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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Start your story with the line, “By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire.” (Whether this is a literal fire is up to you.)

Posted in Teens on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 324 stories

“YELLOW LEAVES” by Mara Masolini

Submitted to Contest #63

YELLOW  LEAVES  I walked a long time after I came out home. I started my walk towards….I did not knew where, passing through the park. Walking across the park, I felt the grass still damp under my feet, but I should say under my shoes. Feeling the grass you step on, walking on it___and your feet are inside your shoes___(feeling the grass) damp, wet, still drenched in rain, it is a sensation which I have never been able to explain myself, since I have always worn waterproof shoes. After leaving the park I walke...

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“The Imperfect Solution” by E.G. Reid

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. The drizzle that had dulled the October morning had run its course, and now a brilliant afternoon sun slanted its rays down on the leaves that shimmered under the sky’s pristine blueness. I knew exactly how long I had been in the ruins, reading, pondering, and experiencing the world, yet I had not predicted the complete change that mere hours could achieve.  I watched the afternoon grow darker. My sensors detected the cooling air corresponding with the seep of shadows t...

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“FINAL HOPE” by Zqueen 1214

Submitted to Contest #63

WARNING- HAS VOILENCE AND A LOT OF DEATHS. PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU CAN NOT HANDEL SUCH CONTENT. By the time I stepped outside the leaves are on fire. You might assume when I say “on fire” it means that they’re color between red, yellow, to describe autumn. Well allow me to burst your bubble.They’re literally on fire and that’s my fault. Sirens buzz and my legs sprain .I keep on racing through the trees that are to me a blur of red and yellow. One wrong move and I’m dead, if I don’t well I assume I’ll live a few minutes longer .I know ...

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“Leaves of life” by Hannah Santos

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside the leaves where on fire,The tree that I grew, It's leaves where on fire because I saw him again, Him, a memory from the past, the past I wanna forget. "Hi." he said. I rolled my eyes. "The hell, you doing here?" Anger rose from my voice. "Come on, Caroline! It's been three years already. When will you forgive me?" He sounded so desperate, so sad, but still not enough to believe. "I thought you where dead, honestly." I was nonchalant. So cold, like all of my emotions where swept away by the wind, it sent...

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“Jealousy fire ” by Joan Opoyi

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time i stepped outside, the leaves were on fire.The dark smoke that darkened the clouds;horrible smell that filled the air as people watched from a distance.Oh no!I remained helpless as the fire continued spreading from one crop to another; tears filled my eyes watching my beautiful rose flowers burn to the ground. "What's going on here? "pa! Look my beautiful garden all in flames - why do they want to hurt me? "I hugged my grandpa with tears flowing down my cheeks. I realized a hodded man coming from my backyard;rushing towards the s...

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“Fire Proof, Everything Proof” by Jaymee T

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. So was my car, and so was my entire garage. I could see the firetrucks turning into my street. If they didn't already know my address, they would have seen the flames, and more than that, they would have heard me, screaming my voice box hoarse, and probably being heard 5 blocks over. I knew it had been a bad idea to put windows in my garage door. But the Pinterest boards were too enticing, and in the end, my needs for aesthetics won over. Aesthetics also burned down my garage, so, tak...

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“Apple Cider, Spiced Tea and Stovetop Hotdogs” by Madisson James

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. It moved a lot faster than I had expected. I grabbed the closest thing nearby and made a dash for the water faucet. Old man Kibbler’s boots weren’t much but it had to work. I filled the boots with as much water as they could hold and then ran back to the pile of burning leaves. I dashed the water onto the small fire and smashed the remaining smolders with my sandals. “What the hell are you guys doing?” I shouted at Benji and Lole. Benji had matches in his hands and Lole was holdin...

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“The Light” by Cody Mitchell

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. I walked toward the nearest tree and flung the bottle onto the concrete at its base. The glass shattered and the bottle’s contents burst into flames, whiffs of sweet cinnamon overtaking the smoke for only a moment. A tendril of foul air slithered down my throat and I convulsed, overtaken by a coughing fit as I turned back toward the house. I slammed the door behind me, barricading myself from the growing heat outside. With the windows boarded up, the only light in the room came from...

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“FIRE DANCE” by Dolapo Omoleme

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. I’d gotten too close to her too soon, and I’d noticed the books before I could control it. Mrs. Simpson discarded the burning books as quickly as she could and jumped a few steps back to put as much distance as possible between her and the flames. She hissed, and then scoffed, and then contented herself with a scowl. That wasn’t the first run-in I’d had with Mrs. Simpson. We’d had many run-ins in the past, some as early as a few days before the encounter on the front porch that morning....

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“Wild Fire” by Steak AndEggs

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. They were a burnt mix of brown and bright yellow. The life was slowly fading away from them. Smoke billowed throughout the trees around my home. Honestly, I was a bit surprised it spread so quickly. The tv blared in the living room. Some reporter going on about a local wildfire. I’d like to see that reporter get this close to it. I want them to taste the burning tree sap. Nobody would be crazy enough to make their way up here now. There’s far too much smoke for that. If they could only ...

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“A Replica of Goodbye” by Karl Ekstrom

Submitted to Contest #63

“By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire.” He swallowed hard, the taste of smoke still in his mouth. “You have no idea what we went through, no idea what that psychopath did to us. I watched my friends die one by one while you assholes did nothing to help!” Myles looked at the officer across from him and scoffed at the impartial look on her face. “I know you think I did this because I’m the only left, the only one that escaped that freak’s death trap. He’s still out there though and he’s going to kill again or come for me next...

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“Religion as my only option ” by Morena Srur

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. This wasn't the first time this has happened. But this time I was scared. I was terrified. I never saw something quite like it; The smoke was everywhere and I couldn't see much, breathing was as hard as seeing and suddenly I felt like laughing. A thunderous laughter came out of my mouth and I choked on ash. Still I kept coughing and laughing because God! I will die. This is it, this is my last day here. And I'm spending it like this, suffocating on air. I have never felt anything that r...

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“The Only One Left” by Rosalin Vatana

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. The entire morning, I’d stayed outside, guarding the small pile of leaves that the gardener had raked. I absolutely refused to go inside, because if I did, the gardener would burn the leaves. But here I was, staring at the pile of leaves that were bursting into flames. I was angry at myself for even going inside in the first place.  “How could you?!” I yelled to the gardener in despair. Without waiting for an answer, I grabbed a bucket from my sister’s sandpit and poured water i...

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“The Year After” by Emily K

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. Scarlet, orange, and gold hues glowed with the sun’s rays, located in small piles scattered all over the old mossy sidewalk. The deep blue sky hosted a few swatches of wispy, stretched clouds, weak attempts of masking the secrets of the void beyond. A fresh, crisp autumn breeze whispered through the air, my first taste of non-stale air in three years. Strands of my dark, tangled hair floated against the sides of my face, brushing lightly against my cheek until I pulled the strays back b...

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“Flamming Frogs?” by Silvia Skye

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside the leaves were on fire, I guess someone let out the mischievous flamlings. They were supposed to be in a fireproof room in the back of the Laboratory.   The alarms kept blaring, as men in white coats ran around like the world was ending. I walked over to the tree and circled it, wondering how I was going to catch them without getting toasted. They were tiny little orange and red creatures that looked like a cross between a butterfly and a frog. They were perched on various branches, giggling. Gi...

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