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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

“The Secrets of Devenworth” by Anthony Citerella

Submitted to Contest #79

Respirations have stopped. No pulse. Doris Knightly was dead. Abigail studied her mother’s body. She was in the hospice for a long time so there was no reason to call 911. Abigail’s trembling hand dialed the visiting nurse’s hotline and listened for an answer. “Hi I just want to leave a message for the nurse, Dianna, her patient just passed away.” Abigail sighed calmly into the receiver. “I am sorry for your loss mam. I will notify Dianna and call the funeral home for you.” the receptionist stated. Abigail hung up. Th...

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“Patience” by Ganiyat Bakare

Submitted to Contest #79

Liya, after dried tears wrung together her cheek's membrane, sits on her bed and prepares to sing from her songbook. Yesterday’s incident pumped fresh revulsion at Alex into her nerves immediately she wakes up. She should yank him by his neck and hauled him to the middle of the International human hunting festival held by lions in the African forest and listen to his heart bangs like the African drum. She should relax in Los Angeles in her bedroom singing, while his brother's roar for aid from Africa soothes her. Earth defects of not being...

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“Angels and Fog” by Karen Diane

Submitted to Contest #79

Though he would forget to call her for years, Mitch always said Julia was his favourite niece. He knew he was her favourite uncle; he inspired her love of art, music and the absurd. She would find him in his time of need again and again without anything but aching in her gut; her gut was never wrong. In another life he imagined she’d be the one to catch him; in a life where he wasn’t all she had. He’d slide into one his local holes, or dealers’ and there would be a note. A simple post-it note from a very complicated girl. She’d send letters ...

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“Family Ties” by Jonathan Piscitelli

Submitted to Contest #79

"Do you know who these belong to? I think these are Joey's. That's definitely Sunrise Films logo on all of this stuff." Amanda said as she looked through the camera equipment scattered throughout the storage unit. "What does it matter? Can you sell them on Facebook Marketplace for me or not?" Sam said, starting to feel like his sister was going to let him down yet again. This always happened and it infuriated him. He thought this would be an easy slam dunk, and give them a chance to bond, while at the same time putting some much needed d...

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“A Day in the Park” by Marc Padilla

Submitted to Contest #79

This unexpected day has come. Time froze. I was just thinking about where shall I have my dinner as I stroll on this craquelure of a concrete park’s floor, peppered with the orange crisp leaves of the afternoon autumn when a woman … a woman who felt so familiar grabbed me by the shoulders. Her eyes gash like spring while her lips tremble like ripples. She felt so familiar that the moment I had my eyes set on hers, It felt like I was lost and I was home at the same time. Her lips tried to open every now and then but it appears to me somethi...

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“Who is that Strange Man?” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #79

Have you ever felt like someone you don’t know is watching you? I know that sounds a little paranoid, and I would probably assume that a person asking me that question was leaning that way mentally. But to rearrange slightly an old saying, ‘You’re not paranoid if someone you don’t know is actually watching you.’The first time I noticed this was when I was in a doughnut shop, blue Covid mask on and shouting what I wanted in a bagel. You might think that asiago is easy to say and be understood, but the server thought I said, ‘As you ...

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“Welcome to Our Family” by Amy DeMatt

Submitted to Contest #79

“Wherever you want to go,” the man in the sport jacket said. He had an athletic build, and the white shirt he was wearing looked like it was just pulled out of the packaging. Blinding white. No one in Bend dressed like that. D was dressed in his regular school clothes, joggers and a long-sleeved T-shirt. He towered over the man in the sport jacket. “How about Ruby’s?” D said. ...

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“Estranged apple” by Affair Writer

Submitted to Contest #79

March 26th, 1968 I had my gun, a glock to be precise with me tonight. I had it on my right hand underneath the table as I sat in the corner with a smile next to my two lovely parents. They were the best parents that I could hope and wished for. My mother is not that pretty, my father is not that handsome and I did not care. Do you think that I was going to say that? Why would I bring my gun if it were. If you believed it, jokes on you then! March 24th 1968 I had heard this message from my men. I stood up and h...

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“Not Exactly the Way I Pictured It in My Mind” by Ed Vela

Submitted to Contest #79

Eve nervously gnawed on a breadstick as Will slammed back wine, refilling it from the bottle on ice he had insisted the waiter leave at the table, the first of two he had pre-ordered for the table. This was NOT going to be a fun night for him and he already knew it.Thirteen year old fraternal twins, Bo and Ann, looked at their parents then at each other. They had wanted to join their Mom and Dad on this outing about as much as when they had forced them to see a three hour opera the year before.“Twenty-three years!” Eve said, violently chewin...

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“Little Ms. Princess” by Jellybean Weirdo

Submitted to Contest #79

"Um Princess Liane?" I heard behind me. I turned around and it was a young girl in a beautiful ball room dress. "Oh hello little one. Are you the princess herself?! You look beautiful." I squated down to be eye level with the little girl. "I love your dress too!" She squealed. "Hello I'm Liane's mother. Liane is a really big fan of your book and the movie. A factor is the princess has the same name as her." The little girl's mother said. "Is that so?" I said to the little girl who nodded happily. "How would you like a free signed co...

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“Sandy Owens” by Luccia Moraes

Submitted to Contest #79

As much as I have tried to move on--go to college, get married, have kids--I can't. And it will be fifteen years tomorrow. Fifteen years since my mother left me when I was sixteen. Sixteen! Put me in the foster system, for what? She couldn't bear two more years? I should have been the favorite child but I could never compete with the drugs. Or the alcohol. Or my personal favorite--marrying a new toxic boyfriend twice a year, claiming that this one was it for her, that he would give us a life of wealth and prosperity. He never did. Drunk ever...

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“Confronting the Past” by Aha Blume

Submitted to Contest #79

I woke up early. I hadn’t slept well. Maybe it was a mistake to stay and see my parents. I looked over at Denise sleeping next to me. How had I gotten so lucky? Maybe my mom would be happy for me. I pulled on some clothes, planning to get breakfast before I faced my parents. I opened the motel room door, and there she was. “Mom,” I said. “Why didn’t you tell me you were in town?” “I came in for the reunion. I was planning to stop by this morning.” “Well I heard from Natalie’s mom you were here.&nbs...

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“Unexpected Forgiveness” by Jackie Palm

Submitted to Contest #79

She looked out the window, through her vines of plants, at the black specks against the freshly fallen snow. Her husband had taken their boys sledding on the hill down the street. She smiled, thinking about how she was glad that it was them outside and not her. She was always cold and getting soaked through in the snow did not sound like a good time to her. She imagined their rosy cheeks and snow-covered hats and mittens and her husband, getting breathless, dragging the sleds behind him as the energetic little boys ran ahead, shouting for hi...

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“Carl” by Zavier Watt

Submitted to Contest #79

I pulled into Carl’s driveway, which was really just a soaked patch of grass, at about eight o’clock that night in my grey SUV. He didn’t have a garage and it was raining pretty heavily; I was gonna have to dash out of the car to stay dry. Raindrops hit the windshield and left clear streaks in their wake as they slivered down the front of my car, it made me miss the dry weather in Colorado. I wanted to go back. Right then. Put my car in reverse, pull out of that swamp and drive thirty-six hours from whence I’d came. Then I looked in...

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“Love, your original dad ” by Kerensa Rybak

Submitted to Contest #79

They always say based on a true story, and I so often want to ask just how true? Did they change the names or did they change the plot or the ending or did they write it the way we all look in a mirror- like it’s all true but only as much as we can see the truth?I was only eighteen months old when he left, and I would be hard pressed to tell you where he went. When I was much younger than I am these days, my fantasies would include a dashing, misunderstood man whose main goal in life would be to find his long lost daughter. Realistically, I ...

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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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