Dream up a secret library. Write a story about an adventurer who discovers it. What’s in the library? Why was it kept secret?

Posted in Adventure on May 17, 2024

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✍️ 97 stories

“Stories from the Emporium” by Anna Frederiksen-Washington

Submitted to Contest #251

The good thing about leaving the mainland and settling on an island is that it is all up to you to make it happen.Anita sat on the porch looking through the branches of the old pepper tree towards the bay where the water was an intense blue now in the late afternoon. She took another sip of the chilled wine and thought that she should walk down to the foreshore and watch the seabirds even though she felt tired from painting and cleaning. American River was known for its birdlife, and it was not unusual to see pelicans and black swans swimmin...

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“The Fruit Thereof Dust” by Amy Kurth

Submitted to Contest #251

TW: mention of abuse, poisoning. For the crown of our life as it closes Is darkness, the fruit thereof dust;No thorns go as deep as a rose's, And love is more cruel than lust.Time turns the old days to derision, Our loves into corpses or wives;And marriage and death and division Make barren our lives. – Algernon Charles Swinburne Un The rain beat a slow, irregular tempo against the windows of the Musé...

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“An Unforgettable ‘Trip’ to Forget” by Matt Austin

Submitted to Contest #251

Jack shouldered open the half-glass, leaded front door of the Old Coffee House pub on the corner of Beak Street and Marshall Street, Soho. As the door opened wider a riot of noise hit his ears. As Jack glanced around the red, sticky-carpeted bar, inhaling its heavy fug of lager and real ale, he was dismayed to find that there was not a single empty table to be had anywhere. Not only that, but all the spaces between the tables were also filled by yapping punters, many the worse for drink. Jack guessed that there must be some event going on in...

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“Jeannie's Wishes” by Louise Tawfik

Submitted to Contest #251

What if your wishes could come true?The shameful ones and the virtuous ones, with no limit or repercussions?What would you wish for?And do you deserve it?Bespectacled with a black helmet of hair – Olga Osborne was small, insignificant and compact, much like her existence. She trudged through life without family and friends and her oddness caused people to give her a wide berth. It was 1997 and Olga’s job was bland and monotonous; every day she filed papers for a big nameless, shapeless insurance company. Policy documents, receipts, copies of...

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“Sphinx's Library” by Jared Stine

Submitted to Contest #251

After hours of hiking through the woods, Ryan and Leonard reached their destination. Ryan shivered and held his blue hoodie while the breeze blew through his black hair while Leonard ignored the cold and allowed his red coat and brown hair to flow freely. The sight was worth it. For Leonard, he was gazing upon a mystical structure filled with knowledge and wonder. However, for Ryan all he saw was… “A rock?” “It’s not just a rock,” Leonard laughed. “It’s a bolder!” Ryan raised a brow as he watched his friend run excitedly toward t...

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“The Treasure” by Jenny Franquiz

Submitted to Contest #251

There is a storm that is raining with thunder. I awake in the middle of the night with terror dreams again. This nightmare doesn't go away so easily. Susan, why are you awake again hearing a voice so rough?It's my father Steven again, oh sweetheart what's going on, you must sleep to go to school went to bed as my father said, I couldn't sleep at all. I stood very worried about my night terror dreams. It is trying to tell me something unknown, feel the chills inside of me in this nightmare as if so real. This must be something more, a night...

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“The Taboo” by Khyre Edwards

Submitted to Contest #251

Splatters of rain strike the makeshift tin roof of the debilitated house the boy hid in.He sat with his ear to the door trying to listen for the heavy bootsteps that would signal his imminent death. As always we felt that his heart was beating too loudly, his palms were sweaty and he was slightly nauseous. But as he reached into his pocket to ensure the little scrap of paper was still there, he felt alive. Confident that he was in the clear, the boy opened the door and peeked out.No one, just the usual - bombed out buildings, ...

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“The Wellerman Comes and Goes” by Murphy Quinn

Submitted to Contest #251

"There once was a man who came to be,The name of the man was the keeper, you see.The pages flipped up and dipped down low,Oh, come, dear adventurers, come, come."The librarian hummed along to a local tune, diligently dusting away at books with no dust."Cling-cling-cling."The librarian didn't look back because there were barely any who remember the quaint little library tucked away in the forbidden forest."It might be time for the library to go,” pondered the librarian. The bells had been ringing all day, and though this time they were louder...

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“Dear Abby” by Gus Nigro

Submitted to Contest #251

Dear Abby The dark complexioned woman looking over the ten miniature pewter spoons in a rack which should have held twelve was Lena Grande, who had been a student in Professor Albert Grande’s graduate philosophy course two years ago but who had since become Mrs. Grande. Although he was always addressed by Lena as Albert, the advocate of Nietzsche preferred to be called “El Grande.” The red headed woman looking through...

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“To Remember or Not” by Crowley Foster

Submitted to Contest #251

(Content warning for memory loss and dissociation.)It started with me solving the final puzzle, and unlocking the final lock.It was like a fever dream. Hours of mindless research over and over again had led up to me reaching my final destination – this library. A library nobody had access to up until now. Up until I found it, until I unlocked what was behind those twenty something doors.Heavens above, I was proud of myself for once. I felt the slightest bit fulfilled. It left me in shock, and gave me a shot of adrenaline. I couldn’t exactly ...

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“Shadow Library” by Jeff V

Submitted to Contest #251

Countless tomes. Stacks of essays. And that is just what I have written and read. The pursuit of knowledge and wisdom enamored me with the love of books and reading as well as discovery. Each alchemical text, each spirituality, each esoteric lore has added to my own understanding of this world, for which I find myself avenging after more. Soon, with my father leading, the hunt for wisdom became the hunt for books. To find that one book or collection of books that would finally cinch the explanation on how to achieve near divinity on Earth. ...

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“A Surprise Inheritance” by Leslie Kirc

Submitted to Contest #251

The mailman had come early. I was still in my lounge clothes. I looked out the glass slits in the door. No one was out across the street or down the road. I do not know why I worried. I had a lot more on then most teenagers and young women. The wrinkles on my arms and saggy tits surely could not be noticed at such a distances, as from the street.I opened the door and was pleasantly surprised the day was not going to be scorching hot. It is nice when the weathermen get it right now and then. I turned to the mailbox next to the door and found ...

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“the blanket library” by Daralynn Dennis

Submitted to Contest #251

Tilly found herself staring at a gate. It was a very intricate variation of controlled access, it was woven from thorny vine and, from what Tilly gathered, finely cut stems of copper. She had gone to a park, but really it was more of a garden, one that was obscure and rarely visited, in a sense it had been forgotten. It was one of her favorite pastimes, traveling to destinations unknown. There had been some kind of glitch however though she felt in the navigation system settings or perhaps the cell phone itself, it was a rather ou...

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“The Book of Heroes” by Oliver S. Andreasen

Submitted to Contest #251

When Isabella was young, she regarded the kingdom’s soldiers as heroes. Now, she regarded them as the true enemy. That didn’t mean all soldiers from the forces were cruel, because her father, Eli, was a true hero. For fifteen years, he had gone missing. Isabella had asked neighbors, relatives, or even a soldier that felt generous enough to answer questions from a little girl. No one knew where he was. But, perhaps, could the Chamber of Ages tell Isabella where Eli went? A book in there documented every soldier who had served in the kingdom. ...

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“Levende Bibliotek” by Paula Webb

Submitted to Contest #251

Levende Bibliotek The dark green cover of the book feels scaly like an alligator’s skin. My fingers slowly trace the rumpled texture as I incredulously breathe, “Where did this come from?” I look up to see other books, stacks of books, laying on their side, standing upright and others stacked precariously with wide swaths of gossamer clinging to their edges. Each book has gold lettering on the spine that shines, despite the layers of dust and years of neglect. The floor too is littered with small and large stacks of books, each with go...

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Dream up a secret library. Write a story about an adventurer who discovers it. What’s in the library? Why was it kept secret?

Submissions are closed

✍️ 97 stories

“Stories from the Emporium” by Anna Frederiksen-Washington

“The Fruit Thereof Dust” by Amy Kurth

“An Unforgettable ‘Trip’ to Forget” by Matt Austin

“Jeannie's Wishes” by Louise Tawfik

“Sphinx's Library” by Jared Stine

“The Treasure” by Jenny Franquiz

“The Taboo” by Khyre Edwards

“The Wellerman Comes and Goes” by Murphy Quinn

“Dear Abby” by Gus Nigro

“To Remember or Not” by Crowley Foster

“Shadow Library” by Jeff V

“A Surprise Inheritance” by Leslie Kirc

“the blanket library” by Daralynn Dennis

“The Book of Heroes” by Oliver S. Andreasen

“Levende Bibliotek” by Paula Webb

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about discovering a lost manuscript. It can be from a famous (or infamous) author, or an unknown one.

Your protagonist is a writer who discovers a new favorite author. How does their writing, or even their own personality, change as the protagonist falls under the writer’s influence?

Write a story about a future academic (or another influential person) “rediscovering” a book that, in its time, was dismissed. The book can be fictitious or real.

Your protagonist is a voracious reader. Lately, they’ve been noticing odd synchronicities in the books he or she is reading. What does the protagonist discover is happening?

Contest #251

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

234

Contest entries

76

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: