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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#79: The Family You Choose

They say blood is thicker than water — but is it always?

The truth is that not all families offer healthy relationships to each other, and sometimes the harsh act of cutting them out of your life may be the best course of action. Fortunately, we can still meet people who love us no matter what and become our new families. Not to mention adoptions, blended families, and all the wonderful ways people connect with and support each other, regardless of whether they share any DNA. It's fair to say that family is a lot more than blood!

This week, we’re going to turn family life upside down and examine all the ways that family succeeds — and fails — for our characters.

This week's prompts

Write about someone who decides it’s time to cut ties with a family member.

Sad – 260 stories

Your main character is approached by their long-estranged parent who wants to reconnect. How do they react?

Dramatic – 193 stories

Write about someone who discovers the only family member they have left has just betrayed them.

Sad – 160 stories

Write about two characters who’ve gone through something so intense they now feel like family.

Adults – 190 stories

Write about a “found family” who are finally able to get together again after a long time apart.

Fluff – 100 stories

Stories

“A Reunion to Howl for” by Kalina Atanasova

Submitted to Contest #79

Clover sat on the dust-coated hard-wood floor. The light penetrated the tainted window and painted on the envelope laying in the girl’s hands.Her fingers trembled as she turned it around for the tenth time. No sender information, no anything. Her teeth dug into her lip and she cut the paper open with her long, neglected nail.Nifty handwriting emerged. A familiar one. Clover traced with her fingers the words “Come home.” engraved harshly with black ink.The teenage girl pressed her nose against the paper. A smell of petrichor, lilac and sea sa...

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“Found in Paradise ” by A Sher

Submitted to Contest #79

He couldn’t believe it.His hand reached out — as if to touch, to feel, to confirm — but drew back at the last moment, afraid.What if it was all an illusion?A sick, twisted joke on his homesick mind.But for once, he dared himself to dream — to hope.So that's what the young boy did, inching closer, heart soaring with every step.The figure in front smiled endearingly at him, her blue eyes crinkling into crescents, and held out her arms. He fell into her warm embrace, hot tears prickling at his eyes, reminding him just how dearly he had missed h...

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“Mountains & Skylines” by Ivy Kova

Submitted to Contest #79

Mountains bear cold winds powerful enough to knock strong-abled travelers off their feet and clusters of boulders from their thousand-year-old perches; high cliffs found near oceans are found even more dangerous, as ocean currents bring bushels of raging air to main lands. Yet as Komalia's gaze travelled across a soft grey sky, terns danced among the winds gracefully. Their white bellies helped camouflage them against the clouds, yet when they dove their grey backs and yellow beaks flashed momentarily to remind the young woman she was never ...

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“Goodbye Drama, Hello World.” by Miriam Achieng'

Submitted to Contest #79

It was not a usual Sunday and David could feel it. He had grown accustomed to sensing danger before it hit from a very young age that is what living with his family, had taught him, not that they taught him much at least not anything a young boy his age should know. he had to figure out everything on his own including incidents to avoid. This was one he for some reason could not walk away. "You keep your voice down David can hear you," said Nancy his mother. "So what if he hears us? He is not a little boy anymore we can't hide our issues...

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“The Edge” by Eva Braun

Submitted to Contest #79

As I am standing here at the edge of the water. I wonder... what was the purpose of any of it? Who moved the hands of fate to make me part of this family? Why was I not consulted? I guess that's not how it goes with families...blood families. I have heard that some people choose their family. I wonder of it is as easy to un-choose. And if you do...un-choose, can you ever really escape? The critical mother, the controlling father, the simpering youngest sibling, or the competitive belittling older sibling. Are you ever truly free of them or d...

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“Misunderstood ” by Kathleen Hannan

Submitted to Contest #79

I remember the day my sister was born, I was 9 years old. I had been asleep and woken up to be told by my grandparents that i had a baby sister, was it a boy? no, a girl I had to ask again and again to make sure, I was in disbelief. As time went on I enjoyed taking care of her, changing her nappies and bathing her. I saw her little chubby legs take their first steps, my kid arms open wide incase she fell. Mum was a sole parent so I things got harder for her. We moved in with one of her old ‘friends’ Tony who lived on a farm with chickens and...

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“Leaving Home” by David Johnson

Submitted to Contest #79

“Dumbass. Moron.” The words rang in my ears as I stormed away. Anyone who disagreed with him got to hear those words hurled at them. But I was special. I got to hear them on a daily basis. And they were all for me. “David, you moron! Of course the panels go a certain way. You can’t flip them back and forth each time. Any old idiot would have known that!” He said after throwing the remote at me. “Well not me! I’ve never done this before!” I stood...

