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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

“Time to smile again” by Radha Suryawanshi

Submitted to Contest #79

Funny how weather changes so quickly and suddenly. One time, the sky is painted with the vibrant colors of azure and yellow, the sun rising through the horizon-a picturesque, picture-perfect moment. Then without warning, the sky darkens and thunder rumbles. Torrential rain comes crashing down in a deafening roar-almost like it’s laughing at how weak and helpless you are-and very soon, a flood forms, a wave of destruction, washing down everything in it’s path, leaving nothing but sorrow and quietus. The flood were my tears and the weather is ...

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“Sisterly Love” by Patricia Green

Submitted to Contest #79

Sisterly Love. Leanne stood by the graveside with her husband. Her sister stood a little way back with her teenage son. There were no tears, they had been spent over the last few days as their Mum slowly and painfully wasted away, until there was nothing left and she took her last breath. If anything, Leanne was grateful that she wasn’t in pain anymore. Leanne looked at her younger sister, they were now orphans, all they had was each other. They had become even closer over the last year, after Shirley’s husband got brain cancer and died 3 m...

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“If She Could” by Harlow Jones

Submitted to Contest #79

“Come on, Mom. You have to.” “I don’t want to, you bitch!” Despite her age and condition, she ran away like a kid having discovered their ability to sprint. My mother’s unoccupied shower seemed to be the escape I needed. The steam, the running water, the white noise. But with dinner to make and medicines to take, my haven had to wait. When I was a little girl, my mom always promised to love me no matter what. She made that promise waiting with me at the bus stop, reviewing my report cards, tucking me in at night. Through my teenage p...

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“Burgandy Barney” by Marian Reiley

Submitted to Contest #79

Tears clouded the once proud pirate's vision. Mary or Burgundy Barny as she had called herself, had terrorized the seas for years. Now that was all over because of her jealous greedy brother. John had marooned his sister on some desolate hot island with narry a soul in sight. It hadn't been enough to humilate her, John hadn't even given back her deep red greatcoat to cover herself. She was alone now in the humid air on the beach of some tropical island. Mary relived her past as she searched for a fresh water source. It wasn't that she w...

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“It's All His Fault” by ClaineReis Alvender

Submitted to Contest #79

I’m surprised at how well I’m dragging a body along Cory Pier at midnight. I never expected that I—an existence grounding itself on emaciation—was capable of such a feat. My body had never been muscular, had never been past skinny. And now, I have to thank it because it will be the reason why I won’t be charged with kidnapping and, probably, murder. Keith had always been good to me, my brother after all. I just never expected him to do all of that. He ruined my business, made me penniless—my wife left me for that—and bombard me with debt tha...

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“Why does life looks like a bowl?” by Maria Batool

Submitted to Contest #79

Some people say that life is a bowl of happiness and sadness, both may happen at any time of life but for some people life is only a bowl that contains sadness , sorrow and depression. You don’t believe it ,I am myself an example of such people,let me tell you what happened to me . It was late evening , I was excited for my birthday, presents , cake and other stuff. I was about to be 13 years old , a teenager offcorss!! Well this birthday turned out to be the worst , It was time to lit the candle, my mother lit the lighter holding the ...

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“Watch for the Talon” by Carlos L. Delgado

Submitted to Contest #79

Lord Manuel Manchuela III, Prince of Girona, gripped the playbill tight in his gloved hand, struggling to suppress his restless aura. Lady Isabella’s invitation hadn’t come as a surprise. Catalonia, as a whole, was on the verge of a great awakening; mills, factories, machines, forges—modernity approached, and she, like the rest of the court, simply sought her place in the era to come. But how? he wondered. Poison, perhaps? Why can’t it just be a duel to the death?“My lord,” one of his newest guards called through the box seat curtains. “Lady...

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“A Level of Non-Reality” by Tatiana Olin

Submitted to Contest #79

A Level of Non-Reality Tatiana Fox, Feb 2021 “He told me it’s Schizophrenia,” she said, leaning over the small, wooden table across from her brother. She ran her finger around the rim of a plain, white ceramic mug. Empty. It had taken her an hour to summon the ability to speak the words while she had quietly nursed a double cappuccino. She didn’t want to admit to him the night terrors had never stopped. That she wakes up screaming and feeling like she’s covered in blood at least twice per week. She hadn’t wanted to tell him about the wakin...

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“Double Edge Cut” by Shane Lagrange Lagrange

Submitted to Contest #79

Double Edge Cut By Shane LaGrange Prompt: Write about someone who discovered the only family member they have left has just betrayed them. Marcia Trotter felt like someone had just taken a bat to her stomach. Her sister Lynn was about to be married after a yearlong engagement. Her other sister Sarah was very happy to pass along an invitation after meeting on Facebook. She has never been to Massachusetts and the seaside wedding seemed perfect. Dan Trotter was a professor and La Cross couch at the collage. No expense spared to make this ...

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“Farewell Gran” by Szymon Kutchin

Submitted to Contest #79

My gran said that my parents and sister died because a drunk driver ran into their car late one foggy night. They died when I was still only a few weeks old. She was watching me while my parents took my sister Silvia to a rock concert near the state border. Gran said that they had died before they even got to the concert hall. Her cracked voice always mimicked the conversations of prior. “They went on Thursday night. The concert was that Friday night, but they had to travel a few hundred miles South. The cops said that they died only about a...

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“A HAPPY PLACE” by Esther Lune

Submitted to Contest #79

“Where have you been? Where on earth have you been?” my dad shouts as he takes another gulp of the bottle of whiskey. His black hair is roughed up and his eyes were almost red, his clothes were stained with puke and God knows what else.“Answer me, where did you go to Elizabeth?” I stare at his eyes and I’m filled with disgust and anger.I hit the chair beside me down and whisper “disgusting”.“What did you just say, what did you just fucking say?” his voice loudens and he takes a step forward to intimidate me.“I said that you are disgusting, y...

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“Noah” by Glenna Fisher

Submitted to Contest #79

The rain, just moments before an April shower, pounded in earnest now and wind drove it in horizontal sheets across the windshield. Spring in southwest Ohio – tomorrow it might be eighty degrees. Relaxing her grip on the small bag of groceries, Nola settled in to wait out the storm. She watched, mesmerized, as heavy drops drummed an erratic rhythm on the garbage cans in the alley beside her gate. Movement caught her eye, breaking the spell; then ceased. A heartbeat later, a flash of pale hair appeared in the gap between the cans. She o...

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“There and Back Again: A Modern Tale” by Rebecca Holmes

Submitted to Contest #79

We just spoke last week, my friend and I. It had been quite a while since we had spoken on the phone, though we frequently texted and sent voice messages. She talked about her life and career, her new girlfriend and being stuck inside still. I talked about problems at my work, comically awful dates I had been on, and the hobbies I had. We had also talked about that place, the one where we had met. It comes up in every conversation - even if it seemingly has nothing to do with our current lives. The...

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“Homecoming” by Ceci Calvino

Submitted to Contest #79

Second Story on Reedsy! Please comment and advise! Vaffer twisted his hatchet moodily in his hands, staring at the full moon. It was past the second watch, but he knew sleep was hopeless. He hadn't bothered to wake Riggot, who looked as peaceful as if he was lying on a feather bed. Except that, unlike Vaffer, Riggot had probably never been in a feather bed. With a heavy sigh, the young dwarf sat back against the tree. Two years was a long time for anyone to be away. But for him... Riggot mumbled something about roasted squirrel and his wei...

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“A Colorful Mind” by Nyah Peyton

Submitted to Contest #79

Tap, tap, tap, tap. The rhythm of the pencil against the mahogany table once again steals a piece of my focus. Mmmmmmm. The distant hum of the television in the hearth takes another chunk. I side-eye the burgundy curtains in our tuscan-style dining room and my mind bursts into color. Pink and purple clouds capture the sun's light --the rays ricochet off of every particle of moisture in the sky to create a rainbow that’s trapped in one spot. Beautiful. Characters with spiky hair and cartoon eyes fight on the candy green grass, their movements...

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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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