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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

“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 ...

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“Once Upon An Autumn Season” by O. Quenqy

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I step outside, the leaves were on fire. All the people are busy preparing for the Mid-autumn Festival. Up in the sky, birds flying towards south are visible. They must be migrating for winter."Good morning Mr. Nizar!" The twins, Max and Dave greeted me as I walk pass their backyard. They hurriedly went down the tree with fresh red apples in their hands. I suppose that tree is an apple tree. A small chuckle escape my lips realizing my dumbness."Happy autumn Mr. Nizar!" The twins said in chorus as they both reach out the apple in ...

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“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...

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“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...

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“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...

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“Autumn Folly” by Bettina Karpathian

Submitted to Contest #63

    By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. The setting sun picked out the brilliant autumn colors, which rapidly dimmed as the light faded. Despite the illusion of fiery radiance from the oranges, reds and yellows of the leaves, the air was crisp and cold. I cautiously opened the glass doors which led onto the terrace. I could say I was watching the sunset if anyone asked. As the night crept closer, the trees became lacy black silhouettes against the sapphire blue sky, punctuated by glittering specks of s...

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“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...

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“History” by Chris Jones

Submitted to Contest #63

“By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. Whether this is literal or not is up to you. I spent months under the gun, and all I could think about was getting out on the streets again. I knew it was dangerous, and I was afraid, but it didn’t seem real. I wanted to go and see my favorite stops, have a drink at the cafe. As soon as I got outside that just vanished. It was chaos, and I ran for it as quick as I could. All I could think about that whole time was being out in the city, and as soon as I was in the city all I could thin...

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“Laundry Day” by C Cat

Submitted to Contest #63

>>>>>>>Sent to: monajallen82@gmail.com<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>From: LuciaLosiento@gmail.com<<<<<<<<<<By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. Nature endorses revenge, Mona. And your husband needs to die.Stay with me, OK?Last month, there I am sitting on the 59, wedged in like a sweaty little sardine when I catch this man’s eye. He’s Portuguese or Greek- something tanned and salty. Cute. I smile and then he smacks me in the face with this...

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“Fall's Veil Is Thin” by Santina Loppie

Submitted to Contest #63

FALL’S VEIL IS THIN          By: Santina D’Angelo-Loppie By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. The crisp autumn air made an explosive fall palette on my backyard trees. I had been woken by a brisk fall chill and windy howl coming from my slightly cracked window. We were having an abnormally chilly October and in the morning glistening frost was visible atop the multi-coloured leaves carpeting the yard. Halloween was coming, pumpkins were lined up along my deck railing and th...

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“I'm Fearless ” by HIA CHOUDHARY

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire, the sky was full of stars, I looked at the moon and smiled because he was just like me ......with scars. I was walking in the dark, the wind was blowing my hair with it, I felt the coldness but it was less colder than me, it was getting darker and darker with my every step but I wasn't scared. Sometimes they ask me if I wasn't scared of the darkness? I stopped for a moment and smiled saying "I'm so much scared that I became fearless." I still remember that dark night which was full of m...

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“The Forbidden Fortress” by ABRAR AHMED

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. It was the middle of summer and cold rain was pelting down from the sky. I heard the shout of the guard on my right and tried to keep my expression calm. "Hey, wait!" I didn't know the contents of the voice and looked at the guard on my right with disbelief. "What are you here for? Could you do something to stop the fire, Ordo?" He replied to the guard I thought was confused and leaned against a wall. I frowned and looked over at him. "If you're here to help me, then do it q...

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“When I Stepped Outside It Was Already Over” by Bridgette McClain

Submitted to Contest #63

When I Stepped Outside It Was Already Over By the time I stepped outside the leaves were on fire. No, not literally, but we were in fall now. How could this happen? The last time I closed my eyes, the leaves were gone, and the trees were frosted over. Why was I in a hospital? So many things were running through my mind, but no one would tell me anything. Their lips were moving but I couldn’t hear them. What is wrong with me? Why isn’t anything working? Am I broken?  They were trying to explain to me what had happened, but I was to...

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“Flashbacks” by Julia Burrow

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. I stopped at the short iron gate in front of my house and gazed up at the blazing trees wondering why autumn had decided to sneak up on us this year. I swear the leaves were still emerald a week ago, but then again, that’s how long I had exiled myself from the rest of the world. During that week of isolation, my mornings had been spent with coffee that contained only honey and oat milk and poetry books filled with other people’s miseries. I thought that maybe if I read someone else’s fe...

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“Autumnal” by Laurie Longo

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. The embers enveloped the air and grew up inside my dying body in the same way they expanded through the sinews of the branches of the tree. These, although manufactured in the places they were planted in the city, still breathed life to the last, even to the last shred of hope and that ever lingering last thread that interwove the tip of the branch with the thinning of the stem. We would see in the Summer how the leaves would fly on their wings, the branches like fingers before we start...

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