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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#171: Wanderlust, Wanderlost

If I can paraphrase In Search of Lost Time, Marcel Proust once said that “the real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” This idea of travel has always been popular in literature: most notably, as a way for authors to explore a character’s internal journey through their encounters with the external world. After all, our interactions with people and places are what shape our perspective on things.

Taking inspiration from the idea of the solo voyage — whether it be a big trip around the world, or simply a leisurely walk around an unfamiliar neighborhood — this week’s prompts invite you to hone in on drifting, wandering, and exploring on your own.

This week's prompts

Start your story with someone looking at a breathtaking view and getting emotional.

Dramatic – 64 stories

Write about two solo travelers who keep bumping into each other in the most unexpected of places.

Romance – 21 stories

Write about a character who is trying to leave something or someone behind — only to realize they carry it with them.

Sad – 72 stories

Write a story where someone decides to take the long way home.

Adventure – 37 stories

Your character is about to embark on the journey of a lifetime. The story takes place during a long-haul flight, with an open return-date. What happens?

Adventure – 10 stories

Stories

“The Left turn” by Martin Sánchez Grahn

Submitted to Contest #171

Paul was a man of routine. Very seldom did he deviate from his schedule. He even had a lunch menu that he followed to the point every week. Mondays a sandwich from Joe's down the street, Tuesday's a slice of pepperoni pizza from the Italian place a block over, and so on.He got up at the same time every day, took a shower, had breakfast, brushed his teeth, and choose his clothes in the same way he did his lunch, sorted by weekdays.From an outside point of view, one could even say that Paul might have been suffering from a tad of OCD. But, for...

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“Idle Speed Only” by Gloria Preston

Submitted to Contest #171

Idle Speed Only When the sunset sparkles across the water with its siren song, it is nearly impossible to resist. The golden line of ripples simmered on the water and stopped directly at my pier. The pontoon, a brand new one since the old one was resting in the marina boneyard, the new one christened Lolly, a sleek and decked out Sylvan DLZ watercraft, was ready to go. She had completed her maiden voyage only last month and served faithfully every day since. I had done the r...

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“Santa's Senior Moments.” by Julie Grenness

Submitted to Contest #171

It was that most magical time of the year, Christmas again. Santa was preparing for his long-haul flight. But this year, there was no turning back. Maybe he was never coming home. His sleigh was ready, with an open return-date. In spite of the usual traditions, the world had changed forever. Due to the ever expanding global warming and climate change, the North Pole had turned into a surf beach. It was now labelled, "New North!" Mrs. Merry Santa heaved a sigh, her grey hair and doughty bosoms prevented her wearing a bikini. She could hear o...

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“Finding Happiness” by Ruby Fink

Submitted to Contest #171

Dear Mom, I got your message. I tried calling, but your voicemail said you would be hard to reach for a few months and to email you. What were you thinking? What possessed you to take a missionary trip to the Dominican Republic of all places? And without telling me? Or anyone else? You mentioned that with me in college you had a little more time on your hands, but how does that translate to a spur-of-the-moment trip? What about your business? Who is managing your work, who is managing your house? I’m glad you’re getting a little vacation for...

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“Come Fly With Me” by Mark Nero

Submitted to Contest #171

Wow… ‘I can’t believe I’m finally doing this’, I said to myself, while I sat in the cramped window seat of a plane heading to Sydney, Australia! I thought I’d be clever and learn how to say ‘G’day, mate!’ with an Australian accent but the more I tried the worse I sounded. Charleston airport was quieter than I thought it would be, considering all the shenanigans on the news, so it didn’t take long to check my bags, clear customs, and find my seat on the jet. When I told my friends what I was about to do, they thought I was crazy. Especial...

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“Pueo 'Aumakua” by James Eldridge

Submitted to Contest #171

Donna reached into her bag and grabbed the binoculars. Can I even call them that? She thought to herself. They were the perfect birthday gift from her brother who was a Captain in the Army and deployed to Afghanistan. She felt her throat thicken as she pulled the $13,000 Armasight PVS-31 carefully out of the pouch. She remembered being a little girl and Lexington making it a priority to point out beauty to his little sister wherever he saw it. “Donna, life is very short. If you don’t appreciate little moments like the silhouette of th...

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“Drowning on Dry Land” by ER Castaneda

Submitted to Contest #171

Standing at the top of the mountain, looking at the lush greenery of trees surrounding me and focusing on the waterfall off in the distance, I realize I made it! I made the climb! I began to tear up. One year earlier: The millisecond right after I stir and am awakened, right before my eyes shoot open, is one of the guaranteed great moments of my day. I don’t know where I am, who I am, and I feel a blank slate of emotion. Then it all goes to shit when the plethora of feelings flood in, the anger at...

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“Dreams of Yesterday ” by Trish Bonsall

Submitted to Contest #171

Al and I stood on Deck 11 aboard the Celebrity Millennium cruise ship. This beautiful vessel had been our home for the past seven days. The air was crisp and cold and a wispy layer of fog surrounded us. We were in the final days of our Alaskan adventure at sea. This was a trip that had been on our bucket list for over forty years. Back in the early days of our marriage we talked about traveling. We would wait a few years to start a family so we could jet off into the sunset. We’d pack our bags and be spo...

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“Wanderlust” by F.O. Morier

Submitted to Contest #171

The day was settling down in a blaze of golden light, the color of the grass and the foliage were so brilliant, but Henry wasn´t able to drink in its beauty. He had been plagued by an uneasiness deep in his chest all day; a kind of vague foreboding. When his son drove into the yard of the farm, he knew for sure: something was wrong. He heard Teddy's car stall in the garage. A silence fell, that seemed to last an eternity. Henry pulled Fluffy closer to him and stroked him behind the ears. -"What is that boy doing over there?" he s...

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“A Son's Love” by Rowan F

Submitted to Contest #171

Trigger warning for mentions of physical abuse, substance abuse, and mental health.The evening sun shone down red over the mountainside. In the glowing light the forest below almost appeared to be on fire, autumn leaves burning brilliant scarlet and orange, interlaced with gold. October’s sharp, crisp breeze stirred the leaves to dance like the flames of summertime’s wildfires had done only a few months earlier. A sea of colour stretched as far as the eye could see, seeming to disappear off the horizon. Ben imagined some great fire creeping ...

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“The Painting” by Kimberly Gold

Submitted to Contest #171

Marvellous buildings of stone mark the boundary between sea and land. Their orange colour, amplified by the midday sun, bestows the city with the vibrancy of a hot fire and stands in stark contrast to the turquoise blue of the sky and water. The tall buildings reach right to the edge of the cliffs, so they appear even more monumental from the perspective of the sea, where a little boat is approaching the dancing colours of the coastal city. The sailors on board wonder whether they may join the dance. Their journey has been tedious, an...

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“To Wander Is Ever Humanity's Duty” by Nils Borné

Submitted to Contest #171

The view from the small hill, upon which the young worker stood, was truly majestic. The roads looked small down below, and the people going about their day were barely visible. Large city centers in the distance reflected the sunlight along their glass-covered exteriors. Along the far horizon, massive skyscrapers dominated the skyline, reminding the young worker of the sheer scale of humanity’s achievements. It was a truly magnificent sight to behold.In the skies high above, the hull of a colossal vessel penetrated the dark cloud cover. The...

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“Fly with the Eagle” by Kevin Alphatooni

Submitted to Contest #171

The wind blew, frigid and sharp. My sweat-stained shirt took the brunt of the chill but a cold shiver still electrified down my skin. The sensation was oddly calming. I took in the cool air and opened my eyes. Small wispy clouds drifted high above, casting their shadows onto the forested landscape below. Mountains bulged from the rolling terrain. A mix of fall colors blanketed the horizon, filling my mind with a nostalgic peace as I thought of all the joy the holidays used to bring. “Just a little farther,” I rasped and ...

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“New Eyes ” by Daniella Ignatova

Submitted to Contest #171

“Will they find us here?” the young girl asked as they stopped at a ledge on the side of the mountain. The old cowboy dismounted, looking back to the hidden trail that led them there. “Only if they know this terrain as much as I do,” he smirked. The girl frowned with concern, saying nothing. “Don’t worry, darlin’. Ain’t none of em gon’ find us here,” he said as he unpacked their beds and supplies. The young girl stroked the horse gently. Her hands were full of thanks for the safe ride. The cowboy walked up, giving his hors...

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“Child of the Sea” by Alium Vendintura

Submitted to Contest #171

Water spray hit my face as the waves beat against the rocks below. I opened my eyes, and saw the sun on the horizon, setting in the west once again. In front of it, spanned the great ocean, with its mystery and its fantasy. The sun’s reflection in the water gleamed, shining into my eyes, but I couldn’t look away. In the distance, barely in my sight, a ship sailed, catching the northbound wind. I smiled, thinking back to a time without politics. To a time without expectations and the wind in my hair. &nbsp...

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$250

Prize money

204

Contest entries

79

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Nov 11, 2022 EST

Won by Thom With An H 🏆

Title: Silence

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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