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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Write a story about a character experiencing anxiety.

Posted in General on Feb 17, 2020

Submissions are closed!

Sorry, we are no longer accepting submissions. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

✍️ 102 stories

“Crispen King of Silver Stars” by Zilla Babbitt

Once when he was younger Crispen visited the art museum downtown. Standing in the strange dark and purple lights, looking up at the painting of a young woman and her daughter, he felt a strange, silent peace come over him. The rosy lights hid his face from the other viewers and he felt as though he were invisible and powerful. He sat on the soft green couch and stared at a Monet until he’d memorized it. Crispen wandered the halls of that museum until dark, meeting a few people, nodd...

12 likes 3 comments 3
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“The Dead at My Door” by Joshua Insole

They were still following us. We hadn’t managed to lose them, despite our best efforts. I could hear their frenzied footfalls and their growls filling the wintry night air, just behind us. How close were they, I wondered? One step? Two? If one of us stumbled as we ran up the path, would they be upon us before we hit the ground? Would they catch us even if we didn’t? Were we one or two seconds away from being tackled to the ground and devoured, our pained screams straining into the night?

11 likes 7 comments 7
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“Say nothing ” by Abigail Airuedomwinya

Something terrible happened after the delivery of the letter that would come to hunt Mr. Peter for a very long time. In truth, it wasn't really terrible depending on one's perspective. Indeed the milkman would have shrugged and been on his way should a letter such as the one sent to Mr. Peter on Wednesday have come for him. Even David from across the street would have laughed it off.The letter did not come in any particular order, so to speak, and Peter was half asleep when it came. He had a wife and a child but they were on holida...

9 likes 2 comments 2
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“24/7 Anxiety Around the Clock” by Bree Kokiri

“Deeeeep breaths sweetie.” Damon gives my shoulders a squeeze, and hands me my lunch. “Turkey and cheddar on whole wheat toast. With a little mayo smiley face in the middle.” He smiles his cheesiest grin and I roll my eyes as I take the brown paper bag“Alas, the bread will have smushed it.” I retort sarcastically. “You’ll just have to wear the smile instead, then.” He kisses me gently on the forehead, as I pick up my bag of supplies and my purse, and head for the door.“Are Brian and Britt still asleep?” I ask. ...

8 likes 3 comments 3
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“Finding Hope” by Massiel Alberto

Finding HopeLory was a perfectly healthy young woman of 25 years old. She enjoyed walking in the park with her cat, she loved to see the sun rising and never missed a sunset because she said: “every sunset is unique”. And she was right.Lory lived alone in her apartment. The complex consisted of six apartments and she lived on the second floor. Her apartment was beautiful, nicely decorated with a big gray comfy...

7 likes 1 comment 1
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“Suicidal Sister” by Jenna Williams

I look at Celeste with such intensity It probably scares her. But with her recent disappearances...Stumbling home drunk, though she's only eighteen, spending every night of the week with her friends, I have reason to worry. But I'm pretty sure she's been avoiding me, her own sister, for a specific reason. At least I think it's why.It was a few months ago. Mother made sweet potato Black Bean Tacos. I put three on a plate to bring to my sister, but when I got to her doorway I froze, and clenched my hands in fear, sadness, and most of...

7 likes 0 comments 0
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“THERE IS NO HOPE” by Jannatul Purnia

There was a girl named Munia. She was an educated girl with high ambitions. From her childhood she was a very creative girl. Her aim in life was to be an astronaut and work in NASA. She achieved great result in her academic education. She got selected into the top university called 'Dhaka University'. Her family always wanted her to be successful in life. Her father wanted to choose the top subject of that university for her. But her aim was different. She sacrificed her choice for her father's wish. She got admitted for the top subject f...

7 likes 11 comments 11
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“Locked” by Daniel Clark

You’re sitting at your desk, listening to thunderous footsteps stomping along the wooden floorboards behind you, and you’re praying they don’t belong to David, your boss, who is less empathetic than a mossy rock, and always places his hand on your shoulder whilst he’s telling you that quarterly sales are down in order to motivate you to work harder, before later revealing that in fact they were up and that he’s a genius for tricking you into improving your productivity. And, of course, you never bother telling him...

5 likes 2 comments 2
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“Waiting for Dinner” by Keith Manos

“ . . . can you play me a memory? I’m not really sure how it goes, but it’s sad and it’s sweet, and I knew it complete when I wore a younger man’s clothes” [Billy Joel]   Regarding Sue, his mindless sister-in-law, Jim decided to confront her later.              Of course, when she visited again.               W...

5 likes 3 comments 3
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“A Gory Story” by Dash Getem

My whole body had gone numb with fear. It was impossible to focus. I sat there, shivering in my suit, damp with sweat. I looked down at the little box I was confined in, then up to the judge’s menacing glare, and finally back over to the prosecutor.“...Can you identify that man in the courtroom today?”As hard as I tried… I couldn’t.I remember wish...

4 likes 2 comments 2
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“Cobwebs” by Karen Mcdermott

                      Number 43. I’d finally found it. A weather beaten brown door. A cheerful duck egg blue terraced house. I knocked on the outskirts of the knocker, fashioned as a cool iron hand. It felt rude to put it to use somehow without shaking it first. Once I got ideas like that in my head, they were difficult to dislodge.

4 likes 0 comments 0
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“Duck” by Vivien leanne Saunders

Someone decided to replace the klaxon with music.I wish I could meet that asshole and shake him by the throat. I used to love music, but now it makes my skin crawl. The sound of blaring horns and ringing bells should warn us, not the sweet harmony of a string quartet. But that’s just how it is these days. You wake up, the neighbours are scattered in bloody pieces over your nicely mown lawn, and some ratbag is playing Mozart on the radio.It must have been eight generations back when the sirens were loud. Back then, the sound ...

4 likes 2 comments 2
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“Corner Loner ” by E.r Zarevich

Raise your hand. Raise your hand. “Anyone?” You know the answer. Raise your hand. Her hand lay limp on her desk like a dead snake. The professor’s eyes passed over her briefly and swept across the rest of the classroom, imploring someone to offer some sort of response to his open-ended question. When no voice rose up among the assemblage of sullen, silent, weary-eyed students, he merely shrugged his own fatigued shoulders and continued on with his lecture. What difference did it make to him if hi...

4 likes 2 comments 2
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“Reunion Anxiety” by John k Adams

“What are you doing here?”“Hi, Mom! It’s been a while…”“Well, you’re here now. Come in. You’re letting out all the dust.”Maybelle stepped aside and opened the door for Tom to enter. She offered her cheek for him to kiss. The house had the smell of home. ‘Only here,’ Tom thought. ‘It never changes....

4 likes 0 comments 0
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“B12” by Anthony Neal

I burst through the door and slammed it behind me.Sweat was trickling down my face, dripping from my brow onto my lip. I blew my nose on 3 squares of toilet paper, which I ripped off the roll and bunched up hastily.I used my sleeve to dry the sweat and the corner of my eyes. Wait – I’m crying? Why? And when did I start…?No – not here. Please – I need to stop. I’m starting to get that throbbing pain in my chest and that sinking feeling in my gut. That crushing sadness that I just cannot shake. I glided backwards and my...

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Contest #20

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Ended on 23:59 - Dec 20, 2019 EST

Won by Amy Pellegrino 🏆

Title: At Home

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