Just before Valentine's Day, a long-lost relative you've never heard of enters your life.

Posted in Valentine's Day on Nov 1, 2022

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✍️ 53 stories

“Letters to Opal from Auntie Janine” by Faith Kelly

Submitted to Contest #21

It is exactly 23 hours 56 minutes and 30 seconds after my life got altered. How my life got altered from normal to strange to crazy, and from crazy to terrifying. I did not know the situation fully, but I knew who was behind all of this madness. 15 hours 32 minutes and 5 seconds before the madness started.- I am an Environmental Science major who attends the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville to get my Ph.D. I am walking through the hallway hurriedly to get to my dorm. It is Christmas break, and I forgot to pack my bags so I can go see...

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“Uncle Jack” by Kaileb Bryant

Submitted to Contest #21

My phone buzzer starts going off, distracting me from my last minute wrapping of Christmas presents.“Hello?”“Hello, Miss Casey? This is Oakland Regional Hospital calling. We have your uncle here with us, and it’s a good idea you come and see him.”“Why, what’s wrong with him? It’s Christmas Eve!”“I’m afraid he’s not going to be with us much longer; he might not see Christmas Day. I recommend you come down now if you want to say goodbye.”The scissors I was still holding when I answered fall to the table.“Uh… sure, I-I’ll be right there.” ...

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“The Unexpected Visitor” by Unknown User

Submitted to Contest #21

I can hear the warm fire crackle as flames dance in the ingle before me. I bury myself deeper into the blankets, not for warmth but for its soft and fleecy texture that makes me feel like I am wrapped in a giant hug. Feeling my eyes grow heavier by the second, I try to resist falling asleep but only find myself to be sinking further in. I am just about to succumb to my fatigue when three jaunty knocks bang on my door. Grudgingly, I ...

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“Time Gone By” by Theodor Manole

Submitted to Contest #21

Did you know that bears love Christmas too? It’s often told that all we do during winter is hibernate, but we may have some secrets kept away from the rest of the world. Ever since I was little, I always dreamt about Santa Claus and how he brings presents to kids who’ve been behaving well this year and offers coal to the ones that have been bad. As a kid, I never thought too much about it, but now, it feels more like a way of bringing people; both friends and family, together. I don’t remember how old I was exactly. It was a long time ago, ...

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“Forgettable” by Anaiza Ortiz

Submitted to Contest #21

The smell of rock salt fills the outside air. Burning the lungs of anyone that inhales. The deep mist in the atmosphere brings out the most depressing of feelings. Even in this time of year. I, at the moment, happen to be inside, huddled under a quilt, facing the stone made fireplace. My hands dangled a little bit above the crackling wood fire. I sigh in fatigue yet satisfaction. Just another Christmas in Bruinsburg. Barely anyone comes to visit. So I'm here all alone to warm up and mumble bad words at the people who choose to do otherwise f...

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“Long-lost cousin” by Samantha Garcia

Submitted to Contest #21

Spending the holidays with your family is the best as that's where memorable memories are made. Like when my younger brother got mad when me and my sister got a playstation for Christmas. Ah, good times. But, sometimes unexpected gifts or guest's come along the way.••••••••••Christmas is in two days. The stress and hectic is there. You can feel it in your soul as you have to plan so many things like what food are we going to have, whose present is whose, how do I wrap this, or did I get their present. There are so many things to do in less t...

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“The Christmas Legacy” by Jan Lang

Submitted to Contest #21

It was a cold lonely night in the Oakland household. Marian Oakland sat on her living room couch waiting very impatiently on her parents, Abel and Molly Oakland. Ever since December drew nearer her parents have been getting more anxious then ever. Sometimes Marian can even hear her parents say to themselves: "Has it already been 20 years?" And when ever she'd ask her parents what they meant would dismiss it. Until this December 23rd. Two days before Christmas. Marian looked at her parents as they walked into the living room. "Marian," Abel s...

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“Unlce Stan comes for Christmas” by Rhys Clarke

Submitted to Contest #21

On the first day of Christmas I met my Uncle Stan. All dressed in blue he was, with skin like roasted ham. He flashed his silver pocket-watch and gave me a smile, And told me he intended to stay for a while. His waistcoat shone, his tie gleamed bright red, The same colour, I’ll wager, as Old St Nick’s sled. Dad welcomed him in with a face rather pale, As outside the rain it turned into hail. On the second day of Christmas it was still raining hard, Uncle Stan, my cellmate, passed me a Christ...

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“Nonpareil education opens door to invaluable reunion” by Matthew Harris

Submitted to Contest #21

Back far as I can remember, yours truly always wanted a sister. Adopted y most resplendent mother since birth, I never met, nor knew biological kith and/or kin existed. Passage of time diminished fervent hankering, yet every now and again curiosity flickered regarding biologically related kindred folks. Unbeknownst to this narrator, an equally strong pang inspired Miss Ann Thrope. Ever since she became aware of how her biological sibling got adopted courtesy separate adoptive parents, her near lifelong mission impossible comprised trying to ...

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“Christmas Reunion” by Gladys Swedak

Submitted to Contest #21

Christmas Reunion The knock at the door was expected but who was on the other side wasn’t. “Judy, ...” I stared at the stranger standing on my doorstep. “You’re not Judy,” I said. “who are you?”“I’m your third cousin on your Great Grandfather’s side, he was my Great Grandfather brother. I was in the country and thought I would visit relatives I’ve discovered.” The stranger’s voice had a European accent. “My name is Janik Heibert, may I come in before we both freeze out here.”Just as I was about to close the door, Judy arrived. “Hey, wait for...

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“Interstice” by Revian Nabila

Submitted to Contest #21

December.A month full of twists and turns, a month with an inevitable scent of holiday. A long month, yet at the same time short. The boy was born in the month mentioned. That fact didn’t make him look forward to December. At all, at all. In fact, if he may be honest, he did not like winter and hoped that the snow will soon go fly a kite from the roof or something.Snow on the roof, snow along the fence, snow on trees, mountains of snow in front of the house; it dizzied him seeing so many blank white. The main paved road stretched into the di...

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“A Moonlight Pub Christmas Miracle ” by Mahalia Mehu

Submitted to Contest #21

Its that time of the year again! Those who truly know me, which are few and far between, think it strange of me to have such a fascination with the Christmas season given my history... but what can I say?Despite being the orphaned daughter of a prostitute junky, who entered the foster system at the age of 2, I love the holidays. That, however, is due to my adoptive dad. When I was 9 my mom overdosed and died, but by then I was staying with a foster couple named Trudy and Ian Kelly and they decided to adopt me. Then a couple of years later, s...

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“The Christmas Present ” by Aishee Bachhar

Submitted to Contest #21

I stepped out of the bathtub feeling clean and raw to the soul. I love taking a bath. It's just so refreshing. No matter what you do the whole day; no matter how bad your day went, a cool refreshing bath at night would calm you down.I was rapping an Eminem song while walking into my room in a towel, when I heard the doorbell ring.I checked my clock and it read 8:47pm."Who the hell is it?" I murmured to myself, annoyed.I quickly pushed my legs into my dirty work jeans again and put on a hoodie on top. I didn’t have time to wear a T-shirt unde...

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“Elf Aura” by Geneva Savage

Submitted to Contest #21

“What’s your name, again?” That was the night I met Buddy. I call him Bud, though. Bud is much more chill. Seriously, who walks around in an elf costume and identifies themselves as Buddy? Without my help, the guy would still look like an overgrown elf on the shelf. While he gives off this completely delusional vibe, Bud really is the best guy I ever met. Before Bud, my life looked like any other billionaire kid’s life in New York, New York. Friends and bullies were one. S...

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“The Guest On The Morning” by Frisca Amelia

Submitted to Contest #21

"Who are you?" Aria asked while frowning. She did not know the figure standing in front of her. "You forgot me?"The man actually asked back. Aria just silent. She really doesn't remember that person, who suddenly knocked early in the morning at his door. "You really forgot me?" asked the man again. "Whereas in the past, I often came to your father's house, we are still relatives. Aria tried to remember, but she really didn't remember met him before.'Maybe he just ...

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Just before Valentine's Day, a long-lost relative you've never heard of enters your life.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 53 stories

“Letters to Opal from Auntie Janine” by Faith Kelly

“Uncle Jack” by Kaileb Bryant

“The Unexpected Visitor” by Unknown User

“Time Gone By” by Theodor Manole

“Forgettable” by Anaiza Ortiz

“Long-lost cousin” by Samantha Garcia

“The Christmas Legacy” by Jan Lang

“Unlce Stan comes for Christmas” by Rhys Clarke

“Nonpareil education opens door to invaluable reunion” by Matthew Harris

“Christmas Reunion” by Gladys Swedak

“Interstice” by Revian Nabila

“A Moonlight Pub Christmas Miracle ” by Mahalia Mehu

“The Christmas Present ” by Aishee Bachhar

“Elf Aura” by Geneva Savage

“The Guest On The Morning” by Frisca Amelia

🌟 Similar prompts

You live in a neighborhood where lots of people go out of town for the holidays. But lately, this has been resulting in an increased number of break-ins.

Write a short story about a work Christmas party that goes... awry.

Write a short story about an inn-keeper wondering whether this will be their last holiday season in business.

You are a bartender working a night shift when a group of people come in on a Valentine's Day pub crawl.

Contest #21

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

168

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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