Write about a contest with life or death stakes.

Posted in Adventure on May 22, 2021

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✍️ 145 stories

“The Storm Mage's Gambit” by Mel Shield

Submitted to Contest #66

Sensing the faintest compression of the ancient slab under bare foot, Olaria thrust her arms outwards before bringing them tight about herself in a securing embrace. Swirling, yet soundless, a gust of air encircled the young woman, whipping up dust and tearing cobwebs from narrow walls and low ceiling. Like the eye she remained calm, concentrated, as the shielding storm raged on about her, catching the bolt mid-flight. A heartbeat later the obsidian tipped missile’s momentum shifted, casting it away to shatter against a wall. Exhali...

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“A Murder of Crows ” by Elizabeth Inkim

Submitted to Contest #66

A savage wind howled through the forest. Rustling the brittle leaves, it snapped the bowing barks and branches of the ancient wood into pieces, leaving a carnage of scattered twigs in its wake. Through the dim moonlight of winter, Declan sat around the campfire, shoulder to shoulder with his brethren, waiting for the Council of Elders to commence the Blood Rite. The Blood Rite was a traditional contest amongst the Mountain Men of the Highlands, that occurred a fortnight after every Chief’s death. Open to all warriors and families of the clan...

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“Good luck and bad luck” by You'd Think A Writer Would Have A More Creative Name .

Submitted to Contest #66

1924 wordsRated 12+; torture, death, violence"The tv isn't working!" shouts Kat.I roll my eyes. Getting up from my spot on the couch, I kneel down in front of the television. Apparently no one in my family can get it to work. A remote is thrust into my hands. "Is this sticky? Kat, have you been eating and touching the remote?"Kat shrugs. She shoves her hands in the pockets of her green sweater. She has no respect for the remote. She wolfs down a chocolate bar while watching a movie, and none of us can change it because we don't want to get o...

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“Ma's Golden boy” by An Echo

Submitted to Contest #66

Ma's Golden boy sat at the quiet dinner table with a full plate. He wasn't Ma's favourite, Ma never did favourites; as always, every one at the table had equal portions. Although, Ma didn't heed to the plea of her Golden boy, the bland porridge wasn't all that bland, that's because they ate in tears. It's only normal they cried, they had watched their brother die few minutes ago. And now they were forced to have dinner. "You'd better eat your food, if you don't want to end up like him," Ma had said. Ma had a few rules. Ma neve...

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“You Think?” by Inkstained Introvert

Submitted to Contest #66

Sometimes I dream about winning. Early in the morning, when my brain is supposed to think of absolutely nothing at all, when my eyes are supposed to be closed and I’m supposed to be lying still on the padded table I rest on, my brain fantasizes. Upon the black canvas of nothingness they prompt our consciousness into, my brain draws shapes while I sleep. It creates colors and sounds and I can feel everything. Every night it’s different; sometimes my mom is there, or Jack, my sister, or my girlfriend Dera. But every night, one thing is t...

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“Aldorriha's Prodigies ” by Lilly Alves

Submitted to Contest #66

The whole forest seemed to be shedding tears. Snow melted like a weeping child, unable to elude the powerful warmth of the sun, running down the rough faces of nearby oaks and birch. The forest mourns as well, I think. The songs of birds fill my ears. Their melodies celebrate winter's end, but even their notes leave some sadness. Spring is not a happy time where I come from. This season was meant for rejoicing. Where new life should be born and fresh beginnings made. For me, this is a time to grieve. Not for the past, but for the future. Whe...

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“The Thousandth Strike to Create my Legacy” by B Easton

Submitted to Contest #66

Nine-hundred and ninety-nine different shades of blood stretched down my sword as I fastened the armor around my chest. Off to my side, the other gladiators gazed at me with expressions of fear and awe. Out of the forty men who’d entered the arena today, only twenty of us remained, ten on each side. One of the unfortunate souls on the other end would be my opponent, and with Mars’s blessing, his fate would be the same as the others. One more body beneath me, and I’d finally be high enough to create my legacy. The door swung open, and a cool ...

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“The Player In First Place: The Last One Standing PART 2” by Dude Man

Submitted to Contest #66

Drip.....drop.....As the soft petals fall to the ground, and with them... The soft cries.The tears of the rain, filling the forest with their blissful sound.... Trying to call out to the deceived, Alas, it is to no avail... For the deceived cannot hear the truth. Nor bear to understand it.... Their wish is to be deceived until they have to pay the price....Aline woke up. The fresh smell of wood and rain filling her nostrils, outside of the cabin she heard rain pouring aggressively on the wooden roof."Crap, who built this roof to leak?" Lian ...

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“Love Without Fate” by A. Nelson

Submitted to Contest #66

The last thing she saw before passing out, was her partners pail white face...“This is gonna be awesome, I can’t wait, we are so gonna win this”,Quinn said with excitement, packing her large army fatigue bag and tossing it over her back. Quinn Lambert has been a adventurous child and grew to be a very enthusiastic woman. She had began mountain climbing when she was only 7 years old and mud races when she was 10. She loved snakes and other slimy reptiles and considered herself a tomboy due to her boyish ways. She never liked dresses and...

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“Death's Haven ” by Phoebe DeNeve

Submitted to Contest #66

Nick was sleeping in what he thought was a safe underground bunker that some survivors had abandoned a long time ago. Nick thought that only the survivors knew about it, but he was wrong. He remembered the metal door swinging open and a group of men and women rushing in. They caught him quickly, blindfolded him, and dragged him to a some sort of vehicle to take him who-knows-where. Nick began to pound on the metal walls; his eyes were adjusting to the dark, and he saw markings on the wall that made him stop wasting his energy. He knew the sy...

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“Princess Games” by Random Person

Submitted to Contest #66

What would you do if you got stuck in a video game, as the best character in the game, which happens to be a princess? What would you do if said princess died? Well, I hope you're ready for this folks, cause hell, have I got a story to tell you. Our story starts when a gamer called Eliot Quint Jackson decides to play a video game called clash empire, and loves the game so much, that in a matter of two days finishes all the levels except the final one.Oct. 5th in the small town of Oakguanda"Hell yes! That's what you get you baboon! You a...

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“Only One Winner” by Navneeth N

Submitted to Contest #66

I was tired of the games. There was no other option. I had to shoot him. It would be hard, but I had to.Being scared has always been a habit of mine. It isn’t hard for my hands to become sweaty and the hairs on my neck to stand straight. But today, I have a reason to be scared. My parents and sister are on their deathbeds. They are counting on me. Why shouldn’t I be scared? I ponder this while I wait in my cell, ready to be hoisted up onto the arena like an animal. I have a flashback of elementary school, learning about the an...

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“snowy drive” by Shalee Mingus

Submitted to Contest #66

Mason was driving on a country road to his aunt Felicia's house when a blizzard rose up. He suddenly hit an icy patch. “This is all for naught. I am going to pass away in this blizzard and no one will find my body,” he thought worriedly. He was suddenly in a ditch when his life flashed before his eyes and he said in a barely audible whisper, “Jesus, I know I have not been a perfect child and I so often forget what’s important in life. Please forgive me. I have sinned in thought, word, and deed. By what I have done and what I have left u...

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“Just Breathe” by Debbie Teague

Submitted to Contest #66

“Wait here until you are called. You can do this; it is what you have been trained for. Go well young warrior.” With those words Master K9 closed the door to the room his apprentice was in to join the elders in the arena. He was not allowed to project any positive thoughts or do anything that could put young David at an advantage. He must succeed or fail of his own accord. More than one life hung in the balance of this upcoming battle though - if his protege David won the battle, peace would reign, if not, darkn...

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“Forever An Assassin” by Austin Miller

Submitted to Contest #66

The alarm pierced through the air, but Jesse Conley was already awake. A decade of regimented living will do that to a man, courtesy of the CIA’s demanding schedule. But Jesse walked away from that life three years ago, and he was wanted because of it. A “criminal” for deserting his country. At least, that’s how the media spun the story. Jesse knew better. The real criminals owned the media, and the media did what they were told. Jesse wasn’t perfect – far from it. The guilt reminded him of that much.But a criminal? No. Jesse was no criminal...

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Write about a contest with life or death stakes.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 145 stories

“The Storm Mage's Gambit” by Mel Shield

“A Murder of Crows ” by Elizabeth Inkim

“Good luck and bad luck” by You'd Think A Writer Would Have A More Creative Name .

“Ma's Golden boy” by An Echo

“You Think?” by Inkstained Introvert

“Aldorriha's Prodigies ” by Lilly Alves

“The Thousandth Strike to Create my Legacy” by B Easton

“The Player In First Place: The Last One Standing PART 2” by Dude Man

“Love Without Fate” by A. Nelson

“Death's Haven ” by Phoebe DeNeve

“Princess Games” by Random Person

“Only One Winner” by Navneeth N

“snowy drive” by Shalee Mingus

“Just Breathe” by Debbie Teague

“Forever An Assassin” by Austin Miller

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with one character telling another, “It doesn’t count if you’re already planning your defeat.”

Halfway through a fierce competition, your character is given the opportunity to cheat their way to victory: do they take it?

Write about a character who makes a dramatic life change to pursue a goal they’ve secretly always wanted.

Write about a character who’s finally on the verge of achieving their lifelong dream.

Contest #66

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

584

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: