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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

“Torn in Two” by Valerie June

Submitted to Contest #79

“Why did he have to do this?” he asks under his breath as he rapidly writes on a piece of parchment under candlelight. “Sir, are you positive you will carry through with this?” a voice whispers in the darkness. “When have I not? You know, Paulio, that he’s absolutely forcing me to do this. I am innocent and to prove to the country that I stick to my word, it is unavoidable for me to let him off the hook,” he sighs sorrowfully until a spark of anger fastens his eye, “after all, I have a duty to perform to my kingdom and his love affair won’...

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“Letting Go” by Kate Winchester

Submitted to Contest #79

**Trigger warning: suicide ideation** I need to have a meeting with you today at 3:00, Paul had written in his email. He did not elaborate any further and his email was left unexplained. Jill glanced at the clock. It was only ten. How was she going to make it until then? Paul was her boss’s boss. He was the head honcho, the big cheese, or whatever you want to call him. It was uncharacteristic of him to email her as he didn’t interact with her often. She was merely a cog in the wheel and he was the ...

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“An Early Christmas Present” by Ema Humajova

Submitted to Contest #79

I followed his steps. Long, elegant strides lead him to a door opposite the courtyard. The glass building reflected headlights of cars flashing across the main street just behind the corner. He reached for the handle-the door was locked. With a searching look, he scanned the mass of doorbells installed on his right-hand side. “Thank you so much for that Kay, great point.” My head spun back to the front of the room, leaving the man outside to search for the right doorbell by himself. The professors looked around the room at the few student...

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“The Prodigal (Highmast Series)” by Lizzy Duffield-Fuller

Submitted to Contest #79

The familiar dark tangled around her, shrouding her muted footsteps as they bounced back at her down the damp tunnel walls. The flamewyrms on the ceiling sparkled their greetings down on her, throwing down nebulous patches of dim blue light which she shifted through with the quick step of professional. And that was what she was now, a professional. When she had left she had been an amateur, despite all the bitter words and high ambition she had spat out at them refuting such accusations, her pride stinging like a blade’s cut, brimming full ...

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“The Road To Hell” by EM Greville

Submitted to Contest #79

I’m not a psycho. I fall in love too easily. Can’t help it. Pretty face, swishy hips and I’m lost. Before you know it, I’m in up to my eyeballs. Mum says they take advantage of me. Trick me. She says I’m a simple man and I’m led by my you know what. Mum always sorts it out for me. She says it’s not my fault. I’m too trusting. Gold diggers, she calls them. Says I should let her choose me a nice girl from a nice family. And I was going to. I really was. But then I saw her. My hea...

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“How do you explain that? ” by Lily Rebecca 🐰🐾

Submitted to Contest #79

"How do you explain that?" "You can't" I stare at the body on the ground. Did we really just go through all that? The rain pelts down, soaking us to the bone. I shiver and let my hands drop to my side. I put my arm around Anya. We have gone through heck. She pulls away and wraps herself in her arms. I don't blame her. I would be pulling away too. My mind races as I realise what we have done. We managed to stop a criminal mastermind at the age of 15. Imagine what we could do when we're older. We could accomplish great things. But I don't know...

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“The Robed Woman ” by Kelly Ellen

Submitted to Contest #79

Trigger warning: This story contains non-explicit depictions of physical and emotional abuse. How did we get here? My brother and sister are playing with the other two younger boys. The view of the beach is amazing from here! The boys and their father live here and we were all invited to come over to enjoy their huge beach house. The father was a friend of our mothers in high-school. I let myself in the front door to hear the kids all having a blast and I am excited to join in, even though they are all much younger. I see our moth...

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“Capuccino Cups” by Elise Volkman

Submitted to Contest #79

cw: mental health, traumaWhen I tell Doc about it, I tell her nothing dramatic or out of the ordinary happened that day. Nothing at all. One moment, I was sweeping the floor in front of the till during a lull. Next thing I knew, I was rocking back and forth on the ground, sobbing. I don’t remember why. I just remember Claude, holding me and rubbing my back, helping me calm down. I don’t think we even knew each other’s names. I remember his well now. I remember writing it in Sharpie on a white paper cup. Claude had walked in that day expectin...

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“Autumn” by Elizabeth Motes

Submitted to Contest #79

Dad eyed the cigarette in my hand with disappointment. “You really shouldn’t be doing that,” he said. I blew out a puff of smoke and said nothing right away. We sat in chairs on opposite ends of the front porch, partially because I wasn’t allowed to smoke in the house, and partially because Mom didn’t like Dad in the house. It was a nice day anyway, so I didn’t mind. Worry lingered in his eyes, so I said, “I know the statistics. On smoking, I mean. I’m not stupid.” “I know you’re not.” He crossed his arms. Dad came early this year, thou...

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“Goodbye Momma” by Jenn Artino

Submitted to Contest #79

The bakery was quiet, the lingering scent of baked bread hung in the air. All the pastries, cakes and cookies that were left over were boxed and ready to be dropped off at the fire station down the street. Most of the time there wasn’t much leftover, but the guys at the station appreciated anything they were given. It was either give them to the guys or Cassie would have to take them home and try not to eat all of it once she got off work. She didn’t like to serve her customers day old desserts so the few that she would have left, were gifte...

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“Cutting Ties” by Inkstained Introvert

Submitted to Contest #79

“Holy guacamole.” I coughed as a cloud of dust flew up from the cardboard box I was opening. “Could Dad have been any less of a hoarder?” “Well, I’ll not say that he was exactly sensitive of peoples' allergies,” Alex began, trying hard not to let his features bend into a snicker, “but let’s not push our luck, Ky. It’s only his office that we’ve got to go through—Mom and Viv have all the rest.” “Thank God we’re the family’s worst cleaners,” I muttered, folding back the box’s flaps. Alex glanced at me and sighed, leaning back on his heels...

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“Jack's Rose” by N S

Submitted to Contest #79

At 2:20 a.m. on that fateful April 15 of the year 1912, the British ocean liner, the most famous ship of the era and perhaps even till date, The RMS Titanic sank into the North Atlantic Ocean, not very far from its destination. The massive ship, which carried 2,200 passengers and crew, had struck the iceberg about two and a half hours earlier. The so-called unsinkable ship had finally sunk. Who on earth doesn’t know this? But very few know how this incident changed the lives of thousands, people who died, people that were related to them, an...

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“My Sister Jenny” by Jade Orien🍀

Submitted to Contest #79

My sister Jenny has been envious of me ever since she found out I was going to be existing in her presence.She was the only child for 7 years before I came.Since she was the FIRST & ONLY child at one point my parents treated her like a princess.Brought her anything she wanted.She was involved in all of the extracurricular activities such as plays, ballet, singing, sports & much much more.But then one day my parents decided to have another child.they felt as though Jenny was bored with being the only child & that maybe it was time...

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“Who Are You?” by Boba Bendy

Submitted to Contest #79

*Trigger Warning: Cursing, Mention of Rape, Sassy Teenage Additude, Slight Mention of Abuse* “Itzel Gonzalez, to the principal's office. Itzel Gonzalez, to the principal's office.” The intercom announced to the entire school. Instantly, she could feel every pair of eyes look toward her way. It didn't help that everyone knew her. She was popular, but this was the first time she’d been called to the office. She sighed and stood up, sliding a strap of her small, black leather bag over her shoulder. She smoothed out her green uniform skirt and h...

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“Goodbye” by Alya Kaikuahine

Submitted to Contest #79

“You know what you have to do.”“Yeah.” The spray bottle was cold as ice as I rolled it between my fingers.“I expect this to be done by tomorrow. You must disappear and get rid of that nuisance. Or else….” The threat hung like a cloud in the cold night air, draping over my shoulders, weighing me down. We walked away from the bench we were on, careful to make sure no one knew we were talking. As I walked back to my house under the cover of night, I thought about what I had to do. It seemed impossible, though I knew it was necessary. He had bec...

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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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