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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 – 237 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

“My Dear Lethologica” by R. A.

Submitted to Contest #80

I remember how, when I was young, I would sometimes stop to take a good look at my father. I would examine his strong jaw and the dark skin beneath his eyes and the smile that so charmed my mother, and I would stomp my little feet and shriek my little voice, and wonder, frustrated, what am I missing?My father was very patient with me, whenever I got like this. He would watch me watching him and smile, kindly, in a way I’ve since tried to emulate but have never quite mastered. Kindness, as a concept, is not one of my strengths. It escape...

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“Hope” by Radhika Diksha

Submitted to Contest #80

September 1, 1939 The coffee's aroma reminded me of the last night, where my body was aching and craving for Anna. I saw a wild side of her yesterday and could not contain myself. The proposal was not planned but came out abruptly from my mouth. Last night when we were laying on the terrace gazing at stars all I could demand was love for eternity. To my amazement, she agreed and nodded her head in yes, the rest of the night was marked upon my neck with red blotches. As I remembered it, my neck tingled and I flushed like a red rose. All th...

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“A Ringing Silence” by Marissa Reilly

Submitted to Contest #80

*Ivy's Note* This story is dedicated to all the Holocaust survivors, and all of the Jews who perished during this terrible event. I also dedicate this to Nainika Gupta and Bill Cipher, who gave me critique on it before I even finished it. I'm also dedicating it to Maya Emerson and Sapphire, and all my fellow Reedsy lovers that I haven't met. (Yet.)https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/author/ccbca4/https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/author/mufasa/https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/author/87fbc6/https://...

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“Courage with kindness” by Radhika Diksha

Submitted to Contest #80

I saw my father lying on the silk bed, still and lifeless. A stream of froth was flowing out from his mouth and his body turned purplish. His eyes were wide open.I remember how his eyes longed to see me after a long court meeting, how they shone for his subjects but right bow they were still.His face was covered with flies that once used to be covered with sandalwood paste.All the soldiers and the public were standing outside the fortress, prepared for the war and ready to sacrifice their lives for their land.My stepmother was standing besid...

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“Grandma” by Christina Marie

Submitted to Contest #80

“Let’s play a game.” Grandma pushes aside the flyers and coupons littering her kitchen table to make space for the yellowing cribbage board—a brittle piece of plastic molded into the number 29.I collect the dishes from the coffee and stale cookies she’s been saving for my visit and place them in the sink. Using the crocheted rag that always hangs over the faucet, I douse the cups and saucers down with soapy water and rinse and stack them in the drying rack. Despite our persistent pestering, there’s still no dishwasher.It hasn’t snowed yet, b...

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“SAYS WHO?” by Sun Set

Submitted to Contest #80

"I'll probably be dead by then."Replied eleven year old Azania to "where do you see yourself in thirty years time?." From her teacher.This took the teacher off guard as I believe she was expecting an answer along the lines of "I see myself married with two beautiful kids,a loving husband and an amazing job."Well, that just wasn't Azania.Daughter to two gay parents she had always been exposed to the "abnormal" and had normalized it. She was adopted as an infant by people she wasn't related to in any way.Who took care of her like she wa...

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“The Box” by The Manticore

Submitted to Contest #80

Nassia got off work in seven minutes. She counted down the seconds as they ticked away on the clock behind the counter. Seven minutes until she could close the little green door, walk out of the bookshop, and head to her favorite place in the world. She cracked her knuckles against the counter and rolled her eyes as the last few customers came in through the doors. A kid wearing yellow overalls and a baseball cap, followed by his parents. The kid’s father nodded towards Nassia and she nodded back. He clearly wanted to leave as much as...

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“Viva la Revolucion!” by Kristin Neubauer

Submitted to Contest #80

Author's note: The return of Dr. Ingalls, psychotherapist to historical figures. His first appearance was in "'Tis a Lie!" way back in September (Contest 57), featuring his session with George Washington. In the comments, I'll put a note about what is true and what is fiction in this one.Dr. Ingalls is tapping his pen on his legal pad as he waits for his next client. He looks at his phone. The client is already eight minutes late and Dr. Ingalls underlines the observation he made the previous week.Routinely late for appointments.At...

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“"Back then"” by Mariana Del Rosal

Submitted to Contest #80

The moon blew up last night. We couldn't see it. I mean, live. Only the people in Australia were able to watch the whole thing up there, in the sky. And I don't envy them a little bit. Mum, Tiana, and I spent all night in front of the TV. We tried ordering a pizza, but everything was closed, so mum had to microwave some pop tarts. As scientists were uncertain about the exact moment of the crash, everybody tuned in hours before the impact. Every network had the same agenda: journalists, scientists, even astrologists from everywhere in the wor...

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“Death Is History Too ” by 🄼🄹 🅂

Submitted to Contest #80

Dear Diary, When kids are asked what they want to be when they grow up, most will say, police officers, firefighters, detectives, basic, generic answers. They don’t think about making big changes in the world, not all the time. And they most certainly don’t think about dying. How their time in the world will end. Will they be remembered? Will the way they die make a change? Because they’re kids. We're kids. We shouldn’t have to worry about those things. We shouldn’t have to think about possibly never coming back home to sleep in our bed...

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“The House of Lancaster” by Jasey Lovegood

Submitted to Contest #80

The House of Lancaster Author's note: This story is based on The War of the Roses. Some of the characters in this story were real people in history, however, the main character is fictional. The story is based on some element of the truth, but much of it is created by my imagination. Enjoy! :D ~~~ The House of Lancaster. The House of York. I had grown up hearing stories of a rivalry between the two Houses. My mother, Anne, used to tell me it was just the men being ‘frivolous’ and ‘blood-thirsty’, but that didn’t justify the fatal...

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“It's over” by FJC Montenegro

Submitted to Contest #80

The TV wasn’t on mute but I couldn’t hear it beyond the wall of lo-fi hip-hop on my headphones. I didn’t know why Maureen still had a TV — it wasn’t even a smart TV and she never watched it — but, whatever the reason was, she was watching it now.I was on the table by the bed, with my back to the TV, working on a drawing. The project was due next week. She was sitting on the bed in a strange position, her chin resting on her knee, her bare leg crossed on top of the other one, which was dangling on the side of the bed. She was wearing only an ...

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“Past Americana - Issue #4” by Michael Boquet

Submitted to Contest #80

PAST AMERICANAIssue #4 - "Stop The Vote"Written by Mikey FlowersArt by Gustave BeauregardLetters by Josephine Renaut.PAGE 1Title at top of page.Credits along bottom.In between, include the following disclaimer: This is a work of satire. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the author, artist, or publisher.PAGE 2Panel 1Wide shot. Day. Open on the back of a farmhouse with a wide porch. Draw the scene from a high enough perspective that we can see the street and driveway behind the farmhouse. A man sits on the po...

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“Dandelion Roots” by Claire Lindsey

Submitted to Contest #80

We write our histories in permanent marker on the bathroom stalls of life.She types it in and stares for a while into space, searching for the reason, as if her muse might appear out of thin air. There is nothing, no one there. She hits the little blue button anyway.She enjoys the hopefulness of the moment—perhaps they will see merit in her poetry, perhaps they will ask, like she does, where it originates. She wonders if there is life here. Will something grow from these seeds she’s planted?Setting her phone aside, she resumes dicing onions....

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“My Story of My Case” by Jay DMer

Submitted to Contest #80

Note: A true story with my perspective. Some real quotes stated by real people. Harsh/sad actions and rude/offensive words.You all might have heard the story of a 14-year-old black boy that got killed by white men because he flirted with a white woman. That lynching isn't just a story. It's my story. I'm that African American boy who got killed... I'm Emmett Till.August 24, 1955"Aye Till! Where you goin' boy? Ain't I tell you and yo cousin to go off to the market and get me some eggs and milk? Go on boy.""Yes sir. Be back in a jiffy."I find ...

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Ended on 23:59 - Feb 12, 2021 EST

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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.

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