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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#90: Down to Earth

On April 22nd 1970, the first Earth Day was celebrated in the US. More than 50 years later, this annual event unites millions across the globe, as we turn our attention towards climate action and building a safer home for ourselves and all life on Earth.

Earth Day provides an opportunity for each of us to reflect on our relationship with the planet — and what better way to do that than by writing about it? Whether you follow in the footsteps of the Romantics, who believed in the rehabilitating powers of nature, or the SFF giants whose dystopian novels have long forewarned the demise of Earth Prime, let’s join in the spirit of Earth Day and get closer to nature with this week’s prompts!

This week's prompts

Write a story that weaves together multiple lives through their connection to a particular tree.

Spring – 246 stories

Write a story in which an endangered species (of plant or animal) plays a central role.

Middle School – 94 stories

Set your story in a world living with the consequences of a climate apocalypse.

Science Fiction – 133 stories

Write about a community that worships Mother Nature.

Summer – 82 stories

Start your story with someone sitting on a crowded train and end it with them looking out over beautiful natural scenery.

Spring – 258 stories

Stories

“Saif's Diary” by Kashish Bansal

Submitted to Contest #90

Dear diary, It was a nice day, I Saif, today I played a lot with Mansi, my best friend, she is a Hindu. We were playing in Mansi's backyard. Meanwhile her grandmother called us. She prepared a plate with sweets, diya(curved shape candle), small round earthen pot filled with holy water, flowers, rice, red colour thread, and dry red colour. I asked granny curiously that what this red colour is for she replied in their custom it is called kumkum and this plate is prepared for Govardhan Puja. "Govardhan! Puja? What's this all," I asked confu...

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“A Letter in a Sandcastle ” by Serine Achache

Submitted to Contest #90

Dear A,I’m writing this letter in the back of our last month’s electricity bill –the one I have yet to pay –on the arm seat of a train to Oran, and by the time it reaches you, there will be many borders, many languages, an ocean and a sky separating me from you.I’ll be a life away from you but right now, I’m still on the M-O12 train, still a few stations away from the place we both called home, holding nothing but my old black leather purse and Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous to keep me company. It’s what actually sparked in me...

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“The Laws Of Nature” by Rethabile Ntsane

Submitted to Contest #90

A researcher, George Greg, in the midst of his misdirection stumbled upon tribal people hunting a deer. He watched them from behind a big oak tree, it’s width hiding his slim frame. People in the lower regions of Lukika were known or rumored to be cannibals and so George fear for his life. He stood there as still I he could, lips pressed onto each other, eyes shut begging any deity above to make them leave as his heartbeat increased. The tribal people felt George’s presence by the scent of his fear. They, armed with bows and arrows, approach...

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“Equilibrium” by Andrew Sweet

Submitted to Contest #90

The ocean crept in seventeen more centimeters within the last year, and already Aayushi Rawls felt the tension rise in their home just outside of League City, Texas. Matthew would have learned of it by now because the news stations all carried it, and in that bar, all day every day, they all watched the news. Nobody was building. The industry had dried up at the beginning of 2160 when in less than six months, the ocean swallowed half of Florida. That act of nature created the brand new Hookshank Island, swampy and useless land that th...

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“Mother's Garden” by Jenne Gentry

Submitted to Contest #90

Mother Nature is calling. Are you ready to be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem? It's easier than you think. Paradise is possible. Come to Mother's Garden @ The Katsip Nature Center Earth Day, 2021 at 8:00 AM Rosalie folds the flyer in half and sets it back where she found it. The small Formica table in the break room on the fourth floor is always scattered with flyers and brochures on just about everything you can think of. This one, however, is out of the ordin...

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“Maddened Days” by Christian Hinrichsen

Submitted to Contest #90

Maddened Days 2052 Two years have passed since mankind was caught in the Apocalypse of 2050, raising water of up to 2100 meters have wiped out most of coastal cities California has now become a mammoth mess of water canals forcing people to live in houseboats and overpopulated areas such as San Angeles. The Crimean Directorate has now taken overpopulated cities and rules them with an iron fist. A new American government has now been issued in Juneau Alaska led by General William “Rage” Reynolds. A former combat hero in the Battle of Pa...

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“Walking Towards The End ” by Alexa Mae Pecora

Submitted to Contest #90

"I know what you're thinking." "You don't. Stop trying to understand." "Olivia," Lewis kneels down looking up into my eyes, "Please." I push him away. "Three days, Lou!" "It's okay." "How?" I demand. Silence tears through the space between us, the scalding burn of the sun reminding us that our time is limited. There are only three days left. "Livy-" "Don't call me that." "Then you have no reason to call me Lou." Again, the quiet, but I know our minds are anything but silent. We have always known that the leaders of our small city, ...

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“The Devil's Tree” by Hannah Rutledge

Submitted to Contest #90

THE DEVIL’S TREE “Your late.” Max said out of the corner of his mouth as Meter snuck into the pew next to him. “Oh yeah I’m sorry I overslept.” Meter sniffed, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. Max winced. “On the holiest day of the year?” Max tried to inject as much p...

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“S.O.S” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #90

One thread that is woven brightly coloured through the cloth of just about every year of my life is the walk in the woods. I remember so well my adventures that way as a child when everything in the woods world was new and exciting, even the little critters that I more or less take for granted now. I had few worries in such walks. My only fear then was that of being bitten by one of the much-dreaded, poisonous Massassauga rattlesnakes, the only dangerous snakes in the area. This fear extended to my initial reactions to ma...

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“An Adventure” by Carol Keefer

Submitted to Contest #90

A light glimmers on the leaves, casting shadows on the lush lawns as I seek my adventure, traveling across this great land. I capriciously took the quickest and nearest seat to the front on the overcrowded train ride. “All aboard,” the conductor bellowed, ambling down the aisle, beads of sweat on his brow with nimble fingers punch star shapes validating our tickets. A disingenuous dark-hair woman sat next to me, apologetic about her large overstuff carpetbag seated on the floor between us.She continued to chat as the active bu...

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“Bonbibi - the protector” by Ritu Sarkar

Submitted to Contest #90

In an age when Hindu majoritarianism has divided India on communal lines, and Islamic radicalism is on the rise across the globe, a local goddess admired by both Hindus and Muslims shines a beacon of hope on what it means to be truly pluralistic. Sundarbans was spread across Jessore, Khulna, Barisal, Bakherganj and almost the entire part of 24 Parganas between Hooghli and Meghna. In the study of folk culture many folk goddesses are found there. One of them Dakshin Rai. The identity of the Dakshin Rai, we know from the various sources that hi...

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“The New Planet of Gibberzol” by Maira Finn

Submitted to Contest #90

I looked up at the smoggy Earth sky. It used to be bright blue, sometimes filled with puffy, white clouds, but not anymore. Global warming had changed all that. It was a good thing I wouldn't have to stay here much longer. The dirty fog was making it hard to breathe. I was helping my parents load up the spaceship so we could take off to live on a better planet. It would take some time to adjust to, but at least it wouldn't be as toxic as living here on Earth had become. "Addilyn, what are you doing?" Dad called. "This old planet ain't gettin...

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“Family Trees” by Gracie C. McKeever

Submitted to Contest #90

Sylas watched the new family move in, limbs and trunk vibrating in anticipation of what these different people would bring. He felt his sibling’s responsive excitement in his roots. The movers unloaded the large truck and carried boxes and furniture into the house, working for an hour before the family arrived in another vehicle. Two parents and two children! If Sylas could have clapped and cheered, he would have. Sylas loved children. He loved the way the sound of their laughter, the way they ran and played, the way they soaked up...

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“Chloe and Annabelle” by Larry Rhoton

Submitted to Contest #90

The young girl picked up the strange-looking insect. At first, she thought it was a butterfly but was surprised at what she saw after a closer look. She ran inside her house and up to her room. Grabbing a magnifying glass, she studied the tiny creature. Now, she could confirm, what she was looking at was indeed a fairy. The fairy’s wings were iridescent green and, by all appearances, looked as if someone had picked her up and dipped the tips of her wings in a can of fluorescent yellow paint. Both the greens and yellows blended into a b...

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“The Worship of Mother Nature-Stephanie Nazario” by Stephanie Nazario

Submitted to Contest #90

I have always lived in a community that's spiritual, we worship Mother Nature. I have never understood the concept of why we did. I don't believe in mother nature, I never had. I have been in many awful situations praying to her hoping she could help me...but she never has. I started to doubt her existence, hearing about this woman with dark skin almost as dark as chocolate. Her Afro hair is always decorated in flowers, she is most known for having daisies. Wearing a silk green dress and a brown cape traced with emeralds, known for being ski...

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$50

Prize money

813

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Apr 23, 2021 EST

Won by Nina Chyll 🏆

Title: The Tree Surgeon's Dictionary

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!

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