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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

“Mothercall” by Christie Marie

Submitted to Contest #79

The signal pulses under my skin in exit-sign red. I rub at the subdermal display, then scratch fiercely, as if I can dig it out. On the inside of my left arm, the word MOTHER flashes in disconnected digit letters. I press the inside of my wrist, trying to get my InDisplay device to return to the navigation menu. Nothing happens. Rushing to the bathroom, I squeeze concealer onto my arm and try to cover the pulsing light. The makeup does nothing more than add an orangish tint to the red letters. I remember the day when Udy, my frie...

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“Fear” by Nakul Smaran Ranjith

Submitted to Contest #79

Fear. Fear has had a hold on me, like how somebody holds their most prized possession from falling into a cascading river, since my birth. I didn’t want to fall into the river. And no one wants their prized possession soaking up water. “Excuse me.” The voice of the guy interviewing me jarred me back to reality. My mind swirled through my own cascading river. This time, a river of lies. “Yes. Um, my greatest weakness, is being a perfectionist, to say the least.” I finally concluded. The interviewer’s facial expression didn’t change. “Go...

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“The last interview” by S B Chryslotte

Submitted to Contest #79

Mary left her current job, as a teacher because of some differences that she could no longer tolerate after she realized that she could do a lot better only if she gets a good opportunity and supportive environment. She quickly started to look for job requirements in newspapers and on the internet. Days went by but her motivation didn’t fell short for even one moment, and after many attempts and scouring over various paper and websites she finally short listed three schools where she direly wanted to apply. Only one of them was quite special...

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“Hand-knitted” by Tate Mirai

Submitted to Contest #79

It is John’s birthday, his thirtieth, to be precise. He does not want to make a big fuss out of it, so when we meet him, he is walking his elderly neighbour’s dog like he always does on Wednesday afternoons. The dog is small, stubby, and shaggy and has bright brown eyes that look curiously into the world. So basically, he looks a lot like John, even if he is not the owner. John always wanted to have a dog, but his parents never let him when he was a child and since he has been an adult, his landlords would not let him. So, Spencer is what he...

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“Dark Brown Eyes” by Jane Dove

Submitted to Contest #79

The dark brown eyes in the mirror of my dresser stared back at me, searching for familiarity. There was a photograph stuck to the mirror. The same, younger set of eyes in that photograph ignored what I was going through, simply staring at my dad’s laughing face and his happy grey eyes as he held me in his arms when I was a five year old. I always wished I had dad’s eyes. Thinking of Dad hurt sometimes. I didn’t want to leave him. I wished, in that moment, that I could be his little baby forever. I was terrified to leave this place. Being old...

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“Restoration” by Harold Bowlby

Submitted to Contest #79

Restoration Walking your dog through the park is usually just that. A walk in the park. You meet a few others doing the same thing and often stop for a quick chat; then on your way again only to repeat the process tomorrow. Nothing exciting. You both get a little exercise; socialize a bit then come back home for a short snooze. I work second shift so it frees my morning to participate in this activity with my best friend “Barney.” I’m not sure just what his make up is. Several breeds of hound I would say.&n...

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“At the Sound of Daybreak” by Heather Ann Martinez

Submitted to Contest #79

At the Sound of Daybreak By Heather Ann Martinez Fortune favors those born with all their finger and toes. Fortunate are those who have beauty and charisma. They seek attention while others shy away from it. Still others could sit in the corner pretending to read a magazine or watch a football match. Then there were those somewhat in between. There were those who had at least one known living parent who would return some day. There were those who were labeled orphan but had what other would never had. They had hope for being reunited w...

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“The Imago” by Joseph Shaw

Submitted to Contest #79

Mother was in her dreams. “A butterfly,” she said, looking at Mother. “What does a butterfly have to do with it?” They were in a meadow. Tufts of grass plumed up around them like little green fires. The sky overhead was a deep blue, vast and wide, bluer and fuller than the sky had ever been in the waking world. There were no trees, only plain, undulating meadow for miles and miles, touching the blue horizon like the confluence of two rivers. “A butterfly,” Mother said, and as she spoke a richly-colored monarch butterfly flu...

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“Reunion” by Ellie Nuske

Submitted to Contest #79

Harriett took a deep breath and knocked on the door. She stepped back, nervously twirling a ringlet of orange hair between her fingers. It had been several years since she'd seen her son. She had told him to leave until he was able to behave himself. He'd never returned. She had heard that he was now the proud father of two children with his long-time girlfriend. Her partner, Alfonz, had encouraged her to reconnect with her son and get to know her grand-kids. She was terrified. Her experience raising her son by herself had been awful. He had...

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“The Sperm Donor.” by Addie Summers

Submitted to Contest #79

October 8th 2011. I skip down the stairs, two at a time, tapping my fingers on the railing. "Carson, come into the Living room..." my mom says her face has a note of anxiety to it "Ok Mommy I'll be down in a sec," Mom hasn't had enough time for me lately and I was just happy she wanted to spend time with me. I run down the stairs and jump onto the couch giddy with excitement "What do you wanna talk to me about?" I say using my best cute voice, the look in my parent's eyes was not happy though, they were sad, somber eyes. "Honey... I... uh......

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“AS A SHADOW COMING OUT OF THE PAST” by Mara Masolini

Submitted to Contest #79

AS A SHADOW COMING OUT OF THE PAST “ Don’t you recognize me? Ah, a lot of time went by…..But, look at me…take a good look at me….Oh, it’s me! Really don’t you recognize me?” He asked with a vibrating voice, and as he asked, his eyes __it was evening and there was fog___they lit up like two light bulbs, coming towards him. In the dream Peter met him at a corner of a street, coming out from behind a wall. He, Joe, had appeared suddenly, the frail figure of an old suffering man, in his hallow, very pale face ...

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“Choices” by Darryl Lehane

Submitted to Contest #79

I wish I had paper to write on and a pen to write with. I am sure in some bright future that I will never see, that my words could be used to show why falling prey to division, no matter how noble it may seem to be, can only ever lead to pain and misery. That propping one group up at the expense of another, just means you are standing high on a pile of corpses. In these final moments of life, I find myself journeying back to childhood. Back before this new war, in the aftermath of the first one. Germany had suffered a great loss during ...

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“Why?” by Dana Ghinea

Submitted to Contest #79

After the third world war a lot of things had changed. Not just the world’s appearance but mostly its mentality. The new regime took charge and the freedom of speech was banned. Everyone who tried to state their opinion or fight against them was caught and sentenced to death or life in prison , thus succeeding to control and manipulate the crowds making it easier to catch and kill the so called “persecutors of the state”. … “Kill him!!!” one shouts. &n...

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“Does love lie?” by Isabella Garamova

Submitted to Contest #79

"I swallowed my pride and did what had to be done" he said calmly as his nephew stormed around the small living room. They lived in the outskirts of Austin, Texas. There house was rather small but it felt as though it was filled with an infinite amount of love. The most homey room was the living room. They always spent time in there living room. It barely fit a couch, a table, and two chairs but the fire place made the room toasty and comfy. Well, I should not say that. The room was not particularly comfy at that moment. Anyway, I digress le...

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“Friday Morning” by Tinto Abella

Submitted to Contest #79

I was 19 years old when I lost both my grandparents. My grandma, Mimi, had died because of surgery complications. My grandfather, Bobby, followed her the next week, when he died in his sleep of, according to the doctors, old age; but if you'd ask his only daughter, my mom, and her family, he died of a broken heart. That, and the money they left behind for their daughter, were the beginning of the tragic comedy I call my life. I turned 32 when my father passed away at 63, he had a heart condition since the day he was born, and altho...

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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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