Write a story about a stranger coming to town and shaking up the order of things.

Posted in Character on Jun 23, 2023

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✍️ 57 stories

“George West” by Joyce McBurney

Submitted to Contest #204

GEORGE WEST It’s not uncommon for a town to be named after its founder or a person of great influence, such is the case of the city in Live Oak County named George West. History tells us that George and Kitty West came from a small town in Tennessee in 1913 and became cattle ranchers of seventy – five thousand acres. Because of their wealth of land and ranching enterprises, they began to colonize, offering other landowners and ranchers the opportunity to grow, build and contribute to the city, while keeping the majority for themselves and ...

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“The Ballad of Cactus Peat: The Rootinest Outlawn of the Wild West” by B.C. Licht

Submitted to Contest #204

The West, as you know it, is dead. No, it ain’t the Winchester repeating rifle that did her in. It ain’t the steel horse locomotive that did it either. Or the airplane, or cars, or any newfangled way of transportating from point A to point B. No, the West died doing what she loved best, watching men tear each other apart, limb from limb until the fiery, green hands of the atomic clock struck high noon. Life took a bit of a siesta to cool her strings in the nuclear winter before playing the next song in this cosmic symphony of souls we call E...

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“The Unsolved Case On 22nd Street” by Tracy Brown

Submitted to Contest #204

Title: The Unsolved Case On 22nd Street Hello! My name is Luna. My family and I are from California; we now live in beautiful Ohio. Mid-June, June 19th to be precise, my family and I moved to Ohio, a city full of beautiful buildings, unique fashion boutiques, restaurants, breathtaking parks, beautiful gardens, and a clear blue sky; my mom and dad thought it would be a great idea to change our surroundings, and that was how we moved without hesitation. My dad, John Thompson, works as a computer engineer. I'm glad he stuck with his childh...

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“Jewel's Rules” by Kenn Rho

Submitted to Contest #204

(Warning: Contains violence and allusions to sexual assault.) The sun peeked above the Eastern Hill and shone on Jewel’s face through her window. She awoke to the sensation of warm light flooding her body, as she always did. She lay in bed for a moment, letting gratitude affect her before any other emotion. She always thought it was beautiful that the sunlight traveled all the way from the sky, to the Earth, and through her window. She crept out of bed and out of her room and shouted for her Mama. The action made her look childlike– ...

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“First Rate Brother” by Hala Giles

Submitted to Contest #204

Momma called you Newt on account of your size. Poppa liked things formal, so Newton Shea became the name. A fine name. It suited you too. Small and mighty. You turned orange, like one of those Eastern Newts, to ward off predators. You’d raise those tiny fists and kick at friends and foes. Heck, you’d even attack yourself if a limb took you by surprise. We were instant buddies and I swore an oath, before I knew the words, that nobody would hurt you. “Need you, El Paso” was the message over the wire. Six long hot days driving wagon over Dall...

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“La Femme Fatale of the Frontier” by Andy Lemos

Submitted to Contest #204

"La Femme Fatale of the Frontier" By AJ Lemos “La Femme Fatale of the Frontier” is what she calls herself. Or maybe that’s what “they” call her. Not entirely sure. Either way, she’s causing quite a stir, from what I hear. “I swear she owns the town,” the young female ranch hand Bobbi Sue semi-giggled as she uttered the words, and I continued our interview. We strolled along on horseback along the long, dusty dirt trail. “How she ended up here, I got no idea. Don’t figure a town of this size would show up on any of them maps they sel...

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“Annabeth” by Mark VanTassel

Submitted to Contest #204

CW: Sexual violence, substance abuse A History from the Strength of Old Erde Date: 976 (Earth 1951) “Did the saltpeter work?” Nell asked. Emily grimaced. “No.” “I worried it was a myth,” Nell said. “I don’t think we’ll find anything. Men conduct most research, and control the rest. They’re looking to enhance the male libido, not suppress it.” Emily nodded. “Thanks, Nell. Let me know if you find an alternative. How’s Gram?” “Weak, but in good spirits. She remembered me today, and fed herself.” “That’s good. I’m going to pop in...

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“Wine and Revelry” by Benjamin Boxer

Submitted to Contest #204

Agave's drinking was tearing her son Stephen Pence apart. Joanne from down at the Oceanview Bar and Grill would have called Stephen out of respect even if he were not the Bethesda County sheriff. She was older than thirty and owned a business, separating her from the other forty-nine-and-a-half percent of voters who opposed, even if in keyboard warrior fear, the law and order Stephen had brought to the once cutthroat crossroads of drugs and human trafficking. "Hey, Stephen. I'm glad I caught you," Joanne said when he answered his perso...

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“Once Upon a Time in Chimney Rock” by Ethan Jarmush

Submitted to Contest #204

The town of Chimney Rock did not attract the finest of individuals. It wasn’t the type of place a family of four looking to settle down would see on a map and exclaim, “Wow, what a lovely looking town!” Though the housing was affordable, which was perhaps its only allure. Rumors circulated about a sheriff somewhere in town, although none of the locals had caught sight of him in quite some time. One uneventful tale claimed to have witnessed him relieving himself on the side of a building one night. That was pretty much it. Folk must’ve g...

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“A Pilgrim” by 𝔊𝔲𝔞𝔡𝔞𝔩𝔲𝔭𝔢 𝔗𝔢𝔩𝔠𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔞𝔯

Submitted to Contest #204

It was past noon, and the dogs of Beechham were barking fit to burst. Dorian Smith stopped his work on the broken chain. Wiping his hands on a stained and sooty old rag, he left the heat and smoke of the smithy and strode out into the street, taking in a great breath of clean air as he did so. In the middle of the dirt track that ran through the town and away into the wider world, a man was fending off the more aggressive of the village dogs with a wooden staff as children watched and clamored in excitement. Unlike most who were bothere...

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“Color Me Stranger” by Parker Ballentine

Submitted to Contest #204

Warning: The following story has material of sensitive nature to include sexual assault, mental illness and violence. Reader discretion is advised. Daddy was an old fashioned cowboy before he died. He did various sorts of ranch work until he was gored to death by a bull. It happened just after I was born and we moved to Los Nemeses, Texas. Momma keeps a picture of him at home. In it he is wearing a Stetson and riding a horse. Even though I did not know him, I like to imagine him giving me that sage advice you might expect from an old tr...

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“Tricked Again, By the Tushies” by Sophie Veland

Submitted to Contest #204

“Good morning, sleepy head!” my oldest sister, Braylin, said. She was always up before me due to her job. She works at a beauty Parlor called Yo Hair is Did. It’s cringe if you ask me. I think the name needs a little workshopping. I walked into the kitchen and made a bowl of what looks like mud (grits). Sometimes my sister makes me biscuits on the weekends, but lately, she hasn’t been able to due to her job at the salon. “Are you excited about the mud run today?” “Sure thing! Are you going to be able to make it? My siste...

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“THE ORDER OF THINGS” by Ikageng Pheko

Submitted to Contest #204

The dusty town of Dry Gin had always been a quiet, predictable place. Nestled in the heart of the Wild Wild West, its residents went about their daily routines, embracing the familiar patterns of their lives; the simple life. The Moondance Saloon echoed with laughter, the blacksmith's hammer rang through the air to bring Dry Gin’s unique sound and identity to life, and the sheriff lazily patrolled the streets, with very little worry in his old boring town.But one fateful day, a stranger rode into the old town on a spirited chestnut stallion....

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“Clara Belle PI” by Marie Maher

Submitted to Contest #204

The stagecoach pulled up in a cloud of dust, the coachman reining in the steaming horses with an oath. He jumped down, spat, and opened the stagecoach door. “Ma’am,” he said, his moustaches quivering appreciatively. Clara Belle descended into the arid atmosphere of Gorey Creek, a dewy rose in a desert. A lady of some twenty-five summers, her glossy chestnut hair was swept into a knot at the nape of her neck. She lifted her skirt slightly as she climbed down, to reveal starched petticoats and buttoned boots. Clara waited as the driver sw...

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“Desert Sky Genie” by Alex Joyce

Submitted to Contest #204

From his kitchen window Jack watched clouds collide with the mountain, their shadow robbing the town of color. For the first time in his life he looked to the sky for entertainment. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen where there was no sky. It was buried, painted over with valleys of concrete and steel. Now, from his new cabin home he watched clouds dance with mountains. He'd only been there two weeks but he was already known around town. The retired cop from New York. He went to Ginger's Diner every day fo...

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Write a story about a stranger coming to town and shaking up the order of things.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 57 stories

“George West” by Joyce McBurney

“The Ballad of Cactus Peat: The Rootinest Outlawn of the Wild West” by B.C. Licht

“The Unsolved Case On 22nd Street” by Tracy Brown

“Jewel's Rules” by Kenn Rho

“First Rate Brother” by Hala Giles

“La Femme Fatale of the Frontier” by Andy Lemos

“Annabeth” by Mark VanTassel

“Wine and Revelry” by Benjamin Boxer

“Once Upon a Time in Chimney Rock” by Ethan Jarmush

“A Pilgrim” by 𝔊𝔲𝔞𝔡𝔞𝔩𝔲𝔭𝔢 𝔗𝔢𝔩𝔠𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔞𝔯

“Color Me Stranger” by Parker Ballentine

“Tricked Again, By the Tushies” by Sophie Veland

“THE ORDER OF THINGS” by Ikageng Pheko

“Clara Belle PI” by Marie Maher

“Desert Sky Genie” by Alex Joyce

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story in a desert town.

Write a story about someone undertaking a long, dangerous journey.

Write a Western-inspired story in a new genre or setting (e.g. a space western, fantasy western, etc.)

Write a story about someone seeking revenge for a past wrong.

Contest #204

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

300

Contest entries

94

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: