Write about a character in a situation where they have to be brave for someone else’s sake.

Posted in Character on Jul 7, 2023

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✍️ 61 stories

“Learning to Mountaineer” by Benja Catton

Submitted to Contest #206

He was jumpy. I was a mousetrap, about to snap on myself in total fatalistic defeat if I looked at the big picture. I wanted only to think of what was immediately necessary. Darkness took over. I was cold and the air felt moist on my stinging cheeks. I told him we should cool our pace, be methodical.We had wanted to touch the sky, to feel alive, to hang off the side of a mountain and feel our sphincters clench in thrilling terror, and to smile in cool, blue sunshine. We did these things. We made the summit, contrary to everyone’s expectation...

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“The Last Generation. ” by Julie Grenness

Submitted to Contest #206

Jackson Lidgefield was bravely arrested today. As the local police hauled him and his friends away, he hoped his father would bail him again. "Bailed and adjourned, don't waste my neurons!" That is all he had to say to the expectant media journalists. He had pre-alerted to the student protest this day. It had been that time of a Friday for Jackson and his coterie of protesters. They had walked away from their elitist secondary college classrooms. Changing into their trending ripped designer jeans, they had defied the authorities of their al...

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“The Flowers on Wulver's Peak ” by Sam Jacobsen

Submitted to Contest #206

"And the poison?" "Spreading, Damien. Like wildfire. She will not live long." The words hung like heavy cobwebs in Damien's mind, echoing for a moment before settling fully. "What must I do then, Father Gespie?" Father Gespie--a man as old and dust--sighed and ran his hand across the face of a pale woman. Groaning, the woman shifted across her sweat-drenched sheets and fell silent. "You must climb, Damien--climb a long way and then some. Up...up to Wulver's Peak. There, cut me a petal from a Black Wedonnna. Bring it to me, and she...

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“Emergence” by Richard Seven

Submitted to Contest #206

They came the moment day turned into night.Flits of black on black. Outlines of whooshing wings. Wafts fanned by their veering and swooping. Darkness paralyzed me and their speed and commitment awed me. I sensed them dropping from their roost below a rotting pier and zooming off to gobble as many insects as they could before daylight returned.My therapist arranged this outing to help me overcome or at least temper my dread of bats. It's called Chiroptophobia and this is a stab at immersion therapy.“They aren’t interested in you,” said Jake, ...

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“Escaping Hell” by Audrey Brown

Submitted to Contest #206

Carol knew that she had to be brave not only for herself , but for the other women that were depending on her to get them out of the situiation. It was a warm night in August and carol had decided to go for a walk to clear her head. It was late so her mom told her to not go to far and to only stay out for a few moments. Carol bagan walking and thinking about everything that had happened that day. By the time she had stopped walking she was at least six blocks from home and it was really dark. She turned around to head towards her house. The ...

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“The Crazy Psychologist” by Zeeshan Mahmud

Submitted to Contest #206

Disclaimer: The following contains graphic scene involving snakes as well as abuse and strong language. Reader discretion advised.Varun Sharma had life long fear of snakes. Black mambas, anacondas, rattle snakes, garter snakes and… cobras. Especially cobras. The way the fake eyes on the hood looked at one to scare away the predators was enough to induce Hitchcockian nightmare. There was once a sprite - his neighbor’s kid- who threatened to leave a box with a snake inside in front of his doorstep with mail after he accused him of stealin...

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“If You Can, Hold On” by Miranda Soares

Submitted to Contest #206

If You Can, Hold On By Miranda Soares (TW: Suicidal ideation, bullying, abuse references, self-harm, depression, anxiety, paranoia) Walking down a dark hallway with no end in sight. No doors, no windows, just enough light to see where you’re going. There is nothing. Just emptiness. You can’t turn around. There is nothing behind you. More darkness. The hallway has no visible finish. You just keep walking and walking. You have no other choice. Everything is dark and everything is cold. There could be monsters lurking in the shadows. You d...

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“The Path” by Jeffrey Campbell

Submitted to Contest #206

Brian Carraway stared at the gas pump’s display as the numbers surged higher. He patted his left front pants pocket to make sure his checkbook was still there. He’d hoped he wasn’t going to need to travel anytime soon, but things had changed. He looked up at the sky. It was still mostly clear, with the blue heavens still showing themselves above, but they were beginning to disappear. The fluffy, white peaceful clouds were starting to cover it up, and they had begun to change. Some had only partially turned...

