Menu

Prompts

Contests

Stories

Blog

Menu

✕

CONNECT

Editing Design Marketing Publicity Ghostwriting Websites

BLOG

Success Stories

APPS

TOOLS

Book Promotion Sites Book Review Blogs Booktube Channel Guide Book Title Generator Character Name Generator Independent Publishers Literary Agents Literary Magazines Pen Name Generator Plot Generator Publishers Directory Short Story Ideas Writing Contests Writing Exercises Writing Scholarships

ABOUT

About Reedsy Terms Privacy

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

“Nora” by Rachael Gunn

Submitted to Contest #98

The water is cold. I can’t imagine what it’d be like to bathe or take a swim. As I row myself gently down the river, I can’t keep some biting drips from cutting into my skin. My fingers are starting to go numb, turning white from how tightly I’m gripping the rod. I sing in a low voice to myself as my pole presses against the riverbed, propelling my raft gently forward. And through the mist There came a shower of Clouds that drifted down The water so clear As fish and grass were calling for Sleep. “Fall asleep.” If you fall into the wat...

Read story

“Winding River” by Tanya Humphreys

Submitted to Contest #98

The man in the faded orange John Deere cap pointed at yet another hill they had to climb. The sun glinted off a small enameled American flag his wife had pinned to the back of his cap. She had felt it gave him more of a good-ole-boy look, some conformity.His partner, who’d started wheezing six or seven hills ago, stopped, doubled over, and cursed. Padre the Bull was amused at how Jerry’s utterances were so unlike his usual rumbling bass voice. He’d have jived his pal, but he himself was pretty winded as well, he needed to...

Read story

“and Sin No More” by Martin Cambridge

Submitted to Contest #98

How beautiful it is up here. I love sitting in the shade of these trees, looking down on the fields and the village, and dangling my feet in this cool stream. Someone once told me that life is like a stream, or a river, and we float along the stream. Sometimes we go fast and see different things or different people, and sometimes we stay in a small pool and see the same things. I used to wonder which is best, for it is good to meet different people, and also it is good to keep old friends and family. Later, w...

Read story

“The Lover of The Sea” by Destiny Jordan

Submitted to Contest #98

The fresh pine of my home filled the air as the crispy dew of the morning settles on the leaves of the field. The river rages on as if waking the village to the happenings of the earth. The river that no matter how much I feel it calls to me. The waves at time seem to crash into me with billowing and thrashing. Mother says that I can’t go to the river , not yet “ My sweet, Nori, your too small for the river. It will take you away to the sea. Your time to go to the sea has not come yet.” My mother would say. Yet as I looked out my window the ...

Read story

“The River Castle” by DREW LANE

Submitted to Contest #98

Charlie grabbed two large stones from under the maple tree. He rolled them like dices between his fingers and threw them again at Alicia's window."Charlie?"Her mother's face popped out of the first floor window."Sorry Mrs W., I didn't want to wake you up.""Who's that?" her husband grunted from inside the room."Charlie, Mrs R.'s son.""Who?""The teacher's son. Licia's tutor, I told you at least five times he gives her classes on Mondays and Thursdays. ""Licia takes extra classes?"Mrs W. rolled her eyes and pushed her night mask further up her ...

Read story

“Lazy River ” by Adi Z

Submitted to Contest #98

Dear Dad, My feet dangle in the water and I hold on tight to my raft. My friend is on the shore in their perfect chairs. She grabs my raft and leans over and snaps a shot. “Oh that one's bad” says Anabel. Anabel goes in for another shot. Her arms are completely leaning on my raft. I can’t resist. I pull back fast. She splashes onto the raft while taking a photo. Anabel starts to pretend to cry because she is worried her phone is wet. We look at her phone and it is fine. The photo is great and she posts it right away. Since s...

Read story

“The Burial Celebration” by Michael Mackenzie

Submitted to Contest #98

Six empty caskets. Rusted bleachers and rusted chairs on brown grass. White chrysanthemums on a wooden table. Behind the stage, rain pounded the still waters of the river.Malcolm watched from the window. Eyes gray like the river. Hands shaking like a man facing the gallows. He punched a hole through the window. Shards of glass sprinkled into his fist.He climbed into bed. Her foot traveled over to his and she mumbled and he mumbled back. “We have to decide tomorrow,” Malcolm said.“Don’t say it like that. It’s a good thing. One of o...

Read story

“Journey to the Unknown Story” by Elena Rouse

Submitted to Contest #98

Everyone has a story. That’s a pretty basic fact about human existence I think everyone would probably agree with.We all have somewhere we came from, people we’ve met, loved ones, or things, or moments that have been swept up into the oblivion of the past. And it’s not just memories you’ve experienced directly that create you. It’s years, maybe even decades, of history. Your history. There have been people and places far and wide interlocking, then dispersing only to interlock with someone new, somewhere else, that have all led to the moment...

Read story

“Drachma Cove” by Moon Mason

Submitted to Contest #98

A catalyst. I remember how the water at the edge of Drachma Cove swirled with my movements. How the lily blossoms brushed against my fingertips as I sat on a rock peeking above the surface. My tail glimmered in the sunlight. The cerulean scales reflecting the glow. I waved it with fluid movements in and out of the tide. My mind was in a million places, and I needed stillness. Though nothing would ever be still because of the stream. The flow of water into the reservoir originates from the prolific pour of our waterfall. Then came the calls. ...

Read story

“The Revenge” by Joyline Pereira

Submitted to Contest #98

That night was unusually the darkest night of all. A very strong wind was blowing. Trees swayed and dry leaves were flying in all directions. All of a sudden the wind stopped. In a few moments, the environment changed drastically. It became quiet. Except for the hoots of the owl occasionally, there was no other sound. Neil was all alone walking in the forest. All he wanted was to reach the end of the forest. He tried to concentrate and did not let his fears bother him. He pushed away from the leaves of the plants and trees that were ...

Read story

“A Walk Home” by Mike Perry

Submitted to Contest #98

A WALK HOME A cloud of dust engulfed the big grey bus as it came to a sudden halt in front of the station. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked out the wind...

Read story

“Click!” by Sandra Mosaico

Submitted to Contest #98

It was during the beginning of the Coronavirus when I went into the field to break down and scream, "God! What are you doing to us?" Shortly after that event I left home. Packing up my stuff to run away from unideal circumstances, let's just say, leaving my four year old child behind with my parents as I went into an abused women's shelter. I set off, packing all my belongings into a cab to start my journey. I said a prayer, "Please God, bring Jhonny, Jhonathan Alma Hill as an angel to watch over me. Jhonathan had been a friend, a Mor...

Read story

“Endure” by Madhuparna Goswami

Submitted to Contest #98

Ankita entered the pale white room with a folder and a bottle of water. The room was devoid of any ornamentation. The floor was lined with polished marble and the room was washed in white light. At the corners of the ceiling, cameras blinked at Ankita. She knew that there were many cameras and microphones, hidden inconspicuously in the walls. A burnished wooden desk was placed in the centre with chairs on either end of the table.A young dark woman was sitting behind the desk. She looked up at Ankita with fearful eyes. Dressed in a very...

Read story

“ Requiem Aeternam” by Cason Willman

Submitted to Contest #98

“It’s pretty late, I understand that, and if–” “Don’t think anything of it.” Dr. Kendall Liu, in her dark jacket, turned the key in its suitable lock and swung the squat door open. The half-light and spittle from the street marinated the small table, bedight in dust and a basket of decorative fruit, and chairs lined up in a row against the wall. Dr. Liu, with barely a sound, ascended the carpeted steps to her office and waved her hand, “C’mon,” for the young man behind her to follow. “Come on up. We’ll talk.” Dr. Liu thought of offe...

Read story

“Return of the Crown” by Hannah C

Submitted to Contest #98

Her finger tips grazed against the crowns’ golden rims. Ivah’s sapphire eyes gazed at the shiny big crown that she desired, or rather, everyone desired. Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud slam of the two large doors that entered into the king and queen throne room. Two rather annoyed people stormed into the room, they saw Ivah standing there touching the crown. She quickly held her hands behind her back and bowed. “Your highnesses.” She greeted the two princes. It seemed they both didn’t really notice that she was touching the cr...

Read story

Load more stories

$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!

Explore more writing prompt ideas:

Adults Writing Prompts ⭢

Adventure Writing Prompts ⭢

Angst Writing Prompts ⭢

Character Writing Prompts ⭢

Christmas Writing Prompts ⭢

Dark Writing Prompts ⭢

Dialogue Writing Prompts ⭢

Dramatic Writing Prompts ⭢

Dystopian Writing Prompts ⭢

Fall Writing Prompts ⭢

Fantasy Writing Prompts ⭢

Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Fluff Writing Prompts ⭢

Funny Writing Prompts ⭢

Halloween Writing Prompts ⭢

High School Writing Prompts ⭢

Historical Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Holiday Writing Prompts ⭢

Horror Writing Prompts ⭢

Kids Writing Prompts ⭢

Middle School Writing Prompts ⭢

Mystery Writing Prompts ⭢

Narrative Writing Prompts ⭢

Nonfiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Novel Writing Prompts ⭢

Poetry Writing Prompts ⭢

Romance Writing Prompts ⭢

Sad Writing Prompts ⭢

Science Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Short Story Writing Prompts ⭢

Spring Writing Prompts ⭢

Summer Writing Prompts ⭢

Teens Writing Prompts ⭢

Thanksgiving Writing Prompts ⭢

Thriller and Suspense Writing Prompts ⭢

Valentine's Day Writing Prompts ⭢

Vampire Writing Prompts ⭢

Winter Writing Prompts ⭢