Write about a character discovering a surprising strength in either themself or another.

Posted in Character on Oct 26, 2022

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?

✍️ 56 stories

“To One Not Sociable” by Deidra Whitt Lovegren

Submitted to Contest #146

The tail lights of a Mercedes E-class blink off as it accelerates through the stone gate pillars.An exhaust pipe of a BMW 5-series coughs up a plume of fetid smoke. On occasion there is a slight wave from a Lexus RX 350’s window—a white hand, manicured nails, rings with rocks worth more than my guidance counselor’s annual salary.Finally, the parents leave and I have their sons.And why shouldn’t they leave? They’ve done their job, stroking a six-figure check to matriculate their beloved young men to a storied academic institution. Our cu...

39 comments 39

Read story

“A San Miguel Roadrunner” by Katy B

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #146

Maria could tell almost before waking that Santiago was sleeping next to her. From the street came the sound of distant sirens, a noise that had become a comfort to her by familiarity, and she felt the early morning sunlight filter through the curtains onto the bed. With a groan, she rolled onto her back and glanced to her left. There was Santiago, his suddenly long and lanky body sprawled over the white sheets, face dark and expressionless. Maria watched him breathe softly through parted lips. The sun lit up his sweaty head like an angel.“S...

15 comments 15

Read story

“The Pick Up” by PJ Aitken

Submitted to Contest #146

John’s watch buzzed, distracting him from the task at hand. Rolling his eyes he continued to complete what he was doing. Thirty seconds later the vibration from his watch was even greater this time, making his teeth chatter. Thinking the next vibration may shatter his wrist, John reluctantly dropped what he was doing and looked at the face of his watch flashing a message back at him.SCHOOL PICK UP AT 4pm – DON’T BE LATE THIS TIME, DAD!“Oh fuck,” thought John, why does school pick up always slip his mind? He knew why really. It was because he...

20 comments 20

Read story

“When We See Him” by Kelsey H

Submitted to Contest #146

He’s not like all the others, he’s different. That’s what my mother told me. But she said that about the others too.The day I met him he walked into the kitchen as I ate my breakfast, his boots heavy on the vinyl floor. He filled up the doorway, blotted out the sun.“Connor, this is Shane,” she said.I looked up at him, saw the shaved head and tattoos circling his neck in a dark ring, like something strangling him.He came into the kitchen and put his hand toward me, like I was a man instead of only twelve. I could see the muscles standing up i...

26 comments 26

Read story

“Happily Ever After” by Sharon Hancock

Submitted to Contest #146

Warning: domestic abuse, alcoholism, violence, gore A rogue wind, cold and angry, howled the door shut behind the couple; startling a whimper from the woman. The drunken husband, Winston, scoffed and mocked his wife, Cornelia, before dumping more whisky down his gullet. He launched the empty bottle at her head, but missed and staggered into a wall. “You are pathetic.” He blew cigar smoke in her face, then doused the raging red tip on her exposed shoulder. She flinched, but old wounds reminded her no...

21 comments 21

Read story

“Ruthie Runs for President” by Cindy Strube

Submitted to Contest #146

Ruthie Runs for President Sophomore (noun): soph·o·more | \ ˈsäf-ˌmȯr, also ˈsȯf-, or ˈsä-fə-, or ˈsȯ-fə- \ Definition: a student in the second year at college or a 4-year secondary school History and Etymology: perhaps from Greek sophos wise + mōros foolish 🕗 It started as a prank. In late fall, we had nominations for spring student government. One of the “wise fools” decided to nominate Ruthie for sophomore class president of the spring semester. Ruthie. Ruthie was not one of the popular pack who...

20 comments 20

Read story

“Good Will at the Corner of Fifth and Broad” by Benjamin Boxer

Submitted to Contest #146

People who say ten thousand bucks isn’t life-changing money don’t know Diedre Morgan. In a time when pro ball players pay fifty to a hundred large for missing a practice or a media day, and celebs pay that much or more for a week of rehab, ten grand ain’t a Hell of a lot. But when you work two jobs not only for the money to support a drunken, shiftless, louse of a husband and a hypochondriac mother but also for the peace of mind that comes with getting out of the house, finding ten-thousand dollars in a sports coat is a life-changing maybe e...

3 comments 3

Read story

“Adenomyosis” by Lavonne H.

Submitted to Contest #146

N.B. Story contains graphic description of mensuration as well as expressed violence.The steam whirls around her body in the small enclosure and the moisture touches her skin with gentle pressure. Below her feet, a pool of bright red water swirls down the drain. Thérèse* leans against the shower wall onto one arm and reaches up into her vagina to feel a squishy, gelatinous mass inside. She pulls on it and the red lump falls in a splat to the shower floor. It sits there and does not readily disperse into the circular metal grate. Another...

20 comments 20

Read story

“Stinging Nettle” by Graham Kinross

Submitted to Contest #146

“How did you get those bruises?” Danielle asked her adopted daughter Nettle. “Practice,” said Nettle, avoiding eye contact. “Were you the target?” The knight asked the girl. “No. I’m fine.” The girl had a black eye and bruises on her arms. “I can tell whoever...

17 comments 17

Read story

“I Open My Eyes” by Steve Rogers

Submitted to Contest #146

I open my eyes and look out at the world for the first time. I see you looking at me and you are typing. And that is all I know. You are writing a story and I am one of the characters. This is my character profile. Am I the main character? Who will I be? Am I male or female? Old or young? A child maybe? Am I even human? An animal or maybe an alien? There’s a lot to consider here and you haven’t even decided what I am yet. But now I know that you are creating me from your mind as you type and the possibilities are almost endless. It’s thrilli...

2 comments 2

Read story

“One Epiphany Stronger” by Talia Vander

Submitted to Contest #146

Memories swirl in her mind, a kaleidoscope of colours and emotions set to a soundtrack of indescribable music. The highs. The lows. Where did it all go wrong? There are the sweet memories: the handholds on the beach, the hugs she never saw coming. The feeling of closeness that overwhelmed her lonely soul; the feeling that itches for her now to make a move. To send a text. To show up at a door, just not with a boombox of some kind. Just to show up, to say she is still in this. But isn’t there a limit on how much sweet memories can overwhelm...

2 comments 2

Read story

“The Truth” by Minerva Noiropp

Submitted to Contest #146

I’m going to tell you a little story and I will let you be the judge if you dare step into that role to give an authentic verdict. Why would you be fearful of stepping into that role? Because I will be asking you to judge your masters and even yourselves if you are a part of this moral and legal crime. This prompt is about a character who is strong. What is strength? The ability to carry a heavy load. This load does not have to be physical. Imagine, for a minute, you are in my position. Now, let me describe my position. I am a Targeted Indiv...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Broken Yolk” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #146

Nelly led a difficult life. She was not one of the gorgeous women who caught the eye of every guy as she walked into the room, nor was she the most intelligent of her friends. You might say that she was an average girl with an average life. Even as a child, and again through adolescence, Nelly was the person that nobody seemed to notice. She could wear a red dress and stand in the middle of a room filled with pe...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Dayspring” by Kris Hawkins

Submitted to Contest #146

As I rattled my truck down the ill-maintained roads of rural Oklahoma, I couldn’t deny the deep sense of dread I carried about the visit. I had somehow drummed up the courage to visit my Grandpa in that tired nursing home, swallowed up in the bowels of a rickety small town called Engle. Dayspring, the home was called. I never liked the place, but Engle was home for him, and my mom thought it was good for Grandpa to be as close to the familiar as possible. I left work later than expected, so by the time I crunched to a stop in the unmarked gr...

4 comments 4

Read story

“The True Definition of a Father” by Joshua Kang

Submitted to Contest #146

He was never around. I remember after every baseball game, all my friends would grab their bags and rush over to their dads, shouting about how much they wanted to get ice cream, or watch replays of their hits that their dad’s recorded. I stayed back silently, pretending that my bag zipper was stuck, or that my cleats wouldn’t come off my feet. I waited until everybody had left, and then I would trudge back home alone. I wasn’t the only one that hated my dad, my mom hated him even more than I did. She would always tell me that I didn...

1 comment 1

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

Write from the point of view of a character writing a letter to their past or future self.

Character – 70 stories

Write about a character attempting to meditate or do something mindfully.

Narrative – 38 stories

Set your story in an unlikely sanctuary.

High School – 34 stories

Start your story during a team building exercise.

Adults – 17 stories

Contest #146

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Getting to Know You (And Me)

$250

Prize money

215

Contest entries

134

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - May 20, 2022 EST

Won by Michał Przywara 🏆

Title: 10 Days to Mindfulness

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 about a character discovering a surprising strength in either themself or another.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 56 stories

“To One Not Sociable” by Deidra Whitt Lovegren

“A San Miguel Roadrunner” by Katy B

“The Pick Up” by PJ Aitken

“When We See Him” by Kelsey H

“Happily Ever After” by Sharon Hancock

“Ruthie Runs for President” by Cindy Strube

“Good Will at the Corner of Fifth and Broad” by Benjamin Boxer

“Adenomyosis” by Lavonne H.

“Stinging Nettle” by Graham Kinross

“I Open My Eyes” by Steve Rogers

“One Epiphany Stronger” by Talia Vander

“The Truth” by Minerva Noiropp

“The Broken Yolk” by Greg Gillis

“Dayspring” by Kris Hawkins

“The True Definition of a Father” by Joshua Kang

🌟 Similar prompts

Write from the point of view of a character writing a letter to their past or future self.

Write about a character attempting to meditate or do something mindfully.

Set your story in an unlikely sanctuary.

Start your story during a team building exercise.

Contest #146

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

215

Contest entries

134

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: