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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

“Hays Building” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #85

Abner Hays was a proponent of the elevator. His creative capitalistic endeavors did not go un-noticed throughout the business communities of the Midwest. The Hays Building, on Hays Boulevard, was an icon of its day. It towered above the other buildings on the main business district of Benton Ohio. What made his building iconic wasn’t simply its height, an anomaly when compared to the building that surrounded it, but its innovations. Buildings were designed for the activities they were proposed to support. As cities ...

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“ Look through the window of the building; Then & now” by Sherry Monfils

Submitted to Contest #85

The year is 1953, please enter this building of many, at your own risk. This building is like so many. I wouldn't call it a "ghettto" or "living in the projects," but there are so many buildings, housing so many people, especially with a lot of children. Remember, there was no such things as birth control & so there are so many children running around, mabe even wreaking havoc. This is right after the 2nd world war. Imagine...dad is still at work at the old factory just a few miles away. He won't be home until at least 7 P.M., while t...

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“A Crack in the Mirror” by Julie Roten

Submitted to Contest #85

1921 She unbuttoned her coat and removed her gloves about the fourth-floor stairway. This morning when she left for work the air had a bitter chill with a few snowflakes falling around her as she walked the four blocks to her job as a sales lady at Franklin Simon’s Department store on Fifth Avenue. This afternoon as she walked home the winter air had lifted a little and the sunshine had made it way through all the buildings and gave the sidewalks just a little warmth for a few short hours. She still caught herself looking up at those t...

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“Generations” by Sara Rotondi

Submitted to Contest #85

New York City 2021 “Maya, come in here you need to help with some of these boxes,” Maya’s mother Donna called from the living room. Maya opened her bedroom door while looking down at her phone, disinterested in the entire packing process. Maya finished the text she was typing and shut off her phone and put it in her back pocket. “Do we absolutely have to move? I’m about to start my senior year of high school. I already have my life here,” Maya complained. “Yes, we absolutely have to. I know you already have a lot of friends here b...

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“Secrets Untold” by Adiele Peter

Submitted to Contest #85

It was the fifteenth day of the month of April 2012, the very first day Mr Selman Danfiki was rebirthed into the Northern part of Nigeria. It was like he was starting life all over. Like a new born baby capturing its first light upon entering into this world, Danfiki's eye sight was blurred and at intervals he tried to refocus his sight in order to make clearer where he actually was. When it finally got clearer, he was welcomed with an holy presence of all white apparels and walls, that made him feel he was in the hea...

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“This house.” by Lyla Hammonds

Submitted to Contest #85

Elias stumbled into his house, the smell of liquor coming from every breath he took. “Welcome home dear,” his wife said, taking his jacket and neatly putting it away. “dinner is almost ready.” Elias slowly walked into the small kitchen that was painted a light shade of green, every step making the floor let out a little squeal. He sat at the wooden table which was covered with a white tablecloth and had a vase of flowers on it. “Carnations?” Elia said. “Oh yes, aren't they beautiful?” his wife said setting a plate down in front of him. “No, ...

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“The Saintly Tenant” by Morgana Longhorn

Submitted to Contest #85

The air was ringing with the music of hard work, iron banging on iron. Hephaestus breathed it in, steam, forge smoke and all, and smiled in the knowledge that there wasn’t a callous-free mortal hand or clean dry brow as far as he could see. The potters working around his temple were putting their fresh pots out to dry and the blacksmiths were hammering bronze into shape. Hephaestus pushed his wheelchair towards the altar where some worshippers were making offerings. The wheels glided along the marble floor effortlessly, and an intric...

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“In-Between” by Shari Tiedens

Submitted to Contest #85

Men sweated all around her, but Karen Fleiss felt the heat only as a pleasant baking sensation after the cool of the SUV. She knelt next to the exposed footer to read the letters printed there.SHAWNShe smiled. The name was blocked out in a childish hand, made clumsy by the drag of wet concrete. Still obscured by dirt and washed out in the high desert sun, it was surrounded by markings she couldn’t quite make out, but which seemed to place the name at the center of an eye with spiky lashes all around. She imagined the little boy, barefoot and...

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“Magical Menagerie ” by Azalea Young

Submitted to Contest #85

Liz 2019 Liz casts her eyes around the place, a once over of everything as she steps into the building. She doesn’t know exactly why she does it--she’s never been here before so why should she look around as if she’s looking for differences? But she had studied the address outside, and it matches the one on the slip of paper in her hand. This is it. This is where Nana had wanted her to come. The only question is why. Nana was always a little off, one of those eccentric old ladies who owned lots of cool things and would tell you the stori...

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“The House That Made Us” by CJ K

Submitted to Contest #85

TW: drug abuse The House That Made Us 1970 It hurt. Everything hurt. When we were kids, it was easy. We fell in love and life was simple. Now we are grown and everything is complicated. I wanted to stop her from leaving this house that we made a home. Stop her from walking away from the memories we shared together, but the words could not come out of my mouth. Sherrie had left, she was gone and all I had left of her was the smell of her hair on her pillow that she laid her head on every night next to me. We talked about the fut...

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“A Family Secret” by LM Konkel-Dixon

Submitted to Contest #85

Present Day If someone had asked Neri a week ago that she would be in North Rim City, STATE to clear an ancestral estate she inherited, she would have told them they were crazy. Yet here she is, riding in the back of a taxi cab with her best friend Iki on the way to the grand North Dale Estate, once home to the wealthiest family in all of North Rim in 1920. She had no idea she had any relation to the family under her grandfather, who she never met, passed away leaving the entire estate in her name. "I still feel as if I'm dreaming." "Inherit...

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“Elsewhere” by Shemn C

Submitted to Contest #85

Dear Resident, I really do not know how to start this. It’s an absurd idea really. But I thought it would be a rather, interesting sort of thing for whoever stumbles upon my letters. I’m writing to you, from the past. I sincerely hope this works and these letters are found only when I am long gone and unreachable. Please forgive me for my messiness, it is a stressful time for everyone. It’s winter currently. I’ve always liked the winter season. Many of my comrades disagree, as they dislike the need for...

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“Haunting Of Verdica” by Jerome Burch

Submitted to Contest #85

It wasn’t supposed to happen- but it did. Marie threw her duffle in the car trunk and bellowed for the two children to enter. Tears decorated her face, make-up by drowsiness. Her heart was full yet empty. She hastily forced herself in, strapping the seatbelt on. She took a deep breath, then another one. Marie was on the verge of bawling. She didn’t expect it. It all happened as fast as time itself. She took a glance at the children- her children. “Anna,” she took a deep breath, “Anna, what’s… what’s, that in your hand?” Anna had been d...

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“The Curse of Morgana Pendragon” by Mike Garrigan

Submitted to Contest #85

Junior’s eyes sparkled as he unclasped his mother’s diamond bracelet from her wrist. She didn’t notice.“John, I just don’t understand why we can’t take from principal,” she said. “Evelyn, I’ve told you, as trustee, I am forbidden to withdraw in that manner,” Father said.They had been at it for an hour. Mother wanted money for a fur coat. She told Junior that if they asked Father about it while he was at work, eventually, if they were persistent enough, Father would shoo her away with whatever she needed.“But it’s our money, John. I don’...

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“Angels’ house” by Blithe Anastasia

Submitted to Contest #85

The windows of the house flickered sadly. The wax flowed slowly down the red trunk of the candle. A soft whisper carved into the silence. The darkness had already absorbed almost all the dim light sources, but the mere glow of the stars shining incessantly. "You have to hurry, and remember, as soon as you get there to visit Abigail Clover." She will understand. Come on, hurry! You have to go- the old woman's teary gaze aimed at her black eyes.- We love you so much, Mary, my little Mary! They embraced. "God bless you, Mrs. Johnson, thank you ...

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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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