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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#93: Bringing the Party to You

For many people across the world, the beginning of May is a time for celebration. From May Day to Cinco de Mayo to Eid al-Fitr, these first few weeks of the month are a time for festivity and community. If you would usually be celebrating this week, I know it’s unlikely you’ve actually managed to gather people. So I thought I could use this week's prompts contest as a means to capture the spirit of good times that will hopefully be back with us before we can say “¡salud!”.

With this week’s prompts, I encourage you to take your readers on a festive jaunt. Whether your protagonist is the organizer, the reluctant party-goer, or the mischief maker, they’ll surely find a place among these prompts — think colorful parades, delicious food, dancing, and battle re-enactments, the bigger, the better! Of course, it doesn’t necessarily have to be all festive fun — every party has its winners and losers, or so they say — which is why I’ve thrown in some prompts that could take a darker turn as well. Happy writing (and celebrating)!

This week's prompts

Write a story about a character who gets lost at a carnival or festival.

Horror – 189 stories

Set your story at a party that has gone horribly wrong.

Horror – 196 stories

Write about a reluctant party-goer who ends up being the star of the show.

Middle School – 106 stories

Write your story about two characters tidying up after a party.

Fluff – 148 stories

Write a story about a character who’s nervous to attend a party - their first in a long time.

Adults – 156 stories

Stories

“Trans-ition” by Hannah B

Submitted to Contest #93

Mak slipped his phone into the pocket of his pants, the Uber silent as some sort of classical music played. It painted a very dismal mood for him as he watched lights pass in the darkness and some dim, quiet houses roll by. Mak shifted in his clothes, so soft and airy as compared to his army uniform. He could still imagine it buttoned tight at his neck, billowing unnecessarily at the chest and butt, and tucked into every part it could be tucked into. Suffocating. Hot. Wrong. But a part of him missed it. It had been his everyday attire fo...

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“Recovery” by Esther :)

Submitted to Contest #93

“We should go to the party,” I whisper to Kia. She stares blankly at me. Her green eyes are unnaturally dim, and her lips are pressed in a thin line. “You haven’t been to one in a long time, and maybe it’ll help.” Kia blinks. “No.” The single word seems forced and coated in grief and sadness. “Not after what happened.”Four. Words. I swallow my suppressed joy, usually she speaks in one word. Sometimes two.I sigh slowly and look towards the mirror, at the ragged, tired woman that I am. I sip slowly from the chippe...

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“The Stranded Soul” by Karubembe Junior

Submitted to Contest #93

Meeting Dorcas and making her my girlfriend was among the best decisions I ever made in my life. She was a simple african girl who totally believed in pure love and never believed in selling her heart in exchange for money. "Karubembe,when I tell you I love you,just believe me.When I tell you I truly appreciate us being in love,just trust our love process"She once told me one-day as I took her back home after a long day together. Her words always seemed so strong and real to me and just like any romantic man would do,I wrote them in my...

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“Just Dance” by Rose Quartz

Submitted to Contest #93

I turned on the tv one morning, hoping to see something good on TV. As soon as I changed the channel, I saw my classmate Sabrina making an announcement. “Good morning, people of L.A!!!! I am inviting you all from my school to join me at my house for a party! I know it has been a tough year for all of us, and now is your time to sit back and relax! Join me at eight, and text me to tell me you will be there! If I don’t hear from you, I will text you! I want you ALL to come. Nobody is allowed to miss it!” “Excuse me, weirdo, I am trying t...

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“Damn Wizards” by Sjan Evardsson

Submitted to Contest #93

The Palace Hotel Grand Ballroom was most decidedly not grand that morning. Morning light spilled through the huge windows that overlooked the bay to cast rays on the detritus of the previous night’s soirée. Overturned tables and chairs, spills and stains on the carpets, half of the draperies ripped from the windows, and above it all, the smell of stale champagne and spilled booze.“You ever notice,” Karl asked, “that the richer the party, the worse the mess?”Sera knew what he was getting at, but she’d let him explain himself, again, in order ...

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“Brightly” by Ellie Yu

Submitted to Contest #93

TW: GUN VIOLENCESuffused in the street lamps' golden light, her sunny yellow dress pooling around her knees as she perches on the parking lot curb, Anastasia weighs her options.One: she could leave. She could clamp her hands around the wheel and steer her car through the evening-shadowed suburbs, back to her apartment that’s always five degrees too cold. It’s a home, but it’s not her home. It hasn’t been in months. And she doesn’t know if she can bear curling up in bed alone again.Two: she could go inside. Anastasia glances over her shoulder...

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“The Ball (Highmast Flashback)” by Lizzy Duffield-Fuller

Submitted to Contest #93

[Author's Note: This flashback takes place before the events of The Bad Penny. This short story was originally written for Beth Connor's podcast, Crossroads Cantina] The trees that ran down the street were already beginning to burn in flaming shades of gold, jasper and amber. Calli couldn’t help but stare at them as she passed. The last rays of the evening sun were catching in them, making them sparkle like jewels. Even the leaves in the upper echelons of Highmast city were decked in far more extravagant wealth than they could ever imagine...

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“The True Meaning of Friendship” by ★ 𝑷𝒊𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝑯𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒐𝒏 ★

Submitted to Contest #93

Warning: Murder and blood in story. She stepped off the ride dizzy, her vision blurry. Her friend Adria laughed. "That was fun Kiara, we should do it again!" "No way," Kiara said. "I'm saving my tickets for the best part, not wasting them on the same rides." "And what is that?" Adria teased, "Cotton Candy?" "No." Kiara responded.But she never told her friend the surprise. *** Later, they went on the Ferris Wheel. "Kiara," Adria said, "Would you mind telling me what this thing is you're waiting for?" Kiara smiled. "I was hoping you'd ask that...

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“As Fate Would Have It” by Philip Clayberg

Submitted to Contest #93

A group of girls wandered outside the school during lunchtime. Most of them were excited because something special was coming to town: the Carnival of Mysteries.“Don't tell me you're not going to it, Dana,” one of the most excited girls said. “It hasn't visited our town in about a hundred years. Couldn't you put your suspicions and fears aside just for one night?”Dana sighed and pushed her glasses back up her nose. She was dressed in an ankle-length light blue dress and buckled dress shoes. In her shoulder-length brown hair was a pink bow. “...

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“Dancing on a Stage.” by Giselle Alexandra

Submitted to Contest #93

I was talking to my sister, about to fall asleep. My sister then abruptly left, leaving me alone. Pigs and donkey pictures were all around. I winced. Before you ask, I HATE pigs and donkeys. I much prefer horses and bunnies. I groaned as, for the a thousandth time, I bent my aching back to pick up another balloon from the party, ten minutes before. I had one more balloon to go then I would finish this unbearable task. Closing my eyes I finished my job. I stretched and massaged every bit of my body, my thighs screaming at me from the running ...

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“Party Mischief” by V. Saladin

Submitted to Contest #93

‘Why did I agree to this?’ I tried to rack my brain for possible excuses as to why I couldn’t attend, one that would surely fool Stephen, my friend. I had agreed to come to a party that he was holding, the first one I’ve attended since the first year of middle school. It was now my Junior year, so about 5 years later, and I know things are way different at these parties now. See, my friends are social butterflies and get along with most everyone, which I suppose is how they got through to me so quickly. However, I am a social outcast, far f...

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“Why I Never Go To Parties” by Rose Quartz

Submitted to Contest #93

“Good job on your test Rose! You got a perfect 100!” Mrs. Lucy said. I looked around the room and noticed everyone was clapping for me. I studied all night for that test, I guess hard work does pay off. “It’s time for lunch, you’re all dismissed.” We all ran out to feed our growling bellies. Suddenly, Axel walked up to the microphone in front of the cafeteria and took it from the dean who was making announcements about upcoming events. Everyone grew quiet as we waited for Axel to speak. “Good Morning fellow pupils. Wh...

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“The Murderer's Party ” by Serena Johnston

Submitted to Contest #93

Warning: Some content may be disturbing to readers. Wednesday, February 18th, 2015 Dear Diary, Something terrible happened today. It all started when I went to my mom's work party with her. But hold on. I should probably start from the beginning. When I woke up this morning, I was happy. I had slept well, and was excited to go to Mom's party after school. I bounded over to my closet to find the perfect outfit for the special occasion. After about half an hour, I finally decided on a cute white dress and a black braided headband. Fo...

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“The tidiness” by Opher 51 2022 REYES

Submitted to Contest #93

Quite a while past, soon after he made the world, God chose to take a vacation day. As every one of the creatures were recently made and didn't have a clue what they ought to do, God couldn't leave them all alone so he went looking for a heavenly messenger to care for them. Despite the fact that he was somewhat pointless, Perico the darling so needed to be with the creatures and argued such a great amount to be permitted to deal with them that God gave him the work. 'Ensure they rest before dull and are alert before first light. We c...

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“THE DUST SETTLES” by Kuzivashe Kudzerema

Submitted to Contest #93

The dust had not even completely settled when the junior intermediates dragged the chief midwife from the dance arena. Her blood-curdling scream pierced the African night – the drummers halted their rhythmic poundings, the elderly women poring over calabashes of fermented maize drink, hwahwa, ignored the gourds that impatient young men of drinking age waved irritably in their ancient brown faces. Dancers, swishing and gyrating in decorated hides, mhapa neshashiko,–for it was a special occasion- had paused. The festivities had only just begun...

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$50

Prize money

797

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - May 14, 2021 EST

Won by Claire Lindsey 🏆

Title: What’s Left

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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