#124: Seeking, Finding

Have you ever noticed how common it is for fictional characters to embark on their adventures in search of something? From an Odyssean longing for home to Hero’s-Journey-style quests, many great tales begin with the potent act of seeking.

Let these prompts guide you along your own journey of creative discovery — I’m curious to see what you find.

This week's prompts

Write a story about a character in search of something or someone.

Angst – 94 stories

Start your story with someone trying to read a map.

Fiction – 35 stories

Write a story where two characters are playing hide and seek, literally or metaphorically.

Fluff – 27 stories

End your story with someone finding themselves.

Character – 39 stories

Set your story in a labyrinth that holds a secret.

Dark – 31 stories

Stories

“Everywhere I Went” by Tiffany Stewart

Submitted to Contest #124

It's been a year. I've tried to find you, but I never quite seem to be able to. I'm always a step behind. I went to the department store today, the one we always went to together. I thought maybe I would find you there. All those times we braved the Christmas crowds on Black Friday; all those times we waited an hour just to check out with the goodies we found as we braved those crowds. The conversations we shared while we waited in those lines – even though we were so tired of standing – and the laughter we had that you had to be there t...

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“SEARCHING FOR LUCY” by Del Gibson

Submitted to Contest #124

SEARCHING FOR LUCY When we arrive at the Wallace’s estate, darkness is setting in, big black dusty clouds surround the property as we drive down the long winding driveway with conifer trees standing sentinel on either side. When finally the house makes its appearance, I am astonished at the size of the sprawling mansion. We are here to conduct a paranormal investigation, searching for Lucy Wallace who practically vanished into thin air. The Mother had reached out to us yesterday. I park in front of the mansion, and we sit there in awe f...

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“The Last Hit” by Jim Driesen

Submitted to Contest #124

There’s always a demand for a guy in my profession. I’m a paid assassin. Doesn’t matter who they are or what they’ve done, if someone wants them wasted, I’m the one that gets the order. It’s a business. I don’t do international stuff, that’s for the Central Intelligence Agency. No, I’m a domestic. Exes are my bread and butter. Ex-spouses, ex-bosses, ex-any things. Everyone has someone they’d like to see popped, and if they really want to get it done right, they call me. This is no business for an amateur. How do they find me? How do you find...

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“Kentucky Blues ” by Candace Patterson

Submitted to Contest #124

I use the faded map to get my bearings as best I can. I trace my route along the creek and feel my fingertips tingle with excitement. I hear the echo of my great-granddaddy’s words, “last I knew they was hidin’ in some holler near the ol’ creek we all used to live on.” Best I could tell, the whole of Kentucky lived on a holler on a hill near a creek, just some had roads to ‘em and some didn’t. My whole family, especially my folks think I’m crazy. But I just had to come look, and in the end Pop let me use his rusty fa...

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“A Dragon Sized Surprise ” by Shelly Nash

Submitted to Contest #124

“Tick-tock!” Katie sat up in her bed, eyes wide. She had the most peculiar dream about a dragon…the same one she had all the time…oh well. She shook her shoulders, reminding herself it was morning. She looked around her room, Katie’s bedroom was filled with half-finished paintings and rickety old easels. She loved to paint, but never had inspiration. She stood up, out of bed, and looked in the mirror. Katie had shoulder-length dark brown hair with lavender highlights. She pulled on a gray T-shirt, jeans, brushed her hair out, and decided tha...

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“Finding Mother” by Jill Ostaszewski

Submitted to Contest #124

Lily’s mother Grace left when Lily was four. Lily didn’t know where she went. Neither did Lily’s Grandma Meg. Lily never let her grandma see her tears. Grandma scoffed at outward signs of emotion. Grace’s name was never spoken again in the little house they all once shared. A few months after Grace’s departure, Grandma gathered all traces of her daughter - pictures, clothes, a record player and sleeved 45’s – placed them in boxes and, with the help of the next door neighbor’s son, moved them to the cellar. Grandma Meg was soon declared ...

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“The Killing of Names” by Rachel Coughenour

Submitted to Contest #124

The stories followed him wherever he went and for that he was glad. For words have power and the words spoken of him filled men with fear. Because of this, he never set a story straight, but would rather lean back in his chair, taking long drags from a pipe, nodding and smiling enigmatically at the storyteller and their dramatic recounting of events. At this subtle recognition the storytellers became overwhelmed with excitement and joy, slamming their tankards of beer on the bar top screaming to all those listening “see! I told you! I ...

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“Murder and Manga” by Elizabeth Shores

Submitted to Contest #124

"We can see Princess Pearl if we go to Ballroom A this afternoon," Cam said. His eyes twinkled as he ran his finger across the convention map. The white silk of his glove slid over its glossy surface with ease. His smile faded as he furrowed his brow. "But if we go to Ballroom C, we can meet the creators of the Dark Phantasma comics. At least, I think that's who we'd meet, anyway." He brought the map closer to his face as he squinted. "Which one should we go to?" Hank rolled his eyes as he turned to face him. He huffed and snatched th...

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“U-Turn” by Esther Andrews

Submitted to Contest #124

“Stay in the left lane.” “In one mile, make a U-turn.” “In 800-feet, make a U-turn.” “In 200-feet, make a U-turn.” My GPS unrelentingly urged me to perform an illegal U-turn while I remained steadfast in my refusal to play along. With all of its intelligence, shouldn’t it know better than to demand I make an unlawful turn? If it can pinpoint my precise location on the entire planet, to the exclusion of all other locations, and knows the location of my destination within just a couple of feet, it doesn’t seem to be a str...

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“Idioma” by Dave W

Submitted to Contest #124

I hate Google Maps so much. I was literally just trying to visit my in-laws in Birmingham, but now I’m trying to read this stupid map in a moving car while the phone is speaking– “MOM, WHY IS IT SPEAKING SPANISH?!” Jason shouted at me. “I DON’T KNOW! PLEASE STOP YELLING AT ME, I’M TRYING TO FOCUS!” I shout back. This always happens to me. Technology is always trying to ruin my life. This is all Billy Gates’ fault, or whatever his name is. “Gira a la derecha en media milla.” says Spanish Siri. I try to switch the language, but my finger s...

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“In Search of the Perfect Place” by Haz Cady

Submitted to Contest #124

“Come on, darling, we have to choose a spot.” I knew this was easier said than done. I knew the God of Tragedy too well. After several millenia, I should. It had been a hard year and while the energy was positive about getting back to theatre, it came with a heavy dose of depression. Any moment, they would snatch the map from me, not to try to make a decision, but to slow down the process entirely. But before they could, I closed my eyes, roved my finger around the map and let it settle at random. “The United States! Wonderful, we could see ...

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“Black Lines” by Kate Park

Submitted to Contest #124

It was just a few black lines on a white cocktail napkin. Or what had once been a white cocktail napkin. It had faded, marked by time. It had been folded and unfolded. It had wiped away a tear or two. There was a stain left behind in one corner, sticky and dry at the same time. But the written lines were unblemished. Simple and neat. The pen that made them hadn’t bled as it marked out a path for me. If I was only brave enough to follow them. It should be so easy. A left turn here. A straightaway. A right turn there. A starting point a...

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“Riddle of Daedalus” by Roland Hacker

Submitted to Contest #124

“I would gladly trade all of my scholarly titles and awards for greater knowledge and discovery,” said Dr. Howard Fine. The professor currently hunched over his ancient map held four Ph. Ds: Mythology, History, Anthropology, and Archeology. “Of course you would,” said Brandon. “But you really ought to find satisfaction in what you have accomplished from time-to-time. You’re going to burn out your assistants. You could probably be the most famed archeologist in the world by now if you wanted to. Back me up on this, Alyssa.” “It’s true t...

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“Shall We” by Danaé Morriah

Submitted to Contest #124

She left a note taped to my front door. A time and place where to meet her with no intention of showing up herself. I knew that she wouldn’t show but a part of me hung on to the possibility that she would. We’ve been talking for 6 months now I have yet to meet her, we make a plan, and she doesn’t show up. She always follows it with an excuse that causes me to feel bad that I was angry in the first place. It unsettled me that she knew where I lived, and I only knew the things ...

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“Holiday Dinner” by Nathan Landrum

Submitted to Contest #124

The patter of heavy little feet thumped across the wooden deck. Amy Jo watched her son duck around the porch corner behind her gas grill. Peeking his head out he stared at his mother, then down the short sidewalk. “Conner, what are you doing?” His head retracted like a turtle behind the black metal grill shell. “I’m hiding from the Nowhere man.” The empty lower half of the grill exposed the bottom half of his purple t-shirt, all of his shorts, and the tops of his shins. Amy Jo turned to the young blond man who tottered awkwardly one...

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$250

Prize money

226

Contest entries

147

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Dec 17, 2021 EST

Won by Amanda Lieser 🏆

Title: Birth Mother

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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#124: Seeking, Finding

This week's prompts

Write a story about a character in search of something or someone.

Start your story with someone trying to read a map.

Write a story where two characters are playing hide and seek, literally or metaphorically.

End your story with someone finding themselves.

Set your story in a labyrinth that holds a secret.