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“Sotomancy” by Andrey Trofimov

Submitted to Contest #206

Sotomancy “Hey, Dina.” A young girl in her early teens was approaching her friend who was sitting on the railing of a bridge looking down at the flowing water. It was a late summer evening. Dina, who was few years older, swung her body backwards. “Hey, Brie”, she said hanging upside down. “Here I am. Came to see your superpowers.” Dina sat back on the railing and span towards her. “Supernatural abilities. Or better, call it sorcery.” She closed her eyes as if meditating and continued slowly, “I will demonstrate it to you when the time is ri...

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“Big Shop” by Jed Cope

Submitted to Contest #206

“Daddy, I’m scared!” His words are shards of glass in my heart. They bring it home to me in a way nothing else can. I’ve lied to myself so many times in an attempt to convince myself that I am not scared, that I have risen above such things. The truth is I’m about as scared as it’s possible to be, and I can feel myself coming apart at seams I never knew I had, and my collapse into chaos terrifies me. I know that I could let go right now and there would be no coming back. That I would disintegrate into a million pieces and tho...

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“The County Fair” by Sarah Harper

Submitted to Contest #206

It’s a scorching hot day in Pascagoula Mississippi and this weekend is the Jackson County Fair. As a tradition, everyone from around town will be there enjoying it all weekend long. I had promised my daughter we would go together when she saw the first advertisement weeks ago on a billboard off the highway and she has asked every day since then. Normally I would avoid it but she makes it incredibly hard to say no to her. Don’t get me wrong, I love a powdered funnel cake and fair lemonade as much as anybody but tradition or not, I still don’t...

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“Pretty Box with a Bow” by Michelle Brown

Submitted to Contest #206

In the beginning Nora found Joe was normal, pleasant even. An acceptable wage, manners one would learn from attentive listening to their mothers, and a smile people found charming. Marrying him was not much of a decision. It simply happened, and although she couldn't remember being excited for much more than the prospect of a new found respect from society, Nora was sure she was not indifferent to the pleasures Joe brought. Over the time of a month, the grandeur of the honeymoon phase had settled. Although, Nora had only felt the exci...

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“Life is so unpredictable.” by Tracy Brown

Submitted to Contest #206

I woke up at midnight (12:00 a.m.)To use the bathroom, hoping my insomnia won't return. I heard my cell phone vibrating. It was my stepmother, Sundia Brownson. She called to tell me that Papa had been rushed to the Downtown hospital. " He's dead, child." She said. Her voice sounded pitiful. I honestly didn't know how to respond. I stayed quiet on the phone, trying to make sense of what was said. I wasn't prepared for such news. No one is ever prepared to hear about their loved ones in such sorrowful and helpless conditions. " He is on the 2n...

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“And So, He Stood” by Brandon Tucker

Submitted to Contest #206

*Warning! There are themes of child neglect, abuse, and death. This is a grim story, viewer beware.* There was no feeling more potent than betrayal. A boy’s safety should become an extension of himself. His sister’s safety should also become an extension of his. How powerless, than, must he have felt when he could not find that extension. Sister had a way with words, a way of getting under everyone’s skin. She knew she was well protected and gained a great sense of joy from that knowledge. Brother did everything he could to keep her safe, co...

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“Watching” by Andrew Thomas

Submitted to Contest #206

“I’ll be right back,” I say to my sister as I leave her room. Mom left for the store twenty minutes ago and Dad’s at work. Jana is almost seven but I’m ten and a half so I’m in charge. That makes me feel pretty cool and old. As I reach the top of the stairs, I hesitate. I’m still sort of nervous about being home alone so I don’t really like all the glass windows and doors downstairs. There aren’t other houses in sight and our yard is wide open along a busy country road. Walking through the first floor of our house can feel like being on a s...

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Write about a character in a situation where they have to be brave for someone else’s sake.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 61 stories

“Learning to Mountaineer” by Benja Catton

“The Last Generation. ” by Julie Grenness

“The Flowers on Wulver's Peak ” by Sam Jacobsen

“Emergence” by Richard Seven

“Escaping Hell” by Audrey Brown

“The Crazy Psychologist” by Zeeshan Mahmud

“If You Can, Hold On” by Miranda Soares

“The Path” by Jeffrey Campbell

“Sotomancy” by Andrey Trofimov

“Big Shop” by Jed Cope

“The County Fair” by Sarah Harper

“Pretty Box with a Bow” by Michelle Brown

“Life is so unpredictable.” by Tracy Brown

“And So, He Stood” by Brandon Tucker

“Watching” by Andrew Thomas

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone facing their greatest fear.

Write a story that contains a flashback of a nightmare.

Start your story with a character seeing something terrifying.

Set your story in an eerie, surreal setting.

Contest #206

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

373

Contest entries

130

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: