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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#83: Tropical Getaway

Sometimes we all need a break from our current circumstances. When the world feels gray and lifeless, thoughts of warm beaches and sunny skies can sound more appealing than ever.

Travel has been hard to come by for a while now, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make an escape through our imaginations. So this week, let’s slather on the sunscreen, steal what daylight we can, and take our characters to the crystal beaches most of us can only imagine.

This week's prompts

Write about someone who goes to extreme lengths to get themselves to a tropical island.

Adventure – 91 stories

Start your story with someone emerging from the sea, and end it with them looking up at the stars.

Fantasy – 277 stories

Write about someone who’s lived on a tropical island their whole life and is leaving it for the very first time.

Dystopian – 83 stories

Write about someone who books a bargain vacation, only to be told when they arrive that they need to share a hotel suite with a stranger.

Dramatic – 148 stories

Write a fantasy story about water gods or spirits.

Fantasy – 227 stories

Stories

“Fateful Vacation ” by Maraika!!! 😎

Submitted to Contest #83

Dinner at the Essington-Smith house was always a time of conversation, whether about how the world works, politics, or funny things that happened in their day. Today the topic was how people’s parents met. “Cassie’s parents met at a New Years eve party. It was love at first sight.” Sadie, the second oldest, said with a dreamy sigh. “Isn’t that so romantic?” Alyssa, the oldest,...

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“Mama's Special Blessings” by Keri Dyck

Submitted to Contest #83

The immensity of the sea rolled against her eardrums, resonating somewhere in her soul. The sky pulled her up, up, back into the air her lungs craved, but she pulled herself farther below the surface. Wren opened her eyes. The brine stung at first, but it was always worth it. Streaks of light pierced the greenish-brown water, always flickering and moving; but the focal point in her view, as it had been for the last four-and-a-half years, was her daughter. Eleanor had her eyes clenched tightly. Her little legs were wrapped a...

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“Come to me” by Gianluca Angelucci

Submitted to Contest #83

The salty breeze was holding hands with the resin of the planks, playing within the sails like cheerful children, gently pushing the vessel onward on the bluest of seas. On the quarter deck the capitain was facing up to the gentleman, hissing with a low, rumbling voice “We lost our route, sir. We are in the midst of unknown waters, pushing forward is going to kill us all!”. Just a smirk on the face of the other man, straight shoulders and the nose pointing confidently to the open sea “we are close, capitain. Pushing forward is going to bring...

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“Ouroboros ” by Elizabeth Inkim

Submitted to Contest #83

Of all the things Beom thought she would be doing on harvest day, sitting on her heels before the village chief and the council of elders was definitely not one of them. After hours of listening to him ramble on about nothing, the urge to interrupt was overwhelming. Looking past the Chief, she could see the endless stretch of blue through a crack in the woven wall. Tuning out the grumble of voices, she could hear faint sounds of drums and smell the spiced rum in the air.Fiddling with her bracelets, she could still feel the salt on her skin f...

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“www.cheapandcheerful.ca” by C Alexis McGregor

Submitted to Contest #83

Beep I flicked up the lid of my laptop, curious about the email. Need some Vitamin D? Like to save cash? Do we have DEAL for you! www.cheapandcheerful.ca My fingers flew over the keyboard, tapping in impatience while the website loaded. My eyes drank in the tropical scene — white sand, swirling surf, blue skies to the horizon. For the next 48-hours ONLY the DEAL you can't afford to miss. Call now, don't hesitate. All-inclusive — let us surpass your expectations. 1-888-341-1199 Without my mind controlling my needs,...

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“Extreme holidays” by Damian Nowacki

Submitted to Contest #83

Here were all there. Every single one of us. Me, Mother, Father and our Grandfather. Grandmother had died a few weeks ago, we were still extremely sad about it. Mother couldn't stop crying and Father wouldn't let us speak about it. She had left us very little money when she died, but just enough to do something with it. Yesterday, the whole family argued what we should do with it, but we just couldn't come to a agreement. "What will we do about the money?" I whispered quietly. "We sho...

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“Paraíso do Sol” by Bethany Lemons

Submitted to Contest #83

I’ve barely written a page, so I decide to minimize my document and just peruse the internet for a while instead. It’s good to stimulate the mind to prevent writer’s block, you know. In fact? I’ll even make it a productive little break. I click my LinkedIn bookmark and do the normal LinkedIn things, like congratulating my third grade teacher on her new job as a fifth grade teacher and sharing Gianna’s post inviting the public to apply for her law firm’s entry-level receptionist positions. Between my job and freelancing whenever I can, I’m… m...

