Menu

Prompts

Contests

Stories

Blog

Menu

✕

CONNECT

Editing Design Marketing Publicity Ghostwriting Websites

BLOG

Success Stories

APPS

TOOLS

Book Promotion Sites Book Review Blogs Booktube Channel Guide Book Title Generator Character Name Generator Independent Publishers Literary Agents Literary Magazines Pen Name Generator Plot Generator Publishers Directory Short Story Ideas Writing Contests Writing Exercises Writing Scholarships

ABOUT

About Reedsy Terms Privacy

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

“A broken awakening” by Sabina Topčić

Submitted to Contest #86

She could feel the light seeping through the haze of her consciousness. She tried to open her eyes, but like everything around her, they went about it at their own leisurious pace. The warmth spread through her like a liquid kiss, bringing comfort and a sense of hope. She felt her muscles expand, and bones crack as they tried to adjust to this extra space. The light was getting stronger and stronger, and she could feel something, like a cape from either side of her small body, trying to break free. Just as the light turned into blue heaven a...

Read story

“Bloom” by Anton Bulatao

Submitted to Contest #86

The sun on my face, the wind in my hair, and the grass beneath my feet. The song of birds in the trees, and the laughter of children in the park. *Clang!* The collision echoes throughout the metallic halls, reverberating off the panels and empty beams that make up the corridors. *Clang!* ... *Clang!* The thrumming of power underneath the walls gives way to the irregular pounding within the facility. The origin found within the lifeless labyrinth of cold concrete and sterile paneling, across the halls of inactive terminals and display...

Read story

“Myra DuFre': From Cocoon to Emergent Butterfly ” by Manndi DeBoef

Submitted to Contest #86

Myra DuFre’ walked lazily into the kitchen one early Saturday morning, prepared to make some toast and a welcome steaming cup of coffee. What greeted her instead was a conversation that would change the course of her future. Little did she know, her present life as she knew it was about to come crashing down around her...As Myra walked into the kitchen, she was greeted by the sight of her husband, Ron, sitting at the table, staring awkwardly out the window with tears streaming down his face. Surprised at this unexpected sight, she hurried ac...

Read story

“Frosted” by Angele Gougeon

Submitted to Contest #86

“Bloodroot and blue cohosh and bearberry,” the voice lilted. “Hepatica, saxifrage, and Jack-in-the-pulpit.” Fingers trailed over delicate leaves. Bright sprouts, desperately reaching from the melting snow, turned white, and then black. “Oh dear,” said the voice. Pale purple prairie crocuses lay squashed between her toes. She bent low, staring for a long moment as the branches above groaned. In the silence of the forest, ice-melt dripped to the mud and loam below. Wind shrieked lowly. Far off, someone crept over the last dredges of crackling ...

Read story

“Coma” by Joy Mason

Submitted to Contest #86

My eyes opened suddenly, immediately being blinded by the light that shone directly in them. Somehow, the room was completely dark when the light went away. Breathing heavily, I tried to make sense of the audible confusion and panic I gleaned from the blurred figures around me. I heard the quick tempo of a beeping heart monitor to my right, the sounds of someone weeping to my left. I couldn't tell if they were crying from fear or joy.Where am I? Who are all these people? What is happening? I wasn't quite sure until I regained my vision and m...

Read story

“Hibernation” by Artemas Lazaro

Submitted to Contest #86

I woke up, today is a good day wind is still cold but bearable and there is clouds in the sky but a small ray of sunshine coming towards land. Let me tell you about myself, where i should i start, my name is Joseph Ohaio, I am 30 years old and had been sleeping in my home for last 4 months almost if i remember right. There is a rule implemented by govt. long ago that everybody has to sleep in winters till spring because it gets terribly cold on earth it drops to -230° degree Celsius in December and January, humans can't survive in that so w...

Read story

“The great witch of white” by Soha Awad

Submitted to Contest #86

No voice was heard in years. No sound was made in ages. Everyone was asleep. Everything laid still. In the deep earth kingdom, time stopped since 200 years ago, after a spell was cast on the realm and its inhabitants. Sleep descended on the people as a fate, as witchcraft, as a curse. All entities surrendered to the pressing sultan of slumber. Even animals, insects, and ants. They all rested on the dead grass unconscious, as time looked the other way and left them alone, not dead nor alive. Just mere portraits of themselves. Only the grea...

Read story

“Couch Potato” by Katelynn Holden

Submitted to Contest #86

I liked being at home. After hearing that we’d have school virtually made me happier. I wouldn’t have to go through the whole getting up at five in the morning, worrying if I had everything for school. Splendid. AND, I can finally get enough vitamin zzzzzz each night. “Rebecca, please get up. You can’t keep waking up at eleven. Now your breakfast is cold.” my mom scolded. “Eh, I’ll eat it later. Lemme sleep for a few more minutes.” “We’re having scones with blueberry jam.” I perked up as she said that. Jumping out of bed with my bla...

Read story

“An Ancient Awakening ” by Christopher Doriott

Submitted to Contest #86

She opened her eyes and saw only darkness. She was comfortable and warm within a strange bed but she could not allow herself to become complacent. She was in the unknown and must not betray her waking to potential prying eyes watching from the shadows. Cool air filled her lungs as she steadied her breathing and concentrated on remaining still until her eyes adjusted. Gradually her sight returned and the darkness retracted. She was in a room, but the room was unlike any she had ever known. Both the walls and ceiling appeared to be of a...

Read story

“The Awakening” by Pina Bastos

Submitted to Contest #86

Walking by the beach, on a sidewalk that she knew so well, she sees few people staring at her. Why? Has she forgotten to put on her mask? It seems a nightmare but she is not sleeping. What is it, then? She passes by a car and sees her image reflected on its glass window. Suddenly she realizes her hair is a mess. She has just forgotten to comb it. Is this what people are so upset about, even in those days when "everything goes", as the music says? Perhaps it is. She picks up a comb in her purse and combs her hair. She looks much better now. S...

Read story

“Bubbles” by Anna Weber

Submitted to Contest #86

Write about a character coming out of a long hibernation (either literal or metaphorical). Dull monotone voices bouncing over my head. A bright white screen projecting flat images of cartoon characters explaining how to solve systems of equations. The teachers had really given up this year. Falling back on old videos they had dug up from the depths of the internet. My mask itched. My breath was hot. I had to pee. I rested my head on my hands, letting my fingers weave through my scalp. I pulled at my hair, lightly tugging at the roots of the ...

Read story

“Il Reveille!” by Sarah Chet

Submitted to Contest #86

It was the faint buzzing in his ear that brought on the first flutters of consciousness. He could just about recall a vague dream about being at an airport, rushing to catch a flight he was already late for, and when the buzzing began, he felt his anxiety ease up a bit, as he realised he wasn’t really about to miss an important flight. But once his eyelids fluttered open and he tried to reach out reflexively to shut off the alarm, his true bearings dawned on him, and a new, much stronger wave of anxiety hit him like a tsunami. The pod w...

Read story

“That Dreamy verse” by S Afrose

Submitted to Contest #86

Mike- just get up and ready to move for work. Mom, plz! Don't force. We don't need to go outside for work. We can do all from home. Such a verse after pandemic earth. Is it ok? Pandemic makes to fall from the regular version of lively life in earth. Pandemic makes hibernation state in our earth. Nobody dares to come out. All normal things are turned to a doomed one. Life engages in a new version- the online platform. What a mysterious time! Online plot is such an awesome thing that, it acts as a hypnotized one. It's very hard for all...

Read story

“The Odyssey of Bjorn” by Sue Marsh

Submitted to Contest #86

The Odyssey of Bjorn Suzanne Marsh 985AD The tall ships with the red and white sails loomed on the blue horizon. Men and women began to gather near the shore of the frozen North Atlantic. The women noticed that the flotilla contained fourteen long ships, they had left with twenty five. The red and white sails bespoke of loss and widows. Wailing began as the fourteenth long ship dropped anchor. Men began to row toward the shore of from the long boats...

Read story

“Highlights on the Wild Berries” by Alice Claude

Submitted to Contest #86

It always seems like sweet honey is lightly intertwining one’s eyelashes when they finally wake up from a long, long slumber. It stretches lazily into golden strands as we blink our eyes, attempting to have them open fully. One, two, three slow movements of heavy eyelids is usually what it takes, on average. And then, like an oyster with a pearl inside, they slowly open to greet morning. I see golden rays of the sun streaming inside the den. Birds sing their regular son...

Read story

Load more stories

$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.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

Explore more writing prompt ideas:

Adults Writing Prompts ⭢

Adventure Writing Prompts ⭢

Angst Writing Prompts ⭢

Character Writing Prompts ⭢

Christmas Writing Prompts ⭢

Dark Writing Prompts ⭢

Dialogue Writing Prompts ⭢

Dramatic Writing Prompts ⭢

Dystopian Writing Prompts ⭢

Fall Writing Prompts ⭢

Fantasy Writing Prompts ⭢

Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Fluff Writing Prompts ⭢

Funny Writing Prompts ⭢

Halloween Writing Prompts ⭢

High School Writing Prompts ⭢

Historical Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Holiday Writing Prompts ⭢

Horror Writing Prompts ⭢

Kids Writing Prompts ⭢

Middle School Writing Prompts ⭢

Mystery Writing Prompts ⭢

Narrative Writing Prompts ⭢

Nonfiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Novel Writing Prompts ⭢

Poetry Writing Prompts ⭢

Romance Writing Prompts ⭢

Sad Writing Prompts ⭢

Science Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Short Story Writing Prompts ⭢

Spring Writing Prompts ⭢

Summer Writing Prompts ⭢

Teens Writing Prompts ⭢

Thanksgiving Writing Prompts ⭢

Thriller and Suspense Writing Prompts ⭢

Valentine's Day Writing Prompts ⭢

Vampire Writing Prompts ⭢

Winter Writing Prompts ⭢