

Winter – 246 stories

Stories

“Burying David ” by K. Antonio

🏆 Winner of Contest #77

I see a flock of white sprites falling from the sky. They are small, insignificant beings made of ice with a guaranteed lifespan of nothing more than a few seconds. My face is so close to the glass that I can feel the frigid air slip in through the small wooden openings. I see our parents outside digging up the graves. Dad’s gray overcoat is unnaturally thick, stiffening his movements, while Mom stands beside him, hovering and wearing a long black dress that dangles slightly above the frosty ground.Today resonates a bit differently with me. ...

169 comments 169

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“UNPREDICTABLE DAY ” by Manahel Javaid

Submitted to Contest #77

There were bestfriends named Bareeha and Tahmiya. They were so excited for the new beginning in the High School. They both organise everything according to summer season. They decided to wear jeans with t-shirt that made them feel easy, confident and stylish. They get out of their beds, to be on time in classroom. Bareeha picked Tahmiya from her house and they were on the way to their new beginning. As, they entered the High School suddenly, it started snow. There were sudden change of weather at that time. You&nbsp...

120 comments 120

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“The Conundrum of Living” by Zilla Babbitt

Submitted to Contest #77

In winter one forgets summer ever existed. One forgets how to live. Can a man who is warm understand one who is cold? No, he is warm. He is in a different universe entirely. Can a dead thing feel pain? No, it is dead. It is in another life. Can winter feel warmth? No, it is dead. It is outside of warmth. On Planet Ten not only does winter feel only deadness and cold, it feels no joy, so fully is it dead. Winter here on Planet Ten is truly winter. Nothing moves but the incessant snowstorms, not even the sun. Day after day I sit alon...

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“Philosophy of Time” by Zilla Babbitt

Submitted to Contest #77

“Do you believe in God?” Maya asked. She blew out a frosty steam of air and laid her mittened palms on her narrow bright-red face to warm it. “What?” her sister asked. Her boots were much larger than Maya’s; the tops too wide, letting in clumps of snow onto her sockless feet. The boots, thick black rubber with heavy soles, sank through the crusty rim of snow and into the softer belly, almost to the frozen dirt six inches beneath.Maya repeated the question.Jane sat down in a pile of snow and leaned back to look at the sky, thinking hard....

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“Snow Flower” by Hafsa Aboubakr 🌼

Submitted to Contest #77

Grace stared at the snow as it rested upon the world, covering it in perfect white. It was Christmas, the most wonderful time of year, filled with cheer and joy, where you are surrounded by love and cared for by the most wonderful people around. It was supposed to be one of her happiest days, however, tears found their way on her cheeks as she cried in the cold night, alone. Then again, loneliness had become a rather regular company of Grace, especially since the death that left her half and numb. It became another name of her daily life d...

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“As Ice Glazes Rocks” by Deidra Whitt Lovegren

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #77

Alana’s mother had warned her about the rocks covered in ice near the edge of the lake. The Johnson boy had slipped and tumbled headlong into murk. In 40 degree water, he quickly sank in his heavy winter coat, started to hyperventilate, and drowned before anyone knew he was gone. “He’d only have lasted fifteen minutes or so before his muscles weakened. Blood moves away from the arms and legs towards the center of the body. Everything to protect the heart,” she said, touching hers. “The Johnson boy would have lost all coordination and s...

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“𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 ℍ𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕀 𝔻𝕠𝕟𝕖? ” by User_2443 0967

Submitted to Contest #77

**Thanks, Gigi for helping me get through having to rewrite this 7 times****Please feel free to comment if there are any mistakes and/or what you think should happen in the next books or prequels!**“AAIIIEEEEEEEE!” twelve-year-old Annalise screamed, the snow blasting her pale face. “Shane-if-you-ever-make-me-do-this-ever-again-I-will-personally-KILL-YOU!”“Lighten up, Lise!” Shane yelled with equal volume. “AHHHHHH!” Before they could stop, Lise and Shane had crashed into a snow-covered birch tree. Annalise flew backward, landing headfirst in...

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“Never Ending Blizzard ” by XANDER DMER

Submitted to Contest #77

I open my eyes, hearing wind blowing on my window. I wake up not knowing what time it is. I throw some jeans and a shirt on. I rush into the bathroom, having the urge to pee. I brush my teeth, wash my face, brush my hair and I'm off. I put my coat on and head outside. When I get into my truck, it wont turn on. Dammit! this old piece of crap. After another try, a loud roaring sound comes to life, finally. I rush out the driveway, nearly smashing into the mailbox, and screech all the way down the street. A red light brings me to a stop. "Com...

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“Icy History” by Writer Maniac

Submitted to Contest #77

I go over to the window, and rub the mist off, relishing the cold warmth of it.Looking out of the window, I’m immediately hit with how white and grey everything looks.The trees have ice falling off their leaves, looking half green and half white like that sweater I wear sometimes.The houses are covered almost completely, and the windows have icicles creeping on the glass like branches of a tree.The cars in the driveways are capped with snow, the windows having obscene words written on them by obscene people.The ground is untouched, smooth by...

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“Forget-Me-Not” by 💛🤍 L U N A N A 🤍💛

Submitted to Contest #77

Authors note/TW: I don't know if this counts as a trigger warning, but school shooting plays a somewhat big factor in this story, so if you're sensitive to those topics, this is not the story for you:)You nudge my shoulder and point to the window, snow flurrying past.I grin and jump up, running over.More kids follow and we crowd around the smudged glass, ignoring Ms. Wrights’s lesson completely.She reins us in and we sit down, but I can’t take my eyes off of the snow. Each snowflake looks exactly the same and I can't imagine seeing the ...

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“The Last Time” by Writer Maniac

Submitted to Contest #77

Will tries to pull the door open, while I watch, slowly unable to feel my feet which are almost covered in ice. I shake the snow off, trying to get some feeling back in my feet. I rub my mitten covered hands together and put them on my face, attempting to feel some heat. He keeps pulling at the wood, and finally, with a jerk, it opens, pushing him on the snow-covered ground with a loud thud. I stifle a grin as he sits there, unable to get up from the slippery ground. As our eyes meet, he smiles back, his cheeks turning a shade...

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“Daydreaming” by 𝙰𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚢𝚜𝚝 ~

Submitted to Contest #77

“Lyla you have to go to school!”“Yes Mom, I know.”Lyla grabbed her shoes from the rack and slipped them on.It was the middle of July in Los Angeles, California, and Lyla had summer school.Her parents sent her to summer school because Lyla did not pay attention in class.At all.If her teacher was talking about column addition, Lyla would be staring outside and doodling in her notebook about faeries and dragons and witches. If the teacher called her name, Lyla wouldn’t have any idea what to say, because she hadn’t been listening.Lyla called out...

242 comments 242

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“Believers” by Amiable Sorceress

Submitted to Contest #77

Dancing is supposed to be an impossible thing. The trained finesse, soaring, rhythms so easily woven around the lyrics. The catching beat, graceful legs, emotion, a pirouette, and a walk across the stage. Anything that beautiful is surely impossible, but yet, they still jump and leap and twirl. You will see in time because change tends to happen, and then again, so does life. ~Magic~ The simple gifts, Fairy dust and rainbows, Teas clinking in the silence, Beauties of the sunset. Dancing in the moonlight, Wishin...

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“Frosty's Snowy Surprise” by ✯𝐋𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫✯

Submitted to Contest #77

Luna:Today was the day. I can't believe it! Today is when I am finally going to get one of my own! Now, my brother, Luca, won't always keep showing off, bragging about his dragon. I'm going to have one too, a beautiful, much better dragon than Luca's. I just knew it. I can feel it in my vein. For some reason, I know that my dragon will be powerful. I know it."Isn't it the day?" my father asks."Yes, papa, it is. The sorcerer had predicted that today was the day when the egg would hatch." I replied."Well, how do you feel Luna?" he asks me, and...

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“From Years... To Now” by XANDER DMER

Submitted to Contest #77

"Stacey and Jonathan” Wake up, your father is coming in 9 minutes, to bring you and Jonathan sledding." Uggghhh... Mom does Jonathan have to come? He is sooo annoying!!! “Also the last time we went sledding he ruined it!!!” “Yesss Stacey,” Jonathan has to come. Besides I want both of you to have fun sledding. “Stacey, you don't want to make him feel left out do you?” “OK Fine. I put my long sleeve, fuzzy Harry Potter sweater on, along with some blue jeans. I grab my Ugg boots and slip them on. Beep, Beep, Beep. ...

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$50

Prize money

930

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jan 22, 2021 EST

Won by K. Antonio 🏆

Title: Burying David

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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