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“Agreth ” by Ally J.K

Submitted to Contest #83

"Before I tell you this story, you must promise me something," said Mirabella. "What promise? What promise?", they urged in unison. "That you will forever keep it a secret", Mirabella placed the forefinger on her lips. "We promise, we promise", they urged again, "Tell us the story Aunt Miri, please, please, please." "Alright. Let me get a sip", she took a sip from the mug. Her gaze became distant like she was looking into a long-past memory. She breathed deeply, her voice became whispery, lower, yet clear. "I was only seventeen...", she scan...

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“Santiago, Not the Moor-Slayer” by Kathleen March

Submitted to Contest #83

So, as legend goes, Santiago o Maior, whom I think is called Saint James the Elder in English, was beheaded in his homeland. That was very far away, beyond the Mediterranean for sure. He was then put in a stone boat that either floated on its own or was steered by someone, across many miles. It's not. exactly clear how a stone boat could even float, let alone whether it could make it up to Padrón on the western shore of the province of Coruña.If you think this is a made-up story, tell that to the Church, which insists Saint James made the lo...

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“Whiskey, Diet Coke, Two Dollars, and a Pistol” by Redd Herring

Submitted to Contest #83

This is a true story. I have not done this on an island yet, but the story is true.Trigger Warning: Suicide (not graphic)The moonlight showed the way as I guided the little boat to the beach. I stepped out and was surprised – the water was warm. I guess I expected it to be cold this time of year. I dragged the boat up on the sand and walked in a streak of light along the water’s edge.This is as good a place as any. I dropped down and took a long breath. The salt air felt so different in my Texas lungs. I opened the backpack, fished for my ph...

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“Inconvenient Evolutionary Developments” by Story Time

Submitted to Contest #83

When Ollie realized he had lungs, he was terrified to breathe. Having something is a problem, but using it is a much bigger problem, because use involves intent. He didn’t intend to have lungs, and so, he hadn’t done anything wrong, but one breath, and he’d be a criminal. Ollie was born in the Atlantic, before being sent to the Pacific by Bobbie, who explained to him that the Atlantic was now overrun with nymphs, whereas the Pacific was in dire need of more representation. At the time, he was mostly eel, with a splash of jellyfish, but...

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“From The Stars” by Mihret Adal Gidi

Submitted to Contest #83

The night is fair with the big and bright moon accompanied by the stars. Unlike most nights, Chincoteague, Virginia’s police department is flooding the beach for the recent odd news they just received from the young folks who were wilding out the night.“Hello Chincoteague, Virginia’s police department, how may I help you?” the operator uttered from the other side.“Hello, we need help, help. A woman walked out the sea and she is bleeding... she is covered in blood,” a young girl was making the call and she sounded quite unsettled and scared.“...

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“The Rising Sun ” by George Frost

Submitted to Contest #83

Emerging from his sleeping quarters, Akihiro heard the low rumbling of a large diesel engine. He had lived on this small unnamed island ten miles due east of the Isabell on an atoll in the Marshall Islands for many years. He had no way of knowing exactly how long he had been here, the sun would rise and set marking another undistinguished day. Listening to the engine, Akihiro wondered if today was the day he would meet his enemy in a final showdown. His officer’s uniform hung on the hook near his bunk. He spent time ...

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“Quell the Beasts” by Steve McKenney

Submitted to Contest #83

It was still very dark in the early morning hours when Inigo awoke. He knew, like the rest of his fellow villager’s did, that soon, the dual suns would rise and bring with them both vibrant light and searing heat. But for now, it was dark and cool. This was Inigo’s favorite part of the day; he cherished the darkness, the quiet and yes, of course the coolness. This morning though, he was unable to savor the dark coolness, for he had a journey to begin. He had been chosen by his fellow villagers to make the Journey of Sacrifice in hopes of a...

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“beautiful but not powerful” by Carole Cobos

Submitted to Contest #83

Whether she breathed in the water or not- it wouldn't matter. She only knew that she had to reach the firm land.A mountain called her. Radiating a power she wanted to touch.That was all.The being, beautiful to all, rose from the embrace of the waters. Water droplets ran down her naked sides.Magnificent.--------She was beautiful.She knew that.Aphrodite, they call her. All of them hung on her every word, holding their breath and waiting for her to shine her smile upon them.The fools. She was older. She was made the moment...

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$50

Prize money

826

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 05, 2021 EST

Won by Madalyn Meyers 🏆

Title: Burn Damage

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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