Write a story that starts with a life-changing event.

Posted in General on Jun 18, 2020

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✍️ 208 stories

“Star” by 𝕂𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕣𝕒 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕟𝕖

Submitted on 06/05/2020

Dear Diary,I’ve never been adopted for two and a half years.When someone comes to adopt, I’ve always been hopeful, holding my breath, my eyes lingering at them for longer than a minute. After a few times, I’ve been optimistic. After that, I lost my hope. I’ve always wondered why no one would swing by and say, “This little one is so lovely!”Well, I’m eleven now. I’ve been adopted by kind parents, and that’s all it matters. Also, since I’m eleven, I know why I wasn’t adopted for a long time. I’ve got cerebral palsy, and...

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“5 Stages of Grief” by Daryl Gravesande

Submitted on 05/31/2020

“They’re inseparable, those two.” My mom would often say. She wasn’t wrong. Jess and I have been best friends since nursery school. We knew each other so well. So that’s how I know she’ll wake up. There I was, sitting at her hospital bed, clutching her hand, holding back tears. I rested my head on her stomach. C’mon, I’m better than this. Don’t cry. Don’t. Cry. I don’t remember what happened to Jess. All I know is that I’m here now, sitting at what might be her deathbed. “D...

156 comments 156

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“Jenny” by Zilla Babbitt

Submitted on 05/29/2020

I saw her first standing in front of me, rubbing her pale fingers around on her temples with her eyes closed. The speakers gave a loud pop, a boom, and while the others just gasped and laughed, she gave a low gasping moan. And her friend put her arm around her and led her out. I watched them go. I didn’t recognize her at first. My heart gave a pause, then quickened. Suddenly, something inside me had changed. Something was different. I hadn’t realized my daughter had survive...

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“Therapy ” by Abigail Airuedomwinya

Submitted on 06/02/2020

"I don't want children.""That's understandable.""I don't want to hold my own child. I don't want to hold any child.""Is there something else you want to add? You do know you are saying the same thing -been saying the same thing - since you walked in. What else do you want to add?"The woman shrugs, saying nothing. So, the room feels cluttered, with books about religion and addictions and hope. So the windows are opened but the curtains closed, sunlight streaming through clenched fists. So the woman wh...

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“PROMISES UNFULFILLED” by Asianzu Victoria

Submitted on 06/03/2020

She had been there through the dark and tough times and just as the mist clears in the morning, I had run away from her. I couldn’t bear to say a proper goodbye; I had silently listened to her sobs throughout the night. But duty had called and I had sworn an oath, my heart bled at the sight of leaving her. What could a man really do?We all have choices to make in this world, and every decision we make in life catches up to us one way or the other. I wasn’t blind to what awaited me when I decided to join the army. I knew a day would...

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“Much Too Soon” by Rhondalise Mitza

Submitted on 05/29/2020

Though we walk and stare at the moon,While the crickets and toads start to croon,I think it much to soon,To say something likeI love you. Though we’ve been here for ages,And of our story we’ve flipped the pages,I’d bet all my wages,That you’d say something likeI love you.We’ve walked and talked And giggled and smiledTalked of the names we could name a childIf the night went too longAnd we found our...

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“Regrets, I've had a few” by Elsa jude Gazzea

Submitted on 06/05/2020

It's 1979.My mother’s brand-new Kodak camera clacks and flashes awkwardly, as the university's chancellor clasps my clammy hand to shake it. I see stars from the flash of the taken photo, but when I adjust my line of vision, she is the only one I see. Despite the audience in the auditorium, who are heftily cheering me on, and believe me, today it is brimming, overflowing with people. Small kids, who don't know what or why they have been dragged here, run around chasing each other into the corners, squealing in excite...

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“Ignorance and Bliss ” by May Mills

Submitted on 06/01/2020

Ignorance is bliss, but ignorance is still ignorance. Two weeks ago, I was walking to my car in the nearly empty company parking lot; I had decided to take overtime. In a tech company like this, women like me were typically looked down upon, cast aside, and/or ignored, we had to work twice as hard to get half as far as the men. So, a little overtime would look really good when it came to giving me a promotion. After all, it’s not like I had anything better to do on a Tuesday night. I reached into my coat pocket for...

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“Prologue: A Prayer” by Anthony Neal

Submitted on 06/05/2020

[This story is the set-up for my fantasy novel – a few chapters of which I have posted as short stories on Reedsy already]I hear them. Your thoughts, your prayers. Like flies buzzing, I hear them. Once they were only echoes. Echoes turned to whispers. Whispers turned to a slur of trite nonsense. Your husband is lazy? Yawn. Your parents are dying? Good for you! This place: beyond life and death, was once calm. Water droplets thumping against cold stone. The scent of the sun-dew flower circlin...

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“Regret” by Anja Z

Submitted on 06/03/2020

“Get Out of the vehicle”A million thoughts go through Dennis's head. What would happen to Julia now all alone with his baby on the way? Would they charge him for life? Why was he so stupid?He decides to climb out of the vehicle, Mike doesn’t.“I said get out of the vehicle or I shoot.”

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“Desta's Redemption” by Lara Macgregor

Submitted on 06/06/2020

They died. I tried to save them, but they died. Eight-year-old Desta stared at them, numb. She wiped tears off her cold cheeks and tingling lips, in shock. What is wrong with me? Why did I fail? I’m the biggest loser on the planet! She fell to her knees and cupped her face...

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“Sound of his breath ” by Ifan Fin

Submitted on 06/05/2020

Our favourite stories are the ones which end tragically. The myth of Niobe. Prometheus and the Theft of Fire. Pandora's Box. Daedalus and Icarus. Orpheus and Eurydice. The characters that want more end with nothing. Or worse. He said, "can you imagine? Us in ten years, standing at the edge of this cliff, with our first-born son?" and smiled as if everything was going to happen just as he told. It was a hundredth or two-hundredth time he imagined this for the two of us since we first met. I loved his grin and his hair that boun...

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“ Life changing event – Shema leaving the house” by Alka Sharma

Submitted on 06/05/2020

Life changing event – Shema leaving the houseShema left Verma family and fled with a guy! That was the news in the neighbourhood that spread like fire. “Oh really but why?”, “ Its unbelievable!”, “ she should not have done that!” . “That’s mean “ , these were the reactions of the neighbours. But why was everyone reacting so much?Well, lets intr...

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“Shadows at Dawn ” by Mira Caplan

Submitted on 06/01/2020

The small, black stone that she held in her hand dropped to the ground, and the girl's eyes widened in horror."No..." she whispered, fear- filled eyes looking back into the shadows. A hand suddenly grabbed her wrist, the black, mist- like substance burning her skin. As two more reached behind her into the small cradle, she screamed out loud. They froze where they were, inches away from whatever they were about to take to the darkness, whomever lay in the cradle still deeply asleep."Not my sister..." she whispered,...

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“Zap of Brightness” by Corey Melin

Submitted on 06/05/2020

Phillip decided to take a walk to the local grocery store to replenish his lack of stock. “I pray that this will be a pleasant trip this time around,” he thought. His last trip wasn’t as luxurious, bringing thoughts of ending such trips until the dark cloud evaporates over his head. “Life seems to be going downhill not only for myself, but all of society,” he pondered. “Such hate is displayed out there.” He hoped this trip would prove hi...

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Write a story that starts with a life-changing event.

Submissions are closed!

✍️ 208 stories

“Star” by 𝕂𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕣𝕒 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕟𝕖

“5 Stages of Grief” by Daryl Gravesande

“Jenny” by Zilla Babbitt

“Therapy ” by Abigail Airuedomwinya

“PROMISES UNFULFILLED” by Asianzu Victoria

“Much Too Soon” by Rhondalise Mitza

“Regrets, I've had a few” by Elsa jude Gazzea

“Ignorance and Bliss ” by May Mills

“Prologue: A Prayer” by Anthony Neal

“Regret” by Anja Z

“Desta's Redemption” by Lara Macgregor

“Sound of his breath ” by Ifan Fin

“ Life changing event – Shema leaving the house” by Alka Sharma

“Shadows at Dawn ” by Mira Caplan

“Zap of Brightness” by Corey Melin

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that starts with two characters saying goodbye.

Write a story that starts with someone returning from a trip.

Write a story that starts with a character-revealing something unusual about themselves.

Write a story that starts by establishing its setting in a different time period — without explicitly stating what that period is.

Contest #44

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

920

Submissions

Win $50 in our short story competition 🏆

reedsybookeditor

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