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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

“Karrie in the Sunshine, Smiling” by Mike Burgess

Submitted to Contest #99

When the sun shone on Karrie’s hair, I believed she might turn to gold. Her eyes, the colour of the sky on the clearest summer day, sparkled like sunshine on the sea. And her voice. It played like wind chimes on the breeze. Whenever she laughed, I pinched myself to see if I was in heaven. We were inseparable. At that age, our perception of time hasn’t yet straightened itself out. A year can feel like an hour and a minute akin to a lifetime. Often both at once. Our affair only lasted six weeks, but it defined my life to date. I was six months...

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“Curse You July 12th” by Ruth Duarte-Harris

Submitted to Contest #99

My fingers trembled against the thin paper that was tightly within my grasp. I unclutched them slowly one by one until my eyes were met with the countless wrinkles that spread throughout the photo like the flu. Today was the most painful day of the year, July 12th. Exactly one year ago today I was in Spain on what was supposed to be the best vacation of my life, with my best friend and lifelong partner, who was taken away from me far too soon. We were swimming in the water, when he suddenly pulled out a dazzling ring from his pocket. I was i...

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“Old Ebbets Field” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #99

You never know what you’ll find when you start Spring cleaning. Knowing full well my sixty-year-old knees will never forgive me, I climb the creaky pull-down attic steps. Every other step, I rub my achy knees. I try to remember the last time I’d ventured up these steps. I cringe at the thought of what I might find. But, believe me, it didn’t disappoint. A series of cobwebs lace the entrance. Two or three spiders scurry away as I wipe away the webs and step up inside. The smell of m...

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“Red Teddy ” by Tamara Harris

Submitted to Contest #99

I twirled the fork in the spaghetti that was on the plate in front of me. I was eating dinner at my parent's house. I didn’t have the appetite to eat. “Go on and tell me about it.” Mom began to drag out the chair across the table from where I was sitting. There in front of her was a cup of God knows what. She enjoyed keeping certain secrets to herself but when it came to receiving rewards, she would gladly show them off. After not having anything to brag about for years, she was excited when she found out she was pregnant with me. ...

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“Welcome to Ber-Tri” by Robyn Jipp

Submitted to Contest #99

June 19, 2020 8:00 AM “Are you ready for our summer vacation?” Davis asked his wife as he turned off the alarm clock trilling incessantly on the bedside table. Marissa was already out of bed and fussing with the suitcases they had packed the previous night and set by the bedroom door. “Oh yes,” she agreed, knowing that this wasn’t going to be anything like the wild summer vacations they had taken together in their youth. It probably wasn’t going to be very fun at all, considering the sole purpose for this trip was to help out their da...

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“The Big Road Trip” by Aha Blume

Submitted to Contest #99

AmyIt was supposed to be the best time of our lives. We’d just graduated from high school. Our boyfriends suggested a summer road trip.“I don’t know,” I said to Mike. “Why do you want to drive all the way across the country now, only to have to drive back again, get your stuff and go back across the country for school?”“That’s the beauty of it,” he said. “I’m going to take all my stuff with me. You guys can help me unpack at UCLA, then fly back home, and leave for college.”“It will be awesome,” my twin sister Hannah said....

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“Summer's delight” by François Delacroix

Submitted to Contest #99

I. The sunlight beamed over the photos like paint over a blank canvas. The photos that were on the table—now drowned in the intense golden sunlight. It was picked up by a gentle, slender hand. Iris was born and raised in this lovely place—Flowergarden, a village in Europe. The photo reminded her of the times she spent on that road trip. In June when the days were maliciously hot around the village's region. Iris walked to the village's only bus stop. At these times, the village gave her a sense of serenity. She liked the season, always had b...

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“Deus Ex Machina” by Anjali Klinder

Submitted to Contest #99

She breathes in the dark. Behind the four fragile walls of her bedroom she hides in the dark and breathes in the atmosphere of solidarity. Curled against the pale wood of her bed frame, she huddles as if a stray dog in the cold. Head buried in the soft, welcoming folds of her inner elbows, her tears drop on the dark stained wood, painted carefully by her mother. Her mother, who argued that the paleness of the birch was too plain to be comforting. Her mother in her own waves of friendliness and anger, her mother like the stained birch wood in...

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“For Crying Out Loud” by Chris Wagner

Submitted to Contest #99

Our minivan rolled down the freeway in the early morning hours. Outside the window, cows chewed cud by a lake beneath a dark blue sky. The driver had the A/C cranked up, but the summer heat hadn't struck for the day, making it kind of chilly to be wearing a t-shirt. The guys up front wore tuxedos like Jehovah's Witnesses, but our driver had Korean ancestry, and his companion came from India. I bet they were comfortable. I glanced at the cute Asian girl in the seat across from me, and she offered me her Tupperware container...

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“Is it the Road Trip Talking?” by Renee Langille

Submitted to Contest #99

“I can’t wait to hit the beach!” Mary strapped her surfboard to the roof of the car. “We can totally rule the night life! Leave our regular selves behind!” she grabbed my shoulders, pulled me beside her and waved a hand in front of the great unknown as if we were intrepid explorers.“Sure.” I shrugged laughing as I packed the last suitcase into the RAV. It was a very full car for just two best friends heading out on a summer road trip. It was going to be awesome. Just her, me and the open road for a full month before we went our separate ways...

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“Consistent” by Uzma Sanam

Submitted to Contest #99

'Rachel, please. I haven’t asked anything from you till date. Please accompany me. Won’t you do a little favor for your sister?’, asked Diya.Diya was talking to Rachel through a phone call. She wanted Rachel to spend some time with her. She had planned for a road trip and was convincing her to come along with her.‘I will let you know, Diya. I have lots of other important works rather than hanging out with some brainless people.’, said Rachel.‘Brainless? Who? Me?’ ,asked Diya surprisingly.‘No, Why would I say that you are brainless. You ...

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“Valhalla Summer Trip” by Hector Luna

Submitted to Contest #99

Maxine Inoza wanted to be furiously incensed because she wasn’t being allowed to sleep. She had trouble being angry. She was just too tired. Sleep was against the rules. She wished her dad could afford a better ship. “Why did you let grandpa sleep and not me?”“I didn’t. And you couldn’t wake him up either. Don’t go pointing fingers.” Enoch, her father, was flying The Ebaneezer, a prehistoric freight hauler that constantly went off course. Every few minutes, the ship’s helm control would beep and he would have to make adjustments to the fligh...

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“Shadybrooke Landing” by Elizabeth D

Submitted to Contest #99

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. A road trip was meant to be fun. An adventure with great friends, delicious food, and marvelous sights. It wasn’t supposed to involve blood, guns, and a seedy hotel. We were supposed to laugh, not fight for our lives. It wasn’t supposed to come to this, me in the middle of the night with my knees soaking up blood on the pavement, tears flowing down my cheeks. 40 hours earlier. We had been friends since we were thirteen. We had been the three new kids in seventh grade and had formed an instant bond which ...

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“Last Summer” by Kiana L Valenzuela

Submitted to Contest #99

“Is that everything?”Kaylee poked her head out of the open window as she drummed her fingers against the steering wheel. Her best friend, Madison, stood in her driveway with her hands on her hips. She was chewing loudly on her gum.“For the last time, we didn’t forget anything. Now stop worrying and get in the van so we can get out of here!” Kaylee said.“Come on, Maddie, we’ve been ready for like, ten minutes!” Chelsea called out from the back of the van, tapping furiously on her phone.“You can never be too sure, you know,” Madison climbed in...

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“Sunset stake-out” by Robin Vanpee

Submitted to Contest #99

The evening sun lit up half of the window, the red curtains steadily turning into an orange-red melange for anyone inside. It’s room would heat up for about half an our or so before the sun would set, at which point the central heating would pop on to keep the chamber as warm as it’s colours. A nice cosy autumn evening, moments away from the golden hour, at which anyone inside would have a perfect view over the rest of the city slowly being soaked into the blue night. It sure would beat sitting in the car with the engine turned off half fre...

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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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