Menu

Prompts

Contests

Stories

Blog

Menu

✕

CONNECT

Editing Design Marketing Publicity Ghostwriting Websites

BLOG

Success Stories

APPS

TOOLS

Book Promotion Sites Book Review Blogs Booktube Channel Guide Book Title Generator Character Name Generator Independent Publishers Literary Agents Literary Magazines Pen Name Generator Plot Generator Publishers Directory Short Story Ideas Writing Contests Writing Exercises Writing Scholarships

ABOUT

About Reedsy Terms Privacy

CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#220: Out of Place

The air’s beginning to chill and goosebumps are rising on your skin like mushrooms on a log. With Halloween not far off, everything’s beginning to feel a little… strange. It’s got me thinking about all things odd, and one of the most unsettling sensations of all — noticing something that’s out of place.

From things that shouldn’t be where they are, to protagonists far from home, this week’s prompts explore the bizarre, and the uncanny feeling of things being where they don’t belong.

This week's prompts

Start your story with a character walking through a desert landscape, when they stumble across something unexpected. “That shouldn’t be there,” they muse.

Dialogue – 50 stories

You arrive at a destination you promised an old friend you’d visit after they passed, only to find them there too.

Mystery – 65 stories

As a child you’re helping your grandparent bake. When you’re sent to the pantry to fetch an ingredient, you discover something odd.

Mystery – 41 stories

Begin your story with a protagonist taking shelter under a bridge during a thunderstorm. An animal scurries past which shouldn’t exist. Against their better judgment, they decide to follow it out.

Fantasy – 50 stories

You’re awakened from your nap by someone asking, “Are you hungry?”. You fell asleep somewhere else entirely.

Mystery – 45 stories

Stories

“Into the Great Mystery” by Edd Baker

Submitted to Contest #220

The storm was fierce, rainfall battering down against the concrete like war drums, wind howling through the night air as if being ridden by unseen wraiths. Of course this was Seattle. Emily had, by her count, been taking refuge under the bridge for well over an hour, the dank concrete den proving to be a spot of good reprieve from the raging tempest outside. It was Friday night, which meant movie night at the Creek Mall, followed of course by a healthy helping of pizza afterwards at the food court. She had met Lucas and Chester earlier...

Read story

“Extinct” by Kathleen Shapona

Submitted to Contest #220

Dark, ominous clouds were forming as Mya Grace hurried home from school. She was looking forward to researching her history class assignment on extinct animals. Still, she was frightened by the thunderbolt that struck 15 feet before her. She ran for cover to the nearest place she could find that was dry, an old rickety bridge.The rain came down in large drops, and little streams formed in front of her with leaves and sticks flowing by. Mya sat with her knees propped up towards her body against a post holding the bridge. She rested her arms o...

Read story

“Wish You Were Here” by Jed Cope

Submitted to Contest #220

“Are you hungry?” Words dropped into my dream state. Swirling me around in a blur of confusion. I push up into consciousness and my eyes open of their own accord, not yet mine. They relay visual information to my brain, but my brain coughs, splutters then hiccups. “Very,” I say it because that is the only thing that makes sense right now. My stomach growls as though to punctuate the one fact that I can hold onto. I smile and she returns the smile. I watch her turn and leave the room. She closes the door behind her. I lay ...

Read story

“Deceptive Shadows” by Ebone Brown

Submitted to Contest #220

In the quiet midst of Natalie's world, a soft veil of loneliness surrounded her like a cloak. Her life, once a tapestry woven with the laughter and love of her parents, had unraveled into a shadowy abyss. Her mother and father, those beacons of light that had illuminated her path, were gone, leaving behind an emptiness that gnawed at her very core. The days grew long, each moment stretching into eternity as she grappled with the overwhelming sense of loss. It was as though the world had conspired to steal her happiness, leaving her with on...

Read story

“Are you hungry?” by Kristy Cole

Submitted to Contest #220

Now “Are you hungry?” Was I? My first thought wasn’t Who said that? or Why am I so cold?, it was instinct to just think about the question I’d been asked. The answer was yes, ravenous actually, but I couldn’t find the energy to say it, so a weak, hoarse grunt came out instead. “Here, it’s not as hot as it could be but it should still warm you up a bit.” I took in more about the voice this time, it was soft and light; gentle, as though it wanted to look after me. I couldn’t quite remember if I’d heard it somewhere before, but it both comforte...

Read story

“Tears In The Desert” by Hannah Lynn

Submitted to Contest #220

“I did the right thing by walking away.”Being alone I obviously didn’t expect an answer, and I continued on with my one-sided conversation.“I mean what he said was totally out of line and he needs to apologize.”I stopped to catch my breath, the adrenaline from the argument wearing off leaving me exhausted. My feet were starting to ache; flip flops were no match for this harsh rocky terrain. Why didn’t I storm off in sneakers or better yet a good sturdy pair of boots? I didn’t plan my grand exit very practically.Adding insult t...

Read story

“The Legacy of Sand and Stars” by Chris Terry

Submitted to Contest #220

Chapter 1: A Chance Encounter The relentless sun cast its fiery glow over the vast desert, scorching the earth beneath Rich's feet as he embarked on an ordinary walk that would soon become the catalyst for an extraordinary journey. It was a day of searing heat, with a cloudless sky stretching infinitely above him. He had ventured into the desert to escape the relentless chaos of his daily life, seeking solace among the dunes. The arid landscape stretched before him, and the sound of the desert wind filled the air. As Rich trudged along t...

