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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

“Windows of Cape Town ” by Eric D.

Submitted to Contest #99

There were always strange foreign men going in an out of the eccentric old man's house who lived next door. They would come overly confident with their nonchalant attitudes, barging in and showing off their wealth. They were dressed head to toe in fine knitted fabrics and designer suits with shiny jewelry ostentatiously placed around their bodies. Some would even march in with their entourage in a domineering fashion wearing camouflaged uniforms or dressed in bright robes. They'd demand to be seen aggressively knocking on his front gate...

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“It's Done” by Anje Campisi

Submitted to Contest #99

I paused. I breathed. My heart’s beat scattered to the corners of my chest, putting pressure on my lungs as they attempted to let the air rush back in. Until I felt them expand once again, I was oblivious that they had ceased functioning at all. Bloodied hands clasped my torn knees as my ragged hair swept the floor. It had started the night wound tight at the top of my head, but at some point, I vaguely remembered someone grabbing me by my ponytail and pulling it loose from its restraints. That person had ended with a knife...

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“Rocketship” by Brendan Doyle

Submitted to Contest #99

Jeremy steadied himself by his stand-up desk and stared, mildly bored, at the top-right corner of his 42-inch monitor, where displayed a floating-point number between 10 and 20 million.The number represented his net worth. By all traditional measures of finance, he knew this number was completely divorced from reality. A little voice, doddy and impatient, told him he had better sell, get out while the rest of the crypto-schmucks were still hodling, huddling and huffing the fumes of their respective tokens. But just. A little. Higher. If...

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“Past ” by Sandra Claros

Submitted to Contest #99

1.933. It was summer and a vast swamp could be seen through the window of that lousy train, running under the vapor of the heat in sublimation that only showed a few and wobbly profiles of trees and bushes lost among crocodiles and birds flying in the distant horizon, as infinite as it would be. -Take it! – an old-witched woman, wearing a large hat. I took the branch and put it in my luggage In the passengers vehicle, there was a young reddish haired lady in a brown dress and shoes, sitting by the dusty w...

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“Dancing in the sun” by Margot Pierpoint

Submitted to Contest #99

Some people say that as you get older your memories fade. Others say with age comes wisdom. I say the moments that change your life you never forget, no matter how old. I know that I won’t forget that day sixty summers ago when I was just a girl. That fateful day when I met Ruby. It was the night before the solstice gathering and my mother was putting the final touches on my silky dress. My mother had worked long and hard on the dress, saving up to buy the soft floral printed fabric. I stood there in the wavering light of the oil lamp, as my...

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“The summer she died” by Lisa Jefferson

Submitted to Contest #99

The salty ocean smell and the feel of sand between her toes. Hot. But cool. Breeze blowing. Those dark curls damp and shining with that salty ocean spray. What a beautiful day. Perfect. But time to go. She had plans with Sheena. They were going out on the town bar hopping! Back to her house to sit on the porch or the swing and laugh like teen school girls under the moonlit sky. She was going to be 40 in one month. Sheena was only 22. She had some time before this milestone birthday. So a muggy breeze and a big big moon and lots of cars, so...

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“On July 31st~ You Gave My Life Such Meaning~” by Grace Mulrain

Submitted to Contest #99

Warning: Discussion of past abuse and suicidal thoughts While everyone else was playin' volleyball... I was just chillin', inside the luxury beach house that was big enough to fit a big family. I was readin' a novel that was on ma' phone when I decided to turn to my right where the beautiful, glass window was at, I was gazin' up at the sunshine that was really pretty. So beautiful. So nostalgic... very nostalgic... it just takes me back to the times when I was li'l, like around... eleven or twelve years old. I remember the time when...

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“A Guard's Duty” by J.A. Blackmore

Submitted to Contest #99

This is a story that goes along with my novel I'm currently working on, and I encourage you at least know some about Fae and the creatures and people that live in it before you read this. You can find the link to my novel in my author bio. Thanks!!!"Emily?" Michael put a hand on my shoulder. "Come inside, it's getting late, and cold."I said nothing, and kept staring out at the ocean from my high balcony, praying that it wouldn't happen. They'd said they would come for me the night before the next eclipse.The Rising Dawn. I'd defeated their ...

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“The summer that lingers on our minds. ” by Mayflor Bagood

Submitted to Contest #99

Flashback to our lives many years ago, our mixed emotions and different feelings on the summer of 1989. We were married by then and really felt excitement and joy to think that we would be able to see my parents in States. We were eager and curious for our first trip to another country. Then comes another feelings of fear and fright, knowing that this travel isn't for a holiday ,after mom told us that dad was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer on his big intestine. It sent me goosebumps and shivers ,scared of losing a dad who gave us everything a...

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“Looking back on my adoption ” by Taylor Thompson

Submitted to Contest #99

Grandma Jane opened up her old dusty brown picture book. Wow, I exclaimed, mesmerized by the black and white photos in front of me. Grandma Jane, I said, who is that woman? Oh, that is my real mom, she said. Your real mom? Yes, my real mom. So Great-Grandma Gene is not your real mom? No honey, she said, She is not. I thought you knew that? She said with a grin on her face. No, I quickly said as I pushed for more information. Well, let us go sit down over here, and I will explain. I followed Grandma to the couch. She pulled out another...

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“It must have been love...” by Angele Blanco

Submitted to Contest #99

I'm a long way from home and I miss you so much. I'm stationed in Spain. Here it feels like home, but everywhere I go... I envision you beside me. A cold feeling on my skin runs down to the tips of my toes. The feeling of loneliness and imagining your embrace on me. As I was walking out of the Naval ship, I smelled your cologne and laundry smell, I know so well. It took me back to the summer's ago... In the summer of 2020, it's me and you. We're so young, so in love. We were at the camp in North Carolina. I believe the camp was Camp Mondamin...

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“Eternal” by Deep Blue Sea 🌊

Submitted to Contest #99

It was beautiful. Breathtakingly beautiful.For a moment, the middle-aged woman lost all sense of reality. Her backyard looked utterly surreal as it glistened in the glorious morning sunshine. She bet that not even a princess’s view from her castle balcony could compare to the sight before her. A thrill of pleasure skipped through her veins and she silently uttered words of gratitude for this small blessing.Her gaze wandered until they were at last transfixed on a particularly alluring aspect of the quiet backyard; the rose bush. It was a sig...

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“A Lesson She Never Forgot” by Susan Reid

Submitted to Contest #99

Every now and then, the aroma of a well-baked pizza takes me back to a summer fair held decades ago on the grounds of a church and school in Baltimore.Children laughed and screamed on the rides. Popcorn popped, hot dogs sizzled, and sodas flowed. Gamblers at betting booths and game tables celebrated victories. Frustrated losers moaned. It was at one of those booths that my friend Sharon learned a lesson she never forgot. The betting booth with shelves of used games, knick knacks, and art objects is where Sharon's lesson began. A doll on...

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“Sweet Dreams” by Lavender Blue

Submitted to Contest #99

SWEET DREAMS It was windy, that lovely summer day, when I first met her. She was dressed in a colorful cotton sundress and wore light blue sandals on her feet. Her hair was held back by a greenish ruffled scrungie and small pieces of it had escaped to blow gently in her face with every warmish breeze. A small backpack was on her back and around her waist was tied a silky scarf. Looking every bit the essence of summer she smiled at me across the picnic table and, no matter how silly this may sound, I fell in love right then and th...

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“Searching for Independence Day” by Kiren D.

Submitted to Contest #99

At noon on the last July 4th of his life, Mohan sat in his seat at the kitchen table, staring through the window at the lawn he used to tend, now out of his reach. “Asha beti, we just want to wish you a happy birthday” said his wife, Rani, seated at the telephone desk behind him.“When will she be here?” Mohan asked expectantly.“Darling, I told you, she is not coming,” Rani said in a voice tired from its continued burden, omitting the reminder that their daughter who lived a continent away in California had chosen not to spend her birthday in...

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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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