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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

“For the love of a building” by Amanda Stuntz

Submitted to Contest #85

“You can’t demolish this building!” Lisa crossed her arms over her chest and blocked the doorway. “Lady, I have a job to do. If you have a problem with it, take it up with Mr. Sanders, it’s his property.” The pot-bellied man shoved past her into the building, marking on his clipboard as he went. “This is a historical building. It’s been around for almost a hundred years!” She followed behind him as he weaved his way around boxes and broken furniture. “Well, I just do as I’m told, and I’m told to tear it down.” He made another mark on his...

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“Another Revision” by Nancy Gwillym

Submitted to Contest #85

It was no use trying to hide. Crazy Alice had spotted Margaret fair and square. Margaret sighed. She knew she would acquiesce to her demands. Crazy Alice had a way of doing that.Alice had received her endearing moniker for an abundance of reasons. She was most famous for strong-arming her neighbors into performing random tasks. These missions would hold no benefit for the crazy woman but she would make them sound as if they were necessary for humanity’s survival until you gave in and agreed to assist. She was a sweet, older woman who had onc...

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“Pink Flamingos” by Kyd Craimer

Submitted to Contest #85

“This is crazy. This is insane. Why now? It's summer for God's sake and those Robinsons won't even have a pink flamingo on their lawn.” huffed the old man to himself. He stomped up his perfect little concrete walkway. It was a hot summer day and according to Mr. Falcia, it was the most perfect day of summer. It would be a nice 80 degrees Fahrenheit, just a few clouds in the sky, the birds and bees would be out, there would be no chance of rain, and, as he had thought previously, no chance of some unexplained disaster. He scaled the white st...

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“Bev Beaver and the Havenport Pier ” by Katherine Zito

Submitted to Contest #85

The most successful of Beverly Beaver’s old high school classmates from one of Havenport’s five public high schools were eager to leave the city for New York, Philly, Boston or DC in search of a fresh start; a recovery from Havenport drama. Havenport often felt like a small town in a big city, and Bev had certainly been adjacent to teen hijinx. Drinking on the pier, a boy Bev knew cheated on his boyfriend with his rival for the valedictorian position. This was a fatal blow to the girls’ friendship and resulted in a refreshed hatred, culminat...

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“Coffee Corner” by Alasdair Strachan

Submitted to Contest #85

We are creatures of habit, addicted to coffee. That is my excuse. I went to The Coffee Corner, a coffee shop, merely because it was on my way to work, recommended by Google, and you know... coffee. So it became part of my routine walking from my apartment to this hidden gem. It has been buried amongst the city grime so it's not busy when I walk in and I order the same drink; a flat white. It’s plain, efficient, and most importantly it comes from the same barista every day, You. You are a goddess, a modern-day Cleopatra, a b...

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“Anonymous” by Anne McSommers

Submitted to Contest #85

I hate the city. I am alone here, and nobody knows who I am, no one cares. I could disappear and no one would notice. It’s the first place I have ever lived that I am afraid to walk around at night. In winter, when the days run short, I am forced to run straight home to avoid being caught out after dark. When I do finally get home, I always lock the door immediately. Even then check it about 15 times before I go to bed. I even check the balcony door a few times, because even though I live on the 4th floor, you hea...

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“The Tight Lipped Taxi Driver” by Mj A

Submitted to Contest #85

TRIGGER WARNING: Blood and gory stuffLATE, LATE, LATE! I was always late. The thing was, I never meant to be late, it just happened. So, when I woke up at 8:45 this morning, I knew that I was in trouble. This was the one day that I couldn't be late. I had yoga every Saturday morning at nine (it's so cliché, but someone said it helps with stress or something…) and my yoga teacher, Strict Old Sally would ban me from classes (very severe, I know!) if I was late again. I mean, I guess I could find another class, but they all cost money and.... W...

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“Scavengers” by Erin Edwards

Submitted to Contest #85

It was almost laughable how quickly I had gotten used to waking up in a five star bed, with five star duvet and five star pillows and Hattie curled up at my feet like a cat. I stretched out, revelling in the high thread count for all of ten seconds before I realised something was wrong. There was no child-sized lump where my feet wanted to be, forcing me to bend my legs at angles they weren’t intended to form. I sat bolt upright, shoving off the duvet and looking around the bedroom. Hattie wasn’t anywhere ...

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“Learning to love the city” by Rain Fall

Submitted to Contest #85

I was gritting my teeth in silent fury when my mom announced that it’s already final to move to another city that’s unfamiliar to me. My mom and my dad failed their business so they relocated to another city that’s not really a busy city to have a new start for their business and they also wanted me to study there. We’ll I hate it cause I would definitely miss my homeland, my friends and also the happiness this city makes me feel. My family is rushing to fold the clothes and put it in the baggage. “Thyla...

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“I got lost in a daydream of silence and peace.” by Leen Qasim

Submitted to Contest #85

Paris. who does not love Paris? right? well, I'm not saying that I hate it, but I'm saying that living in Paris is not the same as just admiring it from afar. I remember when the teacher asked the class once what their dream house would be like, and the majority said they want a grand mansion with a big backyard full of flowers and strawberry plants and live the best life they can get while cooking in their fancy white kitchen inside and their kids would be playing outside waiting for their father to come home. I mean...it is cute. really. B...

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“Uptown Girl” by Megha Dabral

Submitted to Contest #85

Trigger warning: mention of sexual assault Delhi—the capital city of India—is a very busy place. Mitty worked here for a short period in a very successful MNC. This was the first time Mitty ever stepped out of her hometown. She stayed with her eldest sister, Sara, who was already living there. Delhi was some kind of a big deal for Mitty, a small-town girl who was not very ambitious and pretty complacent in a metropolitan city for her first job. She had always seen Delhi as an alien land with people who were completely different than t...

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“Stay.” by Cat S

Submitted to Contest #85

Buzz, Vroom, Shatter, Clang, Buzz, Vroom... Where there is life, there is sound. The constant buzz and vibrations outside my singular rectangle window is enough to reinforce that statement. However, these sounds don’t bother me, they actually bring me comfort and peace. But, that bright streak of light peeking through the long, slightly ajar curtains is enough to awaken me from my peaceful slumber. Despite the constant roar of engines, chattering of voices and the low murmur of the tv, this flat still feels silent. And empty. So painf...

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“The Real Reason” by Rose Shahan

Submitted to Contest #85

Walking down a street seeing the kids walking home from school I wave to a few of them as they talk to their friends. I walk into my favorite bakery Bibble & Sip. “Hey Coral here for your usual ?” As I walk in Sophia already has my usual up on the counter, it’s slow for a Wednesday. “Yeah I’ll take my usual Sophia” As I sit down Sophia looks over at me “ Sugar you look like you have a rainy cloud over your head, what’s wrong ?” I look back to her, forcing a small smile, “Sophia I moved here for the opportunity and excitement. Everyone to...

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“ In the shadows of the walls of sala” by Hind Khatibi

Submitted to Contest #85

what should I talk about? for the elegant sala or sala the capital of the pirates? sala is that paradoxical city that you will never understand, she counts thousands of faces. Amount them are those rich, comfortable and content in their luxurious homes, and behind her historic walls there are also miserable faces who work hard, the rich are at her heart with their complaints and money, and the poor are scattered behind the shadows of its walls. And I belong to these forgotten people, I do not know what to tell you about our world, it is not ...

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“Two Worlds” by Nolan Pieper

Submitted to Contest #85

The Golden City; on the final frontier of the west; where the land kisses the great expanse of the Pacific. Blanketed in shrouds of fog that creep up on this city’s skyline from the depths of the bay. With a totem of an almost luminescent, red, suspension bridge the city erupts from the fog, awakening its bustling inhabitants; this is San Francisco. San Francisco, this urban kingdom, is fortified behind walls of skyscrapers and surrounded by its aptly named body of water. Cities are symbolic of fresh starts, careers, innovation, and jubila...

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Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 19, 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.

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