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

“Leaves on a Tree” by 💫 Sophia 💫

Submitted to Contest #63

“By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire.” Burning buildings, children's screams and smoke filled my head. I saw terrible things and all I could do was stare, I was frozen. Paralyzed even, then everything went black. I awoke to the sound of cries and realized I was strapped to a table. “What happened?” “Where am I?” As these thoughts rushed through my head I tried remembering what happened and why I was here, but couldn't. I saw someone wander past my room, looking just as confused as I. They wandered in and asked if I knew wh...

9 comments 9
Read story

“The Devil's Apprentice” by JASON PARKER

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. Soon, there'd be no trace of the man who'd killed me.  The old oak was Fall-dry and fixing to burn. The flames licked at its bark as though they liked the taste. I just stood there, watering the dirt with my blood, sipping Old Crow from a chipped bottle. Edward Laramy dangled like a messed-up piñata; his dead eyes open in an accusatory fashion. The rope at his throat had turned the flesh purple and burst blood vessels bloomed like flowers beneath the skin of his cheeks. The mo...

19 comments 19
Read story

“Moon Dust” by Kylie Wallis

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. I snuck into my house, then went straight to my bedroom, thankful that nobody had paid me much attention. From the window, I watched the gathering of firewood in the courtyard. I pretended not to hear the enthusiastic shouting.A whole different side of my people had revealed itself, the moment those flames began to burn. Embers drifted along through the air. There had been a slight panic when a couple of the planted trees flared up.Turning away, I began to pack a small bag of essentials...

9 comments 9
Read story

“Cockroaches” by Amy Utami

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I step outside, the leaves were on fire. Greet me with the summer breeze of zero degrees land. This land was in its summer all the time, without ever experienced the beauty of winter. The leaves have fallen together with their dignity, imitating the autumn that they have never seen. Shannon told me that it was a sign for rain to come, with only two seasons the change often unclear. Indeed, this earth was getting older and human gets more and more greedy.A week ago, Shannon asked me to come with my passport and a bag for a week. W...

6 comments 6
Read story

“Miracle and Grace” by David G.

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. The pre-dawn sky above Garnett Ridge flickered, casting an orange glow into the starless, smoke-filled night. I stood on dad's patio, embers racing past me like dancing pixies, hopping and twirling and twisting and pirouetting on the hot wind that whipped down the hillside into the canyon. It was oddly beautiful. Magical, even.I put out my hand for one of the larger ones, paper thin and aglow like a bioluminescent moth. It burned slightly as it settled on my palm and then went dark. I c...

8 comments 8
Read story

“SHTF: The Fall” by Stephanie Albright

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. I had lost track of how long I had been living in the tent in the woods, but it had been early spring when it all started. It was clearly now fall, of the same year? I had no idea and I didn’t even really care.  Those first few weeks in the woods had been terrifying. I only slept for an hour or two at a time and I didn’t remember eating much at all. I don’t know how many weeks passed before I no longer heard the sounds of diesel engines and helicopters, but it was at least six. I ...

4 comments 4
Read story

“Choices ” by Malz Castell

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. The red and golden hues of autumn were a welcome relief from the monotonous green lawns that existed within the four walls of the place I had called home for the last 8 months. I heard the massive wrought iron gate swing shut behind me as I closed my eyes, relishing in the feel of the sunlight falling on my face. There a was different smell in the air, one I hadn't smelled in 8 months. Pumpkin spice, I wondered? No, it was freedom. My contemplative thoughts were broken by a blonde cann...

0 comments 0
Read story

“Changing Seasons” by Lani Lane

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire.Hues of yellows, from the soft sunlight that grazed the wheat fields to the blazing petals of the daffodils in the garden.Oranges that matched the thriving pumpkins growing next to the house; the sunrises painted behind the mountains; the flames I stoked in the fireplace every night of the past week.And reds, my favorite. Red like the apples I carve for my pies. Red like hummingbirds that stick their beaks in the sugary water of feeders hanging from trees.Red like Lewis’s favorite flanne...

23 comments 23
Read story

“A Love Letter to Myself ” by Arianna Noelle

Submitted to Contest #63

“By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. Flames were all around us now, burning in such an inviting way that I stepped toward them without thinking, completely in awe with their glow. Just as I got close enough to feel the heat licking the soles of my shoes, someone grabbed my arm. As my unidentified savior pulled me back to safety, cursing me all the while for being so stupid, I was struck by a strange nostalgia for something (or someone) I always wanted but never got to have. That voice, I thought. God, that voice. I turn a...

10 comments 10
Read story

“I Found Something in the Blue Hills” by L Killorin

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. Soft grey smoke curled under my feet, and the cracks and pops of the catching flames covered the sound of my footsteps. Fire licked at my ankles, but did not burn. “It’s smoky, I know,” he said hastily. He shoved his hands in the deep, paint-stained pockets of his cardigan. “I tried to leave the smoke out, but —“ “Emiel,” I interrupted. “It’s beautiful. I mean it. The smoke doesn’t burn at all.” To demonstrate, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. There was smoke, but it didn’t catc...

9 comments 9
Read story

“The Lesson of Impermenance” by Natalie Dafoe

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. The grass hissed and gave way to smoke underneath the flicker of a flame danced across them, setting them alight with but a little bit of coaxing. Most of the grass underneath was no longer the vibrant, lush green associated with summer. Instead, it had faded to a dark green mixed in with dead grass and orange-brown leaves. Now, over a quarter of  the lawn was blackened. I flicked up my gaze to two boys, mischievous grins plastered on their faces. One was tiny, obviously younger,...

3 comments 3
Read story

“Life lit by the moon” by Luiza Marcus

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. Everything was covered in ashes, smoke and threatening flames which were getting closer and closer to our city at a colossal speed. Flames, a lot of flames. Fire everywhere.I pulled the shutter and a cold breeze, which reminded me of a late autumn found its way into the room, into my lungs, ending its journey by giving me a severe headache. It stunned me. I dragged my feet towards the next room and I was welcomed by a dark and deplorable atmosphere. Worms were lurking between the dirty ...

27 comments 27
Read story

“A Slow Burn” by Lina Oz

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire.“What in the hell are you doing?”My brother jumped, turning to me, his smile wiped clean off his face after seeing the anger and shock on mine.“I––I was just––”“Get inside. Now.”I hurried to grab the hose from the side of the house, my fingers shaking as I fiddled with the nob to turn on the water. At the corner of my eye, I saw my brother run behind me, narrowly escaping the fire that was beginning to build in our backyard. Finally, I heard the water running. I yanked the hose forw...

13 comments 13
Read story

“Flames” by Krista Womack

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. I knew my time at this cave had ended. The fire moved quickly through the mountains. I gathered my things and ran to escape the blistering heat. Once cleared from the flames, I needed to find cover before the invaders found me. A cave near the water would be safe from the fire, but they camped nearby. I snuck through the trees, peeking around each one watching for movement. I closed the distance to the lake to get a view of the camp before navigating around them. It was better to have t...

3 comments 3
Read story

“When the Flames Speak” by Rebecca Lee

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire – literally and intentionally. Dad stood nearby with his rake, and my brother, Kelly, was on the other side of him, holding a hose. Their gazes were on the big pile of leaves we had worked all morning to gather. Smoke twirled from the center of the pile skyward, and it was a little mesmerizing. I wondered if the angels in Heaven got wind of smoke when folks burned leaves or trash. You know how annoying it is when your neighbors do it all the time – can you imagine what the smoke does t...

7 comments 7
Read story

🌟 Similar prompts

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

Fall – 161 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 – 249 stories

Contest #63

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Autumnal

$50

Prize money

907

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 ⭢