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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Write a story about a character in search of something or someone.

Posted in Angst on Oct 25, 2022

Submissions are closed

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✍️ 94 stories

“The Black Sun” by Mirtis Sison

Submitted to Contest #124

"Has Dr. Wyse discovered what it was?" "No. He said he needs to find the source of that substance. He said it came from a peculiar Toltec statue." "Is it at the museum?" "No. A so-called exorcist was brought in because of paranormal activity happening at the museum after they brought in the statue. She told them to return the statue, and they did. After it was returned to its temple, things stopped flying off the walls and museum goers stopped being harassed by the invisible." "Well, ain't that crazy!" "Yep. But guess what? I don't...

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“What Is In A Name?” by Jane Curtis

Submitted to Contest #124

My quiet night at home ended with an invitation to play bingo. I met 9 women named Jane. After the introductions, we all sat at the same table. We chatted about how each of them had gotten the name, Jane. It is an old name in these parts and once the vote was counted, it was unanimous; all of us really like our names. We all related stories about our names. This was mine. While I was at the orphanage, I was called Cotton-top because my hair was snow-white. My little sister, however, called me Mommy. I was five, and she was three when we we...

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“Tell Me It’s Not ” by Misty Malone

Submitted to Contest #124

As I reflect on the past remembering all the different aspects of my brothers life, I find myself overwhelmed with emotions. As I struggle to forgive myself and find some kind of peace within, my mind takes me back to that heartbreaking moment when my worst fears became a reality. That moment that tore my entire world apart. The guilt I feel for not going and finding my brother to make sure he was safe can be absolutely consuming. I had this overwhelming feeling the night before that something terrible what’s g...

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“HalloTweeny” by Deborah Nielsen

Submitted to Contest #124

Hallotweenys’ Tale Spin Shelbi sat entranced at the Dragon Fly, as it flew near and far below Destinies ear. Shelbie's eyes were then drawn to the Manor House window. Evening was fast approaching and the sky was brooding; the chill in the air fighting for dominance against the hearth fire, the hearth wasn’t winning. Shelbie's thoughts once more were drawn to Destinies ear, why did the Dragon Fly stay there as if on a leash? There are just so many places to explore Shelbi reasoned? If only I can get her attention, over here Shelbi waved, ove...

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“The Self-Service Factory” by Layal Baydoun

Submitted to Contest #124

Note that italics=flashback The wheels of the Mercedes spun to life, as Ryan drove out of the garage of his childhood home. He adjusted the mirror and stared at his dark green eyes. This was not how he had imagined his vacation would go, but family emergency rarely gave warnings. On his phone, he set a GPS course to the town of Upville.  He raised his fingers to his forehead to carefully massage it. He had a headache forming from the earlier conversation with his mother. “Thank you for coming by on such short notice. I know that you...

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“Don't Talk to Strangers” by Tara James

Submitted to Contest #124

Don’t Talk to Strangers  JUNE 22, 1982,  Gravestown, NY Life as they knew it would cease, it would take until 4 years short of fifty to rectify his mistake. Evil, this way comes.  "Slow down dumb ass!" If excited, he could not be slowed down, so Carl ran faster and grabbed his arm to halt him. "What's your hurry, ya late for a date or something?" "There's a carnival here I just know there is!" "So?" "So, we need to find it, please? That cotton candy is going to be SO good!"  "What cott-" Carl sto...

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“Treasure Hunting, Dragon Style” by Ann Kitching

Submitted to Contest #124

Cramped in the dead end of a rock-walled maze, foot talons stuck in goo, wings brushing cobwebs, hand talons gripping flashlight and map, Ashley growled curses on the dragon whose directions had lead to this impasse. She was just doing her job, sent into the labyrinth to recover a treasure. Some dragons took protecting their treasure too seriously, but this guy was crazy. She’d passed taser traps, mouse-mazes, and a bucket-of-slime-over-the-door trick. Infantile stuff. Frederick Watstheprob was no genius. He should pay the bank the money he ...

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“A Sailor on the Endless Sea of Stars” by Cliff Pratt

Submitted to Contest #124

A Sailor on the Endless Sea of Stars “I was a sailor. I sailed the endless sea of stars, hopping from galaxy to galaxy, from star cluster to star cluster, from star system to star system, even from Universe to Universe, looking for that rarest of phenomena, self-organised matter. Matter with the capacity for metabolism, growth, reaction to stimuli, and reproduction. In short, life. And specifically, the type of life termed ‘intelligent’ life. The sort that creates civilizations and which builds cities and collects knowledge.” Nessa looked a...

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“What I Never Said” by Paola Villacis

Submitted to Contest #124

The book was the only thing they had left. Winnie knew that. Everyone in the family knew that. His last book, the will inside, one lucky winner. Was it a terrible way to decide who kept the family fortune? Perhaps, but everybody was too busy looking for the book to care. Winnie had checked the entire house, top to bottom. Frank had gone in his sleep, quietly and fast, no pain. His overpriced mattress probably made the trip easier. Down by her hip was a desk, the same desk they used to play hide and seek in as children, so many pict...

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“Saints and Monsters” by Sage Rosell

Submitted to Contest #124

1820 The Pastor sits in his empty church long after all the congregation has left. It is night, and the air is cold and still as death. He wears a faded suit and hat. His hair is gray and thinning at his crown, a thick beard concealing his jaw, his face weathered and eyes red from crying. He rises from the pews and walks to the table beneath the podium. It is lined with candles. He lights them one by one, until their collective light casts dancing shadows over the bronze crucifix on the wall above him. He gazes with forlorn eyes at the fac...

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“The Stranger” by Jay Ma

Submitted to Contest #124

We used to wake up on hot summer days skin sticky, mouth parched, hair tousled with sleep. We would splash water over our dresses and head down the stairs holding our wet clothes tight against our thighs. Sometimes our mothers would catch us sneaking out and hand us the household’s dirty laundry, a reminder to not get too cute about our lives. We were down at the beach playing around, the cleaned laundry draped over branches and flapping in the wind, when a naked man emerged from behind a bush. Girls, girls, he called out to us. My frie...

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“The End of The Search” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #124

        The virus killed five thousand people in the first month. The pharmaceutical companies worked 24 hr, 7 days a week, struggling to find a vaccine. Then, a rumor started that a doctor working off the grid in a remote section of Eastern Africa had stumbled on a cure. Infectious Disease Specialist Doctor Ernesto Fernandez became the most sought-after person on the planet. But unfortunately, Doctor Fernandez, along with his discovery, had disappeared.       &n...

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“Home” by Veronika Walker

Submitted to Contest #124

There is something exciting and terrifying about not knowing quite where you’re going to end up. Like pointing to a spot on a map and deciding that’s where you are going to go then that’s it, you go. Unless you are not the travelling type and the spot on the map is only one stop of many to get to where you must, not want, to go. Add to that the reward of the impromptu trip being a fight with your ex-husband, Bakster to retrieve your soon-to-be furious 8-year-old daughter, Rosalinda. Then the drive back to Lafayette with that furious child. R...

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“The Transformation ” by Gabby Agho

Submitted to Contest #124

He knew that to find out who he really was, and who he was to become would involve an inordinate amount of work. He knew something was missing in his quest to become fully Human with feelings and emotions, wishes and dreams. What it was, he had yet to discover. And discovery was not without its risks!           Here he was, trapped between two realms. Could he transform and return, or was he destined to evolve in this realm? Would the quest to find himself be too great?He was told about ...

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“The Case of the Missing Wife” by Olivia Snead

Submitted to Contest #124

 Edgar Nikephoros Huntinger had an appointment with Canton Heronly, a director for the Miami Telephone Company at 9:00 on Monday morning. He hummed cheerfully as he dressed. Something causal would be right for this meeting, he thought. He went to his wardrobe and chose a quarter sleeved brown striped beige shirt, and brown slacks. He attached his prosthetic foot, donned his white socks, and laced up his sneakers. After a breakfast of cheese omelet and coffee, he went into his office. He put a recorder into his brown leather shoulder bag...

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Contest #124

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Title: Birth Mother

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