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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#204: Wild, Wild West

The days of the old American West have long held weight in the collective imagination of storytellers. There’s a mythic power to it. Tales of survival, revenge, and itinerant gunslingers still draw us in, whether for a bit of adventure or to ask deeper questions about morality and philosophy.

The desolate desert landscapes, the struggles and conflicts between settlers and Native peoples, the wandering heroes, all these elements and more have inspired writers across genres, from George Lucas to Stephen King. Perhaps the best thing about a Western is its malleability and creativity: its ability to be set anywhere from America in the 1800s to a galaxy far, far away. So this week get your cowboy hats (or space helmets) ready as we go to explore the great unknown.

Plus, you're invited! 🎉

The second issue of PROMPTED, our literary magazine, is coming soon — and to celebrate, we're holding a live online event next Thursday! Find out more and get your free ticket right here.

This week's prompts

Write a story about a stranger coming to town and shaking up the order of things.

Character – 56 stories

Set your story in a desert town.

Adventure – 52 stories

Write a story about someone undertaking a long, dangerous journey.

Adventure – 39 stories

Write a Western-inspired story in a new genre or setting (e.g. a space western, fantasy western, etc.)

Fiction – 78 stories

Write a story about someone seeking revenge for a past wrong.

Dramatic – 73 stories

Stories

“The Final Visit” by Joe Smallwood

Submitted to Contest #204

I would rather not go see her.I would have ignored her pleading phone call, so low-tech and useless. I imagined her fumbling with her cell phone and being so ridiculous. She couldn't make a cell phone work if her life depended on it! No wonder I never answer her calls.I called her back but it was a wasted effort. I tried to get her to use her Instagram account. She didn't know how to sign in or use a password! She would apologize and say "Emma! I'm so sorry to be wasting your time like this." What? Did my time really count for anything?So he...

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“Sweet little old couple” by L J

Submitted to Contest #204

Martha Venger tottered out to the pump to fill the bucket with fresh water to make her famous blood red cocktails. They were sweet and thick. Harold Venger stood at the vanity adjusting his bow tie. He noticed a spot on his spectacles, so he carefully removed them and polished them with his hanky. When he was satisfied, he folded the hanky into a point and placed it in his jacket pocket."Oh, father, don't you look dapper today." Martha stood beside him."Now, mother, it's you who make me look dapper. I see you're wearing your best dress and a...

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“Obsidian Eyes” by James Virgil

Submitted to Contest #204

When October came, the fiery colours of the oak trees around the farm looked like they were burning from afar. Even though it was noon and the sun was shining, there was a faint cool mist in the air. The day would have been quiet then, if not for my father, who was chopping down trees with his trusted axe to expand the farmland. Thud. Thud. Over and over, for hours, father would tirelessly strike a tree until it collapsed. I wanted to help, but father told me just to watch. He said having me around gave him strength and focus. Ever ...

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“Mirrors & Reflections” by Christopher Neal

Submitted to Contest #204

"eh, Lass?" Prodded the dwarf. As Willaims discarded the unconscious drifter on a nearby cot. The bunker had been transformed from an empty storage room to a makeshift infirmary. The village survivors all huddled together within that sanctuary. When Willaims didn't respond and showed no intention of stopping, The old dwarf angrily waved the girl off with a disgruntled "Bah!.." Williams, feeling like she just needed to 'go'. An indescribable urge to just walk away. She did just that. She didn't know where she would go, nor did...

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“Starla Bulette Has Arrived” by Stephanie Holbrook

Submitted to Contest #204

The pale yellow envelope of the unopened telegram contrasted the cherry wood side table it laid atop. Starla assumed it was one of her politicians forewarning their arrival and procuring his favorite girl for the week he’d be in town. She tried to recall the excitement a telegram used to incite as she walked past and out the door. Starla Bulette had arrived. She had tracked down a wagon train headed West, negotiated her transportation, and made her way across the miles of uncla...

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“Death's Gift” by Anaya Omori

Submitted to Contest #204

(contains mentions of suicide and murder) My day started out normal enough. My town is small, boring, and lacking in entertainment. Most of its inhabitants even more so, but it was a fair way to live life. No one starved and we survived, and in some towns you couldn’t even have that. But then one day, I saw a new house among the few we had. It was tall and the wood was black, looking almost rotten. The grass was withered and no flowers grew on the lawn. You could hear the house creak and groan as if it were about to collapse, and take o...

