Center your story around someone facing their biggest fear or enemy.

Posted in Character on Aug 9, 2024

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✍️ 71 stories

“Kodeka's Purpose” by Branson Kennedy

Submitted to Contest #263

In a world full of warring nations, the advanced civilizations of the Mortallis species developed a new way of conducting espionage and warfare. This new avenue is through something called the Bellator Project. The results of the project are... mixed. In terms of what was expected, the nations of Helia, Celia, and the Megalachorin Alliance have developed a very robust system and maintain 'somewhat' fruitful relations with one another. The Utanic Empire, on the other hand, controls an entire super-continent and they believe they have a superi...

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“The Devil Smokes Marlboros” by Joseph Cillo Jr

Submitted to Contest #263

The devil smokes Marlboros. I know because he offered me one.“Cigarette?” A smile curled the corners of his lips—confident, almost smug. He wore an Armani suit, not some crazy red getup. He carried no pitchfork, though I would not be surprised if his tongue were forked.Now, it is never wise to converse with an ancient being who knew most all that ever happened, was created with super intelligence beyond the imagining of man, and who detested you and every creature like you since the very idea of your race came into the mind of God. Long ago,...

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“Emergency” by Melody Watson

Submitted to Contest #263

Emergency“You’ll be up and running on all cylinders in no time.”That's what they said. Every single one of them. After spending months, almost two years, arguing with the doctors that work was not possible, but falling to my knees was. I think the labs have drained me twice over. There was not a day or an hour I didn't wonder if it was my last. Going to sleep was another matter, simply put, exhaustion took over from staying awake twelve hours. This unwanted journey felt to have been a lifetime, nearly was in fact.The problem arose one night ...

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“Finding Home” by Steven Wierenga

Submitted to Contest #263

Mateusz sat down heavily in the gray and slosh of late winter under an oak tree. The marrow of his bones curdled; he was tired with a tired that could no longer tell time or season. He was tired of fighting and noise and death. He had stopped counting long ago the number of friends he had lost. He sat next to Josef, a jeweler’s son from Spandau, and Bruno, who had a fat face and wore a bandolier. Bruno’s hands weren’t greasy, but they looked like they should’ve been. Josef had only joined Die Piraten last year and m...

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“Hand of Faith” by A.M. Derge

Submitted to Contest #263

Sitting still, was unmistakably the hardest thing to have happened. Every minute her heel would tap on the carpeted floor. Feeling the sweat drip down her forehead in little tears was just the beginning. Soon her whole body would implode and take the world with it. Once again her foot tapped the carpet. Smelling the environment around her, gave a distinct smell of cologne, makeup, and desire. Her thoughts raced like a car going 100 miles an hour. She refused to look upon the room that was before her. Many times she sat in this very spot and ...

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“A Case of Mistaken Secret Identity” by Mary Wilkins

Submitted to Contest #263

Part I As a night-shift barista in Corner City, Riley Gardner had two top fears. Top Fear Number 1: Getting robbed at work (the Night Owl Café’s hours were 10:00pm to 5:00am). Top Fear Number 2: Meeting a villain. She’d never expected both to happen at once. Riley did as she’d been trained: opened the register, raised her hands, and stepped back. “Take it. It’s yours.” “Huh?” The Scale-Head scratched his head, then paused when his fingers felt the bumpy leather of his cowl. “Shit.” Behind his domino mask, his eyes were bleary and bloodshot....

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“A Solemn Fear ” by Sir Suirradel

Submitted to Contest #263

It looks just like him. His eyes singe from the waves of smoke that flood the air. Breathing becomes thinner as his sweaty palms hold onto a metal pipe. Covered in bruises, Ethan sniffles as he tries to kindle courage inside of his heart. Loneliness shrinks it as he peers this creature that stalks him. Fear snakes within his veins - and every plink injects more venom through his bloodstream. It looks...just like him. His almond coated eyes. His stupid freckles on the bridge of his button nose. His unkempt hair and his burly brows. Even the s...

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“I am Going to Ruin my Life ” by Samuel John

Submitted to Contest #263

I am Going to Ruin my LifeBy Sam John I’m going for a run! I told myself I’d do it and now, here I am. Post pandemic, still living with mum and dad but fixing my life. Giving myself lists, tasks, objectives. I can’t face going back to London just yet. I don’t want to hang out. I want to stay in this bubble. I’m listening to Derren Brown’s book: Happy. It’s really changing my life. He talks about the stoics and all these ancient Greek/modern day philosophers. What’s most important, I believe, with Stoicism is knowing how you can’t affe...

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“REALIABLY STATIC” by Carlos Hernandez

Submitted to Contest #263

It was so uncomfortable just to be near him again after two short years. After all, I only owed him spite, while he owed me everything, but I still wanted nothing from him. That coldness would keep him from even trying to act like a father. I just wanted him to know he was as relevant to me as my neighbor across the street. Besides, I was too emotionally high to dwell on spite because Killa Rush, the alpha male Rock-N-Hop star, with all of social and mainstream media around the world at his feet, had chosen me to be in his upcoming music vi...

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“"I'm so sorry"” by James Adams

Submitted to Contest #263

To say I’m scared is an understatement. Terrified? No, that doesn’t sound quite right. Maybe horrified? Definitely not horrified. How about mortified? Yeah… that’s the word. I’m absolutely, positively, mortified to see my family. I wish I could just turn around and run down the faded red brick steps directly behind me, jump into my 2005 light blue Prius and drive back to Chicago. But I can’t. I’ve been standing on their porch so long I fear that the snow has frozen my feet in place, making escape challening. I didn’t want to come either...

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“Super LaLa” by Chloe Sehr

Submitted to Contest #263

Super LaLaBy Chloé Sehr Ode to Jennifer, the LOVE OF MY LIFEJenniferJenniferJenniferDo you remember, Jennifer, when we French kissed under the bleachers after cheerleading practice?I can still taste the sweet Dr. Pepper of your Bonnie Bell lip balm on my lipsthe tight polyester of your uniform was really tight against your boobsthe pleats of your skirt rising up just enough for me to see your little cotton panties, the ones with the tiny cherry blossoms on themyour sweet head gently resting on a pillow of our pom-pomsI tenderly fondled yo...

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Center your story around someone facing their biggest fear or enemy.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 71 stories

“Kodeka's Purpose” by Branson Kennedy

“The Devil Smokes Marlboros” by Joseph Cillo Jr

“Emergency” by Melody Watson

“Finding Home” by Steven Wierenga

“Hand of Faith” by A.M. Derge

“A Case of Mistaken Secret Identity” by Mary Wilkins

“A Solemn Fear ” by Sir Suirradel

“I am Going to Ruin my Life ” by Samuel John

“REALIABLY STATIC” by Carlos Hernandez

“"I'm so sorry"” by James Adams

“Super LaLa” by Chloe Sehr

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story from the antagonist’s point of view.

Start or end your story with a hero losing their powers.

Write about two mortal enemies who must work together.

Write the origin story of a notorious villain.

Contest #263

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

314

Contest entries

109

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: