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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#110: Hit the Road, Jack

On September 5th, 1957, Jack Kerouac published On the Road — a hugely influential novel, swelling with jazz, heat, and Americana, that follows free-spirited mavericks Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty on their travels across the States. To celebrate its 64th anniversary, this week’s prompts all take place on the long and winding road (or right next to it). Safe travels!

This week's prompts

Set your story in a roadside diner.

Dystopian – 59 stories

Write about a couple who fall out on the road.

Valentine's Day – 16 stories

Start your story with a vehicle pulling over for a hitchhiker.

Horror – 47 stories

Write about a character on the road — and on the run.

Adventure – 40 stories

Start your story with the line “We have plenty of time,” and/or end it with the line “We were never going to make it.”

Angst – 47 stories

Stories

“Crimson Hills” by Mackenzie Hebner

Submitted to Contest #110

Crimson HillsBy: Mackenzie M. HebnerFreshly stained asphalt seeped into the mountain side encompassing me and my ragged apparel. The hills were before me. Everything around me was greater than me. Mountains towered over me, hills rose and fell in more consistency and promise than I’d ever known, the rocks grabbed my attention and told me of their role as protector of the earth, the animals lived along side me as if my existence has never crossed their mind as threatening, and now that I stood before them, such had not changed nor had any rea...

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“Paralyzed with Fear” by LAURA Spiritualquest@earthlink.net

Submitted to Contest #110

A huge dose of gratitude has been flooding me for the past 36 hours. They always say bad things happen in threes. We are fine, but we had a scare coming into the Teton Mountains. It was my idea for us to come through the Teton Pass as a short cut down into Jackson Hole, Wyoming even though the elevation was 8,300’ and we were towing a 36’ Montana fifth-wheel. We both felt sure our dual-wheeled Dodge 3500 could handle it. We’d been through Loveland Pass at 11,300’ a few months earlier with no problem. But there didn't ...

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“There’s Always Time for Temptation” by Elizabeth Fenley

Submitted to Contest #110

There’s Always Time for Temptation We have plenty of time. And I have plenty of work to do. Then we have plenty of time. There’s no “we” here. Fine, “I” have plenty of time. Deep breath. Ignore it. I’m in your purse. Shut up. I’m right here, right up here in the cabinet. Leave me alone. I’m working. It’ll only take a second. You know you want to. I’m ignoring you. No, you’re not. Inbox: 121 Unread Emails Overnight. Corporate Email Hell. In a six hospital health care system with an email addiction, everyone is cr...

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“One-Way” by Omar Alvarez

Submitted to Contest #110

“We have plenty of time.” said Angela as she loaded her bag up into her brother’s 2001 Ford Mustang. The black-in-color car blended into the nighttime landscape as she begrudgingly got into the passenger seat. Tommy fell into his sun-worn leather seat as he rolled his head over and annoyingly stared into his sister’s discontented face. He sighed, turned the key and the roar of the engine started up. “Why can’t we just leave tomorrow?!” she beckoned. “It’s Vegas! We can hit the casino early! I’m feeling lucky!” exclaim...

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“Til Diner Do Us Part” by Lauren Rice

Submitted to Contest #110

“I’ll get the chocolate chip pancakes with a side of bacon, please. Oh, and coffee. Black, please.” “Anything else for ya, sugar?” The waitress looked up from her notepad, a sad look in her eyes that I could only assume was pity. “No, that’s all.” I gave her a weak smile and passed the menu back to her. She stared at me for a moment then started to make her way towards another table who was examining their menus, ready to place their own order. I glanced out the window. It had started to rain, which if I recalled correctly w...

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“5-Star ” by Yel Hipolito

Submitted to Contest #110

“We’re here.” I said matter of factly. “Here? 5-star, indeed.” She laughed as I parked in front of a diner that looked like it came out of the 50s. For me, at least, it’s 5-star worth. Most of the food chains along the road are serving the usual. Greasy burger and fries. Pasta that looks like play dough. Chicken that looks like shit and the meat is like sand. I guess that’s the quality you get for dining in fast food. “We could’ve eaten at Mcdonald's.” Lizel whispered across the table after the waitress poured water in our ...

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“Framed” by Olivia C.

Submitted to Contest #110

Content Warning: mild language and mention of blood/murderThey say that when you're on the run, you should never look back. You're supposed to always keep moving: never stay in one place for too long and never stop for anything or anyone.But the moment I parked in front of a small roadside diner off of I-10’s exit from LA, I broke all three rules. And to be frank, I didn’t care, because I was not about to pass up a final peaceful dinner before I spent the next five, six, seven, God knew how many months on the road. The air was stic...

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“The Picnic” by Darlene McDonald

Submitted to Contest #110

Savannah “Savannah, I really wish you wouldn’t worry so much,” Matt says. He reaches over the car’s center console and pats her leg, smiling at her encouragingly. Savannah glances sideways at him and nods as he focuses back on the road in front of them. She admires his strong jawline, his bright blue eyes currently hidden behind his sunglasses, his fitted tee shirt, and the curve of his bicep as he grips the steering wheel. Last night on the phone Matt suggested they spend their day off together enjoying an easy hike to a waterfall....

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“The Toy We Couldn't Roll Over” by Zahra Daya

Submitted to Contest #110

Traveling down this road is too much. I know where it ends. The little bumps and crevices and rusty toys left on the road are our fights. The frustration, lies, hurt, anger. Those stupid toys. Our car rolls smoothly over a toy car just now; I only notice it because my eyes are stone-cold, set on the road in front. But we rolled over like it was nothing. Kept going. In hindsight, it was nothing more than a stupid toy. So why can’t he see that? He’ll take me home, I want to think. He’s left you on the road before. That was different, and I kn...

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“Let's Disappear” by Alice Richardson

Submitted to Contest #110

LET’S DISAPPEAR She was walking down the road not far from my rented old farmhouse, hitchhiking. I don’t normally give people a lift, but she looked so hot in her little denim shorts and crop top how could I resist? I’m just a man after all. And I’m a nice bloke. Some evil person could have come along, picked her up and she would never be seen again. I was doing a good deed. Protecting her from dangerous people with devious minds. A knight in shining armour, that’s me. I asked where she was going and she giggled. Said she didn’t know. Wh...

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“An Unforeseen Meeting” by Rich Graces

Submitted to Contest #110

An Unforeseen MeetingPart 1:“That was a really great trip! Wasn’t it Dad?” a child’s voice from the backseat said excitedly.Alan Dean glanced momentarily from the road over to his pregnant wife, Louise in the passenger seat. He smiled and rubbed her—now very large—belly. After receiving a warm and encouraging smile in response, he turned his attention back to the road.The Dean family was heading home from a two-week summer vacation at their cottage on Lake Wallenpaupack in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The ride home was always pretty boring. Th...

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“Travel Log: Gerro” by Lavender Marigold

Submitted to Contest #110

His name was Gerro. At least that was what the faded ID, hanging from his shirt pocket showed. He was short and bent with age; his large, leather pack, nearly bursting, cast its shadow over his frail body. “Come on in!” I’d told him. He stepped up the stairs and into my bus, then squeezed in behind me. The smells of lacquer, steel, and oil wafted as he passed, the familiar scent bringing memories of Trebin and its industry. It had been years since I’d seen a tinker, not with how easy power had become to harvest—even as the Gods tightened...

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“Pretty Face” by Berta Galindo

Submitted to Contest #110

The pistol under her skirt was rubbing on her thigh, reminding her of the three bodies she had left back home; she would have to forget once she was on the road. She got into the wagon, holding the dry and unwashed hand of her new lover, Billy. Whilst he started the horses, she fixed her golden locks onto a better-suited travelling hair-do. She was dripping in fear of being caught, but she had to remain still while they were not moving. People might recognise her.Named after her great-great-grandmother, Annie, the lovely and beautiful, the m...

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“The Farmer” by Aaron Gibson

Submitted to Contest #110

Whether or not he would ultimately end up being caught was of little to no consequence to Ralph at that moment. At that moment, he was more disappointedly fascinated by the agonizingly decrepit condition of his shoes. The shoes he had worked so hard to buy were covered in tragedy. Deep layers of mud concealed the traces of bloody evidence. The fresh rubber and lace odor had been vanquished within twenty-four hours. The howling of searching sirens and screeching tires chasing shadowy suspects down alleyways felt like a dis...

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“Goodbye Yesterday. Hello Sweet Tomorrow ” by Julia Townson

Submitted to Contest #110

The dull flatulent roar of the diesel engine gearing up as it prepared to make its way down the lonely road leading to town, was barely audible against the sound of the steadily increasing wind. The rain pouring down in torrents from the low dark clouds indicated less than favorable driving conditions. Buckling his seatbelt tightly in anticipation of the long trip ahead, Charles Ferguson was vaguely aware of the myriad of feelings stirring deep within him. Feelings long forgotten with the passage of time. Or so he’d thought. Fragments, bits ...

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$250

Prize money

209

Contest entries

144

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Sep 10, 2021 EST

Won by JanetthePlanet 66 🏆

Title: My Mother's Dreams.

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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