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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

“Salt in the Wind” by Mack Crotwell

Submitted to Contest #240

The wind caressed my cheek, ebbing and flowing like a thief in the night. Sending the tips of my hair flitting about like dust in the wind. Stealing away the last bit of warmth that I’d been clinging to. The sun set an hour ago, but I still stood on the porch staring at where it once blazed a deep orange. My friend’s waited for me inside. My family waited for me. But still, I stood here. The wooden handrail was rough against my skin. The cabin we’d picked was advertised as “rustic.” Which really meant it was old. The glass door t...

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“diving in” by Lara Deppe

Submitted to Contest #240

Iara swam with some speed through the warm ocean water. She was excited that they had agreed to go with her. The pod of merpeople were struggling behind her to keep pace. The Aqua High Counsel were following her to the location she wanted to present to them with her idea. She was unsure how they would react, but she felt strongly that the time was now. They were closer to the surface than most of the merpod liked to come, especially this early in the day. When they arrived, she circled the group. “This is it.” She swept her arm through the w...

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“The Winds” by A.J. Williams

Submitted to Contest #240

Port Orford, Oregon Spring 2040 (28 A.E.) The winds batter the walls of the main house, causing them to rattle and jolt. Storms like these are never enjoyable, especially with Mona's fear of hurricanes and tornadoes. I often wonder how she managed to survive in the wilderness alone. Perhaps I've been too protective of her, though I've tried to provide only minimal comfort to help ease her fears of the world. After all, she's just fourteen and deserves some peace and security. Sitting in the lighthouse's main cabin at our small dinner table, ...

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“Lightless House” by Kenny Keaney

Submitted to Contest #240

I was in the top of the building, right next to the light. The flickering reminds me of the beam on the Eiffel Tower. I see it whenever I visit my mother in Paris. Her apartment overlooks the tour Eiffel. I am always drawn to guiding lights. Maybe it’s because my existence has been so directionless. I’ve been shuffled from home to home. My parents are adventurers, but they prefer to adventure separately, independently. The adventure of their marriage was short-lived, but filled with excitement from what I can remember of it. They were always...

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“Wind Goddess” by Emerald Nelms

Submitted to Contest #240

I'd always loved the wind, especially when it gently blows against my skin, like now. I'd never thought I'd have control over the wind though. Everything changed when a little white nymph came to me while I was working on my tapestry by the stream that flowed by the power of the Gods. The nymph, Albany, floated in the air and said to me, “Mortal woman, I'm here by request of the Gods- A new goddess is needed and you have been chosen based on your chastity and virtues. Zeus is looking to make you into a wind goddess- Refusing is not an option...

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“Tumbleweeds” by D.S. Rhodes

Submitted to Contest #240

"Ay, chihuahua! This fucking wind!" "Oh, si, Eddie. What would Holbrook be without the wind?" "Uh...peaceful? Calm? Quiet? Pleasant?" Eddie Ochoa and Lena Garcia, on their way home from Holbrook High ("Go Roadrunners!") shuffled down Buffalo Street, the gusts of wind shoving them from behind, nearly knocking them off their feet, filling their eyes with pollen, dust and sand. White cotton was everywhere, a blizzard unleashed by the cottonwood trees, drifting up at curbs and along fences, creating the illusion of snow on a warm, windy spring d...

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“Fear of Drowning ” by C.N. Jung

Submitted to Contest #240

When he was just six years old, Nick Hall landed in foster care. His mom, addicted to her drugs more than to her son, couldn't be his anchor. His dad? He vanished the moment he learned he'd be a father, leaving Nick to face the world solo from day one. Nick grew up fast, figuring out ways to take care of himself, like dragging chairs to grab food from atop the counter and getting himself ready for school—all on his own. His mom, lost in a drug haze, missed his first morning of first grade. So, Nick, determined and a little excited, dec...

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“The Keeper's Requiem” by Martin Maynard

Submitted to Contest #240

As I watched the storm gather, a sense of unease took hold. It was different from the usual respect I held for the sea's changing moods. The sky seemed to churn with a restless energy. The ever-changing cloud formations painted a foreboding picture over the horizon with each grotesque shape. The lighthouse, my solitary refuge and steadfast companion, stood tall against the encroaching gloom. Its light was the very essence of a beacon of constancy in the tumultuous dance of nature. For years, I had been the keeper of this lighthouse. A job ve...

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“The Last (Human) Lightkeeper” by Robert Sowers

Submitted to Contest #240

The storm continues to rage unnaturally. My hope of dawn as a respite from the chaos has yielded only a slight brightening of the nearly opaque, torrential sky. With the storm shutters closed and bolted on every window, the living quarters of the offshore lighthouse feel timeless. The room is so black that day and night have no meaning. I am blinded by the blackness of unpredictability and without means to adapt. Eyeless, the sounds of the storm become ever more acute and more intense. Waves slam the pylons, rain assaults the metal roof, and...

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“Alex, Bean, and the Boy” by Penn Namé

Submitted to Contest #240

As we crossed the river, I felt a soft, cool breeze kiss my face. It had been well over, one hundred and ten degrees all summer, and today was no different. My horse, Alex was a registered Arabian gelding. His ancestors had run the Sahara for a millennia. His body was made for this. His large flared nostrils, for dissipating heat. His round and broad feet seemed to glide above the sand. His coat fine, and delicate. Yes, he was born for desert life. He too seemed to notice the breeze. He turned his face into the soft wind, and breathed deeply...

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“Funayūrei” by Sofia Fleming

Submitted to Contest #240

Orders are shouted forth from the helm and echo across the deck. The ship’s anchor is dragged up, the ropes are cast off, and the boat’s large sails fall and quickly fill with soft winds. Soon enough, the open waters engulf us and the coast of steady land is left behind. We sail for hours, setting off flares to light up the night. Sometimes, I hear the shouts of gulls and albatrosses, but the seas that surround us are empty. It’s just an endless void of water, but there’s always a nagging feeling that there’s something lurking just out of si...

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“Be Mine ” by Chantyl Balshaw

Submitted to Contest #240

Like butter spreading over a piece of dry bread, the wind melts over her skin leaving her feeling cool and alone. It has been months since he touched her, held her, loved her and the cool breeze was an unwelcoming reminder of a hole she felt deep inside. As she walked, the breeze grazed over her face with flashbacks of the way he touched her face, a soft and well-manicured hand slowly grazing each well thought out chiseled corner. Each finger, one by one rubbing her cheek, then chin, then stopping at her well-defined plumped lips. She reache...

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“Little Lady” by Patrick Druid

Submitted to Contest #240

Trigger warning: this story does deal with substance abuse and death. Little Lady Little Amber sat quietly on the porch swing on a Sunday morning. The cool,. autumn breeze brushed against her hair in soft caress that was both comforting and painful. She savored the small moment greedily, while looking at the horizon in the rising sunlight. Amber's biggest wish was to run through the open fields freely and live amongst the other kids her age, playing games of kickball, climbing on jungle gyms, maybe a little softball. But this pla...

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“Echoes of Discovery” by Cynthia Hansford

Submitted to Contest #240

Alice tucked a windswept strand of hair behind her ear as she strolled down the bustling streets of New Haven. Crisp autumn air nipped at her cheeks, carrying the lofty scent of roasted chestnuts. She clutched her vintage satchel, eyes darting between cobblestone streets and historic buildings, drinking in the city’s nostalgic charm. She arrived at her favorite antique shop, Memories Unveiled, by turning down a quiet side street. Alice paused, noticing a crumpled piece of paper wedged under the door. She retrieved it with delicate fing...

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“The Lighthouse” by John Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #240

(Note: There is a mention of an AK-47 in the story, and a rocket launcher) It was a hot summer’s day at the Meringo Lighthouse in downtown Chicago. This had been hailed as the world’s first landlocked lighthouse. Built right in the center of State and Madison over the Red Line Subway station, this was an accomplishment that was both useless and vital simultaneously. Chicago’s mayor, Brandon Lightfoot, had hailed it as a new step forward in technological progress. “You can’t think of any reason to have a landlocked lighthouse? I can think of...

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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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