Write a story about someone who has been tasked to keep a flame burning, surrounded by total darkness.

Posted in Character on Jan 5, 2024

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 84 stories

“The Pipe Collector” by Stephen Stanner

Submitted to Contest #232

The Pipe Collector A short story by Stephen J Stanner. This story is set in a small village deep in a Columbian Forest. The village consisted of large huts, built from timber and mud gathered from the surrounding land. Many orphaned children were in the village due to encounters with other villages fighting for supremacy. My story focuses on two individuals: a small boy named Gomez, aged sixteen, nicknamed "The Fire Builder" by the villagers, and Rodriguez, the village leader. Gomez was a tiny boy and extremely underweight. He was of thin...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Candle” by Daniel James

Submitted to Contest #232

The Candle “Why are you here?” A lone light flickered before me, the flame atop the candle that continued to burn in the darkness of the world. I was alone, except for it, whatever it was. Its voice slithered and hovered around me, coming and going as it pleased, feasting on my doubts, on my longing, on my despair I tried desperately not to listen to. I huddled around the small flame, protecting...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Flame of Chinon” by Ray Britton

Submitted to Contest #232

My father often recounted tales of a mystical flame, a legacy deeply ingrained in our family's history, stretching back centuries. It was more than just a mere fire; it was the heart and soul of France, a symbol of our nation's enduring strength and resilience. Passed down through generations, we were entrusted with a sacred duty to keep this flame alive. As a child, I listened to these stories with a sense of wonder, yet the true magnitude of this responsibility eluded me – until the fateful day the English laid siege to our land. "Héloïs...

4 comments 4

Read story

“Me, the Darkness, and the Light” by Caroline Austen

Submitted to Contest #232

It was always just the ten of us for as long as I could remember. Just us, the darkness, and the light. It never dampened our spirits, the darkness surrounding us. We’d dance, and sing, and talk, and laugh to fill the dark and empty void as we walked, my father leading us all with the glowing orb of light mounted on the carved staff of white oak.But this year was the first year I had to do it alone. It was just me, the darkness, the light, and the memories. Everyone was gone, it was just a simple mistake. The light had dimmed just enough to ...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Flames of Hope” by Brian Haddad

Submitted to Contest #232

Ashley let the flames hypnotize her, watching the scrawny river of heat and light flow up from a small pile of sticks and brush, foolishly carving out a tiny bubble of warmth amidst the powerful darkness that pressed in on them from all angles. It was horrifyingly wimpy compared to the raging fires she normally thought of when flames came to mind. She nervously glanced over her shoulder and quickly returned her gaze to the dying fire, her heart thumping loudly in the deafening silence. The darkness was absolute, a gruesome, thick absence o...

7 comments 7

Read story

“Morphogenesis” by Flavia Gazdovici

Submitted to Contest #232

“If you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.” Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil The low, rumbling noise from behind the crackling fire did not illicit any fear in the Being, nor any doubts or worries or even sympathy for what was clearly an excruciatingly painful growl of something suffering to the degree that, even the ominous silence that permeated the ether customarily was now splintered with agony. The Being stoked the small flame in front of it, forever impe...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Banished ” by Michael Mackenzie

Submitted to Contest #232

Russell Ramsey’s handcuff’s clashed against the splintered table when the judge entered the courtroom. The pain in his back was a sharp twisting dagger, and when the judge looked at him he gritted his teeth. Cold air seeped in through the cracked windows. “Have I inconvenienced you Mr. Ramsey?” “No Ma’am.” “Because this isn’t the first time you’ve found yourself in my courtroom is it?” “Second time.” “It’s the alcohol again isn’t it?” “I’m trying to stop.” “Yet you were seen last night stumbling home while your child was alone.” “I had...

1 comment 1

Read story

“May Fire Fade, Forever Keep The Flame” by Emanuel Diaz

Submitted to Contest #232

In honor of John Milton and Hidetaka Miyazaki.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------In the boundless expanse of existence, where shadows dance in eternal tandem with ethereal radiance, there resides a figure cloaked in mystery—The Fire Keeper. A maiden of unseen lineage, she emerges as the harbinger of hope, a vestal guardian whose eyes, shrouded beneath a regal crown of ivory, perceive not the visual realm but the luminous threads of destiny that weave through the tapestry of time. Clad in a somber ...

2 comments 2

Read story

“The Fire” by George Beasley

Submitted to Contest #232

The Fire Recently, I was challenged to write a story about someone who must keep a fire burning, surrounded by total darkness. I have been thinking about this for a few days and have been pondering what type of emotions I will have to explore to write this story. This has triggered a host of troubling emotions and thoughts. The darkness in my life has always been real. The memory that stands out to me is when my brother, Mike, and I were dropped off at this lady’s house during the week. She ran some type of off-grid daycare. We wer...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Stoke the Embers” by Brian Dunne

Submitted to Contest #232

Her breath mixes with the fumes expelled by the exhaust pipe of the wrecked 4x4. Her figure is distorted by the cloud of haze as she leans against the trunk of a frozen birch. Though I can barely make out her shape, there will never be a time in our lives when I don’t see her. Never. Shortly, both her breath and the vehicle’s exhaust will cease to exist. The former is preventable. Maybe. The latter is a foregone conclusion. The loss of either spells the severing of a vital lifeline. There’s no point in seeking shelter within the cab...

5 comments 5

Read story

“The Flame ” by Debra Demars

Submitted to Contest #232

I have been sitting here all night, to keep this one small flame burning. I do not grow tired. I do not grow weary. I do not grow thirsty. I gaze at the flame. The flame is beautiful. The flame is everything. The darkness surrounds me. And the wind continues to blow. It sounds tortured. It blows in heavy gusts. But the wind doesn't affect me. It doesn't bother me. I am not troubled by it. Only the flame. The flame is the only illumination, in a world of darkness. The howling of the wind is constant. I am all alone in my vigil. There is no on...

1 comment 1

Read story

“This Little Light of Mine ” by ER Castaneda

Submitted to Contest #232

TW: Suicide, Gun Violence Danielle closed in on tiny, wooden round table about 4 feet in height, with a small, black candle atop it. She was outside. Atop the small candle was a very small flame, and Danielle put her hands near the flame for warmth. She didn’t know how she knew, but she needed to keep the small flame alive or something bad would happen. She couldn’t remember how she got here, and looked around for any sign of activity. All she could see was darkness every which way she looked, feeling the mind numbing c...

0 comments 0

Read story

“There Is A Light” by Jed Cope

Submitted to Contest #232

The flames of the fire danced in the pitch black of the night. Seamus could feel them on his face and not for the first time did he worry that his back was exposed to the horror of that night. When John was here, it was far better. It wasn’t just the company, but John was fair company. No real sense of humour. Quiet. Dour even, but he was there and he was real and he did have a story or three in him when pushed to tell them. Now John was gone, and Seamus was beginning the think that in his cynicism he had been right. Frightenin...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Cries in the dark.” by Kimora Hornbeak

Submitted to Contest #232

My ‘ma has left me by the pile of logs. She said she wouldn’t be back — and at the time I only took it as a joke. She warned me not to leave, to keep the only light source we had burning. I had asked her many times what she’d do in the dark. “That’s grown folk’s business,” She said with her gruff voice. There was the same look of penitence on her face, one she’d carried for years on end. I asked again and again, receiving the same demeaning answer. By the time she trudged through the snow, I was already agitated. I just… can’t unde...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Winter Flame Brings the King” by Alexandria Sammataro

Submitted to Contest #232

Venus stood in front of the Winter Flame in the frozen caves outside of her village. It was pitch black in the caves, the only source of light coming from the dim blue flame. Venus grumbled angrily to herself as she paced back and forth in front of it. She didn’t want to be guarding the Winter Flame, but she had to. It was her turn. She thought the stupid tradition would’ve been over by the time it was her turn, she thought they all would’ve seen how stupid and pointless it was. But here she was. The tradition of the winter flame started in ...

0 comments 0

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story during polar night.

Winter – 37 stories

Write a story set in a world with a dying sun, or where light is a scarce resource.

Science Fiction – 65 stories

Write a story about someone witnessing — or trying to witness — a celestial phenomenon.

Adventure – 38 stories

Write a story about someone looking for a sign in a dark sky.

Angst – 56 stories

Contest #232

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Polar Night & Northern Lights

$250

Prize money

280

Contest entries

106

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jan 12, 2024 EST

Won by Jonathan Page 🏆

Title: The Lantern of Kaamos

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

Write a story about someone who has been tasked to keep a flame burning, surrounded by total darkness.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 84 stories

“The Pipe Collector” by Stephen Stanner

“The Candle” by Daniel James

“The Flame of Chinon” by Ray Britton

“Me, the Darkness, and the Light” by Caroline Austen

“Flames of Hope” by Brian Haddad

“Morphogenesis” by Flavia Gazdovici

“Banished ” by Michael Mackenzie

“May Fire Fade, Forever Keep The Flame” by Emanuel Diaz

“The Fire” by George Beasley

“Stoke the Embers” by Brian Dunne

“The Flame ” by Debra Demars

“This Little Light of Mine ” by ER Castaneda

“There Is A Light” by Jed Cope

“Cries in the dark.” by Kimora Hornbeak

“The Winter Flame Brings the King” by Alexandria Sammataro

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story during polar night.

Write a story set in a world with a dying sun, or where light is a scarce resource.

Write a story about someone witnessing — or trying to witness — a celestial phenomenon.

Write a story about someone looking for a sign in a dark sky.

Contest #232

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

280

Contest entries

106

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: