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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#222: Show Me The Way

When navigating life’s challenges, we could all use a little guidance — someone who can show us the way, or give us the wisdom we need to follow the right path. In literature, much like in reality, coaches and mentors are often central to a protagonist’s development, offering training, advice, or tools to succeed in their Hero’s Journey.

What's fascinating about mentors is that they come in different shapes and forms. They might be a nurturing figure, who offers wisdom and support; a harsh and unyielding professor, who demands the impossible; an unconventional thinker who brings a unique perspective. Sometimes the guidance doesn’t even come in human form: perhaps it’s a dream, a spirit, a faith, or an item, like a totem, a book, or a map.

This week’s prompts are all about people (or things) that, in one way or another, have a pivotal role in someone’s journey.

This week's prompts

Start your story with a student on their first day of apprenticeship.

Teens – 18 stories

Write about a character who has a love/hate relationship with their mentor.

Character – 36 stories

Write about a mentor whose methods are controversial.

Character – 22 stories

Write a story about a character who finds guidance in an unlikely place.

Dramatic – 81 stories

Write a story that includes someone saying, “You’ve got this.”

Dialogue – 53 stories

Stories

“The Cedar Strake Apprenticeshop” by Josh Robinson

Submitted to Contest #222

Cedar Strake Apprenticeshop By Joshua Robinson The first thing that James noticed when he walked up the five steps and entered the large post-and-beam workshop was the smell. The mixture of pine and cedar and mahogany overwhelmed his olfactory senses in a welcoming way. The resins of other exotic woods had long made home in the pores of the shop, but James’ nose was not yet attuned to those foreign woods from around the world, some of which were almost now extinct. He had first entered the shop a few weeks previous during the interview pro...

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“Coach's Talk” by Dhruv Srivastava

Submitted to Contest #222

“Ah, who am I kidding, you’re not listening anyway.” David Cross swung back the brown bag and felt some more cool courage flow down his throat. “Y’know,” he continued regardless, you always said you knew the best for me… what do you say now?” You’ve done well, replied a voice, somewhat distant amongst the wind which whistled through the hibernating winter branches. David scoffed. “Well, yeah… Well enough to be sitting here on my ass, wondering how you are.” I’m fine. The bottle was done, this one at least. David put it ...

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“Death Be a Lady Tonight” by L.B Rinker

Submitted to Contest #222

Evil sought after Jacob's soul like it was some long-lost treasure, sunken to the bottom of the ocean…. And despite every shark, pirate, storm, or wave, Evil pressed on… stuck to Jacob like a leech. Sometimes he thought she lived in his head… in the vast, empty space between his consciousness, and his memories… right there in the sweet spot…. Her voice sounded so close when she spoke to him, like she was right over his shoulder, ...

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“Sleep Tight, Woman” by M.A. Grace

Submitted to Contest #222

The Orion-X, powered by the latest advances in helium-3 nuclear fusion technology, is the fastest spacecraft ever made in its class. At a maximum velocity of 31,000 miles per hour, our journey to the Moon will last just eighteen hours and six minutes from launch to landing. Even so, we’re each scheduled to grab six hours of sleep at various times. It’s my turn now.Weightlessness takes some getting use to, and we only had four months of astronaut training. So I’ll be learning some things the hard way. I waste fifteen minutes trying to secure ...

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“Daddy's Little Girl” by Jill Potter

Submitted to Contest #222

Jennifer sits at the kitchen table, the sun hitting her dark brown hair and highlighting the pretty red undertones. Her face is drawn and pale and she stares at the glass of soda on the table as though her life is over. I want to comfort her but at the same time, I fear that my words might sound hypocritical for I too am grappling with mixed feelings about her father getting married tomorrow. “It’ll be alri...

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“The Eclipse of Llam” by Muntaqa Bari

Submitted to Contest #222

It was only the early hours of the afternoon but the town of Llam was starting to get covered in darkness.Normally, the inhabitants would be standing outdoors or looking out of their windows to observe this strange phenomenon. But, today, no one seemed to care that the crescent sun was getting smaller with each passing minute.The solar eclipse arrived exactly as the news had predicted, yet the residents of Llam greeted it with cold silence instead of wonderment.Nora, however, was waiting for exactly this moment. The instant the edges of the ...

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“The Woman in the Mirror” by Karen Best Wright

Submitted to Contest #222

Emma woke to her annoying alarm clock. Oh crap, I pushed the snooze button too many times? Now, I am going to be late. Mr. Taft locked the classroom doors before he distributed the final exams. He had zero tolerance for students who could not bother to be punctual, his words. Emma grabbed her hairbrush for a quick brush and ponytail job and tilted the golden etched mirror, which sat on her nightstand. The mirror was a treasure given to her upon her grandmother's death. The mirror was rumored to be magical, but Emma did not believe in such hu...

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“Such a Nice Girl” by Parul Shah

Submitted to Contest #222

Sitting there in the packed living room with its faux leather black and white sofas and improbably- bad green, leopard print rug, all of it shipped from China like slow-release carcinogenic bombs, killing us slowly with our own bad taste, Sneha thought. Sneha often found herself holding her breath when she and Dhruv would visit, first out of renewed shock at the horrifying aesthetics and then trying to not inhale the residual fumes of Chinese synthetic carpet manufacturing. She’d never breathed easily in her in-law’s house with its g...

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“The High Witch ” by Lydia Carter

Submitted to Contest #222

It’s night. Typically. These things always start at night, don’t they?Adrienne crouches beside me, her red hair slicked back into its usual tight, uncomfortable looking bun underneath a heavy hood. I’d taken it upon myself, on a few occasions, to inquire if the tightness of her bun was her reason for being in such a foul mood most days. The first time I asked, early in my days at the Academy, Adrienne had choked me out against a wall with such intent that her now husband, Arcane, was forced to pull her from me. That was how they me...

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“Warmer Than Blood” by Drew Scott

Submitted to Contest #222

“Why did you turn me?” I asked Him once, a few months into my vampire life, and not out of maliciousness or a desire to draw out of Him any secrets. I was simply curious in my teenage fashion; I only wanted to know why I had become His companion in immortality, why He had chosen me and not any of the other beautiful boys at the Catholic school He plucked me from. He responded to this curiosity by ripping my door off of its hinges, by tearing my pillows until they exploded into puffs of down and cotton, by taking my favorite of His antique l...

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“CRY BABY” by Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #222

CRY BABYAs he climbed the sheer face of the cliff ahead of her, he indicated, with a pointing of his foot, where she should next place her hand. In this manner, slowly but surely, they finally reached the summit. It was the first time that she had managed to achieve the full climb and she collapsed, exhausted, the bitter wind lashing her face.“We go back”, he said, quietly.She knew that she could not argue with him; his word was law. Yet, the combination of cold, fatigue and the daunting task of descending this rocky outcrop so soon, was jus...

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“Gone” by Diane Tolley

Submitted to Contest #222

“Cross my palm with silver, young man and I shall tell you what I see in your future!” Gerald scratched his head and stared into the blue face. Was this a face he could trust? Should he be—as Brother Martin cautioned when he gave him the day off—cautious? “How do I know what you say is true?” The man straightened huffily and his blue skin seemed to glow. “You question the Blue Haruspex?” “Well . . . I . . .” “If I may interject.” Frederick, Gerald’s friend, whispered loudly into Gerald’s ear, “You are right to questio...

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“On the Job Training ” by Kimberly Walker

Submitted to Contest #222

On the Job Training Picture it: I have known what I wanted to be since I was ten: a nurse… My mother was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at sixteen. For the most part, she had things under control. Type 1 diabetics are insulin-dependent. It snowed overnight, and nothing was moving or open for three days. My father had a pulpwood business, and his logging truck would plow through. When the town reopened on Saturday, Mom asked Dad to pick up her insulin. I don't know if the communication got lost in translation or if he got distracted by his ...

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“The Gatekeeper” by Linda Wright

Submitted to Contest #222

Write a story about a character who finds guidance in an unlikely place The GatekeeperIt’s my job, Gatekeeper, it’s what I does an what my Pa did do before me. If I gets an order from the Highers, all praise the Highers, I opens the gate. I opens the gate only when it pleases the Hig...

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“Phantasmagoria” by Douglas W. Carr

Submitted to Contest #222

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Phantasmagoria is defined as 1) an exhibition of optical effects and illusions, 2) a constantly shifting complex succession of things seen or imagined – or a scene that constantly changes, 3) a bizarre or fantastic combination, collection, or assemblage. “Again, when I close my eyes, I see static – like very small particles moving quickly all around – and within seconds everything seems to shift, and random things just appear. They appear as if I were seeing them with my eyes open only not clea...

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$250

Prize money

210

Contest entries

101

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Nov 03, 2023 EST

Won by Audrey McKenna 🏆

Title: Just Like Him

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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