#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

“Sam`s Obsession” by Fred McIlmoyle

Submitted to Contest #124

Sam’s Obsession It was the week-end and Sam McAuley sat in his rocking chair in front of the big open fire. On the back of an old envelope he jotted notes with the stub of a pencil which he licked from time to time. Eventually he laid the pencil down and stuck the the notes in his hip pocket. Leaning back into the rocking chair he stretched his gangling arms up towards the smoke-stained ceiling of the old farmhouse. The newspaper slipped off his knees unnoticed as he rocked back and forth deep in thought. Aft...

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“LOOKING FOR HER” by Brian Hastie

Submitted to Contest #124

LOOKING FOR HER By &nb...

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“The Fight of the Century” by John Valentino

Submitted to Contest #124

Words: 2463 The Fight of the Century FDNY Lieutenant Mike Mose...

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“Finders, keepers” by Rachel Fox

Submitted to Contest #124

I only took my eyes off her for a second. Swinging pigtails, soft legs. Scan quickly back up the path, peer into the woods calling her name, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. It’s cold. Sweat prickles my neck. I tell myself she can’t have gone far, whistle the dogs. They don’t come back. I call their names. Maybe they’re together, you hear stories about dogs looking after children. I clamber down the muddy bank to the river, the light is going, bile rises in my throat pushes curses out. I shout her name, No child, no dogs. My h...

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“Peek-a-boo” by Mary Gregoriy

Submitted to Contest #124

Sensitive issue: This contains a reference to induced labour and stillbirth which may be disturbing to some readers.I had never cared much for flying—stuck in a sardine can for three hours or more. I invented ways to entertain myself. People-watching was my favourite, but sometimes I found other people watching me. I found that a bit unnerving. Children were the worst—they have a very direct gaze.The child in the seat in front of me was doing it now. A baby really, very cute. She was staring at me from between the two seatbacks, her round, b...

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“Seeking Solace” by Erica Hampton

Submitted to Contest #124

"Holly, hurry up." I scrunched up my nose at the tall birch tree next to me. It wasn't that what the tree had said was untruthful; it was just unfair. I had been staring at the same map on my phone for almost twenty minutes. But every time it looked like something new might load and finally free me from this prison, the screen would crash. That didn't make it my fault I'd be stuck wandering the woods around Lake Superior's northern shore forever. Some leaves above my head laughed at my plight, and I stopped messing with the phone screen lo...

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“Gretchen's Unfair Advantage” by Pako Dunwhile

Submitted to Contest #124

Gretchen peered down at the crisp parchment paper. The title read Hector Martinez Francisco Guerrero Personality Map. Her heart swooned at the name. The rest of the document listed in color-coded sections from gray to gold. Her eyes shuffled past the colored font and underlining. Gray, blue, yellow, and gold. The Notary saw the expected glow of her eyes. “Don’t you be reading too fast like all the others. Stay away from the gold until you know you’re ready to see who he truly is. Anything less, stop. You and the subject will become bo...

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“Princess Numptyllocks Finds Herself” by Elle Avrak

Submitted to Contest #124

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who was the favorite of her father, the king. As a little girl she brought him such joy, with her rosy countenance and golden curls that bounced as she played. Over the years, the king watched his daughter grow into a beautiful young lady, and while she still brought him great joy, her golden curls no longer bounced about her shoulders for she spent many quiet hours reading of the kingdoms of others, and sighing deeply. One day, she went to her father with a request. “Father, m...

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“Adept of ADNI” by Minerva Noiropp

Submitted to Contest #124

The detailed map burst into life in the centre of my mind's eye. Narrowing my focus, I zoomed in to the lowest sphere, at the base of the schematic. After all, it was where I was, blindfolded by the dark, in a room, thick and loamy, smelling of fresh tilled earth. The sphere gave off a dull sheen. A dusty citrine quarter shone at the top. To its left, my right, gleamed an olive region. Balancing that, was a deep russet. Capping the bottom of the sphere, was pure darkness, darker than the night my soul stood in. Gazing hard into the sphere r...

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“The Map Is The Territory” by Jeremiah Benson

Submitted to Contest #124

He was a strange-looking man with an even stranger agenda, often spending his days interrogating well-meaning pedestrians on the street. Do you believe in God? He asked. Me? Well, I’m not sure. I’ve never given it a good thought. Do you believe in God? He asked again, refusing any answer besides a clear yes or no. I believe in something, maybe not God, but something.Many were frightened to interact with the man due to his intimidating physical stature; he was shaped like a large and grotesque beetle; he even embodied the mannerisms of one, o...

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“Expectations of Growth” by Michelle Nieweg

Submitted to Contest #124

Distant big brakes squealed, slowing tons of metal to a safe stop. The subway was not quite second nature, not quite new. Celeste puzzled at the map on the wall at the airport, a straight line representing each stop, but did the train actually move like that? One big straight line? This map was more of a symbol, she decided. She only needed to count the stops and who cares what direction it goes. She swiped her metro card and tugged her old rolling suitcase behind her. This suitcase was in ok shape, the zippers still held all the contents s...

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“I Can't Abide By The Google” by Bobbie Candas

Submitted to Contest #124

I was kind of dreading this trip. But it was a comment I’d suggested in a casual conversation, and then my grandma seized on it, remembered me saying it, and here we were now, doing it. Sitting in my Honda in her driveway listening to a podcast, I waited for Grandma. Finally, the door to her house swung open and my five-foot-tall granny and her three large bags emerged. She marched over to my open window and swung a large, heavy book at me. “Here, Jenny. Got you something we ...

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“ The Connection ” by Shirley Brand

Submitted to Contest #124

"Good morning Sunshine." The big orange tabby sat staring at Gloria. "Do you ever sleep in?" It had been the same start to every day going on nine years. Gloria lived in a small seaside cottage in South Carolina. Sunshine had shown up one day after a terrible rainstorm, not very old and very hungry, he stayed. Gloria swung her legs to the floor. "We are going up to the University today, have been invited to lead a group of believers through the labyrinth, I told them eleven this morning, so Sunny boy let's get a move on it." As always ...

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“The Amulet of Hartla” by Omar Alvarez

Submitted to Contest #124

Tankard looked at the map and at the Six Peak Mountains off in the distance. He turned the map around and slanted his head to try and fit their heading towards the course. “This looks right… Like this here… No… Like this…” He turned around and looked at the Yout River, then to the Panaba Hills on his left, then back at the map. &n...

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“Not Since the 1890s” by Kathryn Mofley

Submitted to Contest #124

Maybe it was the approaching darkness, a low flashlight battery, deafening thunder, or sheer terror that blurred my vision, but the park map was unreadable. Yes, it’s December, but mine is no Christmas story.Although I’d been on this trail many times, in my panicked state of mind, a fork in the path confused me. I was being stalked, preyed upon, and hoped I’d chosen the best way forward.Only a few hours earlier, I’d been happily setting up my campsite. My husband was away on one of his frequent fishing trips with his buddies; a no-girls...

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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.