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“A Dish To Die For” by Madeline Honig

Submitted to Contest #204

The woman stood assertively at the entrance of the bustling kitchen, her sharp, piercing eyes commanding attention as they scanned the room with an intense glare. The furrowed lines on her forehead deepened, accentuating the scowl etched on her face. “Attention!” Her commanding voice cut through the cacophony of noise in the kitchen, rising above the clattering pans and sizzling stovetops. With unwavering authority, she projected her words to be heard by all, asserting her presence in the chaotic culinary realm. The room fell into a ...

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“Truth Alone Live on Forever” by Jeffrey K Schmoll

Submitted to Contest #204

Two of the train robbers lay dying in the dust, their blood leaking out and horses scattered. A third robber was riding hard, whipping his lathered horse, trying to get away from the famous lawman and his Native-American partner. The Legend sat tall in the saddle and drew his gun, his white hat and iconic black mask steady as a rock. The gun barked twice but the robber wheeled his horse and charged back towards them. The Legend had missed! After all these years, he had missed! The robber fired and three bullets tore into the trusted partner....

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“Jeopardy squared” by Lyle Closs

Submitted to Contest #204

It’s hot. So hot the earth is rising into the sky.That old mare died a while ago. I gave her my last water and still she died.I pull the silk kerchief off my neck, take my hat off – the rim is soaked with sweat and salt - put the kerchief on my head so it drapes over my neck and push the hat back on. Nothing makes anything any better. The sand ekes into my boots; I can feel blisters build.I stink of sweat.I drop the saddle. I’ll come back for it. If I carry it any further I’ll burn up like a mesquite leaf on a bed of coals. That little hiss ...

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“Discount Pinkerton” by Holden Burkholder

Submitted to Contest #204

“The bastard’s still sending letters to her you know? There’s one mail wagon that the town pays privately to go to Wichita and he’s using my money to make sure these letters, these insults to my character, these envelopes full of smut get to my daughter!” I found the mayor of Springfield Illinois to be a prideful man. His office had an artisan desk made from Canadian spruce, the chair was tanned with leather fresh from the Chicago meat packing plants, and brass rimmed portraits covered the walls. &n...

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“Between the Dunes” by Britten Barker

Submitted to Contest #204

Across vast dunes of burning yellow stands a human shaped figure wrapped in robes to protect them from the sun. The robes cover the person in a blue that mimics the color of water the vast desert desperately craves. The azure hued being looks out from dark lensed goggles across the ocean of sand before them. They look for anything to stick out, but the desert reveals nothing. “Nothing can live here” the figure thought “Days of traveling and everywhere I look is identical to the day before” The robed traveler had brought five days worth of...

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“When strangers were welcome here” by David Drake

Submitted to Contest #204

“And don’t let me hear another ‘Is it done?’. I’ve been simmering this stew all day and it’s powerful hot in here and you’ve been under my feet all day, Julian!”Mam always got mad-minded when Pa was gone celebrating with his hunt friends after he brought a short horned deer from the mountains. They were getting rarer with the drought this year. I hear the old folks talking about droughts and how bad things are in this day and age along with the creaks and groans of the boards outside of the mercantile. The rocking chairs that Mams’ Pa made a...

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“Beyond the Horizon” by Darene Staniszewski

Submitted to Contest #204

Part I: The Call of Adventure Once upon a time, in a small village nestled amidst towering mountains, there lived a young dreamer named Amelia. She had always felt a longing for something more, a desire to explore the world beyond the horizon. One fateful day, a mysterious traveler arrived in the village, bearing tales of a distant land where magic still thrived and unimaginable wonders awaited. The stories ignited a fire within Amelia's heart, and she knew deep down that she was destined for a grand adventure. Part II: The Road Less Tra...

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“Go and Do Likewise” by Joseph Friesen

Submitted to Contest #204

Content warning for depictions of racism. Go and do Likewise I had all that a man could want while I rode those dusty roads. I don’t know why they hired me as a railroad bull, but there wasn’t much to it in the end. Lean your rifle over your shoulder, look mean, and if some no-good hooligan tries taking a free ride, you throw ‘em onto the tracks. Simple as that. Mostly the passengers were afraid of an attack from them wild Apache. I never seen none, but I know damn well I would have blown ...

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“A Dangerous Journey” by 3i Writer

Submitted to Contest #204

The train station was already closed for the night, but Duncan Cow managed to sneak in. He was well-prepared, having everything he needed in his backpack. He looked at his watch. It was about time. Duncan Cow, who had travelled around the world to visit ancient ruins and raid forbidden tombs, was about to embark on a dangerous journey in search of a sacred artifact known as the Obsidian. The legend has it that anyone who possessed the Obsidian would have unfathomable powers.Suddenly, Duncan heard footsteps coming from behind. He was shocked ...

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$250

Prize money

298

Contest entries

94

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 30, 2023 EST

Won by Katy B 🏆

Title: The Ungentling

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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