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“The ties that never bond” by Livia R. Menge

Submitted to Contest #79

The sunlight barely made it through the blinds as Emma awoke from an uncomfortable sleep. Strays of sunlight trailed along her furniture, illuminated the dusty air inside her bedroom. She couldn’t remember the last night she had slept well in her bed. Not that she had slept better before, but today of all days it was worse. Her back ached as she rolled over, facing the right side of her bed. Looking at the alarm clock, she sighed. November third, read the right gloomy letters above the time. She had it coming for a while, decided it was time...

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“Rose Colored Glasses” by Jas Smith

Submitted to Contest #79

Chapter Four: Past Salem; 23, La Jolla “Jimmy, Damien said that he found someone close to us to hijack dad's plane. He said he didn’t have to pay them, they wanted to do it.” I say as I dress behind a curtain in the hospital triage. Jimmy doesn’t say anything for long moments and I can see him thinking about what I just said. When he does speak his words break my heart, “Salem, please don’t believe anything that maniac said. He was saying ANYTHING to hurt you.” I look at Jimmy, his skin just as flawless as it has been my whole life,...

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“The Lost Memories of Ann” by Natty Cassyendra [KesshiKyōshi]

Submitted to Contest #79

Julie I met her at the end of the December of 2020 in the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, sitting outside the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) waiting for her grandmother. She’s almost 22 years old when I first met her. She looks like a serious and insightful person, also full of respect and a responsible person. She’s not a friendly person but I swear that she has a beautiful smile if she chooses to smile. She only chooses to smile when talking to people. When she is alone, you can see her troubled face. It is the rainy season when I have the first t...

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“Hot Chops and Cold Truth” by Bill Wilwers

Submitted to Contest #79

As they trudged along the dirt road's shoulder, Jeb Compton looked down at his Bluetick Coonhound. “Homer, I've had better days. First, my old John Deere tractor won't start, and it takes two hours of fussing and cussing to get her up and running. Next, I find that new herbicide I sprayed on them soybeans awhile back ain't living up to its billing. Then, I have to take you to the vet for what turns out to be a case of garbage gut. And finally, we get run off the road and stuck in the ditch 'cause that Jenkins kid is driving too fast and slew...

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“Bees and Eve, Eve and bees” by Willow Kendr

Submitted to Contest #79

Eve hated bees ever since one of them stung her when she was seven. The bee died soon after the incident which made Eve smile since the bee got what it deserved, but then break down crying because death seemed too severe for a punishment that could’ve been an accident or self-defence. The event didn’t give birth to fear, but rather to strong dislike for the bees. Eve didn’t just have unpleasant feelings towards the insects but also towards the humans which reminded her of bees (only human ones were more dangerous). People’s stings would pier...

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“A Box in the Hall” by Yvette Francaise

Submitted to Contest #79

A lone cardboard box stood in front of her in the blue carpeted hall. It was filled with wrapped Christmas presents and baby shower gifts. Reluctantly I dragged it in, and recoiled at the sight of a handwritten note. Her hands started shaking as fat tears roll down my face. Her fiancée held her close. All it did was tell her that we are not talking to you anymore and you did us wrong. her eyebrows twitched angrily. How was she the bad guy when you were. How could you tell me that when you threw my ultrasound aside and told me I ...

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“This better be the end.” by Anonymous 1

Submitted to Contest #79

If today was a great day, I would've been at my home tucked on my soft floral blankets, singing to an old Frank Sinatra music while lying paralyzed on my bed, and burning my mouth with a bottle of gin. But unfortunately for me, it isn't. I stepped on the marbled stairs my hand trailing on the steeled banister. With every step I took, I could feel my heart racking on my chest. I tried to calm myself by breathing through my mouth. Calm down, for goodness sake! I muttered while hiding my quivering hands i...

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“Abandonment ” by Chris Buono

Submitted to Contest #79

Danny and I were more than friends. We were cousins, bonded by blood. The son of my father’s brother. Being separated by only six months- him having the edge- the two of us were inseparable. From playing war in elementary school to violent video games in middle school, to smoking pot out of a water bottle as high schoolers, then getting drunk and chasing women at bars as young adults. The problem was, I had learned to calm...

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$50

Prize money

905

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 05, 2021 EST

Won by Reha A 🏆

Title: Puzzle Pieces

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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