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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

“A Promise” by Nithyasri S

Submitted to Contest #97

It was a late September night. Keith Sommers was sitting on the couch beside the window, reading a book. He tried to sleep but failed miserably. He knew that he could never forget what happened to his girlfriend, Daphne Hall. He knew it wasn't his fault she got hit by a car. But she wouldn't have gone away, running if he hadn't shouted at her.Tears threatened to fall out. He wiped his eyes and got up to get a drink. But stopped before he went out of the living room.He heard a knock. It wasn't on the front door, but the window. He cautiously ...

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“Knock Three Times” by Kathleen March

Submitted to Contest #97

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore— While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. “’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door— Only this and nothing more.” ~ Edgar Allan Poe Many’s the time I’ve recited these lines to myself, for good reason or not. Probably it’s the w...

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“True wealth” by Rayz Farah

Submitted to Contest #97

Once upon a time, there lived a very rich and wealthy man in a big town. He led a luxurious life. He always boasted about his wealth to his friends and relatives. His son was studying in a distant city and he returned home for vacation. The rich man wanted to show off to his son how rich he was. But his son wasn't fond of any luxurious lifestyle. However, the rich man wanted to make his son realize that his lifestyle was extremely rich and that poor people suffered a lot. He planned a day's visit to the entire town to show him the life of th...

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“"Except Me"” by Lucky Loxley

Submitted to Contest #97

Broken window. What did it mean? In a dream it means stress, and anxiety. In real life, sometimes it's due to that ball you weren’t allowed to play with inside. Or a crime. A broken window can mean a lot of things. Most people witness a broken window. They see a broken window. They watch a window get broken. But nobody’s ever been one. Except me. A broken window I am. I used to reflect people. I see one person setting a trend and the next second I'm a part of that trend too. I see a purple handbag and the next second I have one. I’ve always ...

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“Double Life” by Eva R.

Submitted to Contest #97

It was all so sudden. Lucy didn’t even get a chance to properly say goodbye to all her closest friends before her parents moved with her to Devon. “You’re 10 years old and you’re a grown up girl so I know that you will understand that sometimes life forces you to make quick decisions. We got a buyer for our house under the condition that we move out almost immediately” - said Lucy’s mum as they were driving to the west country. Lucy loved their old house. It was bright with many flowers in the garden. Lucy often got in troubl...

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“TAP TAP TAP” by Iris Orona

Submitted to Contest #97

TAP TAP TAP! It felt like a dream, sounding like drops of water at the bathroom sink. I was so tired because I had been up till 1AM studying for my finals that I just turned away from the window, but the noise would not go away! MILA! MILA! The voice whispered that I heard sounding so far away. I finally realized who it was and said leave me alone Mordecai, I'm trying to sleep and besides do you know what time it is? It's 3 in the morning, what are you doing here anyway? Mila, please let me in I'm in trouble, some boys i was playing with a...

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“Moon and star—two halves of one whole” by Lee Disco

Submitted to Contest #97

Shattered glass litters the floor like light on a dance floor; weeds burst through the concrete of my skin to soak up the light from the gaping holes in my walls. The metal beams of the ceiling are bent and crooked and paint from hundreds of different cans and artists coat every inch of the place, laid on in thick layers overlapping in different pigments and shades and designs. I have stood in this lot for a long time. Watched as humanity flowed by like salmon swimming upstream in their little dirty jungle of a city, the slums like a ...

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“Magical interludes and Transformations” by Philip Ebuluofor

Submitted to Contest #97

It was not actually regarded as a mango plantation partially due to the way it was planted. It’s regarded as a flower to by the people. That was how masses refers to anything seen as decoration items. If it were to be in a city, it would have been regarded as an Avenue, maybe longest one in that city. Since it wasn’t city but rural area, the mangoes were seen as beautification items not even regarded as economic items due to its neutral ownership. It stretched kilometers covering three towns and those places it covered were even far from ...

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“What She Held” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #97

Justin always admired the stained glass window high in the church wall. A true work of art, but old. No one remembered who designed it. Rumor held he was probably a contemporary of Tiffany or one of the other geniuses of a century ago. Maybe Tiffany himself. He grew up attending church with his mother. Each Sunday, he studied its colorful scene. His childish imagination had him believing it studied him back. The ornate image showed a fair young woman kneeling, with her hand out. Her eyes gazed into the heavens with a hopeful expression. Beh...

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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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“Waiting” by Keith Manos

Submitted to Contest #97

Waiting The window was open just enough to let in the cool night air. The crisp rush of air held Kevin there by the glass, cooling his warm skin and enabling him to study his shadowy reflection. He wondered if all h...

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“Havoc mind” by Oliadia Honey F

Submitted to Contest #97

I sat up and stared aimlessly at the empty space sadly ,the quiet house reminded me of the once filled Happy home . But just like that it all disappeared leaving me alone in the sad castle. They say "Happiness is spending everyday with the people you love".It was just like yesterday I could still hear mom's voice calling me for breakfast,Dad talking happily to his client on phone although his tone was serious but he had smile spread on his lip,Guess they were both talking about money. My brother Dieyi telling mum about his upcomi...

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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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“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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“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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$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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