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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#168: Choo Choo!

The concept of train travel has always been a powerful motif in story telling. Train wagons can be a great setting for serendipitous love encounters, like for Jesse and Céline in Before Sunrise, or mysterious murders, like in Agatha Christie's classic Orient Express.

On a train, the mind wanders, time shifts, and life… unfolds. We hope that these train-inspired prompts will put you on the right track to writing some great stories.

This week's prompts

Start your story with someone looking out a train window.

Middle School – 98 stories

Write a story about a character who is moving on, literally or figuratively.

Narrative – 58 stories

Make a train station an important part of your story.

Narrative – 74 stories

Write a story about a character who misses a train, for better or worse.

Adults – 33 stories

Write a story that includes someone saying, “Bon voyage.”

Adults – 17 stories

Stories

“Doors” by Jonathan Ment

Submitted to Contest #168

“Stand clear of the closing doors, please” Rachel heard the announcement scratch its way through the speakers of the subway’s public address system as she had countless times before. She inhaled while the fresh air was available and watched as several more passengers squeezed themselves into an already overcrowded car. She had been riding for some time. Not half an hour yet, she was fairly sure, but Rachel was uncertain how long she had been on that train. Feeling insecure or uneasy was nothing new these days, but this was different. Her...

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“End Of The Season” by Nancy Lucas

Submitted to Contest #168

The closing went smoothly, other than the banker spending 20 minutes convincing my buyer to not default on a $400,000 loan. There was a lot of mumbling at their end of the table, and I felt like I was in a different dimension. All the stress. All the stress. I set the only 2 keys to the store on the conference table. One for the handle and the other, the deadbolt. After 48 years in our family, I felt the crush of letting go of something our family owned for so long and for not knowing what tomorrow would look like. I just knew it couldn’t ...

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“Overture” by Remus Sutherland

Submitted to Contest #168

Twenty five thousand. Three zeros. She visualized the number trailed by a three dimensional dollar sign, big and bold in that sharp casino font, resting neon in the void behind her eyelids. She thought about her rent and medical bills, vaporized, pow. New car with functioning air conditioner and aux-compatible stereo. Maybe buy her mom something gorgeous and fork it over the table at a fancy restaurant that requires a reservation. Steak. Save ten thousand maybe, don’t get too crazy. Trip to Europe. “They love it Sophie,” he said. “They wer...

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“Lilly Joy” by Mike Cohen

Submitted to Contest #168

Chapter One Thin as a twig, Maywood Sloper slouched against the only window in the room. Quiet and sorrowful, he stared through the filthy glass at the train tracks below, then turned and squinted at me. A pair of torn and muddied, black lace panties draped the clipboard in his hand. “I’ve lost her.” He coughed deep in hi...

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“From My Booth, Cherry Peak” by Joe St Vincent

Submitted to Contest #168

From my booth, I can see Cherry Peak among the hills. This morning, Cherry Peak is covered in a light mist, so I cannot see it. I wait for the sun to break the mist, checking occasionally. Guests begin to arrive before the sun crests, and it is cold, autumn. And from my booth I watch them. A tight-lipped woman passes me on the way to wait for the third car to Buxton. She knows where she is going and does not need a ticket, so does not stop at my booth. She is the third to arrive at the platform that morning, earlier than usual. The fourth an...

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“Another Time Around” by Jessica Berkowitz

Submitted to Contest #168

Why is it that horror movies always seem to include some version of skipping records, spiral staircases, or ticking clock faces?The train made a loop counterclockwise around his basement. Tiny treetops, some of their foliage dotted in reds and yellows to signify the start of fall, stand erect throughout the scene; a testament to the countless hours spent in the basement repeating the same tasks. Dot glue, dip in flocking; dot glue, dip in flocking. The water in the falls, suspended as if time didn’t exist at all. Yet, eve...

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“Finally, We Meet” by MELISSA SALAS

Submitted to Contest #168

I was new to town, and she was the first person I saw on the train. She dropped her lip gloss, but I was too distracted on gathering my thoughts and picking up my jaw to help her with it. Her soft brown eyes mesmerized my whole existence, her natural un-contoured nose matched the buttons on my levis button up. Me and her, we just belonged together. It didn’t make sense, but it was the expression I felt over the first person I had seen leading up to a terrible day before that train ride. I sat on a bench after my train ride, thinking about t...

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“GOODBYE MY LOVE” by Melinda Madrigal

Submitted to Contest #168

UNION TRAIN STATION 1942 Union train station is always packed especially now. I see men in uniform, there women by their side saying goodbye. Today it's my turn to say goodbye to my guy, my love Tommy. I've been at Union train station all morning watching many couples say goodbye not knowing if they will ever see their love again. I saw tears, laughter and hugs, then I saw loneliness. Tommy and I have been best friends since we were kids. I know it's weird for a girl to have a boy as a best friend, for me it wasn't. I was and still am ha...

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“Our Friends Among Enemies” by T. S. Memory

Submitted to Contest #168

The Agent wiped the sweat off his brow and adjusted his attire as he exited the vehicle. He checked his watch and saw he was an hour early as planned. Extending the handle on his suitcase, he strolled towards the train station. The Agent cleared the checkpoint on his side and headed to the second floor, where he found a nice spot with a vantage point over the entire place. Much of the train station were shut down except for the two-story central terminal, where trains bound towards the east and west converged. He could see processing checkpo...

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“Mortuary Station” by Tracey Martin

Submitted to Contest #168

It’s All Hallows’ Eve, and the night is whispering secrets. Three friends gather as they jump over the chained ironed gates leading to the old Mortuary Railway Station. “Didn’t I tell you this would be the perfect spot?” insists Mason with a wild grin. His athletic body has easily landed him on his feet from off the tall, sharp gates. He turns his head to the sound of a thud and a yelp. “I don’t know guys,” whimpers Howard as he dusts himself off and looks around. “I- I don’t think we should be here.” His slender fram...

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“The Train” by Meredith Gomes

Submitted to Contest #168

Danielle sat alone on the tan wooden bench checking off her list; it was crisp outside, a cold 28 degrees Fahrenheit, so she felt lucky to be near a heater. As she makes her way down the sunshine yellow paper pad to go through her checklist, she smells something. She hadn’t eaten yet and this was her chance to do so before her station was called. The scents of cinnamon sugar, fakery queso dip, and salty goodness lured her in. She practically floated her way over to the soft pretzel stand. “Hi! One order of cinnamon pretzel sticks, on...

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“The Last Train” by Niki Hatzidis

Submitted to Contest #168

We made it to the platform three days ago. It was already packed and with only two trains coming each day it took us two of those three days to make into the old station. The trouble was that there hasn’t been a train since yesterday morning and people were beginning to grow fearful and restless. There were a lot of refugees that were claiming the train would never come. Others planned to keep walking if only to give themselves a chance to look for food or clean water. Others just sobbed where they had made a makeshift shelter. This might ha...

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“Living Memories” by Olea MacDonald

Submitted to Contest #168

My deceased grandmother was sitting right there in front of me on a train station bench in New York City. The first time this happened I nearly fell backwards onto the tracks, but that was almost a year ago now. I had just moved to New York to escape my hometown and my parents. My first week here I had managed to consume more ramen than any one person should in their entire life, but it was cheap and I didn't have a job and could barely afford rent. By some miracle Mrs Jean, my current day boss, took a chance on a dirty, unwilling, and lazy ...

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“The Guilty One” by Drew Herron

Submitted to Contest #168

The man sprinted through the empty subway station. It being mid-winter did nothing to prevent sweat from pouring down his back and soaking into his cotton dress shirt. The leather messenger bag jumped around at his waist, tugging at his shoulder as he ran. He scanned his MetroCard and resumed his race against the train. His loafers smacking the tile floor echoed through the empty halls. He turned a corner and saw his train stopped at the platform with its doors open. The automated voice saying “Beware of closing doors” called throughout the ...

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“Maybe It Was Fate ” by FabWritesStuff -

Submitted to Contest #168

“What am I supposed to do for the next five hours?” The agent at the ticket counter gave Callie an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, train delays are rare but they do happen. You’re welcome to take a seat somewhere until your train is ready to board.” Callie sighed in defeat and grabbed the handle of her wheeled suitcase. “Alright, thank you.” She wandered around the train station for a bit until she came upon an empty bench that was away from the crowds of rushing people. Sitting down, she leaned her head back against th...

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$250

Prize money

280

Contest entries

105

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Oct 21, 2022 EST

Won by David Sweet 🏆

Title: SOUTHBOUND

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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