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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Write a story about a cherished heirloom that has journeyed through multiple generations.

Posted in Short Story on Jan 17, 2025

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✍️ 49 stories

“Tea Cup” by Ellen Talboom

Submitted to Contest #286

There it sat on the end table by the front window. That old tin, dusted right along with the hundreds of figurines, Knick knacks, plates, tea pots and cups. Some of the cups have chips. But one teacup had a few nicks. A fear of picking it up. It could crumble into many pieces. Even looking at it could cause a crack. And if it did, my mother would have a meltdown, Jamie thought. "Time to dust, mom," Jamie yelled. "Sure, not that teacup." Jamie rolled her eyes. "Of course." Jamie heard a little about that precious teacup. Don't thin...

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“PUSAKA” by Artha Julie Nava

Submitted to Contest #286

I am Pusaka -- a finely wrought spearhead that was forged centuries ago on the Island of Java by the hands of an Empu, a kingdom priest whose name has long been forgotten. From the moment I was created, my destiny has been tied to the hearts of men. My sharp edge was not merely for battle but for reverence. They said I carried power, that I granted victory and dominion. I began as a weapon of war, held by a great chieftain who believed I was a gift from the gods. His enemies feared me as much as they feared him. With me in his grasp, he ...

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“Royals' Gift” by Elaine Steffen

Submitted to Contest #286

Royal read the letter he had received. Howard, the boy he and his beloved late wife, Anna raised for sixteen yers and loved as their own, was getting married.Royal thought back to when Howard fist came to live with them. Howard was the son of his wife’s cousin, Eliza. He had lost his father and at age six, and was sent from New York to Connecticut to live with them. Howard was very fond of his Papa Royal and Mama Anna. He kept in contact with them through letters, which Royal was grateful. Even more since his beloved Anna had passe...

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“He Collects Trains” by Jules Bosch

Submitted to Contest #286

He Collects Trains Jules Bosch For generations the name Lionel was as closelyassociated with Christmas as Santa Claus.—    American Heritage Magazine How much?” I impatiently asked the bespectacled man behind the counter of New Jersey’s largest train store, The Train Station in Mountain Lakes, disappointed at the value he gave my most cherished possessions: the electric train sets I’ve acquired since childhood.The store was sprawling, with four separate areas displaying hundreds of electric trains and accessories. The sym...

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“Blood from the bloodful, blood for the bloodless” by Ioan Muntean

Submitted to Contest #286

"Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but she perished before she arrived at the clinic," doctor Desmond said as he pocked the dirt under his nails with the decorative dagger I kept on my desk. I couldn't look at him now so I turned to the window, at the blazing sun raining on the hills. Such a beautiful spring this would've been... "What about the parents?" I asked. "And the police?" "The parents are not an issue. They're simple folk — quite dense, these ones. They will believe anything I tell them and even if they don't, they have a great li...

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“HIDEOUS” by Deb Dobbins

Submitted to Contest #286

In 1913 my great-great-great grandmother Estele bought the most hideous lamp at a secondhand store. It was ridiculously tall, made of multi-colored glass, a pointed silver sphere on top and a large copper base. She didn't know then, but this lamp would change the course of all our lives, forever. I’m also Estele, my mom said she named me after my great-great-gr, well you get it… she said it was because my Grandmother Estele was a card. When I asked what that meant, she said “you know, a hoot.” I didn’t know, I shrugged… she continued, “She ...

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“A Little White Lie” by Stephanie Macleod

Submitted to Contest #286

“A Little White Lie”It has been said that God has a sense of humour, one of the best examples being that tricksy ninth commandment, tucked in almost as an afterthought after the long list of ‘shalt nots’. It says you should not bear false witness against your neighbour. Was it deliberately vague? Given the pathetic attempts of humans with some of the other ‘shalt nots’, being too specific might be setting them up for failure. It had been done before, starting with Eve.  Cordelia decided it only meant that you should...

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“The Silver Locket” by Cynethea Cunningham

Submitted to Contest #286

In the early 20th century, a skilled silversmith named Samuel Hartman lived in the bustling city of Chicago. At the time, Chicago was a thriving hub of innovation and culture, having recently hosted the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893, a grand event that showcased the arts and crafts movement.Renowned for his intricate designs and meticulous craftsmanship, Samuel created a stunning silver locket that would become a cherished Hartman family heirloom. The locket was a delicate piece, intricately engraved with floral patterns and inscribed...

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“Pinky” by Laurie Roy

Submitted to Contest #286

On a wall in my spare room is a painting. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I have so many rooms that I have one to spare; it's just that room that has no name. I have a tiny eat-in kitchen; its two-person table is tucked into the corner under one of the windows. Under the other window is a sofa table, but it's nowhere near the sofa; I delegated it to the job of plant stand. It has an aged cracked walnut surface, which at one time most likely shone in a rich wooden tone but now has water stains from the twelve plants that live on its su...

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“Lost "Never Forgotten"” by Bella F

Submitted to Contest #286

Some who read this may be sensitive to its contents relating to loss and fire.This story is supposed to be in reference to the massive natural disaster occurring in January 2025 in LA, California. Many lost everything in the fires that raged generational homes and destroyed family heirlooms. I hope to use part of the prize money to go towards those who are fighting to find hope and rebuild. Lost “Never Forgotten” The fire blazed around the ring, lying neatly on the dresser. The light shining off the ring was blinding as the room melted ...

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“The Pin Cushion” by Laurel Clark

Submitted to Contest #286

TW: sexual violence, suicide, blood This will end with me. I will make sure of it.  The name Beatrice circles this house, hushed whispers from the servants or rebellious words from classmates. Stories of great great grandmother Beatrice, who pricked her hand on a pin cushion before killing her husband. An accident, it must have been, and yet as I hold velvet, the blood of my ancestors screams wrath. Something insignificant became tradition with her daughter Amelia. The girl waited in the sewing room while the vile act was committed, pla...

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“GRANDMA'S CAMEO” by Charles Cravey

Submitted to Contest #286

Grandma’s Cameo by Charles E. Cravey The sun’s rays filtered through the lace curtains, casting delicate patterns on the walls of the cozy nursing home room. It was a serene place, a sanctuary where memories danced in the soft glow of afternoon light. Amidst the hushed whispers of caregivers and the gentle hum of activity, Eleanor sat in her favorite armchair, her wrinkled hands gently cradling a small velvet box. Eleanor’s eyes, though dimmed by the passage of time, still sparkled with the wisdom and experiences of a lifetime...

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“Sunset stories” by Emma Jibleanu

Submitted to Contest #286

Sometimes, time seems long enough to fit every holiday from our childhood. What if time could freeze? Would you go back and put together the broken pieces of the past? We didn't know it then, but we would reach a moment when we would cling desperately to those memories, in hopes that one day when we would come back, the house would smell of fresh bread and our grandfather would wait by the chimney with one last tale.Merciful enough that, just for a moment, it would freeze, and everything would be still — all the long summer days, all th...

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“A cherished heirloom that has journeyed through multiple generations” by Susie Bennett

Submitted to Contest #286

The old wooden chest sat in the attic, a silent sentinel amidst the discarded treasures and forgotten memories of generations past. Its dark, polished surface, though scratched and worn, still held a gleam that whispered of age and secrets. For as long as Elara could remember, the chest had been an enigma, a fixture in her grandmother’s house, a solid, immovable presence that both intimidated and intrigued her.Elara’s grandmother, Agnes, was a woman of few words, her face an intricate map of wrinkles etched by time and experience. Yet, when ...

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“(African) American Gothic” by Chelsey Coles

Submitted to Contest #286

Trigger warning: this story contains themes of suicide and mental health. Two plates sit untouched at the head of the dining room table. Gramee and Grandpy stare at me, eyes stern, hollow. Gramee has her signature black dress with the white scalloped collar, Grandpy at her side with overalls under a dinner jacket. They have the same square glasses, silver and glaring. “Do you want to live here with me?” They don’t answer. I sigh, scraping carrots around on my plate. “Look, I know our cousin’s got the bigger house with the pool and every...

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Contest #286

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Ended on 23:59 - Jan 24, 2025 EST

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Title: A Suitcase Full of Davids

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