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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

“Surprise Gone Wrong ” by Spark Tang

Submitted to Contest #79

Jaehyun had come out of Sooyoung’s house and soon a man who was in the vicinity approached him.  "Is this Kang Sooyoung's house?"  "Who are you?" Jaehyun asked. He didn't want to be rude but in order to protect Sooyoung, he wanted to know who was looking for his girlfriend.  "I'm her father. I've been abroad so I haven't had a chance to see her new place yet"  "Ah. Nice to meet you my name is Jaehyun" Jaehyun replies.  Sooyoung hadn't really told Jaehyun much about her dad other than the fact that he was ab...

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“Thus Always to Tyrants” by T.K Wilson

Submitted to Contest #79

Maegan Meridian looked at her father, Aelius, stoically making his way through New York City traffic. The car was silent but for the engine noise and the barely-audible prayer of their passenger. Maegan turned slightly in her seat to observe Fionn Clanless, the boy she called brother, praying his rosary. Silky strands of long, towhead blonde hair obscured his handsome face and contrasted starkly with his black Goth-style clothing, a bit more conservative than what he usually had on.  Maegan watched his fingers slide over the beads, coun...

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“You Were Dead” by Malia T.

Submitted to Contest #79

You were dead.It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. My cookie-cutter world, the life I carefully constructed after you left, was unceremoniously destroyed in one message. Just like that, it crumbled into a suffocating dust. I clawed at my throat, gasping, reaching for oxygen. It was as if an invisible hand was strangling me from the inside. “I am back in the area. Please call me.” I read the message over and over again, each time my heart beating a little faster, my chest aching.It had been a long time, seven years, I think? I had...

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“"Flies"” by Ryan Freedman

Submitted to Contest #79

      “Flies”.       A gruff voice cuts the single word into the air, breaking the silence that had been slowly suffocating the two men seated across from one another at opposite ends of a finely carved wooden table. The word floated through the speechless void, lazily drifting from one occupants lips to the other occupants ears.       “I'm sorry?”, said a small voice from across the sea of oaken tabletop. The inflection in his voice was punctuated by...

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“To blame the victim” by Jackie Mackenna

Submitted to Contest #79

I met Aida volunteering in a local marathon event when I was twenty two. The summer humidity made me shine with sweat and my clothes and hair stuck to my skin like an ill fitted glove; I wasn’t even a runner. She was two inches shorter and five times fitter than I was and looked more composed than an athlete should after completing forty two kilometres. Our first interaction began when I passed her a disposable cup of water; that wasn’t the last drink we shared.We were a perfect match, that’s what she always said. She was the only one that c...

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“Their Lies” by Danika ɹǝƃɹǝquǝnǝ˥

Submitted to Contest #79

My sister was all I had after our parents had died, I was too young to remember them. My sister tells me that someone had killed them, broken into the house, and shot them. The police never found the killer. We were left orphaned. My sister took care of me, and I took care of her. We were all we had together in this world. So why did she do it? I should have suspected something when she woke me up late in the night, or when she led me away from the orphanage and into the forest. The way she walked in front of me, not talking or answering any...

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“Tramp” by Will Rhodes

Submitted to Contest #79

He huddled in a bus-shelter in an anonymous street in an equally anonymous city.  Arthur hadn’t been asleep long when purposeful kicking roused him.  ‘You can’t stay there! You’ll have to move on!’ The voice belonged to the hazy figure crouched over Arthur. ‘But where do I have to go?’ Arthur turned to take the sight of the figure into full focus.  ‘I really don’t know where you’ll go – I only know you can’t stay here.’ ‘Can you spare a couple of bob? Just for a cup of tea.’ ‘No! Now move on!’ A tinge of anger in the tone of t...

