Write about two characters who’ve gone through something so intense they now feel like family.

Posted in Adults on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 190 stories

“Battle Scars” by Erica Skylin

Submitted to Contest #79

“Boss expects us back with the new batch of kids in 10 minutes,” Goon One said. Tommy gets thrown into the back of a truck with a blindfold on. As Tommy sat in silence somebody touched his head he flinched. “It’s Ok, I just want to take the blindfold off,” The person said. After a couple minutes of the person trying, he finally managed to get it. Tommy turned around really fast to see who was behind him. “Hi, I’m Damien,” He said. Tommy seemed scared, so Damien put his hand on Tommy’s shoulder. “You don’t have to talk...

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“The Flame” by Lizzy Everett

Submitted to Contest #79

Julian’s dream was a blurry haze, yet he knew exactly where he was. His home. Since the incident, Julian had loathed the mere thought of sleep. For a while, he tried keeping himself up at night to avoid the wretched place that so often intruded his thoughts and dreams. Nonetheless, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t escape it. Julian peered around his old, grimy bedroom. The paint was chipped and peeling from over a decade of use, and his carpet was covered in notebooks, chip crumbs, and trash. His closet was stuffed with memorabi...

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“The Old Man and the Marine” by Paige Fitzgerald

Submitted to Contest #79

The old man didn’t have long. Wires and monitors suction-cupped his chest and hands and feet. A tall, rectangular machine dominated the sterile room with a mechanical beep, interrupted only by the shrill scrape of metal grommets holding up the curtains. “Good evening, Mr. Commet,” said a nurse. “Someone’s hear to see you.” She stepped away and behind her loomed a Marine. His uniform was just as starched as the hospital grounds, but the vibrant navy blue was a comfort of color. The gentleman startled when he met the sad, watery eyes of th...

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“Our Version of Events ” by E. Maguire

Submitted to Contest #79

There is a certain tone to the voice of a person who is talking on the phone with a practical stranger who just so happened to live through the initially believed end of the world with their daughter. It was a discovery I made in the first week back at home that summer. I could hear my Mum pacing around my Dad’s room – her old room – on the phone, and I knew instantly from that tone of voice that she was on the phone to him. It was sympathy and empathy; which I also learned that summer were two vastly different things; with a hint of awkward...

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“Behind the Bars” by Zeta Marchesi

Submitted to Contest #79

The first time I ever saw Bill was in a grey room, sitting cross-legged on the floor, hunched over a book. In any other circumstances, I wouldn't have missed the irony of our first meeting. But the Gary in my memories hasn't developed a sense of humour yet; all he had learnt to draw from life was its emptiness, much like the bunk bed he would be occupying for the next `one year. Hit by a sudden wave of exhaustion, I had flopped down on it and stared at the floor blankly. All this while, Bill had continued reading on without sparing me a glan...

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“Rock Island” by Kathleen Brosius

Submitted to Contest #79

Rock Island By Kathleen M. Brosius February 5, 2021 A steak of lightning bolted across the sky. Kathy screeched and dropped to the ground, her best friend Barb landing on top of her. The afternoon sky had darkened considerably since the two arrived at the dock of the Washington Ferry. Their plans were to take the ferry from the tip of Door County across the, sometimes treacherous water, to Washington Island. From there, a ferry would take them to Rock Island. Cars were welcome on Washington Island, but tiny Rock Island was strictly for ped...

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“Shattered” by Matthew Barron-MacFadden

Submitted to Contest #79

The second hand of the clock made its march around in agonizingly slow circles. Watching from just below the edge of a magazine not actually worthy of his attention, Joe counted down the minutes since the nurse had finished changing his bandages and left the room. Two more minutes. Gently biting down on his lip as he let out a slow breath, he nodded. Putting the magazine down, he rolled his wheelchair to the door and cautiously glanced around. As he’d hoped, the nurses were gathered at the station far down the hall, their backs turne...

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“A monster encounter” by Michael Mannen

Submitted to Contest #79

All stories usually start the same. Or at least they have similar elements. And this one should be no different. However, what happens in this story? That is what interests the reader.The main character is neutral, accurate and a rather optimistic person. Yet, like a lot of people, there's more to him because he has a tormented past. And the guy didn't have any passion. He's just been working many long hours. He was just a guy of your modern day. His life was certainly nothing extraordinary. It didn't even have to be explained, just men...

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“Disputation Period” by A. M.

Submitted to Contest #79

“Ugh, why do you always make this exact same mistake!” Ashley shouted in exasperation as she pushed her rolling chair back, “You never even try to listen to me.” “I would, if what came out of your mouth was actually pleasant,” Zach replied, looking rather displeased at his co-worker. Ashley stood up quietly at her desk, pacing around with her hands clawing at her auburn hair. Zach often described her as a tiger—vicious and fiery with a quick temper. And Ashley was about to lose it today. “Look, you should know what happens if som...

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“Misplaced Ideology” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #79

“Lost in the rain in Juarez, and it’s Easter time too.” The lyric seeking a place to find acceptance as the temperature neared 100 degrees. The narrow road evaporating in the heat, the yellow dashes dictating compliance, meld together as oasis form in the undulating wafts from the tar, as they rise to add discomfort to a marginally blue sky. The ocean no longer a promise but an illusion of itself, waits somewhere in the compartmentalized place in my mind where relief is no longer what you hope it to be, but has become a necessity a...

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“A Fighter and a Scholar” by Susannah Findley

Submitted to Contest #79

The colosseums in Rome were busiest on the sunny holidays when the citizens were feeling festive and needed entertainment of some sort. So it was in a certain large city in Rome one day, and the central arena was filled with a large and noisy crowd. One large family, likely the wealthiest there, laughed the loudest and smiled the widest in anticipation for the fun of the sport at hand. Among this lively group sat a very tall and powerfully built boy of around eighteen years, who spoke neither to the lordly men or vivacious...

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“Whiskey, bollocks and the aftermath” by Ritu Singh

Submitted to Contest #79

Thanksgiving week is the only time of the year when an international student catches a break in a foreign university. The vacation is perfectly positioned between the last day of classes and final exams and spans ten days. Auburn University is no exception to this, offering the students a week and a half of winter solace. A red-haired, nineteen-year-old Indian woman was sitting on the roadside snuggled in a zebra-print blanket. She was struggling to keep the cigarette in her hand lit long enough so she could use it to light another wi...

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“For Jo” by Joey Snell

Submitted to Contest #79

For Jo If I hadn’t been honest then I never would’ve ended up here. People say honesty is the best policy, me, I say honesty is over-rated. “Be real about how you feel and we can decide how best to help you,” they tried to convince me. Only (true to form) I was snarky with the psychiatrist and then they locked me up. Not my finest hour. However, when someone asks you, “Why did you walk into the lake that night?” in a totally serious voice as if this a reasonable question, I think, “Because I fancied a swim,” is a justified response. The ...

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“Loser” by ABK BK

Submitted to Contest #79

It was freezing cold as if the air itself had frozen till crypt. Thomas sat on a wooden bench as took a sip of his favourite burning hot espresso. Despite the age he’s struggling within, he yet has the guts to take upon this nature along with espresso, but who could not, when this is the day they promised long ago. He took another sip of that burning espresso, but this time the dream pulled him beneath till the old memories can still be enjoyed. It was long when life was hard, but unlike now when death did not want him inside the grave....

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“BLOOD MAKES YOU RELATED , LOYALTY MAKES YOU FAMILY” by Claire Ngesah

Submitted to Contest #79

BLOOD MAKES YOU RELATED BUT LOYALTY MAKES YOU FAMILY “I was scared. This was my first time and I did not know what to do. How do I start? What do I do? How do I do it? I stood there confused as he looked at me. A lot of things were running around my brain. If you’d open head up, you were to see an airport with so many landings and take offs. My fear was the Boeing 777 which was full to capacity. He kept on pointing at me to sit on it while I was froze at the door. “Claire! Claire!” The man was clapping in my face as he took my hand leading m...

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Write about two characters who’ve gone through something so intense they now feel like family.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 190 stories

“Battle Scars” by Erica Skylin

“The Flame” by Lizzy Everett

“The Old Man and the Marine” by Paige Fitzgerald

“Our Version of Events ” by E. Maguire

“Behind the Bars” by Zeta Marchesi

“Rock Island” by Kathleen Brosius

“Shattered” by Matthew Barron-MacFadden

“A monster encounter” by Michael Mannen

“Disputation Period” by A. M.

“Misplaced Ideology” by Joe Swanson

“A Fighter and a Scholar” by Susannah Findley

“Whiskey, bollocks and the aftermath” by Ritu Singh

“For Jo” by Joey Snell

“Loser” by ABK BK

“BLOOD MAKES YOU RELATED , LOYALTY MAKES YOU FAMILY” by Claire Ngesah

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone who decides it’s time to cut ties with a family member.

Your main character is approached by their long-estranged parent who wants to reconnect. How do they react?

Write about someone who discovers the only family member they have left has just betrayed them.

Write about a “found family” who are finally able to get together again after a long time apart.

Contest #79

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

905

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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