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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#92: Chiaroscuro

A meteor's dazzling burst of light, a sky faintly illuminated by a crescent moon, or a sidewalk lined by long afternoon shadows, the world is infinitely more interesting for chiaroscuro — the contrast of light and shade. More than that, the binary between light and darkness is one that holds great symbolic power (think yin and yang, Nyx and Erebus, good and evil).

With that in mind, this week’s prompts invite you to reflect on the way light influences a story’s setting, plot, or even its characters. Whether darkness means comfort and privacy or creepy echoing corridors, and whether light reminds you of clarity and safety or of blistering intensity, I’ve chosen prompts that give you freedom of interpretation. Happy writing!

This week's prompts

Write a story that begins in the light and ends in darkness, or the other way around.

Horror – 383 stories

End your story with a truth coming to light.

Horror – 184 stories

Set your story in a countryside house that’s filled with shadows.

Horror – 170 stories

Write about a character who thinks they have a sun allergy.

Summer – 117 stories

Write a story set in a city where the power suddenly goes out, leaving everyone in darkness.

Horror – 187 stories

Stories

“Dom Viet” by Jacob Houston

Submitted to Contest #92

1968, Southern Vietnam... The sky is like a television tuned to a dead channel. Everything has been set in motion-it all seems to have come to this moment. If you asked me about Vietnam a couple of years ago, I would have talked about palm trees, escorts, and paradise. Now, I was having some second thoughts. A tiny fly zooms over to my head, and lands near my eye. I squeeze my eyelids shut and try not to cry out as it bites my temples. Sarge warned us about horseflies, and how painful it was when they chomped down on your skin. The rest o...

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“The Difference ” by Loxie Oaks

Submitted to Contest #92

There is an ever-constant battle between Darkness and Light. No, not a battle- a war. The war has been going on, every day, every second, since the beginning of time. Every day we watch as they tear at each other, both fighting to come out on top, and yet we are barely aware of it. Very few people get the chance to witness the true war between the two enemies. She was one of the few. She, like most everyone else, did not realize how bitter and serious the war really was. Until that day. She is alone, and Darkness appea...

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“Another shot at life” by NK Hatendi

Submitted to Contest #92

Kurai had had enough. All the self-pity was threatening to drown him, and yet he couldn't get out of the mire. His wife had left him some time ago, and his adult children occasionally dropped in, probably more concerned about the family dog's welfare than their father. They never took sides in the arguments before and since the separation. They were mature enough to know that there would be no winners. Kurai still couldn't understand how he had arrived in his current situation, constantly licking his wounds with no end in sight. As a hu...

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“Sublimation of Mind” by Jolly 3630

Submitted to Contest #92

It feels kind of creepy. There are no lights here. I turned to the left of the street that was illuminating with total darkness. But I have to go.There is no way I am gonna stay here. With this decision I walked towards the dark street. I could hear the sound of my footsteps. I heard them clearly, just like clicking, hard and fast moving. My shoulders were feeling heavy. I kept on walking down the road I chose.As I walked further, I started seeing faint shadows. 'Excuse me.'No one answered I was a little scared but I cont...

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“Thank God For Covid” by Jeff Chetoni

Submitted to Contest #92

Thank God for Covid-19. It has truly been like paradise for me. I’m sure most vampires are digging the quarantine, really. People aren’t running around during the day and noticing when their neighbors aren’t. I’m telling you, it’s not easy to remain under the radar when everything is normal. You’re thinking, “Oh Cecil, you’re just being dramatic. Vampires are asleep during the day! Who would notice?” But you’ve never lived in the suburbs! People are incredibly nosy and invasive. They’re always playing outside or...

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“THE BET” by AAYUSHI BAKSHI

Submitted to Contest #92

THE BET (BY AAYUSHI BAKSHI) The sunlight falls on my face and I realize it's already day 5 of me crying continuously but my heart still aches from all the lies I've been told in the last few months, it still aches from the love and trust I invested in him. This is a story you've heard before but the only difference is this isn't that story. This may be a rather pretentious way to start our story but I've always had a flair for the dramatic you see. It was the first day of college and the excitement was clear on my face just like the ne...

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“Mandy's Truth” by The Writer's Page

Submitted to Contest #92

On a mild, summer night 12-year-old Mandy laid up against her sister, Summer, as they watched a movie. Mandy enjoyed spending time with Summer and she wanted to do so as often as she could. Summer was a hard-working 26-year-old woman. Summer never really had much time to spend with her little sister, but the time she did spend with Mandy was always fun. Their mother was a school teacher and their father was a worker in the oil field. They had the perfect family, or at least that was how it seemed to the general public. Their fam...

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“Friend of the Dark” by R. B. Leyland

Submitted to Contest #92

Not being able to see your hand in front of your face is a surreal feeling. I should know, since I can't remember the last time I saw mine. A thin chink of light is all that we're permitted, as they force the scraps of bread and a bowl of water through the flap at the base of the door; I'm never quick enough to rouse myself from a delirious slumber and see the outline of my fingers, slumping down disappointed after each attempt.You begin to get used to finding the food on the floor after a while, despite the pitch black. Running those invisi...

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“Cynthia” by Helen Ross

Submitted to Contest #92

Sadie was beyond tired of London. I know, I know, 'if you're tired of London, you're tired of life'; honestly, she was tired of life. The trees didn't seem so green these days, the birds seemed to sing less and less, and the things that had once made London perfect - noise and chatter and people and places and things to see - suddenly seemed overwhelming, almost impossible to cope with. The underground was crowded. Her flat was tiny. The streets were busy. Work was hard, and long, and she was tired all the time. Ever since the funeral, she h...

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“The Darkest Night” by Janet Lee

Submitted to Contest #92

The Darkest Night by Lee Harrod The bitumen road didn’t last as long as she had hoped it would. As the ute bumped off the smooth black road and onto the rough red gravel, she slowed down a little, although stayed in fifth gear. The old falcon ute had seen ...

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“A Hidden truth behind Sharada’s death” by Chandrika Menon

Submitted to Contest #92

It was the summer of 1979, when the climate was hot & humid outside, in the village of Bardapur (located at Beed district of Maharashtra), the ambulance and fire engine arrived with sirens to an apartment near the old police station situated there. In no while, a huge crowd gathered near the apartment. Also there were different talks among people about the fire that broke out in the second floor of the apartment. The victim who died in this terrible fire blast was a lady. This incident left her family & friends in shock and depressio...

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“Things Left Unsaid” by Anne McSommers

Submitted to Contest #92

Oliver sat on the bed staring at the closet. It was a daunting task, going through someone else’s belongings. To look at what remained and decide what did and did not have value. It felt wrong to throw away any of it. Benjamin had had so little in the end that every bit of it must have been precious to him. You acquire a lot of things over your life, as you and your space grow, but then there comes a point in your life where something shifts and the spaces stop getting larger. The opposite happens, you go from...

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“Happily Ever Avenged” by Kira Krieger

Submitted to Contest #92

I had been out longer than I wanted. Than I promised. The city clock tower mocked me with the fact. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven! Eight! It was dark and cold. I tried to rush home as if it would give me back those two hours. Give those two hours back to my little sister who’s spent them alone. I walked faster with every shiver, risking making every slick spot into another delay, but it was worth it to see the candle flame twirling in the window of the small cabin that had become our home far from town and the people we once k...

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“Meeting God and Devil in one day” by Vicki Gary

Submitted to Contest #92

It started out as a normal day, during a time of being heavily addicted to crack and other drugs. Life consist of stealing, lying and turning tricks to acquire money to get high. After getting high all day the money had finally ran out and nightfall had come. Time to hit the streets for the next piece of change. Walking around with my pockets rubbing together because they are so empty, I decided to walk along Broadway and 151st. street, this was a direction I do not usually go but knowing there was nothing going on on 145th, I figured I wi...

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“Identity of Women in the world” by Khushi Gupta

Submitted to Contest #92

I am from India. I am really greatfull to publish this book. I am 15 years old and I want to show that nothing is hard if you believe In yourself . Life is a journey where we have to be confident about our future in this book I wrote about women Identity in the world many people thought that women is weak but this is really wrong .I am sorry if here any grammatical mistake I am little girl .Student and all person can read this book this is really good for all because I tell many things related to women and who want to become very successful ...

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$50

Prize money

1051

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - May 07, 2021 EST

Won by Nina Chyll 🏆

Title: On the Origin of Shadows

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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