Menu
Prompts
Contests
Stories
Blog

Menu

✕
CONNECT
Editing Design Marketing Publicity Ghostwriting Websites
BLOG
Success Stories
APPS
TOOLS
Book Promotion Sites Book Review Blogs Booktube Channel Guide Book Title Generator Character Name Generator Independent Publishers Literary Agents Literary Magazines Pen Name Generator Plot Generator Publishers Directory Short Story Ideas Writing Contests Writing Exercises Writing Scholarships
ABOUT
About Reedsy Terms Privacy

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

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Sign in with Google
Sign in with Facebook

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 324 stories

“Chance and Change ” by SeAnna Lovett

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. The sun was slowly cresting the horizon, flooding the sky with color and setting the autumn leaves blazing. I smiled, taking another sip of my coffee and breathing in the crisp air from my porch. A car horn sounded faintly in the distance and the morning chorus of birds traded songs back and forth.  What a morning it was, a beautiful fall morning. Of course, every morning was beautiful. It was a free restart, a fresh opportunity to go out into the world and be the best version of ...

3 comments 3
Read story

“The Eyes of Something Unknown” by Olivia Charlson

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time she stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. Brilliant golden blazes danced toward the ground as the wind swept them off branches. The forest floor was covered in a carpet of orange that protested Margo’s heavy boots with a crunch as she ran from the cabin to the back of the yard with the small metal gate stitching across the grass and poking up at the sky. “Agnes!” She called. A giggle came from the pile of bushes that Margo had raked up earlier. She sighed, walking up to the leaves. She hesitated and smirked, picking up a...

0 comments 0
Read story

“The mystery Arsonist” by Refilwe Queen

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. Who could have wanted to burn my son and I alive in my aunt's house? I wondered. The moment I saw the fire flames covering up all the leaves area,I panicked.i was so anxious whether my son and I gonna make it alive or not in that horrible incidence. After the argument I had with my husband last week Friday,I decided I should come to visit my aunt to cool myself down. We were always arguing about small matters and he made them to be big. It has been a year not visiting my aunt all becaus...

0 comments 0
Read story

“Dancing Flames” by Nurazani Intan

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. Side by side, my brother and I walk through the streets, burning each and every house there. The flames grew with every single step we took. What a beautiful sight. I’m tired of the mistreatment, the pain, the trauma this town has caused us. I’m absolutely exhausted so we’re taking this into our own hands. My brother and I walk through the town, making it prettier that it already is. Then we head to and sit by the cliff side as we watch the town that raised us go up in flames. The hea...

0 comments 0
Read story

“You'll Never Leaf this Place Alive” by Kevin Leonard

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. The trailer door clanged loudly behind me, but I tried to ignore it as I looked up at the trees around me. Deep, opulent red swatches, blending into golden, iridescent ambers. The colours mixed and blended, not only between trees but within single leaves, waving and roiling in the air like the very heart of nature itself was on fire. Evergreen trees sat dappled throughout, providing a counterpoint to the symphony of autumnal change that danced around them. They were stalwart, indifferen...

0 comments 0
Read story

“The Flame” by Savannah Lamkey

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. I gritted my teeth, the feeling of heat as if it was already burning me. I was a good kid- why had SHE been put on this duty? Why was SHE trapped? Why was SHE probably going to die? At birth Nova was abandoned in the woods by her teenage parents, who most likely hoped she would starve or get eaten. But, instead, A small society of loving people found her, nursing her until she was strong enough to survive on her own. Though, Nova grew to love them like her own big family, and she ...

0 comments 0
Read story

“Embers and Cinders” by Lindsey Owen

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire-and I was terrified. Panic spread through me as flames hungrily consumed the living and the dead; devouring nerve and flesh like paper. As I stood at its mercy, one thought struck me as a physical blow. No one cared. Not of me, not that I stood helpless against the vibrancy, but that they too burned. Everyone did. Couples, families, children-heavens the children!-they burned the brightest and fastest. 'Save them-Save the poor children!' I wanted to cry, but my voice-like my courage-had b...

3 comments 3
Read story

“Phoenix Trees” by Aobakwe J. L. Diteko

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. I turned back into the house and rushed to get something, anything, to try and kill the flames with. My mind was on auto-pilot as I reached for a pale by the kitchen door. I filled it up quickly and hurled the water at the raging tongues of fire. My mom’s favorite trees – which she had spent so much of her time, love and care on – had become ablaze. The family centerpiece that had been the spot for so many family gatherings filled with love and laughter was now gone, it was as if a...

0 comments 0
Read story

“Fireside Tombs” by Starla Taylor

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. Great, just another day at Fireside Tombs Cemetery. I give Gus a withering look, then extinguish the flames. In all his 6 "1" translucent glory, he ducks his head and scuffs his shoes across the leaf-covered walkway. "Gus, I don't have a permit to burn leaves. It's detrimental to the headstones. Besides, these leaves are to be bagged up with the rest so I can deliver them to Let's Talk Dirty Compost Company."  "Sorry, Lottie." My name is Charlotte, but he insists on calli...

0 comments 0
Read story

“Leaves like fire ” by Sidra Malik

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire . Those reds, oranges and yellows. All cascading through the sky, dancing with the wind in their intricate dresses. Autumn  was here. The season of colour.    I stepped out of my dad's car ready to say goodbye for the rest of the week. His rusty blue door shut with a squeak and I waved as he rode off into the distance with the dancing leaves.   Mums house was cosy, the outside white with orange framed windows, it fits perfectly with the season of autumn. The...

1 comment 1
Read story

“Autumn Break” by Ma Ra

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. Red and orangey fallen mess are eclectically scattered across the ground, making a picture of small wildfires in a crazy cold season. My eyes interpret the trees as flaring logs the moment I gaze at them from the distance. Neighbors’ houses are decorated with grinning pumpkins ranging from small to big ones which I personally do not prefer. Fortunately, only a few people are out. Girls who just passed by talked about what to wear to the upcoming Halloween party at nobody’s shack and no ...

0 comments 0
Read story

“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...

0 comments 0
Read story

“That's why I love fall” by Emily :3

Submitted to Contest #63

“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.)” By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. I don’t like fall, actually. The memories of the just-finished summer start to get blurry, confused, just a picture of happier and carefree times. Every day that goes by it gets colder, the leaves on the trees start to fall, the sky darkens earlier than before. But there’s something about fall that makes me like it, just a little: before falli...

0 comments 0
Read story

“UNKNOWN” by Kiryn Bell

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. I had wanted to come out just before sunrise, but I was a little late as the sun was already shining across the bright leaves. It made the forest look radiant and alive. Just staring at the beauty, I couldn’t help but feel at peace.  This is why I came up here with Amy and Lillian. The beautiful fall reds and oranges and the fresh crisp air helped clear my mind of the stress of the semester. Amy’s family was amazing for letting us use their log cabin to get away from everything. I...

0 comments 0
Read story

“Autumn's Flash” by Korede Ojelade

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. It was a surreal sight, quite staggering in fact. Everything seemed to be aglow, the varying degrees of red and orange struggling for dominance all across the backdrop of what was just over 5 acres of wine country. I stood unbelieving, overwhelmed, a motionless figure in the midst of the confusion swirling round about. A slap on the back took care of matters soon enough. ‘Get the hose!’ Jack cried. I was jolted into the melee, joining other hands darting about haphazardly, battling...

0 comments 0
Read story

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story in a coffee shop that’s just introduced a new line of autumnal drinks.

Fall – 160 stories

Write about a character making fall decorations out of construction paper.

Kids – 45 stories

Write a story from the perspective of a bird migrating for the winter.

Winter – 128 stories

Write about two characters going apple picking.

Fall – 248 stories

Contest #63

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Autumnal

$50

Prize money

905

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Oct 16, 2020 EST

Won by Masha Kurbatova 🏆

Title: come to atlanta!

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

NEW VIDEO COURSE 🎉

How to Write a Novel

Join Tom Bromley for a writing master class and finish your first draft in 3 months. Learn more →

Explore more writing prompt ideas:

Adults Writing Prompts ⭢

Adventure Writing Prompts ⭢

Angst Writing Prompts ⭢

Character Writing Prompts ⭢

Christmas Writing Prompts ⭢

Dark Writing Prompts ⭢

Dialogue Writing Prompts ⭢

Dramatic Writing Prompts ⭢

Dystopian Writing Prompts ⭢

Fall Writing Prompts ⭢

Fantasy Writing Prompts ⭢

Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Fluff Writing Prompts ⭢

Funny Writing Prompts ⭢

Halloween Writing Prompts ⭢

High School Writing Prompts ⭢

Historical Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Holiday Writing Prompts ⭢

Horror Writing Prompts ⭢

Kids Writing Prompts ⭢

Middle School Writing Prompts ⭢

Mystery Writing Prompts ⭢

Narrative Writing Prompts ⭢

Nonfiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Novel Writing Prompts ⭢

Poetry Writing Prompts ⭢

Romance Writing Prompts ⭢

Sad Writing Prompts ⭢

Science Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Short Story Writing Prompts ⭢

Spring Writing Prompts ⭢

Summer Writing Prompts ⭢

Teens Writing Prompts ⭢

Thanksgiving Writing Prompts ⭢

Thriller and Suspense Writing Prompts ⭢

Valentine's Day Writing Prompts ⭢

Vampire Writing Prompts ⭢

Winter Writing Prompts ⭢