#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 – 100 stories

Start your story with someone trying to read a map.

Fiction – 37 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 – 42 stories

Set your story in a labyrinth that holds a secret.

Dark – 32 stories

Stories

“Envy” by Zaara Rajaji

The king was dead. Kai’s eyes trailed from the king’s lifeless body to me. Disdain filled his gaze, but barely a second later his expression flickered. Like a button, a mischievous smile spread across his face, “All that blood looks great on you, really brings out your eyes.”The door burst open and Reina was plunged out of her world. The world where anything could exist, where she was someone with an important title destined to battle kingdoms. She talked about books with so...

10 comments 10

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“The Horror of Knossos” by Shuvayon Mukherjee

When I was a child, I would peer across the sea to Knossos and tell myself I could see the Labyrinth. I thought of walls impossibly high, impossibly black. Of a great stone door that six hoplites strained to open. Of jaws, to swallow those who ventured within. Fate determined that I never saw these things, for they led me inside blindfolded. When the cloth fell away from my eyes, I was a blind, defenseless creature scrabbling in the dirt. I heard retreating footsteps, a thud in the distance. And th...

11 comments 11

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“A couple weeks” by Jaden Christopher

Katie slouched down in the back of her Uber. She was so tired, and these seats were so comfortable. Something about the backseat of a car had always made her tired. With her not sleeping last night, she could almost fall asleep now. Too bad the news of yesterday and her mission today would never let that happen. When her eyes closed, all she saw was the doctor telling them the news. That’s why today was so important.

7 comments 7

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“Blood of My Enemies” by Brenda W

Standing in the middle of her drop cloth-covered living room floor, Shondra whispered “I am bathing in the blood of my enemies!” She painted her body deep red with deliberate movements. Savoring the cool, slightly sticky feeling, each stroke became an incident from her past. Here were the children in grade school leaving her at the table all by herself. There was a boyfriend in college who ghosted her. This stroke was a...

13 comments 13 SHORTLIST ⭐️

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“Speed Dating at Liquid Pandemonium ” by Alyissa M. Lore

The underbelly of this city was frightening. I couldn’t shake the skin crawling itch of phantom insects as I stared out the passenger side window. It was as if the darkness was hungry, leaching away the streetlights feeble attempts at illumination, showing nothing but silhouettes in the shadows, and the glowing eyes of feral animals “Are you sure we are going to the right place, Lala?” I asked, reaching for her phone to check the GPS. It said we were on track and set to arrive at the abandoned building in less than ten minutes...

5 comments 5

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“Christmas at Midnight ” by Connie Elstun

Working as an R.N. on Dementia Ward B makes it seem that a matutinal death is as commonplace as a pre-dawn birth. My dear sweet patient, Margaret Brown, joined Jesus on this early Christmas morning. I'm not sure if she extraordinarily left this world or not. I was there; I did see it, yet it all seemed like a dream. Maybe the old myth is true, Christmas at midnight is when heaven and earth meet.Margaret's story plays in my mind like the repetition of elevator-style Christmas tunes I have listened to all month; it’s most ...

9 comments 9

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“THE BIRDWATCHER ” by Michelle Shaay

The rustle of leaves and morning air greeted Dan while he slept in the tent. He had planned this for so many weeks. "I'm finally getting to enjoy some well deserved solitude" he thought to himself. The new insulated sleeping bag was cozy and he only wanted to continue feeling its warmth. However, he got up and began semi-packing some of his gear. He packed extremely light this time since the trip was only supposed...

1 comment 1

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“A Case of Arthuritis” by Swan Anderson

My name is Doctor Edgar B. Shallows, Jr. and I work in the ER at Cornwall Medical Center. We're down in what's called the Combat Zone, where hookers and drug dealers prowl the streets, suburban guys sneak into the peep shows and sex shops, and guns are as plentiful as cotton candy. You can practically set your watch by the police sirens. Our hospital specializes in major trauma cases. We're trained to spr...

21 comments 21

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“Whirl Wind Romance” by John K Adams

TW: Tornado aftermath and loss. Lyle awoke in a gloom and in pain. Damp earth made him shiver. Pressure pinned him down. Ragged plywood. Had he been buried alive? Their house come down on them? “Amy…? Hello?” It came out more of a croak. No response. He ached. Every joint cried for relief. His skin burned. Splinters tore at him. He couldn’t move. Cool air flowed. He called out, and c...

7 comments 7

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“Helper of Mankind” by Jamie Gregory

On the morning of my sixteenth birthday, I was jolted awake by the discordant sounds of a car horn blaring outside and my mom’s fists banging on my bedroom door. I rolled over in bed with the agility of a sloth. 5:53 am — my birth minute. Happy birthday to me, I thought grudgingly. Mom’s voice, teetering between stern and panicky tones, shouted at me through the door, “Sasha, are you awake? The ...

10 comments 10

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“In The Icy Hands of Time” by Angela Govender

A gust of wind drove down the valley, grazing my feet. I stood firmly, inhaling a mix of icy wind with nostalgic memories. I felt lethargic and sounded like a panting dog. It was the first path I have ever taken in life that was bestrewed with rocks and not litter. I felt a sense of purity, and I could tell my mind would be cleared after our hike. I could tell I would be able to face whatever happened that day. It is not...

4 comments 4

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“Lightless” by Anoush Hovnanian

I 4:00 am I can’t sleep. Sometimes sleep won’t come to you. No matter what you do to catch it. No matter how hard you try. Sleep won’t come. If Luna was there, she would probably tell me sleep is not something you can order around. She would tell me this, in that soothing voice of hers. Tha...

3 comments 3

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“A Meeting of the Minds. ” by Eric Falvey

*TW* LanguageIt was a dreary Saturday. Of course, everyday had become a bit dreary for me these days. Stuck in the mundane, a spectacular waste of braincells and potential. Wasted away and living the life of a settler. That's what I call them, the people who build their life on repetition and consistency. The kind who work at the same job for 50 years, thinking that their hard work and servitude ACTUALLY means something to the rich pricks who own the company. The kind of people that live their entire lives wit...

6 comments 6

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“Endling” by Ruby Bishop

Frayed around the edges, crinkled through the middle, and faded with time, dirt, and blood, the map sat next to her on the edge of the rooftop as she looked through her binoculars and kicked her feet in the hot summer wind. There had been a time when the city below bustled with life, but now there were only rotting cars, rolling fields of trash, and tornados of smog as far as the eye could see. When t...

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“The Doorknob Rock” by Michelle Colpo

“Why’re you crying?” I tried to keep my voice level and free of annoyance as I watched Theo sift through the rocks in the stream, sniffling and wiping his nose on the hem of his jacket. You could line his pockets with Kleenex boxes and he’d still wipe his snot-riddled nose on his dirty green jacket sleeve. “B-b-because they threw it in here!” His voice wobbled in his high-pitched s...

4 comments 4

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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.

Stories

“Envy” by Zaara Rajaji

“The Horror of Knossos” by Shuvayon Mukherjee

“A couple weeks” by Jaden Christopher

“Blood of My Enemies” by Brenda W

“Speed Dating at Liquid Pandemonium ” by Alyissa M. Lore

“Christmas at Midnight ” by Connie Elstun

“THE BIRDWATCHER ” by Michelle Shaay

“A Case of Arthuritis” by Swan Anderson

“Whirl Wind Romance” by John K Adams

“Helper of Mankind” by Jamie Gregory

“In The Icy Hands of Time” by Angela Govender

“Lightless” by Anoush Hovnanian

“A Meeting of the Minds. ” by Eric Falvey

“Endling” by Ruby Bishop

“The Doorknob Rock” by Michelle Colpo

$250

Prize money

238

Contest entries

158

Stories

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