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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

“Eirene” by Rich Conti

Submitted to Contest #80

Eirene By R. A. Conti Babette kept thinking she should turn the car around and head back home. She worried her life might change dramatically if she went to the meeting. But it's only a meeting, she reminded herself. If I don’t like it, I can just leave. She walked into the Quaker meetinghouse and noticed the worn drabness of the space. There were a couple of peace banners on the walls. A bulletin board contained an orderly arrangement of fliers and announcements of community events and activities. Several people sat around a large table. Ma...

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“The Day of Hope” by Jasmine Noone

Submitted to Contest #80

     I stood beside the elevated stage, hidden by a thick black curtain. I looked at the eager citizens who awaited my presence. My stomach turned, my face went pale. I had to do this, I had no other choice. My escort led me up the steps to the stage and I watched as the crowd went silent, everybody staring intensely at me. I adjusted the microphone to my mouth, cleared my throat, and began.   -----------------------------------------------      The bus ride home from my seconda...

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“I didn't ask for this life” by Jerrit Montgomery

Submitted to Contest #80

I didn't ask for thisBy.Jerrit Montgomery.It's about 7:30 am. as I sit on my bed looking out of my bedroom window.thinking to myself seeing people walk by..look at my people acting like beast because they have not realize their human form. Living in new Orleans projects it's hard me back and forth to jail until one day my mind clicked asking myself.. am I really from the project or am I the project? because a project is not a building but a experiment. a test..something put in plan until accomplished. My hold life I lived as a lab rat. now I...

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“The Event” by Tracey Carvill

Submitted to Contest #80

One day, all over the world, a strange phenomenon was reported by the press. Children were all drawing the same strange, unsettling image, over and over again - a smiling face, done all in black scribbles that suggested a gleaming smile and bright eyes in a face made of shadow. The pictures were unsettling, not just because of what they portrayed, but because all over the world, in every country and culture, children who were old enough to hold a crayon up to pre-teens were all drawing, stroke for stroke, exactly the same thing. Then, as nig...

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“Surge, Resistance” by Ben K

Submitted to Contest #80

Part four of an ongoing series, read the comments for more information.“Is it on?”“Yeah, we’re live in five, four, three…” Henry says holding the camera steady, he waves his fingers, two. One and points at the Linda.”Straightening her jacket and patting dirt from her blouse. Linda clears her throat and speaks into the microphone held in her left hand. “This is the emergency response news team coming to you live at Centurion prison. Just moments ago, a massive burst of energy came from some strange devices placed in the ground by Quake. Neith...

2 comments 2
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“I have witnessed” by Crazy ✌️

Submitted to Contest #80

I have witnessed people die, the same people we are celebrating today. I sigh, there’s nothing else I can do. Everyone thinks they are remembering them, but what do they remember? Do they remember how Arthur’s favourite colour was purple? Or how James used to drop his stuff all the time? Or even what colour Tim’s eyes were? No. They don’t remember anything, not the day of their deaths, not all the pain they went through, nothing. This is so frustrating, I should be sitting at home reading, in front of a cosy fire and some hot cocoa. Then I c...

4 comments 4
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“Anzakku Tales ” by Bernard Shapiro

Submitted to Contest #80

 The three figures huddled in the night chill. Hentley, old and bent, tossed the crushed can into the fire and looked across at the ex-indentured Message Runner.The young man gestured at the sheepskin-clad Eurasian face with blue eyes crumpled by the fire."Is that why you keep this one along?""He just follows me everywhere; I appreciate the company. I hear the 'collectors' are nosing around.""Yeah. I hate those patrols. Seen a few dragged off. They don't come back. Were you in Liberty Square when the shrine fell in on February 22nd...

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“Witness to Pearl Harbor” by Melinda Madrigal

Submitted to Contest #80

Ruby is an elderly women of 90 who has witness her fair share of history from WW2 to Korea to the Kennedy assassination to Vietnam and so much more, but what Ruby remembers the most, what is stuck in her memory and won't ever let go is what Ruby witness on that December morning in 1941, Pearl Harbor. Ruby was ten years old when Pearl Harbor was attacked and she still remembers waking up to see her father off to work at Pearl Harbor, her mother cooking breakfast, the beautiful sunny day of Hawaii, the Christmas decorations all over the hous...

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“February 21st.” by Sandra Claros

Submitted to Contest #80

Thursday, February 18, 2016.  "The President of the Republic has called a Referendum to consult with the population about the approval or rejection of the constitutional project that allows his fourth consecutive re-nomination to the presidency, according to a reform guided by the situation of Law 168 approved with the difference of only one I voted during an extraordinary session of the Constituent Assembly, when the assembly members were in recess "- say the news of today's newspaper, Ernesto commented to the grandparents, Huasca...

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“Pyramid Day!” by Louise Bell

Submitted to Contest #80

A/N: I want to say, thank you all for reading. Please do not go under the assumption that I think slave labour is acceptable. I merely use it to write a more convincing story. Enjoy!The hot sand scorched my face like snake bites and the wind blew it into flurries of gold."Bye Chione!" I giggled as my giraffe's enormous tongue licked my face. I stroked her nose, and proceeded to chase a small tuft of camel hair back towards the great city of Cairo. It was a sunny day, and the heat beat down relentlessly. Ra must have felt this was going to be...

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“Noisy on the Eastern Front” by Andrew Grell

Submitted to Contest #80

NOISY ON THE EASTERN FRONT “So, is this like Cool Runnings? America will play Gorodki? Who in America, exactly, will play this game? And why? Russians left Russia so they don’t have to throw sticks to play, like dogs to fetch, in America, we can bowl, golf, shoot hoops, sorry, is that right? Is that what you do in Basketball,” Olezka Denisovitch complained; he wanted to be the consummate Yankee. “It’s not at all like Cool Runnings,” Boris Earpinsky explained. Wynnewood, Pennsylvania is only four degrees of latitude...

1 comment 1
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“Smoke” by E B

Submitted to Contest #80

It’s all circular, they say. History repeats itself. The people on the TV say it, with their coiffed hair and subtle makeup. It’s inevitable, they say with a shrug.  The girl figures this means that, however many years ago, there was probably another child, eyes wide and dark, staring up at the screen, or with a newspaper clenched in a little hand, confused and upset. Just like her. That’s how she likes to imagine it, anyway. It makes her feel less alone as the television flickers with explosions, screams, hurried explanations, a di...

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“Tobias” by John Del Rio

Submitted to Contest #80

Holy Moly was the first thought that popped into young Tobias’ mind as he spied the little man walking through the hallway of the fine hotel. Tobias had seen more than you might expect considering his young age. But he had not seen something like this before. He had already seen a historical day in the unseasonal Snowfall that happened this afternoon. It was only mid-June and yet it had snowed  in the city for several hours. And now; if he wasn’t mistaken, he had to be one of the first to see an actual fairy in the city. He was on...

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“Tomorrow” by Sara Johnson

Submitted to Contest #80

Gut reaching, heart dropping crash. It could be heard for miles. Smoke filled the air, turning it black. Vision was cut to only one foot in front of us. But the smell, the smell is something I could never forget nor get out of my nose. That day will forever be with me. *Ring Ring* "Hello, Yes sir okay. Yes sir, I understand okay good bye.. Honey, I'm sorry but we gonna have to reschedule dinner. I have to work a double tonight. I'm sorry honey, I'll make it up. As the sun be begun to creep up into the sky, t...

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“For the love of life ” by Melia Mendoza

Submitted to Contest #80

I was fourteen when I saw it it shocked me and rocked my world I will never forget how I felt when I saw it. My hands shook and my breathing turned ragged as I ran fro my life I didn't know where my parents were. Though right then that wasn't my main problem I bolted as glass came down on top of my head grazing my neck ever so slightly. I reached my hand back to my neck I pulled my hand back and saw blood now covering my hand.I felt Liquid running down my back but I didn't know if it was my blood or sweat.I ran again hard but everything star...

7 comments 7
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$50

Prize money

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Contest entries

0

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!

Prompts | Big Blue Hand | 2024-11

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Prompts | Big Blue Hand | 2024-11

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