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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

“'You are Our Glue'” by Carole Cobos

Submitted to Contest #79

*Cammie- Age 25*Kate Moore.‘Mom’.Kate Moore was adored by her friends. She was generous and funny and gracious. She was kind and was the mother to two genius prodigy children. And one daughter.People forget about the daughter.She was the daughter.Anyway...Kate Moore was put together and calm and collected. She had smooth short hair that fell a few inches below her chin, a lovely shade of pale brown, and wide friendly eyes. She was intimidatingly pretty.Cammie always thought her mom was pretty. Always proud to say that it was her mom. Her Mom...

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“ABANDONED” by Pam Hicks

Submitted to Contest #79

Johnny sat on the steps of the orphanage, tears streaming down his face. What was wrong with him? Why had his mommy abandoned him? He loved his mommy so much but she didn't love him anymore. She had left their house one day and never came back. He had been all alone, scared and hungry. He was only five but his mommy had shown him how to call 911 if he needed help. So he called 911 and the police had brought him to this place. He was still scared but they had fed him so at least he wasn’t hungry. As Johnny sat there crying, a very pretty lady...

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“A Knock from the Past” by Ishita Nigam

Submitted to Contest #79

Louisa saw her girls off to school in the bus and came back home. She had a couple of chores to finish before heading to work. Her boss was out of town so she could afford to delay her arrival at work today. She came back inside and headed to the kitchen. Half way through the dishes, her phone rang. She closed the tap, took off the gloves and wiping her damp hands on her track pants hurried to pick up her mobile. It was an unknown number. I hope it is the new baby sitter Susan was talking about. “Hello?” “Hello?” The network was fi...

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“You Left Me.” by Nuha E.

Submitted to Contest #79

I sat there, hands shaking on the table. My stomach rumbled from hunger, but the thought of eating made me feel nauseous. I tried to listen to their advice, to not overthink things, keep my mind off her, not let her get to me. I tried to focus my attention onto other things, on the fact I had yet to finish my Uni application, on the party I had been invited to this Saturday. I thought about Dad. I knew he didn’t want me to say yes to her request. He didn’t want her in my life, in his own, and I didn’t blame him. He didn’t deserve everything ...

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“The Living Ghost” by Kieri Zink

Submitted to Contest #79

I always figured I’d recognize my mother when I saw her, but I don't. The woman sitting across from me looks too well rested and exudes too much peacefulness to be the person who left me behind. I see none of myself in her face. I expected something different. Growing up, most of my friends at least had one parent. Oftentimes I’d hear the remarks our neighbors made to those friends - “Oh, you’re beautiful! Just like your mother.” or “You have your father’s height and your mother’s eyes.” No one spoke to me...

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“GINIE AND THE LAMP” by Mousumi Biswas

Submitted to Contest #79

THE GINIE AND THE LAMP Utsav lived with his mother and newly wedded wife , Zoe , in Mumbai . His father had passed away a few years back . Utsav completed his MD and was working in a reputed hospital as a cardiologist . Zoe and Utsav were school time classmates . Friendship blossomed into love and soon they decided to get married . He was leading a contented life with his family . His elder brother was living separately with his friend. One day , while having dinner, Utsav told his mother...

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“Freedom Isn't Free” by Coira MacHaffie

Submitted to Contest #79

Sarah knew what it meant when she came home from work to find her sister in tears and two men in dark suits standing in their living room. One of the men approached her, badge held out, but she didn’t need to read it to know what it said. Department of Information Integrity. The DII Boys. “How could you?” Lizzie cried. “After what Mom and Dad did to us? How could you do this to me?” “You didn’t have to turn me i...

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“Family Is Forever” by Sjan Evardsson

Submitted to Contest #79

There’s something not quite human in me. When I should be grieving a loss, I find myself oddly serene. In the moments when others panic, I’m met with a calm that makes it easy to weigh my options and choose a course of action.I was warned, of course. The more implants I collected, the greater the impact on my humanity. After the corporate wars divvied up the planet between the victors it seemed I had little reason to care any longer. I knew my family was gone. By the time my little sister found me, and I found out she was still alive, it was...

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“The screams of a desperate housewife” by Married Poppins

Submitted to Contest #79

I couldn’t pull my face up to see my reflection in the mirror. I was not ready to face her, not this time. She will ask me so many questions that I have no answers for. She will taunt me to decide. A decision that can change my life, for better or for worse. My urge to empty my guts out was so strong. It was strange though, I hadn’t eaten for days now and yet my stomach was refusing to keep anything inside. “Let it out”, screamed the voice inside me, “You’ve had enough, now let it out!” No! I won’t! Because I know there is no point...

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“The Light in the Window” by Brit Perez

Submitted to Contest #79

There was something about the sunlight flooding through the windows that morning that reminded her of the day she found her mother hanging in the closet. The same brilliant white light had lit up her mother’s pale blue face that day, grotesque and foreign from her recent parting, and yet still so incredibly beautiful in that haunting sunlight. It flooded into the room from the window seat where she used to rock her baby in her arms and then, 13 years later, illuminated the scene of the fateful day that would haunt her only daughter for ...

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“Nothing Under the Tree” by Russ Lydzinski

Submitted to Contest #79

On the last day of school before the Christmas holidays, smack in the middle of class, Mr. Murray scolded me for the verse I handed in as my writing assignment instead of the five-page story he’d assigned. He rubbed his fingers through his graying beard and said, “You’re a talented writer, Leonard, but you’re in danger of failing.” Mrs. Shay, my landlady, would have been disappointed in my behavior, but right then, I didn’t care. I hadn’t made any friends since I’d transferred...

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“A Blood Lie” by Tiffany Chaplin

Submitted to Contest #79

Amanda and her husband, Alan had moved from Missouri to Colorado with Amanda's parents, Marie and Eugene. All four of them found themselves settling in a tiny mountain town called Craig. Amanda and Alan established work there rather quickly and before long, were moving into their own apartment. Marie and Eugene ended up finding them an apartment too. Things were going so well for all four of them. They were all happy the way their lives had ended up. They were grateful to be in such good graces. Amanda and Alan step into their wonderful new ...

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“The Day That Things Went Wrong” by Essa Woods

Submitted to Contest #79

It was just like any other day; on the day it all went wrong.The bustling life of London city flourished. People, noise, cars. Everywhere. Tourists, all gathered around Big Ben and the London Eye, citizens rushing and pushing, desperately trying to get to work. There were the early risers, dotted on benches, observing the world around them as if they were not just as much a part of it. There were the late partiers, the elderly, the young, the families, the homeless, the businessmen. All of them living in the same place at the same time, and ...

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“The Cool Uncle” by Florian Wolf

Submitted to Contest #79

"How? Carl, how did you do it? I can't understand it." Said Martin into the empty house as he opened the envelope. A week ago, Martin met Carl again after what seems to be a lifetime, but it was just a month. The door opened, the arms opened, everyone hugged and were ready for a good time. Carl was always a rascal, but one with charm. He nailed the whole collection of eyebrow-raising phrases. He was a bit of an artist in this regard. Rarely did one hear such a well delivered "mistakes were made." or "I can already see how we can tu...

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“How to Survive Falling in Love” by Dani Rei

Submitted to Contest #79

I was on the street for three years before I met him. A boney, blonde kid joined the crowd during my street performance. He was pale, bruised, and quiet. He stayed behind when the crowd dispersed and I collected my coins. We didn’t speak the same language, so I almost shrugged him off, but his eye was bruised, and it tugged at my heart strings. I know that kind of bruise, and that look of fear in his eyes. I couldn’t leave him. Curse my good boy nature. I shared my food, and we exchanged words of our own languages, doing our best to build c...

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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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