Read story

“STOP! ” by Ruslan Starodubtsev

Submitted to Contest #220

This is a stop sign. John looked around, just to reassess the situation once again. He was still in the desert, not the fancy ones like in Africa, with majestic sand dunes, and scorching heat, but the one where the landscape is flat and lifeless. Rocky soil that even weeds won’t grow on. Lifeless land that even cockroaches avoided. The cold, almost freezing wind that was torturing him for days now. And yet, here it was—a stop sign in the middle of nowhere. -I must be going completely insane, - John mused, circling aro...

Read story

“Just Beautiful” by Catherine Randles

Submitted to Contest #220

HOSPITAL “What was it like?” Tom’s voice snapped me out of my daydreaming. I turned around to face him and realised he was holding his hands together in his lap, twisting them somewhat impatiently. I had been in the middle of telling him about a waterfall I’d seen during cross country. A smile appeared on my face. “It was..” My voice trailed off as I tried to find the right adjective. Tom had always been the more literate out of the two of us; he had a way with words that no one else seemed able to replicate. “It was beautiful.” I finishe...

Read story

“No Regrets” by Allan Marshall

Submitted to Contest #220

The emptiness and helplessness Gus felt when he heard the news, his Grandfather had sacrificed so much after both his parents had died. The train journey home was a non event, he had no memory of it. When Gus returned home to Lamont, his sister, Sissy, had arranged everything. The numbness continued, he had no feelings. He had promised he’d walk with grandfather once term holidays were here and he could no longer thole the pleasantries he had been pretending to fain. He slipped away from the crowd. One of their favourite walks meant climbing...

Read story

“If I Could Reach the Other Side” by Gabrielle-Lyn Simmonds

Submitted to Contest #220

It’s so quiet it's almost creepy, but that's a dead country town for you. Not scared of ghosts, are you?I scoff. You know I don’t believe in any of that.Aw, you don’t believe in anything. I got another trick in me, that’ll show you.You would shuffle the deck in a delicate riffle, deft hands working a movement designed to please only me.How about it? Pick a card?My fingers, flushed red at the tips with winter’s bite, absent-mindedly trace the buttons of the camera. A polaroid, vintage. The one you found in the antiques store, and bought with ...

Read story

“TREY'S CLIMB” by Melinda Madrigal

Submitted to Contest #220

Trey Murphy 07/01/1998-10/13/2023. Beloved son, brother and friend. Always in our hearts. Forever missed. I can't believe you're gone. I knew this day was coming. I just didn't expect it to come so soon. I miss you, Trey. You fought hard despite your diagnosis. You were always smiling and you made me smile. Deep inside my heart, I was crying. I wanted you to stay with me. I didn't want to let you go but God had other plans for you. Trey, what am I going to do without you? We had so many plans. There were so many things we wanted to do to...

Read story

“Offer of a Lifetime ” by Eric Reid

Submitted to Contest #220

It had been two weeks since I said goodbye to my best friend. Fred and I had known each other since middle school. It was quite a shock. He disappeared hiking the Appalachian mountains on the start of his would be world tour he had been on after his dad's death. They never found his body, so it was more of a memorial service than a funeral. There I was sitting in a cheap hotel room in Paris about to embark on my own journey. We had always talked about travelling the world together. I hadn't been able to join Fred on his journey as I had ...

Read story

“The Voice of a Moonbow” by Daniel Rogers

Submitted to Contest #220

"That's what you get for twelve thousand?" Art Berkshire said. "We could have bought a house for that when we were first married." "Yes, dear," Betsy said with a tear in her eye."I mean, it's robbery. Instead of suits, they should have worn masks."Betsy didn't respond, and she knew she wouldn't need to for a while because his rants required little response. Fifty-three years had taught her when she should chime in."You know they reuse the coffin shell but still charge for it. Highway robbery!" Betsy looked out the window as they drove o...

Read story

“Gramps's Pie” by Aditi Kumar

Submitted to Contest #220

'For this recipe, d'you think the judges will check if she's alive?'I nearly upended a tin of flour, giggling madly. Gramps could bake like nobody's business, but more importantly, he was a born storyteller. Whenever my parents dropped me off on fall weekends so they could cuddle up to create their own October warmth, Gramps and I baked cakes, tarts, tortes, rolls, cookies, donuts and last year, a particularly fine tower of choux pastry for his neighborhood's Annual Halloween Baking Contest. And like the sugar he spun, he had me spellbound w...

Read story

Load more stories

$250

Prize money

251

Contest entries

129

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Oct 20, 2023 EST

Won by D. Grimes 🏆

Title: Fae Touched

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!

Explore more writing prompt ideas:

Adults Writing Prompts ⭢

Adventure Writing Prompts ⭢

Angst Writing Prompts ⭢

Character Writing Prompts ⭢

Christmas Writing Prompts ⭢

Dark Writing Prompts ⭢

Dialogue Writing Prompts ⭢

Dramatic Writing Prompts ⭢

Dystopian Writing Prompts ⭢

Fall Writing Prompts ⭢

Fantasy Writing Prompts ⭢

Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Fluff Writing Prompts ⭢

Funny Writing Prompts ⭢

Halloween Writing Prompts ⭢

High School Writing Prompts ⭢

Historical Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Holiday Writing Prompts ⭢

Horror Writing Prompts ⭢

Kids Writing Prompts ⭢

Middle School Writing Prompts ⭢

Mystery Writing Prompts ⭢

Narrative Writing Prompts ⭢

Nonfiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Novel Writing Prompts ⭢

Poetry Writing Prompts ⭢

Romance Writing Prompts ⭢

Sad Writing Prompts ⭢

Science Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Short Story Writing Prompts ⭢

Spring Writing Prompts ⭢

Summer Writing Prompts ⭢

Teens Writing Prompts ⭢

Thanksgiving Writing Prompts ⭢

Thriller and Suspense Writing Prompts ⭢

Valentine's Day Writing Prompts ⭢

Vampire Writing Prompts ⭢

Winter Writing Prompts ⭢