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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Write a story in which societal rituals and expectations play a key role.

Posted in Fiction on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 21 stories

“Peace and love” by Fran Tracey

The choice of songs comes as a surprise. Only, in truth, it shouldn’t. The song at the top of the list is one that evokes special memories. Memories that cause my ears to wince, although I can’t resist a smile at what I read either. ‘Meatloaf, cool,’ I say, keeping my voice light, bright, as though I’m in no way fazed. Mum was always tunelessly telling the world she’d be gone when the morning came at the top of her voice while washing up in a river, driving, wherever. We’d join in when enc...

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“Mitchell Prine” by Waverley Stark

It was past midnight, yet the hearth burned. The flames flickered against the white ash, spots of orange light bouncing all over the room. Occasionally, it reflected off the glossy frames of photos resting on the mantle; a large man shaking hands with another dressed finely in a pewter-gray suit. The same large man, older, laughing in a room full of royals and politicians; and most recently, the man smiling with his arms around the grinning faces of his grandchildren. The w...

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“Primetime Maria” by Agas Ramirez

Fade in, focus on me.My name is Maria. What a nice name, people always tell me, Maria is a perfect name for someone so sweet. My parents say it’s because Maria is the name of the virgin, and they always remind me of this when they run out of things to say. I come from a poor family; my father is a slave in fields that are not ours, my mother is a servant in rich houses, and my older brother does nothing but stay out in the fields and talk nonsense to his carabao.I’m very beautiful, of course, I wo...

3 comments 3
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“Suffrage or Satin.” by Pauline Breatnach

'Mama,' Lady Isabel called out from her boudoir, 'may I have the key to Papa's study?'' Of course, dearest Isabel,' Countess Beatrice replied, ' but why do you need the key to the study? Are you not presently engaged in choosing your gown for the Harvest Ball with Earl Edward as your escort?''Mama,' Isabel responded, 'my primary responsibility is presently to the Suffrage Movement. We have serious matters to address in London on Sa...

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“Auntie Maggie's Birthday” by Deborah Mercer

AUNTIE MAGGIE’S BIRTHDAYI suppose every family has its own particular celebrations and punctuation in the calendar. Alongside Christmas or Chanukah, or whatever, alongside Valentine’s day or Halloween, or St Patrick’s Day or Mother’s Day – well, you get my message. I don’t need to go through a list of everything inspired by sincere faith or genuine affections, or the whims of the Greetings Cards industry. But I don’t mean the happy or sad ones that are random and sporadic like weddings or fu...

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“PENDENT” by SHYAMALA BHUVANACHANDRAN

Devaki, the maid servant, while sweeping, picked up a piece of paper lying on the floor and gave it to Vasudevan. He realised it was a prescription from a doctor from a fertility centre. “My goodness! Who requires assistance-, my son or my daughter in law! He wondered. Since it was a highly personal topic for open discussion, he decided to meet the doctor and find out. He had his own fears of some unknown bitter curses raining on his family. Some years ago, he had a neighbour who came to reside in the next portion. They had a peculiar pro...

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“Make do” by Carolyn Bayne

Deep in the mountains of Tijuana, lay a small village, where the people lived so humbly. They didn't really need much for they were satisfied with what they had.  The village had remained how it was for many decades, the young had moved away to the city leaving the older folk to tend to their wares. It was the same for Miguel and Rosina, who were childhood sweet hearts, they got married very young and were still together, they had a secret to their longevity of togetherness but neve...

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“Pranti and the dark room” by Nisha Thapa

PRANTI AND THE DARK ROOM Pranti found it strange when she noticed the dead red color on her underwear. She thought she is going to die. She rushed to her mom who was doing her mundane yarn work. Pranti called her mom and whispered on her ears .Both of them went inside the bathroom and stayed quiet for a while .Pranti pulled her inner wear and showed her mom that red thing. “Mom, What is it? Am I going to die? I don’t want to die. I have to win that quiz...

6 comments 6
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“Well i'm not allowed to,but ill come...” by Savitha Elumalai

It was back then when the radio was peoples iPhone and carts were considered as BMWs. It took place in a small village in the big city called Madraspatinam now Chennai in India. It was the time when the Indians were fighting against the East Indian Company for their motherland. It revolves around a mother, who married a British man and had a daughter. Now sixteen years later the daughter is grown up and is already fighting for her rights unaware that some rights exit only to be denied…and her dad is far off fighting in the Second World Wa...

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“Romance Isn't Dead, Just Different” by Aurora Culler

She was asleep. But that was nothing new. She always slept, always building universes, stories, people, making kisses and forging daggers, blood red wine in her dreams. My little dreamer, he had always called her. Always, always writing.

2 comments 2
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“The Bride with Bangles” by Arshi Arora

It was the night of her wedding. She lay awake ogling at the rotating ceiling fan. Ashoke was fast asleep. Since the time their parents arranged this marriage, which was only two months ago, she’d always tried to picture how this night would unfold. She had many versions of it. But her favorite was one where they held hands and talked all night.She was happy ... nervous but happy. Happy to have found a man, who she believed, with time, would become her friend. She often imagined their life togethe...

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“Down In the Surrounds” by Neghie Thervil

In the Spring, the alagos flew in droves, far from the still ponds they were born in. When they gathered like that, the hum of their wings could be heard for miles.Just after dawn, when the air was still cold and wet, they set out to play and feed.  I watched them as they descended on the field, just beyond the great river mills a...

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“What Lies Beyond the Walls” by Aurora Hidalgo

For as long as anyone cared to remember, the sea was for the most part untouchable. As kids, they were told tales of alluring killers, enormous creatures and never ending depths. Children's books would ingrain the bravest of souls of a fear towards the ever rolling, never changing waves. Beaches were surrounded by tall walls kept under watch and if you were to sneak close enough to them you’d hear the loud crashing of water, the sounds of a world unknown. Any attempts to gaze upon the salty waters, were prohibited, the walls were watched ...

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“Judge, Jury, Escape” by Ian Kirkpatrick

Dedicated to the love of my life, Sam.Judge, Jury, Escape           I’m running through the fields. Eyes watching me, glaring at me with disgust and disdain. They pierce me like knives as I run through the brush. Beating me slowly. I lose energy and my run becomes a jog, my jog becomes a walk, and my walk becomes a crawl. They close in, with the bats of judgment in their hands. I recognize their faces. The ones who are supposed to love me, to care...

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“laissezz le bon temps rouler” by Sharon Raymond

“Laissez le bon temps rouler”                   “Let the good times roll” is the motto for Mardi Gras. I’ve dressed up as part of the fun for many years. However, a some costume choices made for me when I was a child show how the times have changed. Some were taken with a cheap Brownie camera using black and white film. In the 1950s, we would take the film to be develop...

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