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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#97: Window of Opportunity

Windows let us see and be seen. These openings to the outside world (or the indoors world, depending on where you’re standing) have been so important in connecting our individual isolations during the pandemic. And beyond their presence in our daily lives, windows frequently feature in art and cinema: from Edward Hopper’s famous paintings of nightly urban scenes to films like The Woman in the Window or The Neighbors’ Window, glimpses into the lives of others have always been a source of wonder and curiosity.

Speaking of which, wonder and curiosity are promising feelings to tap into when you're responding to this week’s prompts. Apart from the literal gazing in and out of windows, you can also pass through magic ones, or develop a story around a window-related event. And if you happen to passionately loathe windows, I’ve got a metaphorical one for you to get creative with. Have fun!

This week's prompts

Start your story with a character looking out of a window in the middle of the night.

Horror – 340 stories

Write a story in which a window is broken or found broken.

Dark – 142 stories

Write a story that involves a magic window — or a window like no other.

Fantasy – 154 stories

Start your story with an unexpected knock on a window.

Dark – 138 stories

Set your story within a window of opportunity, when a character finally has the chance to do something.

Middle School – 144 stories

Stories

“Broken Glass and New Beginnings” by Tommie Michele

Submitted to Contest #97

The window matches the rest of the house. Grimy, covered in years of dirt and memories that no amount of cleaning can make a dent in. I should know. I’ve tried. But soap can’t erase memories, not even from a window like this. The hammer feels familiar in my hand. I hate the familiarity, actually—just another reminder of the life I’m trying to forget. But today is demolition day. Demolition of this house, in preparation for a new restaurant, and demolition of my old life in preparation for the new. A clean slate. That’s a good...

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“The Broken Window” by Princess Treasure Chuks

Submitted to Contest #97

“Submit your essay on any given topic related to a traumatic incident” Mrs. Sarah bellowed to her little students. The little Asian girl came forward with a book in her hands. “Is that yours?” Mrs. Sarah asked. The little girl nodded. “Oh, read it for us” and Mrs Sarah showed the girl to the middle of the class. The girl read “ “The Broken Window” It was during the early hours of the evening. The smell of coffee was filling the air in that part of Seoul. Three dogs were coming back home from an evening walk with their o...

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“Pink Light” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #97

There was this sound. The kind of sound you hear when asleep. Your mind takes that sound and turn it into a dream. I don’t normally remember my dreams. Most people I’m told, don’t remember their dreams either. That is why I guess this dream must have some significance. It must have a meaning, but I can’t figure out what it is. The sound I remember, and most of the dream, some of the dream. It was a tapping sound, as if coming from under water. Or that thumping sound when you are testing a melon, by ta...

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“Polar Opposites” by D Benjamin

Submitted to Contest #97

(WARNING: CONTAINS MATURE LANUGUAGE AND MATURE ACTIVITIES) They say nothing good happens at midnight right? Well, I should’ve listened. As I looked outside my window, my eyes made four with a beautiful looking white Polar bear. ‘Now what is a polar bear doing in my backyard at 12 in the night?’ I thought to my self as both our heads tilted in confusion. I saw the animal sniff the air twice before I saw what seemed to be fog coming from his mouth as he ‘spoke’. Not having any other choice, I went outside to see what that was about. I sl...

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“A Window in Time” by Kathleen March

Submitted to Contest #97

A Slash of Blue - A Sweep of Gray -Some scarlet patches – on the way –Compose an Evening Sky – Emily DickinsonClearly Emily Dickinson knew how to look through a window. She knew how to move close to the wavy glass that was prevalent in the nineteenth century. She knew how to touch the surface and understand the world presented to her through the rectangle. Her home was full of windows and so she could peer out day and night, organize thoughts and landscape, often using a minimalist palette to present her images. She is said to hav...

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“Fix the Latch” by A.K. Anderson

Submitted to Contest #97

I heard a sound. A knock, but not a knock on the door. Just the soft clinking noise of someone tapping on glass. I knew what that meant. I quickly ran to the window over the sink, grinning when I saw Connor. He ran a hand through his curly black hair that matched mine. We always joked that we would never have to guess what our children looked like. At least, when it came to their hair color. He was 16, just a year older than me, and even though we were young we knew we would get married someday. It was written in the stars.He gave me a goofy...

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“A Window's Awakening” by Ella Ryder

Submitted to Contest #97

Selena stared at the clock on her bedroom wall, using the flashlight of her phone as an assistive device. The clock’s hands, like a killer pointing their knife at their victim, indicated what time it was, affirming that she had been awake for the past three hours. 01:58am. The sleeping pills, which had been prescribed by her psychiatrist more than a week ago, had themselves proven to be ineffective as Selena assessed her very awoken state. The party across the street which was still going (and perhaps only really getting started then), had i...

