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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#86: Springtime Flowers

March 21st may be considered the first day of Spring by many, but Mother Nature doesn't always agree. Depending on where you live, the daffodils could be showing their sunny faces or still hibernating under frozen soil.

For me, it’s usually a mix. Here you can be wearing shorts one day and shoveling snow the next, but one thing is consistent: as soon as the weather warms up, I’m bursting outside to gulp down that fresh air and watch the world come back to life. This week, regardless of what the weather actually holds, let’s celebrate the season of rebirth and renewal. After all, in our imaginations the sun can always be shining and the birds can always be chirping!

This week's prompts

Set your story at a park during a spring festival.

Spring – 82 stories

Write about a character coming out of a long hibernation (either literal or metaphorical).

Spring – 158 stories

Write a fairy tale about someone who can communicate with woodland creatures.

Kids – 168 stories

Start your story with one character pointing out the first sign of spring to another.

Spring – 107 stories

Write a story where flowers play a central role.

Spring – 278 stories

Stories

“Noisy Neighbors” by Scarlet Scribe

Submitted to Contest #86

Once upon a time there was a young woman who left the country for the city. She had won a multi-million dollar lottery then moved to the city. Now Ella was tired of city life. She had an overwhelming urge to leave the city and again find a nice spot in the country. Somewhere she could have peace and quiet with no traffic noise or people screaming and shouting. Where sounds would only be from the birds singing and breezes through the trees. A place she would not have interruptions and she could write to her hearts content. Since she had hit t...

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“Noise” by Emily Sparks

Submitted to Contest #86

The noise. The noise was too much. He was going to go insane—he couldn’t hear his own thoughts anymore, did he even HAVE any thoughts, or was every tiny whisper just a spider, or a bird flying by? I bless you with the ability to understand. To know what the creatures around you say. A blessing, yeah, right. A curse. A horrific, insanity-inducing curse that made him able to hear every animal around him, let him know what they were saying. And most of it was just noise. That bird was wondering if her eggs would hatch, that spider was worried...

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“A Freak of Nature” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #86

Every word came out slowly, like he had to think each one out first carefully before speaking. “Your.. face.. tells… me… you… think… I… am… a … freak, a… freak… of… nature… maybe just… stupid.” He was mostly right, of course. He had read my face right. I was in desperate need of a ‘public interest’ story for our weekly local paper. I had heard about this guy, actually overheard in a bar, from some old-timers talking about ‘Harris the freak.’ These are desperate times for journalists. I have to follow every ...

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“The Dear little Princess” by H.L Whitlock

Submitted to Contest #86

Warning: bad language and some violenceOnce upon a time, in a land some far away place, there was a dear little princess who was loved very dearly by her father, the castle servants, and all the villagers who lived on her father's god given lands. The dear little princess was kind to all and all were kind to her in turn, for she had long flowing locks, a smile that could melt the frostiest of hearts, and a slender yet womanly figure. Plus she would do such wonderful deeds as shake the hands of the most common of people and cast scorn at any ...

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“The Origin Of The Enchanted Primrose Forest ” by Lena Martinez

Submitted to Contest #86

"Tears were falling onto my face, as I stared at Lilac with a sorrowful look. "You're going to be okay, I promise." She gave me a despairing smile and mumbled, "I just wonder how we got to this point." I sighed and said, "me too...me too..." It has been a long winter, as I look out my window I see the sun is shining bright, and the flowers are blooming. As I walked out of my small house, I looked around at my village. I hear families and friends coming out of their home laughing or chatting with each other. We survive another season togethe...

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“A New Lake” by Kenneth Michael

Submitted to Contest #86

The last being resembling Woman waved leaves aside bringing the graveyard of human ingenuity into view. Tall tombstones glittered with broken glass and enveloped in vines. The growth had moved in many seasons before and had it’s way in reclaiming the land despite the fallout. In fact, it may have aided in filtering the radiation away over the time. Now what stood in front of Faewynn and her escorts was a hybrid collection of lifeless husks and life-giving green making itself at home. The three in company exited...

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“Daydream” by Carol Keefer

Submitted to Contest #86

The bubbling brook weaves its way through the meadow, the lush green branches from a Weeping Willow dip into the crystal-clear waters, frogs sing their morning songs. Golden rays of light shimmer and dance on the bubbles as they burst, as fish push their way up through the stream. Sweet fragrances caught in a soft breeze brush against my flush cheek, the warmth from the sun, the dew of the grass soaks through my clothes to my pale skin. I find myself being drawn to the earth and all its creatures. This is one place tha...

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“The Picketty Witch” by T.H. Sherlock

Submitted to Contest #86

Author note: This story refers to domestic abuse from the outset.The winter was a blur of black, white and grey – coloured only with the rainbow of bruises on my translucent flesh. He beat me when he was angry but my tears had frozen solid long ago and any past objections were now lodged unvoiced inside my throat.I’d come to live here in search of Love – full of girlish dreams of the strong, confident man who was to be my husband. I remember how excited I was to live in the pretty white house on the edge of the forest. It was far grander tha...

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“The Experiment” by Ben Schoen

Submitted to Contest #86

“Joe, come on down here.” Mom said. “Why?” I asked. “ Just… Just come down here. Fast!” “Fine.” I grumped. “Why did you make me come down here?” I mumbled to my mom. “Your babysitter is here.” She answered. “I’m going on a hike, remember?” “Yes. I remember.” I hate getting babysat. “Hello Brit.” Mom said to my babysitter.” Joe goes to bed at 8:30. The emergency numbers are on the refrigerator.” “See you in , Joe. Be good.” She said, giving me a kiss on the cheek. “You can do whatever you want Joe.Can I watch TV? My favorite TV...

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“Father Nature” by RIC .

Submitted to Contest #86

They say if you see a beautiful fair skinned woman in the woods, you should run. For if she sees you, she won’t stop hunting you, even if that meant the earth swallowed your feet from right below you. For many years that story was true. That Mother Nature was as beautiful as she was malicious. Golden locks that were as deadly as raddle snakes. And grey eyes the color of storms. She was not kind. She was not friendly. She was anything but loving. Her husband was the opposite. &...

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“To Catch a Cloud” by Nettle Swanson

Submitted to Contest #86

It was spring again. The flowers had finally bloomed, and the animals were active. Spring was your favorite time of year. You bask in the sunlight, spinning with your face pointing to the sky and your eyes closed. You laugh, I try to laugh with you. I like watching you, the world is bright and vibrant with you in it. I remember the old days. Days of peace, days where the grass was green and my thoughts were clear. Now, everything is gray. All these years have passed, and I’ve never forgotten about you. Not a day goes by when I don’t thi...

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“Signs of Spring” by A Alman

Submitted to Contest #86

“Dog Shit,” the grizzled man said, turning into the stiff March breeze. He cupped around the flailing blue flame of his zippo, lighting his cigarette. I jammed my hands wrist deep into my pockets, hoping he wasn’t talking to me, but there wasn’t anyone one else at the bus stop. Well, no one I could see. “Excuse me?” “Dog shit,” he repeated, a thick plume of smoke spiraling out behind him. “My daddy used to always say, soon as the snow melts, first thing to show up’s dog shit. Screw robins, they’re like number three, maybe four, depen...

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“Listen, Bluebird...” by Andrea Itt

Submitted to Contest #86

“See the birds?” My father would ask me, pointing out our window. “That’s the first sign of spring. They’ve come back to join my little blue bird.” He teased and ruffled my hair. I think I took spring for granted then. Just a pretty season where flowers began to bloom, a symbol that summer would come and school would end. Dad never took a spring for granted. Dad liked kites. He spent his slow days figuring out how to best make a kite that could catch the smallest drifts. He would dust off his kites from the long winters they spent on the...

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“A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to Leopold’s Dacha” by Roxie Piatigorski

Submitted to Contest #86

One fine morning, the mischievous mice were sleeping peacefully when Motya suddenly got up and looked out the window, only to see some flowers beginning to bloom. That surprised the overweight gray mouse very greatly, so he knew he had to break the news to his boyfriend.“Mitya, wake up, man!” Motya shouted as he proceeded to wake the sleeping Mitya awake.“Wha-whassat?” Mitya murmured sleepily as he stirred, having yet to recover from sleep.“Dude, the flowers are blooming!” Motya said excitedly. “That means it’s finally spring!”“Spring?” Mity...

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“In Bloom” by Pete Duffield-Fuller

Submitted to Contest #86

“I don’t know how you can like it there so much.” “What do you mean?” She gestures at the grove before them, “It’s beautiful.” “It’s morbid, is it what it is.” “You’re morbid,” she laughs and stoops down to caress a budding crocus. “Spring is coming, bringing new life, even here…” She trails off wistfully, gazing at the dome above them, the sunlight filtering through hazily. “Besides,” she turns to face him, “It’s not like I have much choice, do I?” He turns away, “I know. I’m sorry, Celeste, I’m just feeling frustrated and…” “I’m sorry, I ...

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$50

Prize money

797

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 26, 2021 EST

Won by Scott Skinner 🏆

Title: Flowering Walrus

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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