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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Write a story about an ordinary object that becomes magical (either literally or figuratively).

Posted in Dramatic on Sep 20, 2024

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✍️ 66 stories

“Double Rainbow” by Eliza Kohler

Submitted to Contest #269

Rich turned the key in the door of his 2004 Toyota Corolla and heaved a sigh. Last night's storm had dissipated to a light sprinkle, now coating his windshield with a fine layer of opaque glitter. He reached into the car for his scraper and began attempting to rectify the situation, but it was useless. The sparkling mist was still falling. Surrendering, he dropped into the driver's seat, glitter fluttering from his clothes into every crevice of his freshly detailed car. Damned near impossible to get the stuff out. The windshield wipers ...

2 comments 2
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“Magic Jack” by Missy Belanger

Submitted to Contest #269

They couldn't have imagined an evening as perfect as this one was. The crisp autumn air in contrast with the soft crackling fire in the chimenea. The flickering shadows danced across the patio as the smell of burning wood mingled with the rich scent of bourbon. Jason leaned back in his chair, savoring the heat from the fire and the wheated bourbon he just sampled. His wife, Emily, sat beside him, her feet tucked beneath her in a soft blanket, her glass resting on her knee.They had a quiet night, just the two of them enjoying conversation and...

4 comments 4
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“Fossil Find” by Linda Olson

Submitted to Contest #269

               Colleen slipped on a wet rock. She grabbed a tree root for stability. She marked her path off the top of the limestone cliff with care. She loved going to the abandoned quarry after a rain. All those lovely gray fossils were easy to see against the gray matrix they eroded from.                She reached a slope of rocks and slid down to a small ledge. She stopped abrup...

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“Fatal Checkout” by Chanteya Falls

Submitted to Contest #269

Wasn’t I here just the other day? Sigh. I needed a new night hobby. How often can a lady in her late twenties visit the grocery store in one week? I smile and nod at the security guard posted in his folding chair at the front.  “Having a good night Rick?” I asked.  “Sydney.” He nods back.  Okay so, first name basis means I one hundred percent needed a new hobby. I grab one of the smaller carts and scan the bulletin for deals. The manager with her blue blouse tucked into her oversized pants comes click-clacking my way.  “H...

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“SISTER” by David King

Submitted to Contest #269

I climbed the two steps to the large wooden front door. Two knocks was all I could manage before forcing my frozen fists to fit back into my coat pocket. A chill ran down my spine as I shivered, standing as close to the house as I could to shield myself from the piercing air that tried its hardest to plunge through my coat. I had lost sensitivity in most of my toes from the walk over and knocking on the door had caused my entire hand to feel weak and brittle, as if my joints would shatter. The same way an icycle would if it, too, was slammed...

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“A Scoop of Magic” by Andrea Krist

Submitted to Contest #269

She can't be serious. Carla was not sure what her face looked like at the moment, but doubt and disbelief had to be present. She blinked at the other woman—at least, she figured she was a she. It was hard to tell sometimes, especially this late at night—on​ a back street that was lit by a single flashing bulb.  Maybe she's nuts or just looking for a way to entertain herself. Carla narrowed her eyes at the woman's lanky frame. The heavy overcoat she wore was several sizes too big, her wrist small enough that Carla was sure the ...

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“Moonlight Drive” by James Barrett

Submitted to Contest #269

Jason was in his eighties, but he was still the most sought-after mechanic and restorer of elegant and desirable cars at "S & J’s Classic Motorcars” in downtown L.A. Rock stars, politicians, a-list actors, talk-show hosts, etc. all came to S & J’s to get their aging Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Jags, etc. restored to mint condition. Almost all the clients asked for Jason to oversee their restoration projects. If the result was perfect, some of these cars would be worth several hundred thousand or even millions of dollars. Jason was always...

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“Special Threads” by Yusuf Adkins

Submitted to Contest #269

Special Threads by Joshua Adkins  He combed his hair by executive fiat. The front succumbed to his will, being while the back portions curled in and out. Stylistic failure looming, he leisurely bend over tying his shoelaces leaving no room for error. He laboriously moved his melancholy the way of his lavatory.  He lived in penury and his poverty wore on his disposition. He was inversely popular to his whereabouts, and in the morning he slumped, while by the nighttime he was the significant example of posture. While slump...

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“The Hornet God” by R.Danell Olivaw

Submitted to Contest #269

The Hornet God “There is simply no fucking way this is real.” I grab my left arm with my right hand and squeeze as hard as I can. It hurts. I pinch my right arm with my left hand. It hurts- I am awake. This is real. I fell asleep on the back patio soaking up the last rays of sun as the autumnal equinox slid into place. I dreamed of a mass shooting at my school. How I ushered my students to the far corner in the room away from the only door. Loud buzzing noises filled my ears- my student’s cell phones alerting to the active shooter. I was try...

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“Gull's Haven” by Jay Dillon

Submitted to Contest #269

The plane landed in Seattle at exactly four o’clock. I woke up with a jolt as the wheels hit the tarmac. Seattle. I wasn’t a fan. It rained too much. But the money was good, and rent was overdue.I had it all planned out: get off the plane, grab my bags, snag a rental car, and drive two hours south to Gull’s Haven, a tiny, forgotten town that wasn’t even a blip on most people’s maps. The drive wouldn’t be difficult, long stretches of road, bordered by dense, rain-soaked forest. It matched my mood perfectly.Gull’s Haven wasn’t exactly a thrill...

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“The Eternal Love of Mo Anam Cara” by Tamara O’Shaughnessy

Submitted to Contest #269

The first time she wore them she knew they were different. She could feel their energy. There was something really special about them that she just couldn’t put into words. It wasn’t just that they were beautiful to look at, of course there was that, but there was also a feeling that was almost electric that came from them. Maybe it was simply the fact that they had been given to her on their first date and what she was experiencing was nothing more than the exhilaration that comes with the promise of a new relationship.&...

2 comments 2
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“The Pendant ” by Andrew Venn

Submitted to Contest #269

It would be my first experience of any meaningful sadness, and the atmosphere in our household would determine my somber mood, and it would be very solemn for many days! The reason would sadly be very clear to this household, because our dear and beloved, Great Aunty, would not bless this earth again, and this unfortunate loss,, for me(‘a young man in his teenage years’) would, unusually see me cry like a baby! She was a loving and very caring soul, who applied those assets in her many long years of nursing, and her devotion to this job ...

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“Sixteen Hearts” by Jessica Coello

Submitted to Contest #269

Standing there in my mom’s office on the second floor of my childhood home, my hands shook. Hovering my fingers over the red box on the shelf behind her desk as she’d instructed, I half expected it to shoot confetti or blow a horn, a last reminder from her that life can surprise you at any moment. I waited several minutes for something to happen, but as inanimate objects do, it remained still and unfazed. No funny games, yet. Running my finger over the dust on the top, I inspected the shiny streak trailing behind the path of my touch. Even t...

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“The Cracker Jack Ring” by Kathy Hayes

Submitted to Contest #269

THE CRACKER JACK RINGA Short StoryBy Kathy HayesSix-year-old Ben opened a box of Cracker Jacks. His mother had handed him a bowl, anticipating that he would pour out the popcorn to find the prize inside. He was eager to find a magnifying glass, especially since Jack, the boy next door, had received a magnifying glass the previous week, and Ben had been envious of it ever since.Ben opened the small package.“Awe shit!”“Ben! Do you want your mouth washed out with soap?” Ben heard his mother say from the next room.“No mam,” Ben said.  Ben’s...

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“The Locket” by Emily Jacobs

Submitted to Contest #269

I look over at Noah. His face is tight and focused as he backs into a difficult parking spot. Everything blurs around me, and my body trembles. When we leave the truck, Noah rests his palm between my shoulder blades, guiding me to the elevator.  What happened? I wonder to myself. He was fine a couple of hours ago. Oliver was alert and talking. My hand clutches the locket hanging around my neck. It was just a few hours ago that he gifted it to me. It contains a photo of me, Mom, Grandma, and himself. Noah rushes me through the halls an...

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Contest #269

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This week's theme: Magical Objects with Tracy Gold

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Ended on 23:59 - Sep 27, 2024 EST

Won by Gabriel Muers 🏆

Title: The Name of the End

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