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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

“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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“Bonding Soulmates ” by Chacha Jaramillo

Submitted to Contest #99

I always thought that people with powers were special. Not on my list. I’m just getting out my teens into becoming a woman, another human being fighting for a survival in a surreal world. The fist chapter is completed. Went to school, did ny homework, listened to mom and dad, they were proud of me. Was not into drugs, was not a recruit for gangs out in the street. I stayed home, at dawn, when school activities ended, went home, either to finish my homework or preparing for a test. Nope, I was not a nerd. No way, NOT on this life. I fel...

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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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“A New Light” by Anji Shah

Submitted to Contest #99

Old buildings had always fascinated her. Governmental structures, old temples, and ancient castles had all left her in awe. They had seen so much, so many feelings had been etched in the walls. Important decisions could’ve been made in the room, wars could’ve been waged right outside the doors. Maybe even a hundred years ago or more, someone her age, long passed now, had run their hand over the wall of the building, in the same exact places she would run her own hand over now. Maybe someone had stood in the exact place where she was standing...

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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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“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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“The River That Led Me To Gold” by Pam Brand

Submitted to Contest #99

The warmth of it on my skin as I lay half inside my sleeping bag beckoned me awake. As I lay still half asleep and groggy I felt those gentle, peaceful rays lightly kissing my face and arms. The promise of a new day has shown itself to be true. I've spent many nights, even as a child, laying in wait for the sunrise to wake my weary mind. I sleep so well on that mountain side. I've always been in love with those majestic mountains. I've hiked many trails, and have even blazed some of my own."God, how are you so creative and masterful to creat...

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“The Adventures of Ghost and Purp” by Ash Greene

Submitted to Contest #99

----------------------------------------------------------------TW (also spoiler to the year of life I describe): drug abuse, suicide---------------------------------------------------------------- As I look at the sunset, surrounded by people that I love and who love me back, I can’t help but to think back on the events that lead me here. How the universe gave me the worst year of my life to force me to where I am now. How without that tragic ending that began my 19th summer, I would not be who I am. I want to say it was luck, or la...

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“Subject 17” by Katharine Widdows

Submitted to Contest #99

TRIGGER WARNING: Kidnapping, murder, injury detail, swearing.I lie here, suddenly awake. Unable to move, but I can feel. I can feel the blanket over me and the heavy cuffs at my wrists and ankles. I seem to be paralysed. An intermittent beeping reminds me of TV medical dramas, hospitals. I will my eyes to open, straining the muscles around them.My last memory is of being attacked from behind in the alleyway at the back of the Reaper Club. It had been a good night, a very good night. I was woozy from the drink at 3am but only ten minutes from...

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“Aurora Sun ” by Heather Starling

Submitted to Contest #99

She entered the void, boots echoing as they scraped across the glossy black surface. The stars winking above looked as if they were conversing in a secret language that somehow or someway she knew. “Aurora Sun.” The black stretched ahead for miles into eternity, yet she decided to continue on the path. Darkness, nothingness, hollow emptiness filled ...

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“Spider’s Venom” by Amanda Lieser

Submitted to Contest #99

Colorado seemed to cling to the last hint of summer on a Friday evening. It was a layer up kind of day where you wear a sweater in the morning, bare a little shoulder in a white tank top during lunch, and pop that sucker back on in the evening. I locked my apartment door behind me and drove my little Honda Civic through the curves of my neighborhood.I rolled down the windows and held hands with the breeze. I blasted the radio with pop hits; the kind of music he doesn’t like. But I did. And I still do. The wind is cold and ...

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“Summer Ghost Etiquette ” by Kiki Shanae

Submitted to Contest #99

Just like every other summer days, My Family and I stayed in my late grandmother's summer house, It was located at the top of a hill in the beautiful Ireland. The house was beautifully decorated, the Renaissance interior beautifully depicted the calmness yet somehow luxury of being able to have a peace of mind in this summer house, away from the busy streets of the city. As much as I hated repetitively coming back here every summer, this place held a special place in my heart. "Theo, You wanna come? We're gonna explore the next hill" My...

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“Twenty-one” by Austin Diaz

Submitted to Contest #99

On the morning of the longest day of the year, a fog swept into the Rhine valley and choked off the morning sunlight. Only hints of the rooftops and dim squares of light across the street from Anna’s kitchen window poked through the dark and it felt like Phaeton had died a second time and the sun was in mourning for his son, leaving it to the incendiaries to light the world again. Anna set aside the Kahlua she’d planned to tip into her coffee and drank it black. She decided to go for a run. Her body, she told he...

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“Cold Sunrise on Mars ” by Vanit Shah

Submitted to Contest #99

Even after 4 years, I’m still not used to seeing the blue-grey sunrise on the horizon, peeking just above the Gusev Crater. Funny how Google Images only ever shows you pictures of Mars in the afternoon, when the sky is a pinkish-red, a hue that people have come to associate with the Red Planet for millennia. But standing on a rocky outcrop atop Anseris Mons, gazing at the purplish expanse of sky before me, I can say with qualification that the Curiosity Rover (and much of mankind) missed out on just how mystical the Martian sky can be during...

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“Summer of Nostalgia” by Korrupted Poet

Submitted to Contest #99

The June sunshine was splitting the rocks of the beach on what would be the hottest day of the year and the longest day in June.There was alot of families and tourist at the beach to soak up the sun and go for a swim before cooling of with a ice cream later.There was chatter all around the smell of fish and chip filled the air along with the sea salt of the calm sea that shone like glass when the sun rays hit it the waves were soft and calm like the flow of a water fountain.The sky was clear so much so it blended into the sea below it.The sa...

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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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