Menu
Prompts
Contests
Stories
Blog

Menu

✕
CONNECT
Editing Design Marketing Publicity Ghostwriting Websites
BLOG
Success Stories
APPS
TOOLS
Book Promotion Sites Book Review Blogs Booktube Channel Guide Book Title Generator Character Name Generator Independent Publishers Literary Agents Literary Magazines Pen Name Generator Plot Generator Publishers Directory Short Story Ideas Writing Contests Writing Exercises Writing Scholarships
ABOUT
About Reedsy Terms Privacy

CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Write about a child witnessing a major historical event.

Posted in Dramatic on Jun 11, 2021

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Sign in with Google
Sign in with Facebook

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 237 stories

“The Bronze Dragonfly ” by CarefreeChicken, The Overlord Of Reality

Submitted to Contest #80

The Bronze DragonflyThe girl tore through the forest, her heart thumping wildly and her breath coming in searing sobs. Suddenly she tripped over a concealed log and she went sprawling head first into the muddy forest floor.She tried to get up, but her legs were shaking violently, and she fell back down again.She let out a small whimper of desperation and pulled herself into the shadow of the log where she curled up, crying. Seconds later, a bright light flared just beyond the horizon. The girl screamed as a fiery, mushroom sha...

13 comments 13
Read story

“My Dear Lethologica” by R. A.

Submitted to Contest #80

I remember how, when I was young, I would sometimes stop to take a good look at my father. I would examine his strong jaw and the dark skin beneath his eyes and the smile that so charmed my mother, and I would stomp my little feet and shriek my little voice, and wonder, frustrated, what am I missing?My father was very patient with me, whenever I got like this. He would watch me watching him and smile, kindly, in a way I’ve since tried to emulate but have never quite mastered. Kindness, as a concept, is not one of my strengths. It escape...

9 comments 9
Read story

“A Ringing Silence” by Marissa Reilly

Submitted to Contest #80

*Ivy's Note* This story is dedicated to all the Holocaust survivors, and all of the Jews who perished during this terrible event. I also dedicate this to Nainika Gupta and Bill Cipher, who gave me critique on it before I even finished it. I'm also dedicating it to Maya Emerson and Sapphire, and all my fellow Reedsy lovers that I haven't met. (Yet.)https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/author/ccbca4/https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/author/mufasa/https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/author/87fbc6/https://...

18 comments 18
Read story

“The House of Lancaster” by Jasey Lovegood

Submitted to Contest #80

The House of  Lancaster Author's note: This story is based on The War of the Roses. Some of the characters in this story were real people in history, however, the main character is fictional. The story is based on some element of the truth, but much of it is created by my imagination. Enjoy! :D ~~~ The House of Lancaster. The House of York. I had grown up hearing stories of a rivalry between the two Houses. My mother, Anne, used to tell me it was just the men being ‘frivolous’ and ‘blood-thirsty’, but that didn’t justify the fatal...

28 comments 28
Read story

“Death Is History Too ” by 🄼🄹 🅂

Submitted to Contest #80

Dear Diary, When kids are asked what they want to be when they grow up, most will say, police officers, firefighters, detectives, basic, generic answers. They don’t think about making big changes in the world, not all the time. And they most certainly don’t think about dying. How their time in the world will end. Will they be remembered? Will the way they die make a change? Because they’re kids. We're kids. We shouldn’t have to worry about those things. We shouldn’t have to think about possibly never coming back home to sleep in our bed...

29 comments 29
Read story

“My Story of My Case” by Jay DMer

Submitted to Contest #80

Note: A true story with my perspective. Some real quotes stated by real people. Harsh/sad actions and rude/offensive words.You all might have heard the story of a 14-year-old black boy that got killed by white men because he flirted with a white woman. That lynching isn't just a story. It's my story. I'm that African American boy who got killed... I'm Emmett Till.August 24, 1955"Aye Till! Where you goin' boy? Ain't I tell you and yo cousin to go off to the market and get me some eggs and milk? Go on boy.""Yes sir. Be back in a jiffy."I find ...

3 comments 3
Read story

“There Is No Heaven Behind the Moon” by A.R. Eakle

Submitted to Contest #80

It was back in ‘69. My dad had me down at a bar and I was only five or six at that time. It was common back then, for kids to be in bars. The bar culture was different back then. It was just a place for people to get together, drink, shoot some pool, throw some darts, and watch sports. It wasn’t what it is today. There was a lot of cigarette smoke. It was back when you could still smoke indoors, so everybody had a smoke in their hand or their in between their lips. My dad had me in the stool in front of him pointing up to the television, b...

9 comments 9
Read story

“Philadelphia 1918” by Amanda Fox

Submitted to Contest #80

Saturday, September 28, 1918 Today, we went to the big parade! I got to sit on Father’s shoulders for a while to wave at men with instruments and dancing ladies. Father put me down after a few minutes and told me I’m too big to sit on his shoulders anymore. My brother tried to climb up a lamp post to see the parade over all the other people, but Mother made him climb down. When the soldiers walked by, everyone gave them a salute. When the big tanks rolled by, my little sister tried to run out into the street after the...

23 comments 23
Read story

“IUSTITIA COLLOCUTIO” by Michael Boquet

Submitted to Contest #80

TIM:              Hello loyal listeners! It's Thursday April 11th, 1996. You're listening to Tim and Maura in the morning.MAURA:       On today's show, we're celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of Unveiling Day.TIM:              All week we've been teasing a big surprise.MAURA:       The time has come to reveal how we plan to comm...

21 comments 21
Read story

“Spat From the Mouth of a Stone” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #80

It happened by accident.Man sat at the edge of the cave, the dense canopy of trees beneath. The greenery swayed in the breeze, and the rustle of their leaves whispered like rain. Some strange beast cried out into the evening. Its screech reverberated in his belly. The sun burned the sky a diluted blood-red, streaks of orange and pink stretched off into the distance.To his side, Boy and Woman lay. Woman slept — Boy could hear her gentle snores — and no doubt Man thought he was asleep too. Man would not sleep. Not tonight, at least. It wouldn’...

8 comments 8
Read story

“Just a Feeling” by Arwen Dove

Submitted to Contest #80

I race through the tumble down village in hope that I’ll be able to find some scrapes on the side of the road, or in the trash.  There’s not much hope in my errand; any scrapes are usually already gone by the time I get there.  Everyone’s living the same way.  I often like to dream of what the future will be like.  Most of the time, It’s hard to imagine anything but the here and now.  Mama is always disappointed when I come home empty handed, though she never says anything.  She knows it’s not my fault.  On...

4 comments 4
Read story

“Dandy Lions” by Cyndy Reads

Submitted to Contest #80

“I’ll see you soon, Arnie, okay?”Arnie looked up at her, her face shadowed by the halo of the sun around her hair. She leaned forward and he felt her hair wisp over his cheeks as she kissed his forehead. He heard a series of clicks and the air flashed around them. Mom had said there’d be men with cameras. He was happy he didn’t have to look at them through her hair.Her hands came to his cheeks and he reached up with his own hand to hold hers. Arnie didn’t like it when Mom left. But this time she’d promised him it’d be just a minute. A real-l...

8 comments 8
Read story

“My Nightmare” by Naduni De Silva

Submitted to Contest #80

First of all, I just need to say that this is a work of fiction and I’m just referring to the holocaust in general and everything situation is just my imagination and not what really took place.My mother used to say that I was born with the sounds of gun shots drumming through my ears that she named me Hope in order to make my life better. I didn’t get what she meant until I started going to school. I loved history. It was quite uncommon for children at that time to love history moreover to be obsessed with the subject. Ever since I was lit...

15 comments 15
Read story

“Grandpa Must Have Smelt It.” by Mango Chutney

Submitted to Contest #80

Hidden behind the cart, Adam watched the door of the meeting hall. He wouldn’t dare enter, for he would be thrown out for being too young. Even worst; grandpa would see he was there. He could see the bar lights every time the door opened to let someone in. In the quiet of the night, he could hear the muffled voices of the people inside. The chill December Boston air would make anyone regret being outside at this hour. But Adam was determined to find out what grandpa was up to.Usually, Grandpa was an open book. He told stories of his voyages ...

12 comments 12
Read story

“Words Wrapped In A Song” by Julie Ward

Submitted to Contest #80

Wren was lying on her bed reading when she heard her mother scream. Barkley, who was tucked in the crook of her legs, popped his head up, ears alert. He uncurled himself, hopped to the floor and clicked down the hall. Wren followed him, her heart beating fast. The house still smelled like dinner, warm and comforting. Water was running in the kitchen.    In the den, the TV set was on. The soft, familiar murmur of the evening news filled the room with urgent words. Wren’s mother stood stock still, her hands over her mouth, ...

12 comments 12
Read story

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone who never planned to make history but is now about to deliver a speech in front of millions.

Teens – 104 stories

Start your story with someone entering a museum, and end it with them settling down to join a sit-in.

High School – 41 stories

Write about an elderly character who was part of a historic movement years ago.

Historical Fiction – 134 stories

Start your story with a major news event breaking — one that will change the world forever.

Dystopian – 156 stories

Contest #80

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Living History

$50

Prize money

672

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 12, 2021 EST

A winner will be announced soon.

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

NEW VIDEO COURSE 🎉

How to Write a Novel

Join Tom Bromley for a writing master class and finish your first draft in 3 months. Learn more →

Explore more writing prompt ideas:

Adults Writing Prompts ⭢

Adventure Writing Prompts ⭢

Angst Writing Prompts ⭢

Character Writing Prompts ⭢

Christmas Writing Prompts ⭢

Dark Writing Prompts ⭢

Dialogue Writing Prompts ⭢

Dramatic Writing Prompts ⭢

Dystopian Writing Prompts ⭢

Fall Writing Prompts ⭢

Fantasy Writing Prompts ⭢

Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Fluff Writing Prompts ⭢

Funny Writing Prompts ⭢

Halloween Writing Prompts ⭢

High School Writing Prompts ⭢

Historical Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Holiday Writing Prompts ⭢

Horror Writing Prompts ⭢

Kids Writing Prompts ⭢

Middle School Writing Prompts ⭢

Mystery Writing Prompts ⭢

Narrative Writing Prompts ⭢

Nonfiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Novel Writing Prompts ⭢

Poetry Writing Prompts ⭢

Romance Writing Prompts ⭢

Sad Writing Prompts ⭢

Science Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Short Story Writing Prompts ⭢

Spring Writing Prompts ⭢

Summer Writing Prompts ⭢

Teens Writing Prompts ⭢

Thanksgiving Writing Prompts ⭢

Thriller and Suspense Writing Prompts ⭢

Valentine's Day Writing Prompts ⭢

Vampire Writing Prompts ⭢

Winter Writing Prompts ⭢