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#235: Running Wild

Every day, countless people around the world participate in some form of running, from jogs to ultramarathons. And that simple act of putting one foot in front of another is a deceptively meaningful one; it’s something that transcends pure sport, and that can be used as a metaphor for various life experiences.

Running has a powerful psychological effect, as it often mirrors or influences our mental state. Just think about how often it pops up as an image in literature, to express a character's behavior or mindset (think running on empty, moving in circles, heading towards trouble, escaping problems, racing against time, and so on). This week, let's explore the theme of running and some of its interpretations in storytelling.

This week's prompts

Start your story with one or two characters going for a run.

Adventure – 37 stories

Write a story in which a character is running away from something, literally or metaphorically.

Angst – 123 stories

Make a race an important element of your story.

Narrative – 44 stories

Write about a character who suddenly cannot run anymore.

Character – 43 stories

Write a story that includes someone saying, “You can’t run forever.”

Dialogue – 65 stories

Stories

“No More Zoomies” by Dené Hees

Submitted to Contest #235

The ageing girl would often be overcome with bouts of zoomies. The kind left a trail of broken furniture, cushions scattered, and neighbours confused. Despite the growth on the side of her foot slowing her charges to a hop-along, nothing could stop her from a great, long, leisurely sniff around the neighbourhood. Why would it? She had survived surgery to remove the previous growth on her shoulder (about the size of a golf ball when it started bleeding) and had not once shown any signs of feeling poorly. In fact, the zoomies got even better...

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“The Disappearance of Vicky Stevens” by Jess Driscoll-Ward

Submitted to Contest #235

Jen and I have been running together twice a week for about six months. It was my idea as I was waking up early every day no matter what time I went to bed and instead of wasting the hour before the rest of the house woke up, I wanted to do something productive with it. I run past Jen’s house at around 6.15am and she’s usually just stepping out of her front door. The last couple of mornings we’ve met she’s been a bit late and I’ve been jogging on the spot at the end of her drive waiting for her. I’m waiting for her now, my legs pumping up ...

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“Debt” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #235

Ryan peered over his newspaper as Jesse entered the coffee shop and walked to the counter. Hating surprises, Ryan always sat where he could see the door. ‘What’s he doing here? Does he never stop?’ Ryan knew his nemesis always appeared without warning. Though it sometimes felt there was no escape, he prided himself on always finding an out. ‘Look at him. He can go anywhere, any time, and savor a rich, extra foam cappuccino, while I pinch pennies on the go. So unfair.’ In no hurry, Jesse stood as if modeling his tailored suit, awaiting his t...

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“The storm ” by Laura Haffenden

Submitted to Contest #235

John sat at the worn oak table, the warmth from the stove against his back as he ate his eggs and drank his strong, black coffee. This little cabin wasn’t anything fancy but it was a palace to John, his sanctuary in a world that was full of stress and people just a bit too quick to throw you to the wolves. The wind began to whistle outside, rattling the single pane windows and groaning inside the chimney. He got up and stoked the fire, which swirled and Jumped as the wind harassed it. He topped up his coffee. He usually took a walk outside m...

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“Can't Stop” by Heidi Hanson

Submitted to Contest #235

My hospital room is cold, my sheets too thin. The TV across from me plays through the millionth infomercial, with me staring at it, mouthing along with the words I now know by heart. Three days. I've been in here for three days. I feel fine physically. Mostly, anyway. Certainly well enough to leave. But apparently that's not what the doctors are worried about anymore. Until I show some sign of improvement, they aren't going to let me leave. Not since I slipped up and spoke my mind for once. Now they're talking about transferring me to anothe...

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“The Adventures of Hari the Gnome” by Heather Van Ness

Submitted to Contest #235

Hari was a perfectly average gnome by general gnome standards, of which there were many. He was no taller than a tree stump with a red steepled hat on his head, and his tiny legs shuffled more so than walked. But Hari was unmatched by all of his siblings, of which there were thirty-four, and considerably above average at getting himself into trouble. His curiosity was like a sugared plum, sweet on his tongue and sure to cause a headache. Hari slipped out the front door, his ruddy cheeks looked gray in the dim light of the m...

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“Turtle Soup” by Alexandra Atkins

Submitted to Contest #235

There once was a turtle whose name was Marcel Monroe. He had lived a modest life, all while carrying his house on his back. One morning, a boy discovered his shell and peeked inside. Marcel invited him in for a cup of hot cocoa. “Will you tell me a story, Marcel?” asked the boy. “Once,” he began, “I was in a race.” “But I thought turtles were slow.” Marcel puffed thoughtfully on his pipe, before he replied. “If you measure a race by the time it takes to get from one point to another then yes – indeed – we are slow.” The boy’s brow furr...

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“The Secrets Within” by C.N. Jung

Submitted to Contest #235

It all started when dispatch sent him to Newberry Street to investigate a domestic disturbance call.Newberry Street…It was an unremarkable name, one that he never anticipated would haunt his nightmares for years to come. Newberry Street was situated in a rundown part of town, with chain-link fences enclosing the houses. Signs warning "No Trespassing" or "Keep Out!" glared at him from every door and gate.The house he’d been called to, one with a faded 27 painted above the front door, had a fence higher than any other. The driveway was riddled...

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“The Impersonator” by Sallie Cochren

Submitted to Contest #235

Jason and Tricia had only been running for five minutes, but it felt like it had been an hour. Their lungs were burning, and they were already out of breath. No matter how fast they ran, they couldn’t seem to get any closer to the person who was calling for help. It was nearing dusk. If they didn’t find the person soon, it would be next to impossible to find them in the dense woods, especially since there was a light fog in the forest. Tricia stopped to catch her breath for a moment. “You okay?” Jason asked. He worried about his sister....

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“Pressure-Packed” by Morgan Aloia

Submitted to Contest #235

For Mepka, being alone in the cabin was not nearly the same as being alone in the wilderness. There was a disquiet to the place, like it might tell her mother of any secret thing she did sitting in its guts. Still, by herself for the first time in weeks, Mepka couldn’t help but call out her word. "Ahtr’ul" She swept hands over the course of her figure. Where they passed she faded from existence ever so slightly, ever so briefly. The call allowed her a moment of peace, to feel as though she was there and not here. She called out for that...

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“One, Two, Red Run” by Jacqueline R

Submitted to Contest #235

Stomach keen, snout sniffing. Beady eyes locate the prize. A seed, small and delightful; will end the hunger. A step. One, two, maybe three. Pause. Ear twitch. Sound? Nothing now. Confidence returns. Step three, four, and five. Scuttle here, scuttle there. Slip and weave through the long grass. The path is endless with four legs, while giants can do this with two steps. Little claws latch onto the seed and plop it past stuffed cheeks. Delightful and delicious. One, two, and three more. The hunger never ends, but it is s...

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“The Space Between Us” by Amanda Wisdom

Submitted to Contest #235

“Please, let me help you,” the land whispers. “Hush and let me lay you to sleep.” “Never yield,” my bones answer back. “Never again shall I yield.” And so I stand. And then I climb. ***Why can’t I forgive myself? It’s a question I ask far too often. Me, myself, and I, cursed with an incessant conscience. You know how people get sick, like, with the flu? And they have a fever or sore throat? Well sometimes I get like that, but only in my mind. I’ll catch this mental cold, this downright depressing spiral of thoug...

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“The road to freedom” by Crystal Tees

Submitted to Contest #235

Her heart was pounding hard in her chest and her lungs were on fire. It felt like she had been running for hours, but he was still so close behind her. She was small and weak. That's what happens when you're five years old, mal nourished and locked in a tiny room for weeks on end. How long had she been trapped there? Had it been weeks? Months? Longer? She didn't know. She just knew that one day she would get away. She had to get away. She had finally seen her opening. One split second where his back was turned to her and he hadn't cuffed h...

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“Soul Asylum” by AS Hardin

Submitted to Contest #235

“You can’t run forever.” The voice echoed off the dingy, tiled walls in a burst of pulsating static. I cowered behind an old rack of medical brochures, clutching my aching chest. My breath came in such gasping bursts I was afraid it’d give my position away. Though I’d spent the last three years on the track team, the run up the stairwell had been taxing and I doubted I’d make it out alive. A trickle of blood dripped from my hand as I gripped a long shard of glass. Even though I’d wrapped it in strips of a pillowcase, the sharp edge still...

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“A Chinaman's Chance” by 𝔊𝔲𝔞𝔡𝔞𝔩𝔲𝔭𝔢 𝔗𝔢𝔩𝔠𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔞𝔯

Submitted to Contest #235

“I timed the movement twice and found the speed as follows: The first time 240 feet of rail was laid in one minute and twenty seconds; the second time 240 feet was laid in one minute and fifteen seconds.” —San Francisco news reporter for the Daily Alta California Sunlight creeps over the mountains of Utah and spills across the ground. A train huffs along a track. The orange-red dawn fingers the ink-black metal of the engine and catches the steam and smoke rising from it. The engine wheezes to a halt not far from the end of the...

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$250

Prize money

312

Contest entries

121

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 02, 2024 EST

Won by Kajsa Ohman 🏆

Title: KILLER IN THE WILLOWS

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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