Winners of our FREE monthly 53-Word Story Contest

Each month we offer a prompt to subscribers of Prime Number Magazine to write a 53-word story—no more, no less—and send it to us by the fifteenth day of the month. Our judges select one winning story, and the author receives a book from Press 53 as well as publication in Prime Number Magazine. Want to play along? Subscribe to Prime Number Magazine and we’ll send you the prompt on the first day of each month.

Below, read our winners:

July: Kristin Tenor / August: Riddhishrree Badhan / September: N.E. Rule

And All the Heavens Are in Disarray

Late at night they lie side by side counting tiny holes scattered like a constellation across the ceiling tiles above her hospital bed—big bear, little bear, an arrow aimed towards Cancer, which has escaped its crab-like carapace and will not go back. He kisses her temple, wishing they were by the sea.

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Kristin Tenor lives in Wisconsin with her husband and is the flash fiction editor at CRAFT. She finds inspiration in life's quiet details and believes in their power to illuminate the extraordinary. Her work has appeared in Midwest Review, Spelk, Bending Genres, Emerge Literary Journal, and elsewhere. More @ www.kristintenor.com or Twitter @KristinTenor

Lazy Sunday

At eight in the morning, her alarm went off. She reluctantly opened her eyes, then closed them again. Seconds later, she stood with resolve. Avoiding the enticing trap, she brushed, showered, and finished breakfast. I’ve finally done it! she thought gleefully, turning towards her desk. Then, at twelve noon, her eyes slowly opened. 

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Riddhishrree Badhan is a high school student from New Jersey. She has always loved creative writing, her favorite part of the process being the meticulous crafting of characters. Her other interests include stargazing and birdwatching, plus a variety of scientific fields. She is also a fan of Connect Four, elephants, and ice cream.

Premature Congratulations

“Ridiculous to have let a pregnant woman on board,” the nurse chides while clearing the mucus from the tiny baby’s mouth.

“Her due date wasn’t for six more weeks, and she’s the Captain’s friend.” The doctor winks then the baby wails. “That’s encouraging,” he says swaddling it in white linen stamped RMS Titanic.

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N.E. Rule attended Ryerson University for creative writing and business communications. Her writing portfolio includes project plans, software specs, marketing copy, and training materials. However, her passion is reading and writing fiction. The characters in her head are getting louder and refuse to wait to come out and play only in her spare-time.