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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#240: In the Wind

Wind is something of a contradiction. Powerful yet invisible, it’s nothing but air, but can influence the shape of landscapes, sway trees, and carry whispers across vast distances. This force of nature can be a calming breeze or a raging storm, offering comfort or unleashing destruction.

It’s always around us, whether you’re laying on a warm beach with a relaxing breeze cooling you down, or in awe as a storm passes by while carelessly throwing debris. With that in mind, this week we delve into the wonders of wind and bring attention to its influence within our stories.

This week's prompts

Begin your story with the sensation of a breeze brushing against a character's skin.

Narrative – 139 stories

A crumpled piece of paper holding an unexpected message is carried by the wind. Where did it come from, and where is it going?

Mystery – 63 stories

Set your story on a sailboat, large or small, and entirely at the mercy of the winds.

Adventure – 32 stories

Craft a story where a character finds themselves swept away by the wind, either physically or metaphorically.

Angst – 60 stories

Set your story in a lighthouse surrounded by powerful gale-force winds.

Dramatic – 37 stories

Stories

“Echoes of the Storm” by Dave Russell

Submitted to Contest #240

The raging sea crashed against the rocks, sending sprays of foam high into the air. Jennifer stood at the edge of the cliffs, her long brown hair whipping in the wind, her deep blue eyes fixed on the tumultuous waves. There was a wild beauty to the churning water that called to her restless spirit. She had come here to escape the emptiness and mundanity of her life. But standing alone above the ruthless sea, she felt more empty than ever before. The hidden sadness in her eyes seemed to deepen. Without warning, the sky darkened. Ominous cloud...

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“Crazy Aunt Kim’s Magical Whim” by Christine Johnson

Submitted to Contest #240

She looks at me frightened. Sitting on the couch in my living room, she peers out the window at the storm rolling in. Against the solid grey skies, the whites of her eyes nearly pop in front of her pupils. I don’t blame her for being scared. Her mother, my sister-in-law, dropped her off here. Here at “Crazy Aunt Kim’s” for the weekend so she and her boyfriend could escape the eastern seaboard’s winter wrath to the shores of the Bahamas. Her first boyfriend since my brother’s death. “You can take care of her for ...

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“Beneath the Storm” by Elijah Rose

Submitted to Contest #240

[Note: This story is a follow-up on Quivira] A cool wind gust brought a sprinkling of cold heavy raindrops on James’ face, followed by a small warmer drier wind in the opposite direction. This was the perfect time for the night’s activities, but that did not mean it would be fun. The tornado watch was out, and the storm was going to be a big one as they always were this time of year. James checked his phone’s GPS to ensure he parked in the right spot and pulled a large toolbox out of the front seat. He w...

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“Ankh” by Henry Spector

Submitted to Contest #240

A cool breeze brushes against Hadr’s brown skin before his feet begin to pound against the dark concrete sidewalk. The young boy is confident that the mechanical beast currently hunting him through the streets of Newon will give up at any moment as he dodges around people and lamp posts. He keeps looking behind him to see if he has finally lost the giant mechanical creature, but the thing begins to pursue him at a fast pace. Hadr looks at the bag slung over his shoulder. The thing inside of it is heavy, weighing him down with every ste...

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“The Call of…” by Ava Linn VanSickle

Submitted to Contest #240

(mental health and mentions abuse) Halfway there, this shouldn’t feel so hard. My mailbox is looking like a tomb. The dew-covered grass hugs my feet. Whispers of movement whistle endlessly around me. Snap out of it and keep moving. I strain my mind. My body stops moving; my soul floats up. I want to stop everything. The wind rushes to keep me up; rushes to keep me together. It’s like I’m an air pocket inside an upside-down bucket pushing down in a stream. I don’t want my mind. But, “SHIT!” my leg. My skirt get caught on my mai...

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“Something in the Forest” by Javier Carr

Submitted to Contest #240

It is a warm night. The moon shines through the trees as I walk through the woods. It is a silent beauty of a night, hearing the wind whispering to the trees while the moon gave both light to see and shadow to hide in. I hit play on the recording. “I often take these walks. Helps calm my mind from the “woes of the world” and gives me an appreciation for the small beauties of nature. Now I know that it probably isn’t the smartest thing to go for a walk at night but I take the proper precautions. I let my friends know where I am, I carry...

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“The Zephyr's Caress” by Kay Reeves

Submitted to Contest #240

The Zephyr’s Caress. Signs of spring were all around. The woodland was carpeted with daffodils, dotted with bunches of snowdrops, all swaying in the soft breeze. Tricia felt its airy caress on her hot face and let her tense body relax. The tears dried on her cheeks and her pulse gradually slowed.The woods were her place of escape when life at home was unbearable. She focused on the unfolding green leaves and let her mind open up as she became a part of nature.Again the wind stroked her face and bare arms, playfully running through ...

