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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#6: On The Road

On September 5th, 1957, Jack Kerouac published On the Road — a novel based on his travels around the United States. It's viewed today as a defining work of the Beat generation. And fun fact: Kerouac wrote the book on one long reel of paper over just three weeks.

There's something about literature and road trips that work inherently well together. Just like road trips, stories must start in one place, and end in another.

This week, our prompts are all road trip inspired! And remember, it's about the journey, not the destination.

This week's prompts

Write a story about a family road trip.

Short Story – 22 stories

Write a story about a road trip taking place 300 years from now.

Science Fiction – 18 stories

Write a story about two people in a long-distance relationship, driving to a location mid-way between both their cities.

Romance – 23 stories

Write a story about someone who started a road trip ten years ago and hasn't stopped since.

Adventure – 22 stories

Write a story about friends taking a road trip they've been planning for years.

Adventure – 22 stories

Stories

“The Island of cards” by Robert Kohlhammer

Submitted to Contest #6

In a hired hatchback, travelling around the roads of the Island of Menorca, I would begin to feel the contours of the islands. With its green fervent hills and meditative heart like claret mountains , that I dared look down upon from the academy of a futile higher education.I had only been a witness to the steep horizons and the woolly hoods of clouds hanging over my head in my backyard. I lived in an isolated farm house. I always yearned to do as all my old friends would do, and go to town at the weekends just for the sa...

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“THE CELLO” by Elizabeth O'Neill

Submitted to Contest #6

THE CELLO On a long December day in 1958, my husband, Carroll, my two daughters of eleven and fourteen, and I were exploring the Mediterranean coast. Innocents abroad (I stole that from Mark Twain), this was part of the world we had known only in books. The sun shone, the sea lapped harmlessly across sand and rocks, and we must stop over and over again to savour it all. Carroll and I were on Sabbatical Leave from our teaching jobs in California. The girls were delighted to leave school for a year, with...

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“Camera, Camera, Who's Got the Camera?” by SHEILA MICHAELS

Submitted to Contest #6

They used to be called Dude Ranches, but in 1977 they were called Guest Ranches. The one where my family was vacationing was Fir Creek Ranch located in Jackson, Wyoming. This part of Wyoming is full of beautiful scenery and wildlife and is close enough to Yellowstone National Park for a day trip. I was 11 years old the summer Mom and Dad took us to Fir Creek. My sister was 18, and my brothers were 15 and 16. It seemed like the perfect time in our lives for a trip like this. The plan was to visit other areas in Wyoming while ma...

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“Bridge Bay” by Corey Hansen

Submitted to Contest #6

It started with a voicemail. “Eh, hi Mr. Hansen, this is Jamie from E-Z Storage. We have sold our building, so you need to remove your Airstream trailer by August 1st. Give me a call at your earliest opportunity. Have a nice day.” “Shit!” “Where am I going to find indoor storage that isn’t a fortune?” I exhaled out loud. We had purchased it for our 25th anniversary thirteen years ago. It had gone on four trips to Yellowstone-one of them by a friend that wanted to rent it for a week to take his family on vacation. Most ...

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“Hours apart miles from home” by Oscar K

Submitted to Contest #6

The tarmac road stretches, winding through ridges of the green countryside. Jack’s month-long annual is leave approved and to spend the time, a road trip to meet a girlfriend of three years Molly is the plan. Departing in the afternoon in a sedan car, windows lowered for glances at the eye-catching scenery along the way while sipping a fizzy cola drink. The weather conditions perfect for a long journey into a different City.The fresh cold breeze is refreshing on the face, with dark hair flowing in rhythm and sunglasses covering the eyes. Two...

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“Finding Love In The Strangest Place "On Line"” by Barbara Martin

Submitted to Contest #6

Before my relationship turned into a long distance one, I couldn'tever imagine a relationship lasting as long as it had. My name isMandy Wiggins I am eighteen years old. I was raised in Montana ona horse ranch. I always wanted to ride in the rodeo since I wasthree. My dad rode for years until he had to retire due to injuriesMy Dad. was number one in the bull riding for many a year till he almost diedMy grandfather helped me get started with the rodeo. He paid forme learn all there was about barrel racing. He even paid for myfirst entry fee s...

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“Greenville” by Lauren S

Submitted to Contest #6

I can do this.Anna wasn't sure the exact mile marker where she had picked up the mantra, but as the knot in her stomach grew, she found that she liked the solace the repetition provided.I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.Anna had read a book once on the power of manifesting your reality. Perception is reality, the book intoned. You just had to visualize your desire for it to come true. While the message was meant to be empowering, it was now having nearly the opposite effect on her; if wanting something desperately was the ticket to...

