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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#80: Living History

It's an important truth that those who don’t study history are doomed to repeat it. Unfortunately, sometimes we find ourselves living through historical moments whether we’ve prepared for them or not.

This week, we’re going to examine all the ways that people live through — and shape — history. Whether that’s an important activist organizer, a daring political leader, or just someone trying to educate people on the past so they can avoid previous mistakes, history is made up the actions of each and every one of us. How will your characters change the course of their world?

This week's prompts

Write about someone who never planned to make history but is now about to deliver a speech in front of millions.

Teens – 104 stories

Write about a child witnessing a major historical event.

Dramatic – 236 stories

Start your story with someone entering a museum, and end it with them settling down to join a sit-in.

High School – 41 stories

Write about an elderly character who was part of a historic movement years ago.

Historical Fiction – 134 stories

Start your story with a major news event breaking — one that will change the world forever.

Dystopian – 156 stories

Stories

“(Today) We are Victorious!” by Carole Cobos

Submitted to Contest #80

Eliza of Lertahn was never what one would call an ambitious child. Talented? Definitely.Obedient? Very much.But behind the intelligence of her gaze, there was never any hunger or passion. Just existence.A person who was going through the motions. Cycling through life.Eliza accepted this about herself. She celebrated in her ability to be aloof. She never thought that the quiet inside of her was because she was lacking. She always thought it was because she achieved peace others could only hope to find. But now the roarin...

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“The Light of Freedom” by Sreedevi Mahapatra

Submitted to Contest #80

Summer holidays were always a welcome relief for Kartik to escape from the daily school routine, the humdrum of traffic and of course the military strictness of his father. Kartik loved to visit his grandparents , in a remote village more than five hours of journey from the noisy city. A big house with spacious rooms, titled roof, a cool courtyard with plenty of space to play unlike the crammed up two bed room apartment back in the city. The moment Kartik reached the village, grandpa was waiting eagerly to receive him a...

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“It Was Just Another Protest” by Karen Avizur

Submitted to Contest #80

“I detest depictions of wolves as vicious, greedy creatures that are only out for themselves. Wolves are pack creatures, and a real wolf dedicates themselves to preserving the future of their pack. A real wolf dedicates themselves to their children.” Allison stared, on the verge of tears, the memory of her father’s words echoing in her mind. “No,” she whispered. Her mother, eyes already red from crying, shook her head. “Allison, I’m so sorry, sweetie.” Lillian Thatcher’s entire body was tense, and Allison knew her mother was barely keepin...

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“The Fields of Friendly Strife” by Robert Childress

Submitted to Contest #80

The Fields of Friendly Strife "Upon the fields of friendly strife are sown the seeds that, upon other fields, on other days, will bear the fruits of victory." -- General Douglas MacArthur With considerable fanfare, Mrs. Bryant pulled the blank cover sheet from the bulletin board to reveal their latest hero for study – the famous black American athlete Jesse Owens. “Does anyone know who this man is?” Mrs. Bryant asked as the children gazed at the color...

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“Overthrown” by M C

Submitted to Contest #80

Overthrown By Maci Currey I hear the loud beeping sound and see the horrifying red bar sliding across the screen. The horrible beeping sound, the sound of destruction, the sound that haunts me in my nightmares. It reads the word “Breaking” in big bold letters that will never leave your head. A newsperson pops up on the screen, they have a bland expression and voice to match. We gather around to watch, me my mother, my father, and four brothers. “The government is being overthrown, please stay inside, be careful. There have already been man...

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“The boy who ran and hoped” by Chazlyn Rodriguez

Submitted to Contest #80

The boy was barefooted and the sky was blue and wonderful. He sliced through the air and spread arm like one with wings.The grass felt soft on his feet but he ran so fast that he can hardly feel thebeating of his heart. The wind blew the clouds, and the plane he was chasingwas now clearer in his eyes. Far away from the village, no one can hear thecalling of a boy to his father. But he thought he did. Every afternoon hewaits. In this big field of grass and wild flowers. A stream was near but itwas never shallow. He would lay and watch the clo...

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“Within Apocalypse” by Neo Montana

Submitted to Contest #80

Chapter 1: Big Brother Content warning: domestic violence, suicide We all saw it, the blinding light from the sky, and just like that everyone just disappeared except me. I remember my brother once told me about 'The story of the Apocalypse' when I was only eight and a half years old. It had a peaceful, tranquil beginning, a sudden disastrous, melancholic middle and an epic, exciting ending as an eight-year-old would expect. My brother explained to me how the world would end. How 'the Armageddon' would come and go and how one s...

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“Around the Barrel” by Story Time

Submitted to Contest #80

My father told me to look down. He said, “Look down, and don’t look back up until I tell you.” So I feel at a loss, because when people ask what I remember, I have to say-- I remember dirt. I remember how my shoes looked that day. The shoes we had just bought. White when my mother swore that white shoes were bad luck, because how could you help, but get them dirty? I felt my father grab my hand and swing, and I didn’t understand. Not just the action, but the roughness of it. My father never laid a hand on any of his children....

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“Battleground Earth” by Victoria Lucas

Submitted to Contest #80

With two minutes left in the round I was smashing through what had to have been my best game of ‘Battleground Earth’ yet when the breaking news bulletin flashed across the headset in a seizure inducing kaleidoscope of insanity. Ripping the VR goggles from my face I did everything I could to prevent myself from ralphing up Kraft dinner all over my mom’s brand new braided rug. It really tied the room together. Finally regaining my balance I slammed on the teleset and watched as the horror brandished across the screen. Fire rained down from the...

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“A Memory Best Forgotten” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #80

Content warning: holocaust, abuse Laying in his hospital bed awaiting the angel of death to visit, Stanislaw Kowalski held onto the hand of his grandson, Sherman, and shared a story about a time gone by but not forgotten. Warsaw, Poland: 1942. Fourteen-year-old, Stanislaw was out in front of his family’s four-story apartment complex. He and his friends were playing a game of kick-the-can when a loud rumbl...

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“Doctor ” by Vandana Ramachandran

Submitted to Contest #80

Dr.Saintals was born to an orthodox Jewish parents, who lived alongside of death during Hitler’s era, 1939. he had never met his father. Fortunately he had a few Nordic Aryan features, like dolichocephalic skull and light eyes. This way she secretly sent him to an orphanage, at the age of 2 which had Aryan orphans. Eventually within a couple of years he was adopted by a rich German couple. Growing up he got the best out of all, because of his parents. His parents were very transparent, they told him that he was adopted. He wanted to fin...

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“I See the Moon” by D. Owen

Submitted to Contest #80

“Tomorrow’s the big day, my little rocket man.”Mom sits beside me on the bed and her slender hands reach to stack my large pile of Mystery in Space comic books neatly on the floor. “Mom, did you know the moon is about 240,000 miles from the earth? Did you know they are going to put television cameras on the moon? Do you know I am going to live there one day? Did you know the astronauts are going to bring back moon rocks?”“Yes, yes, I know, Billy. Now, where did we stop reading last night?” Mom lifts the worn book off of the small t...

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“Woodstock” by Bobby Bone

Submitted to Contest #80

As Roger watched the news he became more and more disturbed. What is this world coming to? he thought. Another war and another terrorist attack made the headlines. Even locally there was violence and hatred being reported. Again, Roger thought to himself, maybe it’s a good thing I won’t remember any of this by morning. His short-term memory was making life more and more difficult for him. Trying to remember basic life skills and recalling recent conversations and events was one of the most difficult things for him no...

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“Hidden Behind the Smoke” by Cassidy Hobelmann

Submitted to Contest #80

"Look! Grandpas In the paper. War hero Phillip Schuyler loses senate seat to young upstart Aaron Burr." I was listening to Hamilton as I was doing my homework. I needed a break. I leaned towards the window and opened it. The hinges turned, and a cold breeze rushed over my body. Maybe the stuffiness of my room wasn't such a bad idea. "Grab the mail," my mom shouted from her room. I went downstairs and out the garage door. I headed towards the mailbox and picked up the letters. I ran back into my house clutching my sweatsh...

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“When I was in New York, a Dead Man Said my Name” by Calypso N

Submitted to Contest #80

When I was in New York, a dead man said my name. It was summer and the heat was incredible; you could see the homeless beginning to blister on street corners, and people selling bottles of ice water for one dollar. Tourists with sweat dripping down their arms barely had time to stop to admire the scenery before they were pressing into buildings and basking in the blast of AC. I was on my lunchbreak and had some time to kill before I needed to get back to the office, but I wasn’t particularly enthused about going anywhere. I’d stood under t...

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Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 12, 2021 EST

A winner will be announced soon.

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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