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“Memory breeze” by Megan Flores

Submitted to Contest #240

The soft, warm breeze blew across the old man's face as he sat in a rocking chair on the old withering porch. Before his wife of 42 years passed away last year, this is where she would sit every morning. At the time, he did not understand why she would spend many hours sitting in this very spot but that was not in his place to question her about. So he never did. He was not to question something that she loves so much and what made her happy. It wasn’t until he saw her laying in that hospital bed was when she finally decided to bring the top...

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“Whispers in the Wind” by Justine Klavon

Submitted to Contest #240

I stood in my front yard with my year-old Basset Hound named Hamlet. It was chilly in April in Pennsylvania and a cold breeze whipped against my exposed cheeks, making them rosy and cold to the touch. I mindlessly watched as Hamlet sniffed the frozen ground around us, my long red hair blowing every which way in the escalating speed of the wind. I enjoyed a good breeze, especially on warmer days. But the thing about the wind is that it always brings change. And that’s what I feared the most. &nbs...

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“The Hope of a Last Breath” by J.M. Maxim

Submitted to Contest #240

When she felt the wind on her face, Sarah hoped this would be the last last breath she would pay for. It’s not that the breeze felt artificial; it was appropriately warm and deceptively gentle, like a quick, puffing exhale from a puppy making room to continue its staggered sniffing. It tasted the way it was supposed to, like salt and warm sand and seaweed. It quietly matched the dead silence of the exposed ocean shelf before her. The ocean had retreated quickly, draining away, rolling and mounting at the horizon, no doubt gathering into the...

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“The Wind in a Bottleneck” by Haide McRay

Submitted to Contest #240

The wind enters through a gap under the canvas covering the window. It dances into a corner and caresses the sleeping child’s cheek. The room is bare, just scarred wood floor, and broken windows with canvas nailed on the outside that blocks the light of the dying day. The room is swept and clean, not like some rooms, where filthy clothes, empty bongs, bottles, crushed cans, hypos, broken furniture, and sometimes pieces of desiccated bodies litter scabby carpet–or cracked tiles, or peeling vinyl–and pile up against crumbling plaster walls. Th...

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“Waves” by Corina P

Submitted to Contest #240

Anna took slow, meticulous steps. One foot after the other, left, right, left, right. The evening breeze brushed upon her rose cheeks, as the waves swept and crushed upon her feet in vigorous rhythm. She stepped on the smooth, white sand with care- after all, she almost forgot how the water feels like. As she got closer and closer to the water, she realized her reality could not be further from it. Three whole years without surfing felt like torture. Now it was time for him to feel it.In Anna’s current reality, two hobbies made sense: ...

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“Where the wind blows. ” by Johny. Martinez

Submitted to Contest #240

The wind blew on Jackson’s face like a sickly breath; breathing in and out of the cold, dark cave. His cheek bright red, he blew hot air into his shivering hands. He wasn’t sure whether he was looking up or down, anymore. “Can anyone hear me!” he yelled, his voice bouncing off the rocky walls, echoing deeper before faded. Stepping forward he winced, his right leg had been killing him with each awkward step, he tried his best to ignore it, but the pain selfishly demanded his attention. Feeling down on his leg, his fingers found the swollen pr...

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“The Breeze Is A Ruse” by Susan Walton

Submitted to Contest #240

I stand outside under the patio awning, watching the trees sway and blow. I close my eyes now, yet I feel the wind brushing against my face. I keep my eyes closed longer, wanting to feel the impact of nature as it is—it makes me feel powerful. I hear the leaves rustling back and forth, the birds excitedly chirping, and cars swiftly moving through the streets of a small city. I keep my eyes closed, and the breeze continues to touch my face. I want to open my eyes, but I feel a presence all around me. I believe I must keep them closed. I wonde...

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“Undivided” by Mykalee Mendenhall

Submitted to Contest #240

1968, End of Civil Rights Movement. (Not intended to cause any offence by usage of Blacks and Whites as terms, they were not only commonly what they called each other and themselves in this time period, but was widely accepted as some of the best terms at the time.)She felt the wind against her back as the door lay open behind her. It was gentle, swirling around the room and causing her hair to tickle her nose until she rubbed it away with her free hand. It stubbornly flew back in her face, resuming the slight irritation, and this time she i...

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$250

Prize money

331

Contest entries

134

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 08, 2024 EST

Won by Jonathan Page 🏆

Title: Lost and Found

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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