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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#85: City Living

There’s something deeply compelling about cities, isn’t there? Whether it’s the influencer-driven styles of LA, the laid-back sophistication of Athens, or the perfectly manicured greenery of Singapore, each one truly has its own unique soul. Those who visit are awed and at times overwhelmed, either falling in love or swearing them off forever — while lifelong residents take up a fierce loyalty that nothing can shake.

When writing, it’s often helpful to think of your setting almost like another character. Cities are an excellent way to explore this line of thinking, so for this week, pick a favorite and invite your readers in. What gives your city (whether real or imagined) its local “flavor”? And what impression do the people there give to the many tourists traipsing down their streets? Tap into your inner tour guide — it's time to travel the world!

This week's prompts

Set your story in a major city that your character has a love-hate relationship with.

Middle School – 153 stories

Write a story that takes place in the same building but in two very different time periods.

Historical Fiction – 154 stories

Start your story with the line, “That’s the thing about this city…”

Adults – 283 stories

Write about someone fighting to change their city neighborhood for the better.

Teens – 44 stories

Write about someone fighting to keep their city neighborhood the same.

Teens – 34 stories

Stories

“This City” by Lia Tegan He

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city –it’s charming, it’s exciting. The streets are filled with people, people from all sorts of cultures and backgrounds, with a multitude of opinions and desires. In Singapore, they find unique expression in being who they are. In the centre of the city, people get to be who they want to be, anything possible. I was once part of this scene, but four years ago I left Singapore to pursue a different life. Since I left, many things happened— some too much...

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“P.T.A” by Sun Set

Submitted to Contest #85

That's the thing about this city. Knowing that I would be only a walking distance away from the nine-metre tall Nelson Mandela statue should have persuaded me to come here but it never even once crossed my mind. As I walked along the city streets for the first time I could feel my heartbeat changing. It was as if there was music playing but only my heart could hear it and I was expected to just dance along. I guess that's the reason I chose to come here after all...the uncertainty. I knew of day and night as two different entities that influ...

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“A TRIP TO THE MALL” by Tracy Lentine

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city… there’s no way out of it,” yelled the teen wearing a bright orange scarf in the middle of summer. Henry had been sitting with his family in the food court overlooking the rest of the mall when the boy first appeared. It was strange. Henry could hear every word the boy was saying but never saw his mouth move. The teen had a plastered-on grin that was in complete contrast to the timbre of his voice. “This isn’t right. I don’t belong here,” cried the boy. Henry called out, “Hey kid, what’s your name?” The...

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“One Team, One City, One Dream” by Justine Klavon

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city…you can get robbed, stabbed, shot, or murdered any day of the week, but if you’re wearing green on gameday, you may as well be everyone’s brother or sister. Whether you’re from Philadelphia, outside of Philadelphia, or just visiting Philadelphia, an Eagles jersey is your all-access VIP pass to the City of Brotherly Love and will protect you better than a bulletproof vest. Even if the Eagles are having a bad season or just lost a huge game, you could wear an Eagles jersey anywhere in Philadelphia and find your...

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“Cleveland Nostalgia” by Holly Cook

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city… everytime I come home, every so often, it’s the same old roads and stomping ground I remember growing up surrounded by. Since I was a baby, I lived in the same house on Bostwick Crossing. My siblings had one house before that they experienced as a home, but that place was never really a home for me; apparently they just threw the crib in my dad’s makeshift early 1990’s home office, disorganized and clearly on the precipice of a budding business venture. Anyhow, the streets in our neighborhood were new, as bu...

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“Devil's in the Apathy” by Dawn Walter

Submitted to Contest #85

Jerry, the owner of the last “restaurant,” is in a current state of embracing his alcoholism. He maintains the open/closed hours of the old fountain building. The few dollars he makes from his regulars each morning keep the beast fed. Most everyone else steers clear of the joint. This is the sort of place where “used to” is a word in the local dialect. Pronounced ustah, like “yous-ta.” Ustah is a mantra. Out of habit, or loneliness, or both; the same half dozen aging fellas show up to this sad hovel every morning, except Tuesdays when Jerr...

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“For Better or For Worse” by Ellasyn Carpenter

Submitted to Contest #85

"They can't" I yell it so loud my voice cracks. He goes through his notes without looking up at me."I don't know what to tell you Darling." He says. "Just because Darling's my name doesn't mean you get to call me by it." I shout."You can't kick them out of their homes!" He chuckles under his breath. "They don't have homes Darling." He says "They're trespassing on private property. Do you think that old geezers gonna let them stay much longer? It's for their own good, I don't want someone to get shot.""Then give them homes!" I plead. "You kno...

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“You'll Forget My Stories” by Delphine Hintz

Submitted to Contest #85

“No one else remembers her anymore.” “Oh, I’m sure somebody does, Papa,” Rosalinda flicked on her blinker, looking much too little both ways before turning. “Yah? Who?” Frank grunted, staring over the Sternberg’s old fields. Great-grandmother Sternberg used to grow the largest pumpkins and win the fair every year. Him and Joey would get to carve them afterwards. Ginseng in row after shaded row, planted by Jung Co., grew there now. Rosalinda shrugged. “Oh, maybe an old friend that you forgot about, or somebody who just passed her on the ...

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“Changing The Neighborhood” by James Mckinley

Submitted to Contest #85

Changing The Neighborhood By James M. Vines I cannot believe it, another business is closin...

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“We Stood Together (Ironworker Trade School Story) ” by Jeromy Wensley

Submitted to Contest #85

The year 2002 was drawing to a close. Second-year Ironworker trade school arrived. Fortunately, my good buddy BJ sat just a few chairs away from me in class. [Lucky me] Welding is a big part of the workload for a Structural and Ornamental Ironworker. Welding class started at noon, and on today's agenda was for the class to weld their flat position CWB welding coupons. (I attained my flat position CWB welding-ticket a few years prior; therefore, I did not have to take part. BJ, however, spent very little time welding, which meant: he...

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“The City of Souls” by Jess Keyes

Submitted to Contest #85

In a moment I would be home again. I sighed deeply, closed my eyes and I could hear the beautiful music coming from my city. I am so excited to tell every one of my adventures and what I learned while I was gone this time. When I open my eyes, I have to blink a few times to adjust to the brightness of the city. It is always like this when I came back home. You see when a soul returns to the city it is a day of celebration. Everyone gathers in the Hall of Lights to welcome each soul back home and to find out how their visit to Earth was. Alm...

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“The Old Man” by Ivor Smith

Submitted to Contest #85

The Old Man By: Ivor It seemed to the city dwellers, that the old man had come from nowhere. A derelict wearing tattered clothing and looking like he hadn't taken a bath in many days. He stood on the prominent street corner, in the heart of the big city. People rushing by on their lunch hour would hardly take notice of him; just another bum. His sign was hand scrawled on a oversize piece of cardboard that he ripped off of a large packing box. The message was written in black ink. It"s wording was simple and concise. In big letters, it pr...

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“Where I Used to Live” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #85

“It’s nice here. I like sitting looking at the pond, the Cathedral across the way, the pigeons. That’s one thing about this city, the parks are wonderful. Someone had the foresight to envision that amongst all the madness that we accept as modernism, progress, we would need a place to go to remember.” We would often go to the park and just sit. Every once in a while, something would change, but that was rare. Most of the time what you could count on, and the reason we pursued that place, was that things didn’t change...

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“Oswego, NY” by Tina Miller

Submitted to Contest #85

Oswego, NY. Oswego is a small city that lies right beside Lake Ontario in the Upstate NY region. It contains lots of shopping inside the city with lots of places to have a great meal, meet great people, and enjoy the entertainment within the city limits. The history is quite unique, and the atmosphere alone makes this city one of my favorites yet one of my worst. I was born in the city of Oswego back in 1965. Much of my time growing up was spent here i...

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“Erasure” by Aimee Sanders

Submitted to Contest #85

Eighteen seemed like such a long time ago. In reality only three years had passed in the meantime, but for Marnie those those short years felt like a lifetime. Now twenty-one years old Marnie was making her way around Wellington for the first time since she left. Strolling through the cities streets, she passed cafes, shops and restaurants, some she could remember and others that must have popped up while she was away. After walking past a long drag of storefronts she came to a stop in front of a large high-rise building. Above the door of t...

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Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 19, 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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