Include in your story a scene about a family's last meal before a significant change.

Posted in Dramatic on Dec 8, 2023

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✍️ 58 stories

“Lemons, Ginger and Garlic” by Raniyah Ad

Submitted to Contest #228

"Does the presence of something outweigh its absence? Or is it the other way around?" I said to no one in specific, communally munching on Garlic Naan and Haleem with my family. My mouth was a cacophony of flavor, an explosion of my Pakistani heritage complete with a mix of my family’s modernism tied in to make it more mild than usual. It was irresistible; the sharp taste of the garlic in the Naan beautifully contrasted with the subtleness of the Haleem, resulting in a perfect landscape for my tongue to explore. But something, I couldn’t p...

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“Dinner on the Red Planet” by Jeanine Rogers

Submitted to Contest #228

Yemasi set the table for her Mother. She could tell her Mom was trying to hide her true feelings. Yemasi looked out the window at the red dust. They had been living on Mars all her life, which was sixteen years. "After dinner, Can Omari come over? He has a new communicator to show me." Yemasi's Mother frowned at her. "No, this is family time. You can see him tomorrow after." Her Mother didn't finish the sentence. "Dad knows how to care for himself," Yemasi assured her Mom. As if on cue, her Father came through the front door. He h...

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“Blue Ridge Rabbits” by Dorothy Castle

Submitted to Contest #228

Some people grind words up in their mouths, clenching their jaws tight enough to crack a molar, scraping their teeth together while they sleep, swallowing the sawdusty grit of their own mouthy bones. Rae didn’t do that. Grinding her teeth meant making a face, so she churned them up in her stomach instead. Ma had stopped taking her to doctors – they said she had stomachaches because she was anxious. Now Pepcid repeated, week to week, on Ma’s grocery list, right beside milk and cheese and other weekly, stomach-achey thi...

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“The Winter ” by Mike Whitman

Submitted to Contest #228

The Jamison family gathered around the dinner table in the cozy dining room, adorned with twinkling Christmas lights that cast a warm, golden glow on the scene. The flickering flames in the fireplace added to the inviting ambiance, and a soft, instrumental Christmas melody played in the background, enhancing the festive atmosphere. Sarah, the culinary artist of the family, skillfully orchestrated a feast that teased the senses. The enticing aroma of a festive meal filled the air, a delightful blend of roasted turkey seasoned with a secret fa...

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“Asking Price” by Jason Cannon

Submitted to Contest #228

The house itself was brick, one of those post-war shotguns, blocks and blocks of which had sprung up in insatiable suburbs like mushrooms devouring a rotting log. Two bed, one bath, partially finished basement, decent plumbing and wiring, and a kitchen in need of a facelift. Remnants of an abandoned garden and clumsy, DIY paver deck. Sturdy, weather-proofed wooden fences, separating this shotgun from its fraternal twins on either side. Newer windows, one with a screen initially ripped by a storm-blown branch and then torn wide by an escaping...

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“Potato Soup Forever” by Lauren Dawn Miller

Submitted to Contest #228

The watery potato soup echoed with each drop that landed in the chipped porcelain bowl, a somber counterpoint to the heavy silence that blanketed the room. The dim light from the bedside lamp cast elongated shadows on the walls, mirroring the skeletal figure lying motionless in the bed. This was our last meal together, a final act of love before the curtain fell on the stage of our shared life. My father, once a titan of strength and resilience, now lay before me a mere shadow of the man who had built our world brick by brick. His hands, onc...

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“Candlelight Dinner” by Maria Sardi

Submitted to Contest #228

For the special occasion, I prepared his favorite dish, beef bourguignon. I covered the dining room table with an embroidered tablecloth, lit the candles, and placed the beef casserole, the mashed potatoes, and the salad bowl on the table. I opened a bottle of Bordeaux and called Roger. “Dinner is served, chérie.” “Hmm it smells so good,” he said. “Thank you for making this French stew again. Santé!” He raised his glass and I responded likewise. He had a taste of the beef that I had been cooking all afternoon and complimen...

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“A Home Cooked Meal” by Ian Patterson

Submitted to Contest #228

A pig roast is a great community affair, a cultural cornerstone event, unless of course you’re a pig. Then it’s some bizarrely horrific death ritual, and you probably don't enjoy it very much. I stare down at the plate of roasted pork in front of me, sickened. I know I need the food; it doesn’t change the outcome if I don’t eat. But maybe being long suffering is the only form of protest that I have left. I spear a cutlet with my fork, and twirl the now cold meat around slowly. I watch the way it flops from side ...

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“Every Other Lifetime ” by Belle Cowdrey

Submitted to Contest #228

*Warning Sensitive content* *Contains: Infant loss, sickness, and death * 1953 Looking at the empty living room it all hits me, one day this entire house will be nothing but an empty lot of old nails and the shadow of our once happy marriage. I feel that inevitable sorrow creeping up in my chest thinking about what was to come in the next few days. The upstairs that once used to be filled with her laughter and now sounds painful silence and heavy breathing every four seconds. I know I should be up there holding her hand or at l...

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“The Price of Secrets” by Yara Haya

Submitted to Contest #228

“Mom! When are we having dinner?” Ava yells from the warm, white-walled living room downstairs. It’s a Thursday at 6:29 PM in Killow's sketchy area, and the sun is setting, allowing the moon to visit. “Soon sweetie! Can you heat the mashed potatoes we had last night? Megan requests. “Sure!” Ava answers. She sits up from the exquisitely soft couch, at least what it feels like, and makes her way to the kitchen. As she grabs the mashed potatoes from the nearly empty fridge, Lane, Ava’s brother, walks down to the kitchen where he sees Av...

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“Mushy Peas” by Michelle Levine

Submitted to Contest #228

The table was dressed with the best cloth she could find: a pastel green silk, adorned with fleur de lils. A heirloom that had belonged to her grandmother. It was draped on the table in a laissez-faire fashion, and the dishes were sprawled out like daisies in spring grass. It smelled of sweet and tart and cured meat. She sat there, waiting, as they walked in. One by one."Is this a special occasion?" Adrian's eyes excitedly ogled the dishes as he sat down, next to his beloved mother."What have we done to deserve this?" Aida's face gleamed as ...

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“The Bowling Alley” by Georgia Bodill

Submitted to Contest #228

I arrive at my sister Jess's house and make my way into the dining room, taking the last seat around the table. There's a bowl of piping hot pumpkin soup waiting in front of us. Here I find all of my family which includes Jess and her boyfriend Jack. My brother Joah, his wife, Tia, and both our parents. 'You're late Anna.' teases Joah, though there's a heaviness to his words. 'By five minutes.' I say. 'Six.' He corrects. I roll my eyes, 'That's something Jack would say.' Everyone looks away. I scan their faces until I fall on Jack who is str...

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“Anniversary Nightmare” by Mia Twysted

Submitted to Contest #228

Courtney let out a low sigh, not thrilled to be watching the Disney Cars movie. However, she was fond of Mater. Cuddled on the right corner of the couch, she smiled, observing her two younger brothers, Kenneth, 10, and Frank, 7, as they zoomed around the room pretending to be driving beside Lightning McQueen on the racetrack. "Pizza!" her two younger brothers screamed as the doorbell sounded. "You get the plates. I'll get the door," Courtney said. "Pause the movie. Pause the movie," Frank screamed. "Yes, of course, pause ...

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“Family Meal” by Meagan Van De Sande

Submitted to Contest #228

2:12pm As I peer into the restaurant that sits halfway to hollow, littered with boxes and piles of discarded restaurant equipment, in front of my eyes, tears start to well. I can’t cry, damn it, don’t cry in the middle of this open kitchen. Josh, my sous, will be here any minute and the last thing I need right now is a pity party. I have a very important dinner to prepare; Saltwater’s last family meal. Every day before service, for the past 10 years, myself and my sous (before Josh there was Larry, and before him, Jenn) have prepared...

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“I Don't Know What to Tell You” by D'Spencer Luyao

Submitted to Contest #228

Trigger Warnings include: Explicit mention of sexual violence, mental health issues, substance abuse (alcoholism), and neglect. I Don’t Know What to Tell You When Evan was younger, dinner had been a grand family occasion. He had learned early that you always washed up before eating, you always helped set the table, and you never took a bite until everyone was seated and ready to eat. There had only been three of them, so that rule wasn’t a particularly trying te...

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Include in your story a scene about a family's last meal before a significant change.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 58 stories

“Lemons, Ginger and Garlic” by Raniyah Ad

“Dinner on the Red Planet” by Jeanine Rogers

“Blue Ridge Rabbits” by Dorothy Castle

“The Winter ” by Mike Whitman

“Asking Price” by Jason Cannon

“Potato Soup Forever” by Lauren Dawn Miller

“Candlelight Dinner” by Maria Sardi

“A Home Cooked Meal” by Ian Patterson

“Every Other Lifetime ” by Belle Cowdrey

“The Price of Secrets” by Yara Haya

“Mushy Peas” by Michelle Levine

“The Bowling Alley” by Georgia Bodill

“Anniversary Nightmare” by Mia Twysted

“Family Meal” by Meagan Van De Sande

“I Don't Know What to Tell You” by D'Spencer Luyao

🌟 Similar prompts

Start or end your story in a bustling street food market.

Write a story in which a character eats something that they shouldn’t have eaten.

Write a story in which a certain food makes your character travel back in time.

Write a story in which a character cooks up something to impress someone.

Contest #228

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

232

Contest entries

89

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: