Write a story that involves a character donating a box of clothes which have been outgrown.

Posted in Middle School on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 49 stories

“The art of growing” by Abigail Airuedomwinya

Submitted to Contest #139

Mallot's mother dies in March from cholera and the day after, she comes to class and tells me about her father who lives in a city far away. She doesn't know him that well but she can guess he is fine. As we walk home under the flaming sun, she elbows me and laughs and I think about losing my mother too; how each touch and exhale would cease at that moment. Sometimes I let my mind stray to that thought and how simple it would all be to lose a part of my soul. "Why aren't you crying?" I ask her later when her laughter has dipped low.She ...

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“Roy Mans the Donation Counter” by Michał Przywara

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #139

Roy took a deep breath and drummed his fingers rhythmlessly on the donation counter. It used to be all white but there was a big smear right in the middle where the paint had long worn off – a sign of the overbearing generosity of the patrons. Which meant this was a very important counter to be manning. He looked down at his nametag and then caught his manager, Bill, out of the corner of his eye. Bill’s face was solemn – he was on duty after all – but he gave Roy the thumbs up. Roy nodded and took another deep breath. His heart was galloping...

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“A Pocketful of Dreams” by Howard Halsall

Submitted to Contest #139

May Golightly rented her suite of attic rooms to Charlie for over twenty years. He was an ideal lodger, smart and courteous, and always paid his rent in cash. It was a convenient arrangement because his presence afforded her both peace of mind and financial security during her retirement. She’d never interfered in his affairs until one morning a letter appeared on her doormat. May recognised Charlie’s cursive script and opened it to discover a brief note, saying he’d gone away. Charlie asked her to secure his few valuables and box up his clo...

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“Zebra Stripes and Shoes” by Virginia Berry

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #139

It started with the shoes; years of high quality, leather, fashionable footwear. Some bought in Europe, some as far off as Venezuela. For this fashionista, a careful collection she felt was irreplaceable. A hundred or so pairs. A ridiculous collection for a new mom. Western societies don’t prepare women for life after childbirth. We have loads of magazines, cultural references, tv shows, and movies glorifying beauty, sexiness and what a woman looks like. They’ve done a thorough job mapping out loads of scenarios of what attracting a ...

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“A Very Brief Meeting” by Jared Lenover

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #139

“This company could save a fortune on air conditioning.” A shiver ran through me as I sat looking around the HR manager’s small office, wearing only a t-shirt and my boxer briefs. The cooling unit under the window rattled. It was on high and the adrenaline was wearing off. I was alone, sitting on a lime green plastic office chair facing a desk carefully arranged with standard office equipment, file folders, and sticky notes. People usually waited in the reception area, but given the circumstances the secretary had made an exception, ushe...

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“Freezer” by Theodora Kovacich

Submitted to Contest #139

"Only one more day to go," Thex says, rubbing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "You got this." Looking up at him, I give a smile-but it's pained, stressful. Hovering over where I lay on the couch, he leans in, needle in hand. The last injection before our IVF retrieval. One of many such retrievals, a hope for the future we've dreamt of since we met as kids. Two weeks of injections, three years of trying. One would think I'm used to it by now, but maybe this is something I'll never get used to. "This time, it'll be good," I murmur, more to ...

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“Spring Cleaning” by Sharon Hancock

Submitted to Contest #139

I should’ve known better. There is a fundamental, unspoken rule of household maintenance that every mother knows. I knew The Rule, but I broke it. My intentions were good, but since I ignored The Rule, I deserved and accepted the consequences. See, my family had a problem. Somehow over the years, our home had mysteriously accumulated an alarming amount of stuff that qualified us as prime candidates for a hoarding intervention. After perusing websites featuring supernaturally organized spaces where no human...

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“Stop Growing ” by Lavonne H.

Submitted to Contest #139

Warning: This story contains violence against young children and could be a trigger for anyone who truly cares about children. Mental illness is implied.“Priscilla, this was the first dress you ever wore!” Margot shook out the tiny garment to show to her youngest and only daughter. “You were all of five months old. It was a hot, muggy day in June and you looked so sweet in this dress, sandals and your baby bonnet. I must find that photo of you sitting outside on a blanket….”Margot folded up the sundress and placed it gently in the box marked...

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“The Box” by T.M. Kehoe

Submitted to Contest #139

He’s really gone. The thought rattles around in my mind, tumbles into meaninglessness. When he comes home for the holidays this Christmas, it will not be him. It will be a man, with experiences, a life I don’t know about, dressed in his skin. Looking almost the same, but so very different. What do I think of this unknown man? Resentment, for stealing my child from me. Fear, at the inevitable changes. But most of all, pride, at who he is becoming. In the room, we optimistically call the “laundry room,” is...

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“Dawn” by Bill VanPatten

Submitted to Contest #139

When ten-year-old Dawn entered the Goodwill drop-off station in Madera, she dragged a garbage bag full of clothes behind her. She huffed and puffed as she made the haul. It didn’t help that the temperature was about to hit ninety degrees on this day in early June. “This weighs a ton!” she cried with exasperation. “Well, you wanted to do it by yourself,” her mother replied. She offered a smile that was really an I-told-you-so expression. Moms knew how to do that smile really well. Dawn ignored the look. “I should have put this on ...

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“Goodwill Donation ” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #139

“Name?” The donation attendant asked without looking up at me. His clothing told his story with the ill-fitting pants and shirt with several holes in it. He wore a jacket that appeared to have been a donation with a ripped pocket and the letter “G” which had no apparent significance at the moment. His rugged face was partially obscured by a poorly trimmed beard. His nose was bent in an odd position indicating that it had been broken at least once, but my guess was that it had been broken more than once. “Henry. ...

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“The Donated Box Of Clothes” by Jessica Hayes

Submitted to Contest #139

My name is Anna and I believe in magic. I want to tell you my story. I went to boulevard middle school and I didn't exactly fit in with the crowd. My hair stayed frizzy and my glasses were not exactly the most beautiful things. I wasn't what the other kids called pretty, I wasn't skinny, and I definitely wasn't like the popular girls at my school. I had always wondered what it would be like to be popular, and then one day something completely strange happened. It was my birthday and I wanted friends. I asked my parents to throw me a par...

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“Moth-holes and Memory” by Isabelle K

Submitted to Contest #139

I toss a hanger aside and throw a pale blue shirt into the cardboard box. I wore that shirt to a family dinner one night, when we used to do those. Loud, awkward ritual dinners my mom dragged and hounded us all to attend every other Sunday night. That particular dinner had been down on the sand by the quiet water, and I had paired my pale blue shirt with a pale blue skirt that tickled my ankles when I walked. The skirt had twirling patterns of flowers and stars and… Focus. Back to the closet. I reach towards another shirt, this one...

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“The Princesses and Houdini” by Hope Linter

Submitted to Contest #139

On a Saturday morning after breakfast, Millie was in her room colouring in her Princess Colouring book. Her mom came into her room carrying a big cardboard box which she placed on the rug beside Millie’s bed. Millie turned in her chair and saw that the box was empty. “Time for some spring cleaning. Millie, I want you to put all your clothes that are too small into this box and we’ll donate them to the Thrift Shop.” Millie pouted. “I don’t want to give away any of my clothes.” Her mom put her hands on her ...

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“Sign Of The Times ” by Jules Davis

Submitted to Contest #139

CW: Death | I never knew the volume of quiet could be this distracting. It’s been over twenty loud years in this home together; dogs barking, kids laughing and yelling, clattering dishes after dinner. We’ve survived tantrums, thunderstorms, children fighting, and even our own fights with my love. Now… it’s louder than I’ve ever noticed. Louder now that I’m alone. I am thankful that the kids came back for the funeral, but they have their own lives. Lives that are full of that same noise, joy, and chaos; lives they had to get back to. The...

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Write a story that involves a character donating a box of clothes which have been outgrown.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 49 stories

“The art of growing” by Abigail Airuedomwinya

“Roy Mans the Donation Counter” by Michał Przywara

“A Pocketful of Dreams” by Howard Halsall

“Zebra Stripes and Shoes” by Virginia Berry

“A Very Brief Meeting” by Jared Lenover

“Freezer” by Theodora Kovacich

“Spring Cleaning” by Sharon Hancock

“Stop Growing ” by Lavonne H.

“The Box” by T.M. Kehoe

“Dawn” by Bill VanPatten

“Goodwill Donation ” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

“The Donated Box Of Clothes” by Jessica Hayes

“Moth-holes and Memory” by Isabelle K

“The Princesses and Houdini” by Hope Linter

“Sign Of The Times ” by Jules Davis

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with someone having their height marked on a door frame.

Format your story in the style of diary entries.

Start your story with the words: “Grow up.”

Write about a character sowing seeds for the future (literally or figuratively).

Contest #139

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

239

Contest entries

135

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: