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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#98: Origin Stories

Every year, on the fifth day of the lunisolar calendar’s fifth month (which happens to be this Monday!), the Dragon Boat Festival commences with gusto all across China. Within three days of celebration, people attend dragon boat races (as expected), eat sticky rice dumplings (zongzi), and hang aromatic plants around the house to ward off evil spirits.

The origins of the festival are obscure: some say it commemorates the death of a poetic and patriotic official who was exiled from the ancient Chu state. Others say it celebrates a filial daughter who lost her life searching for her father, who fell in the river during the organization of a boat race. While father and daughter were reunited in death, their misfortune connects to yet another alternative origin story for the festival: the fifth day of the fifth month was considered the unluckiest day of the year, and the festivities are carried out to keep this bad energy at bay.

Taking inspiration from these fascinating stories, and from their multiplicity, I present to you the prompts for this week! Don’t worry if you’re not familiar with the festival itself: since the tales behind this occasion are so diverse, there’s something for everyone.

This week's prompts

Write about a family with a long-standing tradition, whose members all have conflicting origin stories for it.

Thanksgiving – 58 stories

Start your story with a character having a premonition, but no one believes them.

Dark – 147 stories

Write about someone who’s desperately trying to change their luck.

Teens – 101 stories

Set your story on (or in) a winding river.

Middle School – 122 stories

Write a story involving a character who cannot return home.

Angst – 320 stories

Stories

“Goodbye Poppy” by Jeannie Cleven

Submitted to Contest #98

Jonathan sat on the remains of a fallen pine tree on a small island directly across from his Grandpa’s place. It was so quiet. Nothing was moving. Jonathan took a deep breath and looked over the frozen lake. Grandpa John… affectionately known as “Poppy” should be somewhere over there, but no sign of him yet. Poppy was so proud of his home, and he should be. He was a young man of 19 when he bought this piece of land on Lake Akerman, which many years later earned the nickname of “Lake Belly Ache” after one holiday cookout where questionable...

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“A moon tale” by Emma Harris

Submitted to Contest #98

I knew becoming an astronaut was the worse job I could ever have chosen to become. I have just found out that I must be the lucky one to go up to the moon this year. I sit on the ship. I am utterly terrified. I took many attempts to escape the moons pull, and now I think I am finally free the moon is going to pull me back again. I don't have any friends or family. My co-workers think they are dead. But sadly, no my friends and family live somewhere completely different, and it is a place I thought I would never see again. The rocket is takin...

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“Lost in Time” by Shrutika Tiwari

Submitted to Contest #98

Misery; that's all what memories mean for me anymore. Only last night I was breathing in her fragrance- a lovely shade of chocolate her hair was and her eyes blue and bewitching. Then like every other morning I woke up again, only to realize I don't exist for her anymore. I sigh as I navigate through the wilderness trying to follow the hidden trail I use regularly to go looking for water. I chew the remnants of a raw fish I caught the previous morning.Fire is a luxury; scratch that- everything I took granted on Terra is a luxury here, be it ...

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“Trapped” by Reet Miglani

Submitted to Contest #98

“God I barely got any sleep last night, can’t believe its morning already, and ouch, why is this mattress so uncomfortable?! I knew I should have gone with the other one, curse you Dylan for tricking-““AAAHHHHHHHHH”9 hours ago“Karen, change the news exclusive, remove the story of the fire, instead add the exclusive about the people who disappeared, all the details are in here, it was David Williams, a known photographer, Brian Matthews and Emma Smith from the police ranch, both detectives, Ashley Brown, an interior designer, and Elenour Jone...

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“Consequences” by Archie Parekh

Submitted to Contest #98

TW: suicide “Multiple contusions, broken bones, third- degree burns- that doesn’t even begin to cover the trauma she faced, Smith. There was nothing more you could’ve done to save her. I’m sorry.” The trauma surgeon’s understanding brown eyes broke his generally inscrutable countenance to an empathetic one on his square face, as he offered some comfort to his colleague over losing his patient; something they were both used to, yet it hurt no less each successive time. The latter returned the gesture with a kind smile, as the former, Dr. Dani...

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“Into The Frostlands” by Ema Fancher

Submitted to Contest #98

“For you sins, you shall be exiled to the Frostlands,” the white-cloaked figure looming over Chrysalis said. His voice was not angry, it was not enthusiastic. He was calm, disappointed. The white man had convened with the crimson-cloaked figures at this side. They had returned to their semi-circle pedestal above the trial floor after a mere five minutes. Five minutes decided her fate, and it was the worst possible punishment. As the Crimson Court declared their verdict, sharp gasps and murmurs flooded the dark room behind her. Her empt...

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“The Cold Case Of Caera Petals” by Elle S

Submitted to Contest #98

There was a string of physical dwellings, quite a number of them, which made up Caera's life. A dozen moves, a dozen circumstances, and a dozen decisions which landed her here, in bed with him, sleeping carelessly, as though reality disappeared during slumber. As though he would wake up suddenly and all the trouble he caused would be gone. Sleep was such a waste. Caera had been awake thinking all night. She had to get out of here and if she knew what was good for her, she had to make sure not to get caught while at it. She had a way out, and...

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“The Full Moon Mystery” by Euge Fernández Hayón

Submitted to Contest #98

That night, like it happened every month, the full moon lit up the whole neighbourhood. For the Blackmill family, that meant sleeping in the backyard right under the stars with nothing but a few blankets. The strange tradition had been present in the household generation after generation and, even though its origins remained unknown, no one dared to break it. During dinner, the five members of the family discussed the issue like they used to do. “He was drunk”, seventeen-year-old Kattia pointed out. “I won’t get tired of saying...

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“The Legend of Ellemeno Beach” by Gabriela Wels

Submitted to Contest #98

Ellemeno Beach isn’t the most picturesque of beaches. It’s rocky and covered in crushed seashells from years of waves crashing onto the shoreline, carrying with them centuries worth of shells and seaweed. Years of tramping feet ground those into smaller and smaller pieces, which made walking barefoot a rather uncomfortable experience. Not to mention, the roaring of cars as they pass the causeway often rattles your eardrums. So why on earth do we faithfully pack hamburgers to drive out and grill dinner there each week? It’s a family trad...

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“Fireworks Day” by Kasia Pawlak

Submitted to Contest #98

Gas stations smelled terrible. Maybe it was just me, or maybe it was just the select few gas stations that I frequented. Either way, I felt justified in how much I hated the smell. Every time I stepped near one, I was rather criminally assaulted by the pungent odor of petrol mixed in with the two-month-old eggs in the broken refrigerators that lived in the back of the store. They were, by no means, pleasant visits on my part. Unfortunately, I was on a mission. My dear aunt, one Sally Ellis, had tasked me with running out and returning with,...

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“Samhain's confusion ” by Shalini Dewage

Submitted to Contest #98

A raging fire burned in front of me, it's heat radiating in all directions, warming all who gathered around it, even in the cool autumn air. The flames danced merrily, glowing red, orange, yellow and blue against the deep Prussian blue of the evening sky."So why do we do this again ?" I asked, confused as to why two walnuts were thrust into my hands."Because it's a family tradition. And now you're finally old enough to partake in it." My mother answered simply, shrugging her shoulders.Half of her face was covered in shadows while the other w...

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“Varying Horizons” by Paige Ross

Submitted to Contest #98

As dusk settled into night the stars flickered to life, one by one, over the softly stirring ocean. Casual conversation amongst the family died down to whispers, almost as if the darkness was soaking up their voices. Standing up, the oldest of the group smiled and announced, "Time to begin." His bones creaked loudly, but the lines around his excited eyes spoke far louder. His family took the hint, and the whole of them drifted down the sanded hill to the place where the tide crept up to kiss the land. They lined up beside each other, the...

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“The tale of the cheese” by Aleena Alibhai

Submitted to Contest #98

June 23rd was not by any means a special day, to everyone but the McKneely’s. They would spend the day hiking through the woods to a specific spot in which they would burry a large wheel of cheese. It was important that they did this every year because… “It all started in the seventeen hundreds, on a dark night. The only sound to be heard were the quiet thunders in the distance, and the only light to be seen was the flashing lightning overhead. Great, great, great uncle Gulliver was in a deep sleep when all of a sudden-” Donna stopped...

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“Aganga Chibuike” by Okey Boy

Submitted to Contest #98

Chibuike Aganga was what one could rightly describe as a comfortable man. He had a good job as a photographer at one of the best modelling companies in Lagos; he was in his late twenties; had, generally, a good health; and not the least, he was dating an angel in human form - Oma. Oma meant good things in Igbo language; but the full name was Adaoma - a good daughter or damsel. A fitting description for the beauty that held his heart in vice-like grip. He had first met her two months into his current job. That was in February. She had co...

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“Fred the Bear” by Bettina Karpathian

Submitted to Contest #98

“Grandma, tell me the story about Allegra and the bear,” the little voice whined. Mollie still felt hot, and her face was blotchy red. Just a virus, the doctor said. Nothing to do but treat the symptoms and wait it out. Her parents had to work, so that meant Grandma time whenever she couldn't go to school. I sighed and tried to get comfortable on the bed beside her. “Again? You’ve heard this story so often that you could probably tell it to me. Allegra was my best friend at boarding school.”"It's my favorite story," Mollie s...

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$50

Prize money

751

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 18, 2021 EST

Won by Mary Sheehan 🏆

Title: Blessed Home

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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