Your protagonist walks past an intriguing stranger, then turns around to take another look at them. The stranger turns around, too. Write about what happens next.

Posted in Character on May 19, 2023

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✍️ 61 stories

“Blind Leading the Blind” by Adam German

Submitted to Contest #199

It scares me looking back that it was an unremarkable chance encounter that made me speak to Doug at all. I was stressed, late for work and riding the bus. I was in a Zoom meeting with my earbuds connected to my phone; an important meeting I was supposed to be at in person. The man beside me got up at the next stop. His bag bumped me, stinging me back into the real world. My revenge for the disturbance was a dirty look he never saw. When I glanced back down at my phone, I realised my thumb ejected me...

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“A Town For The Dying” by Chris Campbell

Submitted to Contest #199

Wynonna Belle struggled with the several volumes of books she carried across the main thoroughfare of the once bustling Arizonan town of Canyon Diablo. Since the closure of the town’s library, Wynonna had made several deals with store owners to house some of her books, where she could provide places for townsfolk to gather and read or take needed lessons in literacy. Precariously balancing the heavy books in her arms, Wynonna’s steadfast resolve held strong as she crossed the aptly named Hell Street – now void of its once rough reputation ...

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“Descendants of Esau” by J. D. Lair

Submitted to Contest #199

All five senses come alive in the wilderness. Hearing and smell tend to be the most sensitive though. Tonight, I hear an orchestra of frogs and crickets backed by a babbling brook. As I take deep breaths, the smells of pine smoke and lake water take hold of my nostrils. It occurs to me how closely smell and taste are linked when I also recognize both of those smells as flavors on my tongue while eating the fried trout I made for dinner tonight. Though sight can be hindered by firelight, the full moon casting its heavy glow across the lake he...

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“MD” by Derrick M Domican

Submitted to Contest #199

Somebody famous wrote 'the eyes are the window to the soul', so I suppose that’s why I caught a glimpse of a beautiful world when our hamburger-shaped In-SECTs (Independent Secure Eye Containment Transporters) brushed past each other in the highest layer of the atmosphere and my eyes met hers.I say ‘brushed past’ but it was actually more like me veering wildly off course as a result of pressing my control stick too far forward and almost careening into another drone, the one that had the initials RL glowing green on its digital display.&nbsp...

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“The Wildlife of LA” by Marty B

Submitted to Contest #199

It was a gorgeous day to be discovered in Hollywood. The road was filled with luxury cars, the shops with glamorous, beautiful people, and the sunshine followed her like a spotlight.Maggie had on her best Spanx jumpsuit, the drawstring cinched tight, with flared pantlegs, and color coordinated Vans hightops. In mauve brown, it offset her raven black hair, and matched her eyes, sparkling under the Eric Javits wide brimmed hat. She felt good and knew she looked good. She strolled in front of shop after shop of high end retail ar...

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“Sandcastle of Desire” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #199

As if the sun shines only on her, all eyes fall on ‘the woman’ as she strolls across the classic Italian city square. A flock of pigeons parts before her. Dressed simply, she looks better than those watching. In awe, they stare. She’s perfect. ‘The man,’ distracted, almost collides with ‘the woman,’ crossing her path. As if receiving an angel’s tap, he turns and sees the woman he’s been trying to meet. Their eyes lock. One can almost hear music swell with their emotions. A team of laborers pass between them, oblivious to their role in this ...

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“Spiritsong: A Legacy of Chaos Story” by John Werner

Submitted to Contest #199

Spiritsong “Do you have the coin?” The question hung in the air, sweetly asked but cruelly intended. “I have it,” Tomi replied. This was the game. The Black Tigers had not risen to the height of the Laertian underworld by allowing even the littlest fish to escape the net. Tomi was under no illusions, he was indeed the littlest fish and to survive he must feed this larger one. “I need to keep five copper.” He said plaintively. “You understand?” The black-clad ruffian held out his gloved hand, curling his fingers in unison towards hi...

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“Her Hero” by Myranda Marie

Submitted to Contest #199

What do you call a funeral when referring to having to attend, an event, a function, or possibly ceremony? It never occurred to Maddie to care until she was faced with explaining her absence from work without actually revealing to anyone, her father had died. She didn’t favor a blatant lie either, and settled on “family function” when requesting the week off. Funerals, as oddly ritualistic as they are, provide closure to loved ones and friends of the deceased, and although Maddie and her father had been estranged for years, she couldn’t deny...

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“I SAW HIM HE SAW ME THE REST IS HISTORY” by Melinda Madrigal

Submitted to Contest #199

MELANIE History, epic, that's what I call my love story. It was epic from the first moment my eyes landed on Matt. History was our love story and it all began on a sunny spring day. Three years ago, I was walling in the park when my eyes landed on a stranger. I walked passed him but I had this urge to look back so I did. He looked up and saw me. Our eyes met. I couldn't move. I was frozen in place. This perfect stranger started to walk towards me. He was tall with deep green eyes. I couldn't take my eyes away from him. He came up to me a...

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“....on a train bound for nowhere....” by David Drake

Submitted to Contest #199

Heads up- This is meant as a sequel to a previously posted story here. "On the way to somewhere you're not". The cup was getting warm, but I wasn’t. The few sips that I took that burned my tongue didn’t help. I knew that I couldn’t get my money back on the tongue burning or the shivers, so I decided to just live with it. Like I usually do. I’m just glad I thought to grab my coats when I left my last apartment, unannounced. Jobs were scarce for somebody like me. Finally got one that helped pay for this cup over-warming my hand, so I nee...

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“Egg and Cheese” by Alexander Hanna

Submitted to Contest #199

The room was dark and the whir of the fan and the air purifier blocked out any other noises. A thin bar of light slipped past the shade and onto the adjacent wall. My back and chest were wet along with the hairs on my legs and arms. I sat up in bed and took my t-shirt off, wiping my skin dry. After throwing the white t-shirt in the hamper, I reached down to the carpet and double-tapped the screen of my smartphone: 9:21. Laying back down on my side, I shoved the comforter and a blanket between my legs and smooshed my head into the pill...

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““Everything but the Bagel”” by Cynthia Porter

Submitted to Contest #199

Everything but the Bagel {or, The End is the Beginning & and the Beginning is the End?} “I like your backpack” I thought as I followed the stranger ...

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“Multitudes, Multitudes” by Richard E. Gower

Submitted to Contest #199

Warning: Controversial subject matter and profanityRadford was in a herd of people-between-planes, threading his way through the labyrinth that was Newark Airport on his way to catch the AirTrain to Terminal B, when he spotted a man coming toward him along the corridor. He felt his heart do a little Puttin' on the Ritz tap dance in his chest.There was maybe fifty feet between them and the guy was in his own herd coming in the opposite direction, so on the face of it there was no reason why he should have stood out visually from the others, b...

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“Into the night” by JJM Gudde

Submitted to Contest #199

I truly hope insomnia never gets to you, my friend. But if it does happen, I hope it's just every now and then, not regularly, like a few days out of every fucking week—as it does for me. The doc said it was probably “stress-related”. Well, maybe he was right—if anyone could get stressed because of boredom. Please allow me to clarify. Not all aspects of my life are dull. But the problem is that my work does an excellent job of tipping the scales disproportionately towards boredom. It’s so boring that I'll refrain from telling you what ...

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“The Universe” by Rylee Mohler

Submitted to Contest #199

The streets of New York were always loud, bustling with people trying to get to work or home or somewhere in between, and if he was being honest, Arthur Wilcox was obsessed with it. He loved the City that Never Sleeps with all of his heart. He would look out at the skyline from his Manhattan apartment forever if he could. The countless number of pictures on his phone proves that if nothing else did. "Hey, move it!" Shouted an old businessman, interrupting Arthur from staring up at the Empire State Building. "Sorry!" Called back the younger...

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Your protagonist walks past an intriguing stranger, then turns around to take another look at them. The stranger turns around, too. Write about what happens next.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 61 stories

“Blind Leading the Blind” by Adam German

“A Town For The Dying” by Chris Campbell

“Descendants of Esau” by J. D. Lair

“MD” by Derrick M Domican

“The Wildlife of LA” by Marty B

“Sandcastle of Desire” by John K Adams

“Spiritsong: A Legacy of Chaos Story” by John Werner

“Her Hero” by Myranda Marie

“I SAW HIM HE SAW ME THE REST IS HISTORY” by Melinda Madrigal

“....on a train bound for nowhere....” by David Drake

“Egg and Cheese” by Alexander Hanna

““Everything but the Bagel”” by Cynthia Porter

“Multitudes, Multitudes” by Richard E. Gower

“Into the night” by JJM Gudde

“The Universe” by Rylee Mohler

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story on a warm summer evening with a full moon, when everything feels magnetic and your character’s about to meet someone important.

Write about a character having a spiritual experience at a concert or a nightclub.

Write a story about someone who finds someone’s diary, and tries to reunite it with its owner. It’s up to you whether they read it or not!

Write a story about a character who returns home changed by someone they met on a trip.

Contest #199

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

256

Contest entries

143

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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