Write a story about an underdog, or somebody making a comeback.

Posted in Character on Jun 21, 2024

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✍️ 42 stories

“Like Swirling Leaves in the Wind” by Yannick L.

Submitted to Contest #256

It was Hilde's first weapon session at the Knight Academy. The training grounds were at the inner courtyard of Pegasus's Keep. Fighting was a central aspect of the education as a knight and the students were supposed to be able to have a good view from the castle. Practice but also observation were crucial in order to become a better warrior. At the training grounds, Hilde could see the other cadets, mostly men, training on some training dummies. They were warming up and some of them started taking their shirts of, revealing their trained up...

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“Dofo” by William Siebold

Submitted to Contest #256

Matin Dofolo sat at his usual table on the open patio of the Cafe Caliphate. His favorite after school treat, a splendidly creamy strawberry milkshake, awaited his attention. He took a moment to appreciate the warming late afternoon March sun. The air was freshly cleansed by a recent rain shower. He wore his favorite shirt. He was content. For a moment. A striking woman of indeterminate age approached his table. Older, he thought, then corrected himself. Mature is more appropriate. Slender and diminutive, her silky black hair cascaded wildl...

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“Bloodsport” by Nat Fendie

Submitted to Contest #256

“Are you ready?” She asks.“Let’s go,” JJ says as he looks up at the camera with what he thinks are his tough-guy eyes. He doesn’t have to try and remember the lines from his favorite action film, he knows them by heart.“You know what happens when you corner a wildcat?” He asks, walking towards the camera and cocking his head sideways, just like in the movie.“It strikes back!” He steps sideways on the wall, twisting his body forward, extending his leg and bracing for the ultimate wall kick, only to feel gravity work overtime and pull him to t...

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“Out of the dugout” by Justin Diaz

Submitted to Contest #256

Out of the dugout The evening sun cast light into the cabin of the minivan as he drove along the road toward its destination, inside was a thirteen-year-old boy looking down at his cleats covered in the red tinted sand used in the baseball diamond, a couple tufts of grass were stuck in some crevices of his shoes. He would just stare at them intently thinking back to the moment he fouled up in the game. As other kids from his team were going home happy about winning the game but he could not share in their revelry. While his team had won the ...

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“The Hound Goes Back for Gold” by Sam Everard

Submitted to Contest #256

“I assure you, Ma’am, you’d be making a mistake,” he grinned, through slightly crooked teeth. “I won’t be in town much longer and you won’t get an offer like this again.”The woman shifted uncomfortably in her seat at the kitchen table. She was smiling too, but her eyes were darting to the door and her nails were leaving indents in one tightly clasped hand. She went to speak and he cut her off. “I know, you want to wait for your husband, lord knows I’d want my wife to do the same. But this is different. And a smart man like your husband, he’d...

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“The Dragon's Covenant” by Ajene Amenti

Submitted to Contest #256

Kite’s speckled dragon snorted and scratched at the ground. He patted the beast's head and traced a finger along a deep scar on its forehead. His own scar began to sting, and he pulled on his reins instinctively. He noticed the other dragon riders eyeing him and nodded in response. They ignored his gesture and continued their conversation.Kite cleared his throat. “Where do your dragons come from, Night-Baron?”Coral burst into laughter. “Yeah, Night-Baron. Tell us!”“It's Night-Heron!” He said. “Petulant child riding a dragon ten times her siz...

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“A Back-rank Mate” by Anat Kalinski

Submitted to Contest #256

CHECKMATE! Read the screen in big, bold, inconsiderate letters.“GG”, I wrote in the chat, going for a gracious loss.“EZ” was texted back by my condescending rival, followed by three crying-laugh emojis.A rush of blood to my head slowly tempered as I repeated to myself, stay calm, it's not worth it.It was a terrible day altogether. A couple of nurses who took my blood that morning had left filth in my room. A syringe cap, and a bloody gauze bundle, were callously left on my bedside table, forcing me to hobble my way to the nurses' station and...

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“The Innocent Hero” by Hank Landry

Submitted to Contest #256

The Innocent Hero We all need heroes no matter how old or young we are. Someone we look toward or to, to give us inspiration, someone who lifts us up when we are down. Some get paid large sums of money, sometimes they get a thank you, and sometime they receive praise they shy from because they are just being themselves. I know of just a man. He saved me when...

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“ISIAH” by Robert DeLuca

Submitted to Contest #256

ISIAH The two high school chums sat on the steps of a modest home in a blue-collar neighborhood of a big city devouring a huge fully loaded supreme pizza. The gooey feast was disappearing fast when Marshall noticed a young boy standing quietly in the shadows of the doorway. “Hey, Isiah! Get over here quick before this pizza disappears.”, Marshall said. The youngster moved slowly across the porch toward his brother, Andre, and Marshall. He was tall for a ten-year-old but also carried a lot of excess weight. Despite the summer heat, he wore ...

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“Baseball Hero ” by Cameron Hoormann

Submitted to Contest #256

This used to be his home, but now he was terrified to be here. From the safety of the dugout he looked out at the stands and saw the gathered crowd heaving and lurching like a restless blob. They were so close he could feel their hot breath on his face and their hands around his neck. The blob threatened to swallow him whole and digest him with burning acid in a deep dark place. It wasn't that long ago that this same gathered mass would have cheered his name and applauded his excellent play. This was his first game back, on a new team, after...

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“Mortally Wounded, for the Last Time” by Astrid Skarsgaard

Submitted to Contest #256

“Hey, I’m thinking G suspended instead of G5 for Fillet of Heart. Sound good?” Kildaire picked the chord progression around G5. Everyone looked away.“No?” Kildaire sighed and put his guitar away.“Just, you know, play it like we’ve played it when practicing. The fans always liked it that way,” Jaybird said, her soft voice roughened just a little by age. The fans would like that as well. Her voice had new depth, and she still looked smoking hot on stage.“I’m missing the first ten weeks of school,” Dan lamented, though he didn’t seem too upset ...

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“No regrets” by Jennifer Sieber

Submitted to Contest #256

NO REGRETS” The old cabin creaked and groaned Ralph thought to himself I bet it feels exactly like I do. Ralph wasn’t old he just had lived a hard life compared to the average Jo blow. Reaching out his hand he picked up his watch realising he wouldn’t be able to read it in the dark as it’s hands didn’t glow anymore. Dam he thought I’m going senile, slowly rising from the bed to a sitting position Ralph searched for the switch of his bed side lamp flicking it on. The light was bright and made his sight bleary, glancing at his watch he could j...

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Write a story about an underdog, or somebody making a comeback.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 42 stories

“Like Swirling Leaves in the Wind” by Yannick L.

“Dofo” by William Siebold

“Bloodsport” by Nat Fendie

“Out of the dugout” by Justin Diaz

“The Hound Goes Back for Gold” by Sam Everard

“The Dragon's Covenant” by Ajene Amenti

“A Back-rank Mate” by Anat Kalinski

“The Innocent Hero” by Hank Landry

“ISIAH” by Robert DeLuca

“Baseball Hero ” by Cameron Hoormann

“Mortally Wounded, for the Last Time” by Astrid Skarsgaard

“No regrets” by Jennifer Sieber

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story in the stands at a major sporting event.

Write about someone who has trained all their life for one moment.

Write about a moment of defeat.

Write a story about two sporting rivals having to work together.

Contest #256

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

204

Contest entries

102

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: