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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

“No More Apologies ” by Diamond Keener

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #240

There are shards of glass in my face cream. The first time I used it, I didn’t notice until it was too late, and my fingertips had massaged the glass into my skin. It was only when I pulled back my hand and saw the flecks shining that I realized. You broke the thick jar weeks ago. It was an accident, and I don’t care about objects, and I wouldn’t have been upset anyway. But you were upset. You don’t like making mistakes. It’s not part of the written character. I can see you there on the floor scraping the remaining stuff into...

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“Traveling Through Winds of Time ” by Kristi Gott

Submitted to Contest #240

The morning breeze brushed against my skin. It carried the scents of salt air and fir trees."ooooo...oooooo...oooo" call the Mourning Doves through the forest. A vision of shapes, lights and shadows drifts across the waters of the lake.It is forming a picture that is wavering on the ripples of the lake. To a time traveler, it evokes waves on the ripples of time.Lately, the feeling of the troubled world's weight getting heavier was growing. I needed a happy uplift."It was time for a time-out," I thought. "I need something new, or something fo...

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“Wind, Fire, and Stupid Beasts” by Daniel Rogers

Submitted to Contest #240

A sudden wind blasted flames from unattended campfires, igniting the surrounding undergrowth. The flames continued increasing as the gale fanned the fire further and lit dried clumps of tall grass, low branches, and trees. Fueled by dry conditions and spread by relentless wind, a massive forest fire marched through the woods, consuming everything in its path.Jorton, a hamlet hastily built in the middle of Trungen Forest, consisted of a few cottages, barns, and stables. Nimmo, the Lady of the Woods, and her family founded the small community ...

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“A Cruel Wind Blows” by James Moore

Submitted to Contest #240

Timothy lay languishing in his own putrid expulsions of blood, vomit and faeces.He rolled over to turn his face skyward and it was smeared and sticky, coated in the brown tarry mixture of foul liquid he had been laying in all night. Some had entered his nostrils, the choking smell had knocked him awake.“EEUUUGGHH, WHERE IS…… I” Timothy gargled.“You’ve fallen down the goddamn middle of the stair, you daft drunken fool, you’ve cursed yourself and no one else to blame” Donald the lighthouse keeper shouted down the endless chasm. “You’ve been up...

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“Our Bones Are In The Inglenook” by Katharine Widdows

Submitted to Contest #240

TRIGGER WARNINGS - MURDER AND SUICIDE.Emma brushed damp hair from her face and tucked it behind her ears again, but within moments it was back, whipping her eyes and sneaking blonde curls into the corners of her dry mouth. It was pointless to try to stay tidy, or even comfortable, in this weather. She thrust her hands back into the deep pockets of her wax jacket and dragged her green wellies through the muddy puddles on the dirt track. The farm couldn’t be much further now.Emma stopped for a moment and looked back at her Land Rover Defender....

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“Winocas in the Wind” by Summer Bluebell

Submitted to Contest #240

I sat on a crate positioned next to the warm glow of the lighthouse’s luminous bulb. Shadowed figures taunted me from the outer world. They were Winocas disguised in cataclysmic winds. A storm had erupted in the northern part of Terrestria. Inky waters crept up the side of the structure, nearly stripping it of its fragile pigment. I gazed into the manipulating night sky. A Winoca clouded my vision and forced me off my placement. The hatch to the emergency exit had been opened. ...

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“Cat 5” by Linda Kenah

Submitted to Contest #240

It was hot, so very hot and muggy. I had my hair in a bun, which I never do, but it was too sticky against my shoulders. There was a faint breeze. I shivered momentarily, even in the oppressive heat. I could feel the hairs on the nape of my neck tingle as I walked down Main Street. The light breeze was welcome, but it was no relief. I passed the town square. Petrichor hung in the air, even though it hadn’t rained yet. An omen of things to come. I picked up my pace. The streets were empty. Ever...

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“Dust In The Wind” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #240

As the frigid mist blowing in from Massachusetts Bay stings my face, I think about Jim. My dad. He goes with me everywhere. His photo is in my wallet and I show it to everyone. They don’t ask, maybe because of my anger issues, so I don’t need to explain that he’s dead, or what happened. Most people in Boston know already. It’s not often someone drives their car off the Longfellow Bridge.The looming presence of his funeral this afternoon transports my thoughts to the old days, back when mom was around; before he changed. Before the darkness o...

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“Swept Adrift” by Jed Cope

Submitted to Contest #240

It’s happened before. At least I think it has happened before. I have a memory. I am a memory. There is no confusion. There isn’t enough of anything for there to be confusion. I am small. I am inconsequential. A mote of dust propelled hither and thither by forces beyond my understanding. The winds of change swept into my life. I was not ready. I am never ready. I will never be ready. The whirlwind of my emotions calms for a moment, allowing me a rare moment of clarity. This is necessary. I am free. Free from my ego. Fre...

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“Last Moments on a Mountain” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #240

Last Moments on a Mountain“The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.” - Bob DylanRemarkably, Herb felt better once the decision was made. He could immediately feel the stress and anxiety escaping through every pour. He wished he had figured it all out sooner.The act would be like one-stop shopping, with everything on your mind resolved in a single outing, one dramatic gesture to satisfy all needs. It became clear to him when he recalled his college course in Logic: “A” will be facing a multitude of insurmountable problem...

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“Carried Away” by Jonathan Page

Submitted to Contest #240

“Is it true that the winds still blow in the North?” the boy asked.“It stands to reason, boy,” I said. “But why would that matter to you now?”“Don’t call me boy. It is Jeavon. Jeavon Hanley,” he said.“Ahh, yes. Kim Hanley’s boy.”The boy was looking for a guide to the Northern lands. A commission I’d been known to accept if the price was right. But, never for such foolish reasons. Of all days, he had arrived on March 4th. The anniversary of the Doldrums. The eighteenth anniversary of the day when all the wind in Borealis ceased forever. The d...

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“Dandelion Seeds” by Martha Kowalski

Submitted to Contest #240

As I crunch through the frosty grass and icy patches of snow in the cemetery, the bitter northern wind stings at my cheeks and whips my hair and scarf into my face. I can’t tell if the wind wants to pick a fight or wants me to let go and open up. I can’t tell if I keep my arms crossed against my chest from the cold or from the rush of painful memories I’m stubbornly trying to keep back. Maybe both. Maybe I’m cold because those memories have left me numb and frostbitten. ...

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“Unconditional” by Denise Glickler

Submitted to Contest #240

In the fading light, the Florida streets buzzed with life. Long shadows danced on the pavement, animated by the setting sun. Amidst the jostle, one figure stood stark, a man with the weight of his world showing in his eyes. John Richardson was his name, a man known for his adamantine beliefs. His life had always been defined by structure, order, Christianity, and staunch predictability. But that changed when his only son, 15-year-old Sam, confessed to being a transgender woman. When Tabitha finally summoned the courage to reveal her true s...

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“What do Mulberries, Bamboo, and Hemp have in common?” by E.L. Lallak

Submitted to Contest #240

Name: Liu Xing Location: Luoyang, ChinaOccupation: farmerDate: August 17th, 105 A.D.The markets of Luoyang, China, were rife with kinetic energy. Vendors haggled, sheep bleated, and coins clinked in the hubbub city. Unbeknownst to the patrons, a transformative event was concocting on the town's outskirts. — a revolution poised to alter the course of history.The pivotal transformation occurred as Farmer Liu Xing slayed on his wheat plantation. Thirst gnawed at his throat, making his mouth dry and lips crack. His reptilian tanned skin sho...

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“The Wind's Judgement” by Brendan Jones

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #240

The breeze will be the first sensation you feel once you finally gain consciousness. You will awaken to just the slightest of coolness along your skin, not quite cold but it would be worse without it. It will also be the strongest of gale to ever assail your body. The wind blows like a hurricane through what will be the driest climate you have ever seen, and ever will see. It’s a land lying desolate in an endless valley. A place where to say mountains are visible wherever you look would be a lie but walking in one direction long enough will ...

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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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