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“Peter Peter and the Road Trip” by Edna Yaghi

Submitted to Contest #6

Peter Peter and the Road Trip It all started out well enough. They met and fell in love almost instantly. She was a university teacher from New Jersey. He was an embroidery designer from Sunbaru. They both were older. But love knows no age, she told herself. And she was right, except for the earning a living part of the bargain.They settled in a midwestern state where prairie grasses grow high and stretch golden across the plains. Peter Peter looked for work but found none. “Too old,” he was told.“Can’t work hard. Looks all worn out.” ...

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“A Goodbye Too Soon” by Shannon Hascall-Reyes

Submitted to Contest #6

Carlos 5:53 PM. Carlos breathed in quickly and rubbed his hand through his jet-black hair. “Yo Mike! Ya got that order yet? I need to get going!” He grabbed the keys to the sub shop’s little Honda and waited for Mike to bring out the last of the orders for his delivery. He glanced at his watch again: 5:56 PM. Another hour and he would finally be done with work for the week. He was anxious to get on the road. Leena was finally coming to visit! Carlos had been looking forward to this visit, ever since Leena cal...

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“Wichita” by Mike O'Hara

Submitted to Contest #6

Roger; Oklahoma City, OKIt was an all too familiar routine, one that I had done almost every weekend since I met Kelly on a work trip to Kansas City six months ago.Get in the car. Put my phone in the mount. Seat belt on. Podcast on. And drive. Every trip up until this one had been great. The two-and-a-half-hour drive always went by fast for me and the weekends even faster. We always had the same general plans for when we met up. We got coffee at a locally-owned shop, where after a month of weekends, th...

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“When Will I See You” by Hema Nookala

Submitted to Contest #6

The feelings of longing are often abated by the feelings of anticipation.Before she leaves the house she stops by her vanity, pausing for a moment to dive through the chest of drawers, in search of a still-full bottle of perfume. There are never enough occasions to justify the expense but today was occasion enough for her to dab the scent against her wrists before tossing it back into the drawer. She wanders through the house like a wraith, staking stock of the state of affairs, creating a mental checklist before she reaches the door, keys i...

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“Made for You” by Rebekah Oberson

Submitted to Contest #6

Reedsy Submission: On The RoadMade for YouBy: Rebekah Oberson Michaela Jeffreys was meeting Henry Marshall tonight for one last celebratory dinner. Michaela accepted a position apprenticing under her mother, Claire at her Wedding Dress shop, “Bridal Bliss” while Henry accepted a summer internship with his Uncle James' furniture business, “Made for You”. Their last night together, Henry and Michaela had agreed to meet at Bekka's Books and Brew for one last time before the summer.Henry was due to call her any minute. She hurriedly put away her...

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“Living Again ” by Elizabeth Somboun

Submitted to Contest #6

To My Son Finn, I never told you the story of your father and I.The hole was deep, not as profound as the gnawing emptiness that bit him leaving his soul bloodied on the inside. He was studiously staring at the beautiful wooden casket with tiny hearts engraved on the side. She took his heart to the abyss of blackened earth. The magic of his world gone; death ate it over the months cancer whittled away what was left her spirit. Her last breath ragged wheezy, mirroring his own. This is what Xavier was mulling over as the realtor wrapped up th...

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“AURA OF THE ROADS. ” by Kavitha Sharm

Submitted to Contest #6

My heart beat raced when the yellow colour radiant two wheeler overshadowed my car, I couldn’t even perceive the man travelling in the bike, I drove my car fast to compete with that stranger I met on this road today, it has been ten years since I started my road trip, every time I meet different personalities in this traverse. When I started this road trip I was twenty three years old, car is always my choice, I can sit inside and watch the anonymous road precariously. I never decide my destination while I travel. This anonymous road in Kera...

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“Endless Road” by Tabitha Johnson

Submitted to Contest #6

Today marks the day that, 10 years ago, I started my road trip. It started off a simple task for my job; to watch someone as they were in Witness Protection and they were on someone's Kill List. I thought I'd watch them for a couple of weeks and then go back to my normal life on the other side of the world, but then I ended up staying much longer than I expected. And everyone thinks I'm still on my road trip I used as cover. And as I'm realizing this, I'm also realizing that, if I'm going to tell you this story, you're going to need some bac...

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$50

Prize money

107

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Sep 13, 2019 EST

Won by Annabel Hynes 🏆

Title: Gone West

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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