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“Not Today” by Hans B

Submitted to Contest #97

She walked to grab her daily ritual from the local coffee shop. It worked for her, she liked routine. Predictable, consistent, and no surprises. She walked the same way every day. Some might call it mundane, boring even, but that is what she liked. She knew it would take ten minutes to the coffee shop, her drink would be waiting and another five minutes to her office. She would always be the first to arrive, and that would give her time to quickly browse her emails and drink her perfect beverage, still at the ideal temperature. Today wa...

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“Appetite For Destruction” by Annalisa D.

Submitted to Contest #97

How does anyone really know who they are? With all the pressures of society, family, and peers, it’s hard to weed out what things would genuinely be there without all the chatter. People would describe me as polite, nice, traditional, trustworthy, goody two shoes, prude, clean-cut, boring, and any similar type of words. I was the stereotypical good girl. It’s not a bad way to be. The thing is, inside I didn’t feel that way. Inside I felt a roaring fire tearing down everything in its path. I played my part though. Got good grade...

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“We Bully the Honey” by Anna Tishchenko

Submitted to Contest #97

We Bully the honey. Round and round it went through her head, meaningless, senseless yet always there. Intrusive, distracting, constant as if melded to her heartbeat the phrase echoed over and over, sometimes quietly, sometimes so loudly she thought that others would hear it too, if only she opened her mouth, she had learned to keep it shut. She was used to the stares, the watchful eyes, judgmental glares. When she did speak, sometimes it would slip out on its own, as if trying to infect others. We bully the honey. She stuck to commun...

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“In the Absence of Light ” by Liz Redt

Submitted to Contest #97

I glanced out of the frost-covered glass, the emptiness seemed to be watching me, stalking me, following me around until I had nothing left to give. I fell back against the hard seat. I shivered and I shut my eyes, seeing nothing, being nothing, the nothingness pulling me in, drowning my thoughts, changing the way I think, transforming me as a person, as a fighter. But even now all hope had left me, the shrewd darkness taking it over, swallowing it whole. The darkness, the fear, the emptiness all weighing down on me, suffocating me, I could ...

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“The Soul Window” by Rick Story

Submitted to Contest #97

The Soul Window Have you ever had one of those dreams that keep going on and on? I seem to have more than my share. You know the type, you dream, wake up, go back asleep and fall back into the same dream, and wake up again. You know, "running dreams" I call them. A weird thing is, I can never tell you the dream. Oh, I may recall one or two little details, but I can never remember the actions in the dream. It's kind of freaky. Maybe this is what the first signs of madness are like. I've always felt like these running dreams are my unc...

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“Professor Thrimble's Almanac” by Blue Green

Submitted to Contest #97

“Are you sure it’s tonight, Thrimble?” asked the mayor, adding a third spoonful of sugar to his tea. He stirred the warm brew around in the delicate porcelain tea cup, carefully balancing it in the matching saucer before making himself comfortable in the soft brown leather armchair. This was his favourite chair in the study, and as the professor was busy in the other room, he saw no reason not to avail himself of its inviting form. Taking a sip of tea, he looked around wonderingly at the numerous books, maps and instruments the professor had...

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“Healing the cracks” by Charlene 🧙‍♀️✨ Boyce

Submitted to Contest #97

Bella bobbed along the path, counting roots. She had picked some berries, and eaten some berries, and then picked some wildflowers. At some point, the path she was following became forest. Bright yellow mushrooms drew her eye, and then feathery ferns. She heard a rustling in the trees above and a hoot. She looked up, surprised to see it was getting dark. Suddenly, nothing looked familiar. Her chin trembled and tears welled. Katrina never would have let her wander so far away, but Katrina was gone and Mommy said she wasn't coming ba...

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“Letters found in Cemeteries ” by Anna Tishchenko

Submitted to Contest #97

Dearest Stranger, I wonder who you are, you have taken the time to read the thoughts of someone you will likely never meet. Will you read to the end? Curiosity getting the better of you as you wonder what kind of person leaves letters for strangers in a cemetery, half hidden in the hollow of a tree? Will you crumple it up, thinking it is some kind of joke. It is not, I assure you, but I cannot account for what kind of person you will be. I do wonder though. If you are still with me, bravo, I thank you for your time and kindness, these thou...

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$50

Prize money

921

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 11, 2021 EST

Won by Claire Lindsey 🏆

Title: In situ

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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