Write about a contest with life or death stakes.

Posted in Adventure on May 22, 2021

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✍️ 145 stories

“No greater stakes” by Vameerah Darren

Submitted to Contest #66

This year was going to suck. I knew that. I’d known that for years. The trials were beginning, and soon, Keith Harrison would be next in line. Well, Keith Harrison, was me. 18 years old, everyone always told me that I had my whole life ahead of me, my mom just told me that I had time. Time, no one ever really knew how much of it they had left, and for me, time was running out. The trials were held every five years, whoever was 18 on those years, would probably hate their birthday. The Kesians, or “Keys” would round up every single 18...

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“High Stakes.” by Patricia Green

Submitted to Contest #66

“How the hell did this happen?” I yelled to myself in the dark. Another small “blink-and-you-miss” town flew by the window, with just one house to be seen. I tried to blink away the tiredness in my eyes, realising my husband’s life depended on me staying awake. My eyes felt gritty and sore from staring at the road for four hours, and I had a long way to go. As I drove through the night, I thought back to how this had all started. I didn’t have a lot of friends but the ones I did have were very loyal. The girls went shopping together, t...

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“The Zombie Colosseum” by Yoana Corro

Submitted to Contest #66

Alive another day. Evelynn opened her eyes slowly, wincing at the tiny sliver of bright light that stole through the only crack in the room. The floor she was on was damp, slimy, and disgusting. She sat up quickly, running her hands against the worn jeans she was wearing for--what? --longer than she could say. She looked around the enclosure, her anxiety rising like a tide. The one light bulb in the cage clicked and clacked, the light slowly losing hope and fading. She rubbed her temples, trying to recall how she had gotten here. With...

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“Not Just Another Competition” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #66

It started out as just another competition between the two of them. They were long time rivals since they were in public school. But Mark began to realize that in this instance it was going to be so much more. Mike had been talking, bragging really, about his ability in a canoe. He used the term ‘master paddler’. Mark could not take much of that, so he was drawn in, questioning out loud whether Mike was really any better than anyone in the room of drinkers that was Mike’s audience. He eventually came to se...

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“Ready for it?” by Natalie Chirico

Submitted to Contest #66

She sat on the ground. It was cold and seemed like it could never be even if you tried, it was to rocky. She could tell it was cement even if she couldn't see it. There was a bag over her head. She could hear other people she seemed to be struggling in the same room as her. Her hands were tied behind her back and her feet were tied together. Stuck is a feeling that is just fowl. She could hear the others trying to scream for help but it was all muffled. Footsteps echoed through the room and ...

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“Life, as Taught by the Metaphysical” by Kay O'connell

Submitted to Contest #66

“Okay, so if I’m getting this correctly, it’s like a game,” the boy said, spinning absentmindedly in his chair, hands folded tightly against an anxiety-riddled stomach. “Exactly! You,” the man replied, pinning an imaginary name-tag to the former’s breast, “are Kevin. You will be playing an 6 pound baby born to Tom and Christine Jones. They live on Walnut Street in North Dakota and…. ooh, someone’s going to have a dog! They’re a nice enough family. Now, don’t do anything too stupid when you get out there. Remember, your life depends on...

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“The Colossal” by Harlow Jones

Submitted to Contest #66

I didn’t like how beautiful a day it was for people to die. Beyond the capital’s limits, I imagined sunshine blanketing fields of birds and butterflies, little wings fluttering away without a clue in our broken and devastated world that people had made plans to watch their neighbors die today. I wasn’t sure if I was walking myself or if the crowd was just pushing me along. I didn’t want to be there, so my mind let itself go back home to bake bread with my mother, while my feet continued their dirge. I thought of kneading dough as the surrou...

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“The Reaping” by Hanna Moore

Submitted to Contest #66

Death is never something a fifteen year old should have to worry about first thing in the morning. At least, that's what I think. According to the government, anyone over ten should pay for the decisions of our ancestors. Upon the establishment of the "New World Government," we've had our contest called "The Reaping." The rules are, as they've been explained to us by the Reapers, that anyone over the age of ten must compete in the contest. When we are ten, we're forced to get our number tattooed on our forearm. Then, every three years, five...

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“What remains” by Alina Starling

Submitted to Contest #66

She blinked at the man sitting across from her, watching him with nothing akin to pity. She recognised that look in his eyes, saw it a million times before on men just like him – something bordering on desperation, but not nearly as visceral. There was anxiety there, of course, and fear, yes, plenty of fear, but it was somehow… sadder than that. Defeat, maybe, she thought to herself, pursing her lips as to suppress yet another untimely smile. Blackjack was easy, his kind always hit until they bust, but she was, admittedly, rubbish at chess,...

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“Sweet Little Billy-Jo” by Colin Devonshire

Submitted to Contest #66

“Where is my angel?” “Here I am daddy.” “Now, what are these police officers doing to you?” “Nothing, they are just asking me questions.” “Where is your mum?” “She is in there,” Billie-Jo points across the corridor. “She won’t be long, sir,” a policewoman said. “What happened?” “There was a nasty accident. Your daughter, uh, witnessed it. We need to ask her a few questions.” “Are you okay, princess?” Jack asked his smiling daughter. His darling daughter was thinking back, she was replaying the scene in her mind. “How can I dance with a boy i...

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“To Death Do Us Part” by James Morris

Submitted to Contest #66

The king stood up from his throne, holding a long staff, he raised his arm. The crowded amphitheater went quiet. Two prisoners stood in the middle of the arena; two brothers stood side by side. Guards in their golden armor stood behind each one with their swords drawn in the event someone tried to escape. The two prisoners were covered in sweat from the midday's heat. The aroma of death still lingered in the air from the previous arena battle. The king spoke. “You have been found guilty of theft and murder. I will leave it to God to decide...

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“The way of the Scar” by Sam Kelly

Submitted to Contest #66

The steel barricades grated open, rust tearing from the chains and sand blowing into the chamber from the new breeze that appeared with the light, cutting into the darkness of the chamber. Torin glanced to his side, and seeing Frentor’s nervous smile, he grasped his blade and rose. The light reflected weirdly off the bronze blade, weak by usual standards, but made unbreakable by the combination of the diamond in its hilt and the magic of his heritage. The handle stretched the length of his arm, half spear, half sword. A deadly weapon and a p...

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“Six Separate Sins” by Jim Snyder

Submitted to Contest #66

“I’ve gathered the six of us here tonight because one of us has not been telling the truth. Tonight, it all comes out, or one of us dies.” I heard the protestations of everyone sitting on the rocks around me, but I was more interested in the moon. Still hanging low in the sky, three-quarters full, yet able to cast an eerie glow over the desert I found myself in. The many varied shapes of cacti, arms stretching skyward, pointy needles ready to pierce the unsuspecting all looked like strangely comical observers to the awkward predicament we ...

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“Utopia's Shadow” by Sara Blanch

Submitted to Contest #66

The crisp white form laying neatly on the plastic clipboard she had been given stared at her mockingly as the tiny seeds of doubt within her began to sprout. Every single part of her clashed with her current environment...from the pristine cream colour scheme of the room to the immaculately dressed people surrounding her. Neatly manicured hands filled out their forms with smug expressions, they knew their place in the world...life had been handed to them on a silver platter. They were sure of their gifts, whether it be physical, intelle...

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“Lucky” by New Inspirations

Submitted to Contest #66

The bullet pierced straight in to the left chest of Laxman oozing out a fountain of dark red blood,on the other side Kareem Chacha shreiked and grabbed his shoulder,the bullet from Laxman's pistol had wounded his shoulder.Raqeeb had ran towards Kareem chacha to hold him before he fell and just 15 meters away from him Laxman held his chest to stop the blood,the earth was revolving around him,the face had wrinkles on it which showed great agony and pain,the finger left the hold of the trigger ,it fell on the sand,the storm had already started ...

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Write about a contest with life or death stakes.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 145 stories

“No greater stakes” by Vameerah Darren

“High Stakes.” by Patricia Green

“The Zombie Colosseum” by Yoana Corro

“Not Just Another Competition” by John Steckley

“Ready for it?” by Natalie Chirico

“Life, as Taught by the Metaphysical” by Kay O'connell

“The Colossal” by Harlow Jones

“The Reaping” by Hanna Moore

“What remains” by Alina Starling

“Sweet Little Billy-Jo” by Colin Devonshire

“To Death Do Us Part” by James Morris

“The way of the Scar” by Sam Kelly

“Six Separate Sins” by Jim Snyder

“Utopia's Shadow” by Sara Blanch

“Lucky” by New Inspirations

🌟 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: