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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

“San Pedro” by Kathleen March

Submitted to Contest #85

INTRODUCTIONI have to write a paper for my Communications 201 class. The first part of the paper is supposed to be about someone who is fighting to change their city neighborhood for the better. The second part is about a person who is trying to keep the neighborhood from changing.Nothing in the professor's instructions indicates whether the paper should study two separate neighborhoods or whether it could be the same one, and residents are clashing over the proposals. "Just write what you know," his instructions tell me, but that'...

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“Alamo Again” by David Brown

Submitted to Contest #85

In the early nineteenth century, a group of less than two hundred volunteers, led by Colonel William Travis, Davy Crockett, and James Bowie, occupied and defended the Alamo for nearly two weeks against an army of Mexican soldiers over ten times their number led by General Antonio López de Santa Anna. These brave Texan patriots died on March 6, 1836. It was a very wise Mark Twain, born just three months prior to the historic conflict, who would later quip, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” Several centuries later, the hymn o...

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“Property Values in Pompeii Are Trending Down” by Story Time

Submitted to Contest #85

As the lava poured forth from the gaping hellmouth, Elenzia realized she should have taken a different route to work. Her husband had warned her over their morning coffee that smoke was billowing out from the top of Vesuvius, but it had done so many a time, and gone were the days when it would send all the citizens of Pompeii fleeing to the water. For a time, there were weekly volcano drills, wherein the village crier would run about screaming “Eruption! Eruption!” and all would gather in the square to calmly take attendance before loadi...

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“The Patient” by Rich Hosek

Submitted to Contest #85

That's the thing about this city… although it looks and feels like any other city you might have visited—there are homes and shops and streets and parks—it's what isn’t there that makes it stand out.There are no people.Not a soul.But—and this is a pretty big but—there are—how shall I put this?—traces of people. For example, there are cars parked everywhere, but each day some of them have moved, or there are different ones in different places. There are some streets marked with “No Parking This Side On Mondays,” and sure enough, on Monda...

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“The Crooked Connection” by Nicholls Nicholls

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city, downtown Chicago was a magical place and someday I’d be heading straight to the top. It was 1925 for goodness sake, everywhere you looked we were building and enterprising the way to the future! Whirring electric trams and flashing neon lights glowing through the haze of cigarette smoke and cars honking as they rattled through the busy streets, it never felt like you were alone in Chicago. No matter what Bert Stone said, I was gonna be somebody. I’d been pedalling his newspapers for a while now and I was goo...

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“That Unforgettable Piece of History” by Mariposa Red

Submitted to Contest #85

The noise in the room is what I would describe as unimaginable, if I had to pick a word. The wood was distractingly shiny and new under my feet, and I felt too dirty to be standing there. In front of me, a white sea topped with a surf of brown and gold. I could smell the expensive perfumes clouding the room, how expensive the silk gathered in lace gloves was. Behind fans, I could see painted smiles, but each glimmering eye was critical. Out of the corner of my eyes, I catch glimmers of dark eyes and skin, crowded together. Behind me, I...

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“One Day in Ancient Rome...” by Aburrow Marsh

Submitted to Contest #85

Upon hearing the roar of the beast, Maximus unsheathed his mighty blade. Around him, Rome — mighty Metropolis, Light of the World! — hummed with life. Yet Maximus was, as usual, consumed with thoughts of death.He turned to his men, a dozen trained warriors skilled in the lethal arts, and gave the slightest of nods. Their leader, Thaddaeus, returned the signal, his eyes flinty and cold. Thaddaeus raised his right arm, thick as a chestnut branch, and visibly clenched his fist. The rest of the men halted, eyes front, awaiting orders. Even on su...

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“The Things About This City...” by Kathleen March

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city…” Meaning, this city isn’t particularly evil, or glorious, by nature. It is unforgettable, but hold on a moment, you need to find the right way to avoid forgetting it. This is extremely important because you have to avoid the forgetting. Trust me. This city does not take to being forgotten. Do not get me wrong. If you have come here and stayed for a while, this city can become whatever you want it to be. Not every metropolitan area can offer that, but this offering, this rewarding the time spent in this ...

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“Readers' Rest” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #85

ROWENA I wish I could remember exactly where I had heard the phrase, but I know I definitely did, and it wasn’t my imagination, I do know it was either an overheard conversation, or something on the radio or TV, not something I was talking about to a friend. One of those phrases that is funny but in certain circumstances, can make you uneasy. Everyone thinks they want to own a bookshop, until they own a bookshop. Okay, technically I don’t own the Readers’ Rest. I rent it. But I have still invested a lot of my time and energy and – no point t...

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“Happy Days” by Johan Rosenblad

Submitted to Contest #85

It was a happy day, full of rainbows and unicorns. Butterflies in gold and pink fluttered gracefully around the twisted, rusty beams and the scent of bluebells and buttercups permeated through my face mask. My schnauzer, Dogfood, had adjusted well to our cute little garden and had been chasing a dragonfly through the rubble heaps the whole afternoon. We had only been here a week and it was still a bit messy. I had spent most of the time removing the remnants of the former inhabitants and mapping the landmines. But today I felt like taki...

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“Wonderment” by PK Spice

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city mom, it welcomes you, draws you in and accepts you as its own. I swear it was as if Chicago itself decided I belonged in Old Town and it was going to make sure that’s where I ended up . . . well, with a little help from Moffat,” Sarah grinned as her mother wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, then adjusted Sarah’s veil. “Tell me again how you met Davante,” her mother sighed as she looked at Sarah’s reflection in the mirror. She’d never seen her daughter as happy as she was at this moment, looking so b...

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“No Pets, no Joy” by Morgan Douglas

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city, no pets allowed under any circumstances,” explained Janice, the very peppy realtor. “Are you serious? I have never heard of a town that didn’t allow pets in,” replied Harris as he looked over at his wife. “I am unfortunately telling you the truth.” “Well, I wish you would have told us that before we bought the house,” mentioned Willa. “I am sorry, I didn’t think it was pertinent information. Most people who move into Garrison are aware of this stipulation.” Janice then handed the keys off t...

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“Hard Times in The Big Easy” by Dr Stafford

Submitted to Contest #85

Hard Times in The Big Easy I needed a beer. I needed a smoke. I needed a good-luck broad to blow on the dice. A week in the solitary confinement of one’s soul staring at a blank screen, typing, then hitting erase – delete, slamming the case shut, and walking away only to come back to the same blank screen – the same thoughts forming from words in your mind – knowing that once you put those words out and hit the big send button they can’t be taken back. Lives will change, the perception of paragons will shift… What I had was...

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“The City (The Search – Part 2)” by Redd Herring

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city. He scans for movement. It wants to kill me. He takes another look at the crumbling building. He cannot see anyone, or anything, but that is no guarantee. He waits behind the dune, just to be certain. He knows he should not be here. No choice. The sun crawls higher. He unzips his pack, checking his inventory for the third time – dried lizard, flashlight, knife, net, four water jugs. He is more prepared this time – better at finding lizards and water. I need to find some meds, and some batteries would be nice....

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“Open 25 Years ” by Yugel Losorata

Submitted to Contest #85

Open 25 Years The popular restaurant chain has an outlet co-owned by a celebrity icon, and which arouses interest and intrigue for its very location especially for those already around and aware during the 1990s. But Roseller is not one to be easily swayed by superstition nor pure paranoia. He lives through what his naked eyes see; things logical. As a brainchild of a business idea that has given him fortune, he fully understands the point of those behind the branch risking opening a diner at a location with a scarred past.&n...

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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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