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“Traitor Love” by Bolton Kat

Submitted to Contest #79

The moment Ava saw him, she had grasped his collar and pulled him down to her height. Ava was seething with anger. It took her greatest self control to prevent herself from strangling him. How dare he show his face in front of her?          "Why did you do it?" Ava asked through gritted teeth.          Ava wanted to punch him, kill him, and mangle his body for killing their adoptive father. Dark thoughts filled her head, scaring her.   &...

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“Scheduling Conflict” by Kay Swenn

Submitted to Contest #79

I will never say I have been the perfect sister, but I feel as though the relationship Piper and I have is a strong one. Piper and I grew up with parents who really only liked to keep us around for the inhouse servitude. After I turned 18 I was basically told to pack my bags and not come back. I kept close with Piper because she was now all alone with our parents for two more years. But God that wonderful day when she turned 18 and got to come live with me in my apartment was one I’ll never forget. She’d already had her things boxed up and a...

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“Betrayal in murder” by Affair Writer

Submitted to Contest #79

4:17 PM, streets   “Bro, what are we going to do now?”    “We’ll take cover for now,”   “Where?”    “I know just the place,” 4:35 PM, at the nearby police station   “How is he?”   “Dead?”   “Time of death?”   “3:46 PM,”   “Place of death?”   “The street across that new building,”   “Any other information on the victim?” Two men in blue shirts and black jeans conversed. With a gun on their pockets, a badge on their chest. Yes, as you migh...

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“Brothers Keeper” by Amanda Stuntz

Submitted to Contest #79

Life at that moment seemed to stop. How could she do such a thing? Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought my sister was capable of hurting me in such a way. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me start from the beginning. I walked into the two-bedroom apartment I shared with my sister. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it held all the necessitates. There is a bedroom for each of us, a bathroom, kitchen, and small living room just big enough for a couch and t.v. Our parents were never around much growing up, so my sister and I l...

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“"Money of Murder"” by Ryan Kim

Submitted to Contest #79

I wear the new sweatshirt that my brother bought me yesterday. It's the latest design, and not to brag but sure looks great on me. When I go into the kitchen, I see my brother making eggs for me. "Hey little bro, how you doin'?" Edward asks. He's a 20-year old tall adult that works at the most famous bank in the state. The bank is famous because it has tons of gold stashed in the back, which is guarded by a lot of guards. It's also the biggest bank in the state, and is in the middle of a city full of rich people. He got an award there for ...

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“POWER OF GOLD” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #79

This story occurs in the Yala territory of planet Gaia2 which is earth’s twin but is still evolving, and is behind earth by about 800 years. The river Ubangi flowing in Yala made the place fertile. Agriculture flourished and people there were happy. In the region in which this story is sited there were two small kingdoms Nuttum and Ragala next to each other. The chief of Nuttum was Beira. One day as per custom, Beira summoned representatives of his people to make an important announcement:” I Beira, have this day crossed the age of 90. As yo...

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“The Dark night” by Zilah Swu Diary

Submitted to Contest #79

On a dark stormy night, I was awaken by a rough thunder. I went in search for my mom only to find out something that strike my eyes in wander. I was confused whether to laugh or cry as my mind went blank. I don't exactly remember how to express as I was only 8 years old but that day changed my entire life . Ten years later, I was very thankful that Elsa was always beside me. I could have been less cared if she wasn't around. She played both the role of a mother and father in my life. We were like best friends and I love her so much. No chil...

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“Found Family” by Matthew McLean

Submitted to Contest #79

It had been four years and 8 months since Jacob had last seen the Crew and he wasn’t sure how to feel about that. Memories of Angie’s Molly parties or Tom’s ridiculous tall tales, or the laughter either could cause, competed in his memory with the yelling and the fistfights, the hours of waiting on bail, the wreckage of failed schemes. He stared at his whiskey as he wondered if any of it had mattered. For a long time, for years, they had managed to stick together because they could only depend on each other. Starting at the Orwellian soun...

4 comments 4
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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!

Prompts | Big Blue Hand | 2024-11

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