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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

“Corporate Shackles” by Christina Marie

Submitted to Contest #99

I sit with my chin on the steering wheel and watch the stars wink out over the office, slowly stifled by sly hues of violet and then suddenly smothered by angry slashes of pink that just as quickly fade into pale swaths of blues and golds. I love my job. I love my job. I hate my job. Shit. The truth creeps into my morning monologue yet again. I’m parked in front of the squat brown building where my dreams are dashed day-in and day-out against the poster-slathered walls, where my creativity is cursed to curdle in the confines ...

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“Headed West” by David Taylor

Submitted to Contest #99

The three brothers packed their things. Jacob Chu, the eldest, was taking inventory of all the essentials. The middle brother, Joseph, did the same for his own personal effects; double checking that his essentials were packed in place. All who was left was the youngest brother, Jordan, who printed multiple maps from MapQuest. He used a highlighter to show the path they brothers needed to go from Atlanta to Santa Fe. If the path is to be believed, they would be on the road for a minimum of 20 hours ignoring traffic and time. In reality, Jaco...

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“IT WAS NOT MY PLACE” by Elizabeth Michelle

Submitted to Contest #99

I had been walking for hours and I did not seem to be getting to my destination. As I went further, I met a crowd. The first face I saw was my musical mother. She came as Whitney. Around her was a throng. It looked like many people had been birthed in our house. I couldn’t remember when that happened but I felt like everyone in the crowd was my relative. Then Alas! I met my twin sister. We somehow looked alike!. She was musical. She had everything in talent that our musical mother had. She received all the attention in the room. Her voice ...

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“The Journal of a Teen in 2054” by Maddie Heritage

Submitted to Contest #99

Entry 107: I Chased A Goat Are you guys seriously making me go through with this? I've already written 106 entries, how much more do you need to know? I get it that your trying to take up a survey of all the teens in the United States to make sure our future generation is doing great but guess what? The future generation has better things to do than sit around journaling 200 things in their lives!!! But fine. If your going to keep making me doing this then I will. Maybe when you read the notebooks you'll actually realize that the 13-17...

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“First time to Cafe Shi” by Clinton Siegle

Submitted to Contest #99

Magical bookstores? It was not what I had been looking for so long ago. I had been yelled at by a professor and humiliated, however I proved I was right.I had had enough. I was walking the streets going to a pharmacy that had a malt shop inside it. Yes, Bozeman Montana still had a malt shop and for five dollars the whole canister along with large malt glass would be mine.However, it was sunset and right where an alley should lead me to the other side of a street a building appeared. Appeared? Well, I knew my location. I knew where I was goin...

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“The story....” by Hasini Mada

Submitted to Contest #99

Once in the sunshine, In a little district west of Washington Square, the streets have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called "places." These "places" make strange angles and curves. One Street crosses itself a time or two. An artist once discovered a valuable possibility in this street. Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper, and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account! So, to quaint old Greenwich Village, the art people soon came pro...

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“It Gets Worse” by Lexi Meyer

Submitted to Contest #99

"No. Absolutely not. We're not going to Disney World over the summer." Rachel shook her head, seriousness overtaking her features. "Why not? It's the happiest place on Earth!" I teased. "It absolutely is not. I want to go on vacation with you and spend summer together, but that's not going to happen if we got to Disney World. I refuse." "What did Disney World do to you?" Rachel sighed," I had a terrible experience there, and I promised myself that I would never go back." "And how old were you when that bad experience happened?" "...

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“Light from within” by Aditi S.K

Submitted to Contest #99

Golden, like a basket of light. Strong, orange tones at the corners. Light swatches of pale blue mixed with a deep purple. My eyes start to water as I haven’t been blinking. Slowly, I draw my eyes reluctantly away from my window, back to my textbook. The sunrise looks so beautiful. It still lingers in my vision, even though I’m looking at the question in the book. I stare and stare at it. “Find the value of ‘y’ if the value of ‘x’ is…” My mind slips off and after five minutes I’m still trying to figure out the meaning of the question. My e...

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“Ambers in the Sky” by Sherra Yeong

Submitted to Contest #99

Sarah stares into the water. A warm orange colour emanating from its surface as gentle waves caress the large round rocks around her, the sky an amber red with stars peeping out from its edges. The silhouette of casual fishermen trying their luck with the bait and rod after a long day’s work as ladies chatter behind them, barbecue grills at the ready. She can already smell the sausages. Children were chasing each other around the rocks as their mothers continue to shout at them to stop. It was dangerous, but it was fun. It was a tough day ...

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“The Prisoner” by Colleen True

Submitted to Contest #99

In the center of Arcadia sat the newly-reconstructed palace. Although by far the most elegant structure in the city of Solelia, it contained a certain humility. There were larger mansions, ones that glittered with gold to display the wealth of their inhabitants. The king, however, had seen the consequences of such apparent power. He lived through and fought a war against them. Though many descriptions could be made—of the tall, stone towers with pointed roofs; of the throne room containing many columns; of the multitude of palace servan...

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“Driving Lessons ” by Raha Inouye

Submitted to Contest #99

I was in the middle of my driver’s test last week when out of the blue the examiner asked me about hazard perception. I must have seemed confused, which is not a good look when you’re trying to pass a test. Name the potential hazards, he said, getting a little impatient. What are some of the things that can go wrong? I’d just turned into an empty residential street neatly lined with colourful, pretty houses that all looked different but somehow still looked the same. I couldn’t imagine anything ever going wrong on a street like that, so...

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“It Could Have Been Worse” by Rose Tilly

Submitted to Contest #99

I'm sitting on the bench in the mall. I'm waiting for my sister to get out of work. I'm on my phone, browsing Instagram. BOOM!!! A loud noise came to me. Flashback: It's the day after Thanksgiving. It's November 29, 2019, Black Friday. My sister was working at the mall until six pm. My phone ding. I got a message. Franny: Done with work. Still at the mall. (4:23pm) Me: Coming. (4:26) I walked to the mall. It wa...

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“Mom&son's and sun” by Hima Bindu

Submitted to Contest #99

Mr Sun Oh, Mr sun, sun, mr golden sun, Please shine down on me. Oh, mr sun, sun, mr golden sun, Hiding behind a tree. These little children are asking you, Please come out so we can play with you. Mr sun, sun, mr golden sun, Please shine down on me. Oh, Mr sun, sun, mr golden sun, Please shine down on me. Oh, mr sun, sun, mr golden sun, Hiding behind a tree. These little children are asking you, Please come out so we can play with you. Mr sun, sun, mr golden sun, Please shine down on, please shine down on, Please shine down on me. Stella...

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“Mila Rising” by Melissa Laussmann

Submitted to Contest #99

I watched the sunrise through iron bars. A small window in my cell was all I had left of the world. There was nothing else. Family and friends turned their backs on me after the verdict was announced. Guilty. One word threw into oblivion my sense of self worth and all the people I held dear. Memories were just fading illusions. A group of strangers gathered together and made their decision. She is deemed unworthy to be a part of society. She is the lowest form of humanity walking the earth and should rot in jail. I reached for the plast...

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“Kymopoleia” by Ashley Slaughter

Submitted to Contest #99

That familiar soft violet lining the horizon was the only thing that kept my head above the water. Even as waves buffeted my entire body forward and back, side to side, I made certain that my eyes stayed hooked on that wisteria violet, slowly turning to cherry blossom pink, then marigold orange, until finally, a sliver of sun burst forth with the first light of morning. Morning of the summer solstice, I reminded myself vaguely, the longest day of the year. Anything to keep me grounded despite the pull and push of the ocean’s waves. I refused...

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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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