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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#99: Summer Solstice

In the Northern Hemisphere, June 21st is the ‘summer solstice’ — the longest day of the calendar year and, in astronomical terms, the beginning of summer. In my part of the world, this season evokes a plethora of scenes: sunbathing on river banks, al fresco dining with friends, and trips to the seaside, all punctuated by the heady scents of summertime — potent florals, sunscreen and food sizzling on the grill.

The solstice celebration has its roots in ancient Paganism — where people would gather at sites like Stonehenge and wear protective garlands of herbs and flowers to ward off the evil spirits who, according to Pagan folklore, walk the earth more freely at this time. From a spiritual standpoint, the solstice is all about embracing the sun and its awesome power. Whether you love basking in the sun or prefer to stay inside with the curtains drawn, I thought this week's prompts could be a way for us Reedsians to mark the advent of summer too. Happy writing!

This week's prompts

Begin your story with somebody watching the sunrise, or sunset.

Fluff – 275 stories

Write about the longest day of the year, or a day that never seems to end.

Summer – 99 stories

End your story with somebody stepping out into the sunshine.

Summer – 211 stories

Write a story about somebody reminiscing on an event that happened many summers ago.

Summer – 217 stories

Write a story about characters going on a summer road trip.

Summer – 104 stories

Stories

“Bazaine's Defeat” by Kevin Schenk

Submitted to Contest #99

The bees where humming and buzzing all around the garden as they gathered up the sweet serum and distributed the pollen. They've been doing it for millennia and were truly experts at their craft. Highly efficient, dedicated, and focused. Much like grandfather had been his entire life and something that had been drilled into him from an early age, as it had been for all the boys at the time. Diligence was everyone's middle name. He had truly been a busy bee most of his life. Now he was quite the opposite as he lounged on a chair in the garden...

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“Rest Now, Friend” by Emily Thompson

Submitted to Contest #99

I sat in the wide bay window of my grandfather’s old cabin, one of those old log structures barely holding on by loose nails and scraps of insulation. It was a weary place, but the squeaking metal fan on the table provided a breeze and the spices and vegetables slowly stewing on the stove wafted warm and comforting odors around the small room. I turned my attention away from the stained paperback I found on top of musty sheets in the hope chest to where a white bunny circled the area around a fallen tree and he looked... famished. I wat...

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“Trippin' Triangle” by Jude S. Walko

Submitted to Contest #99

Road Trip! Just like they did at the beginning of every summer road trip to New Orleans, they pulled the front tires of the 1981 Honda Civic flush with the no parking sign, just outside the Monterey Park police station. The car didn’t have power windows, so they raced each other with the hand cranks. Sophina won, and Johnny, despite the strength in his left hand from lots of alone-time, got his window stuck half way. It wasn’t the Honda’s fault. The poor buggy was “seasoned” and this would be it’s sixth year making the nearly 2,000 mile jour...

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“Salvaging my summer trip” by Jasvin Barha

Submitted to Contest #99

"I have done with the packing pieces of baggage, now it needs to put in the car," I said to myself with a sigh of relief. summer solstice may bring some peace than ecstasy I need this summer trip to run away from all the chaos upheaval life it was going from the past year. Nothing was running into my mind just a long drive and my travel of endless thoughts some tangled with complexity and some were vague just result of overthinking. I went to the kitchen to brew some coffee and thought to call my sister. The phone kept on ringing and later d...

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“Summer Loves Come and Gone” by Lilli Follett

Submitted to Contest #99

After our first date to the beach and eating ice cream he drove as I looked out the window and noticed that the sun was setting, I made him pull over in the little ravine next to the lake. We watched the sunset as the night breeze was warm and the air was slightly chilly. We got back into the car. The sun had just set so it was still light out. He cranked the music, pulled me close and kissed me for the first time. We then drove off. In that very moment I thought “You and I were infinite for that one...

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“The Crimson Sundown :” by Rathin Bhattacharjee

Submitted to Contest #99

The Crimson Sundown:Sitting up on bed, I look out at the golden ball going downhill, immersing the tell-tale mountain tops with the zigzagging village pathways crisscrossing around the foothills in a crimson hue. The gentle breeze blowing in through the gaps in the wooden frames of the glass window makes me draw the curtains across. I snap the blanket away to get out of bed to turn on the light. The dusty plastic packet with "Drishti" (eyesight) written over it on top of the cupboard beneath the switchboard, reminds me of the days when life ...

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“DOG DAY AFTERNOON” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #99

Egyptian Goddess Isis watched the sun rise and set off on her way. It was the hottest part of the day when she was near Glen’s farm. She thought “Why not I slake my thirst and rest here a while?” She softly descended and went into the barn of Glen’s house. A dog – I should say a female dog started sniffing and Isis patted her on the neck. She read the name ‘Melba’ on the collar on the neck and said “Melba, don’t make any noise. I’m goddess Isis come to take rest.” She drank water from a brook and sat on a stuffed wooden bedstead in the barn....

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“All the happy places ” by Theo W.

Submitted to Contest #99

domestic violenceCW: Rue made me promise that I would protect Junie. When she left for college I would take over her job as the oldest sister. She made me promise that no matter how angry Junie made me I would never push her away; never hurt her. Now as I watch the sky go from blue to orange to pink to black, I could tell that was a shit promise. She only made me promise that because she wasn’t coming back. She was never coming back and as much as I wanted to hate her for leaving, I couldn’t. I don’t know how Rue did it. Maybe sh...

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“My Second Perfect Moment” by Fay Winter

Submitted to Contest #99

The sunrise is beautiful. The sky is painted rose gold, with tinges of blue and fiery orange. The golden orb starts to rise from the horizon, slowly moving towards it's place in the sky. I never watch the sunrise. But I didn't sleep last night, and so for the first time I'm awake to see the spectacular sight from my bedroom window. I sit on my bed in my fluffy pyjamas, cross-legged, and stare out my window with its indigo curtains. It's like something out of a fairy tale, the golden sky, shining stunningly through my four paned window, bathi...

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“Sunrise with my love” by Kajal Thakur

Submitted to Contest #99

Today is the day Emily and Jack decided to see the sunrise together because the next day he is going to back to his country for taking over his family business and Jack wanted to spend his whole day with Emily today, may be they both will not be able to meet in person too soon.September 2, 2020Emily was still asleep, her face was suddenly tapped , and there seemed to be a voice of Jack speaking on the top of her head."Get up, hurry up"Jack patted her face and saw that she waved her hand and turned to sleep. He had to pinch her nose.Emily, wh...

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“The Pacific” by Maria Bray

Submitted to Contest #99

How long has it been? A pathetically long time, I finally decide on.I live a mere 20 minutes from the beach and the last time I've come out to see the sun set here was at least 30 years ago.Sad, right? I pay the price for the good real estate that is San Diego County. I should be enjoying the perks of it all.Cardiff is my beach. We all have one here. The families migrate to Oceanside or Moonlight. I remember Cardiff before an El Nino season took away the sand in 1981 leaving big rocks in its place. I learned to surf here, a hobby I gave up a...

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“The last sunset” by Sonia Macri

Submitted to Contest #99

As I sat there, atop the little hill in the park by my home, I waited for The sun to wake up. I wanted to admire the beauty of it for one last time. I've always loved watching the sunset but today was extra special as it would be the last sunset I would ever see. Perhaps heaven had sunsets ? Perhaps hell did ? regardless of where I would end up I would hope they have sunsets. Today was the last day of my life. I had 24 hours left to live. I guess I can count myself lucky that today is the summer solstice , the longest day of the year so it m...

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“wait until the sun rises” by Aisa M

Submitted to Contest #99

The only house rule was to be back before sunset and never to step outside until the sun rises again, and Jake couldn't even follow.Aurora held the doorknob as she watched the sky burn behind the rocky Mount Tanglad. She looked at her digital watch every other minute as if looking at it would bring Jake back from wherever he was. Where has he been, by the way?They came back to the house at around three in the afternoon after the day's work, and Aurora took a nap. When she woke up after an hour, Jake was nowhere.She clucked her tong...

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“A Privileged World” by Archie Parekh

Submitted to Contest #99

Yaakov watched the sun religiously rise up as sweat trickled down his temple. His eyes instinctively lowered to the barbed fence. He halted abruptly; trespassing onto the other world was never heard to yield favourable results. The grim sheath of separation, as he regarded it, was constructed such that it seldom offered any, or, in some cases, even absolutely no scope for crossing; moving across it was a fantasy he dared not dreaming about. Though his heart wandered across his artificially limited habitat, regret often followed soon, for c...

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“Poisoned” by Sampurna Dasgupta

Submitted to Contest #99

“Babe?”“Mhm?” Jack asked, putting an arm around Laura.“The sky looks rather pretty today, doesn’t it?” Laura smiled looking at the sun that was peeping out from between the clouds that had settled in the sky. Beams of fresh sunshine flew into the room.“It sure does. But, you look rather pale, Lozzie. Would you like something to eat?” Jack asked, concerned.“No, Jack, I’m full. I’ve just got a couple of hours, and then death shall take me away” Laura sighed, lying on the hospital bed, looking out of the window, trying to capture the last sky t...

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$50

Prize money

909

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 25, 2021 EST

Won by Tom Vandel 🏆

Title: The Men and the Lake

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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