Start or end your story with a house going up in flames.

Posted in Dark on Oct 25, 2022

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 55 stories

“Goodbye Party ” by Rome Giuliano

Submitted to Contest #108

"Hello." Jim answered the phone after the fifth ring. “Are you coming tonight!?” said the voice on the other end. “What?” Jim said not ready for that response "Jim! What's going on?" The voice on the other end said with drunken excitement. "Nothing, Steve. I'm Just sitting here watching Home Improvement. Man, I'm glad I don't fuck up like that guy. Other than that, nothing much. Judy got the chance to work some over time tonight and you know how we need it." Jim answered in a less than enthusiastic voice. "Hey did you forget it was Bob...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Tinderbox” by Penn Kname

Submitted to Contest #108

My dad built the house we grew up in all our lives. In between shifts, using up every weekend for two years, asking for small loans every now and then, and adding new installations to the structure whenever he saved up enough money. My mom worked too, pitching in to the construction costs whenever she could, but mostly using her salary to feed my and my sisters, and pay the rent for the crappy studio apartment we all lived in. It was hard work, and I think my dad got a tetanus shot in the middle of it all, but by the time I could start walki...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Love From the Flames” by Tanya Smith

Submitted to Contest #108

What is that smell? Alexis Davis was awakened up from her sleep by a terrible smell. Then there was a crackling sound, then a popping sound. What is going on? Is that smoke I smell? It can’t be? I must be dreaming. She tried to go back to sleep, but the smell was getting stronger, then she heard it, the fire detector going off. Then the phone starting ringing. She answered, “Hello”. “Ms. Davis, this is HGT Security Alarms. Is everything okay? We have your fire alarm going off,...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Lighting the Darkness” by Allen Wilkinson

Submitted to Contest #108

The air seemed to rush past me and up, like a waterfall bereft of moisture and weight, turned on its head. The trees around me glowed bright yellow and flashing red, the cold glow of the moon polluted by soty light while steam hissed and billowed around the scene. I sat hunched with my head between my knees and my arms over my neck shaking with tears while the house crumbled to coals and ashes behind me. I was six and no one had the time to spare for my comfort in the destructive aura of fire behind me. I’d spent my entir...

2 comments 2

Read story

“ MEGAN” by Joan Wright

Submitted to Contest #108

Megan awoke to the acrid smell of smoke. it hurt her throat and she couldn't stop coughing. She jumped from her bed and ran to her bedroom door. She felt the door like she'd been taught. IF THE DOOR IS HOT, DO NOT OPEN IT. The door was so hot she could hardly touch it. She looked out her second story window and there were reddish orange flames as far as she could see. She was trapped! There was no way out!!!Then the screaming began. "Someone help me, Mom wake up! Then her screams were interrupted by uncontrollable coughing. Is this how her l...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Leave” by Mike Garrigan

Submitted to Contest #108

As Detective Frank Meyers arrived at 59 Mulberry Street, he watched the mid-1950s ranch home go up in flames. There, in his mind, sheets of fire billowed out from the newly installed ridge vents along the roof line. Flames like dragon’s breath shot out of the gable vents on each end of the house. The fire light painted the gray brick house “all Halloween orange and chimney red,” just as Tom Waits rasped in “Frank’s Wild Years.” Detective Meyers could see the blaze, as it burned the night before, because he investigated arson for a ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Tall Tales and Tiny Wings” by Freya R.

Submitted to Contest #108

The butterfly effect. From the name one would presume a beautiful phenomenon, but instead it is truly terrifying. How one simple decision can cause catastrophic repercussions. It is said that a butterfly can flap their wings and cause a tsunami on the other side of the world. James discovered this concept accidentally, yet it undoubtedly changed his life. To do him and his story justice however, one must start at the beginning. Bellbrook was a small town. Rural, dusty, dry. Some would describe it as home, while others, the en...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Under The Ash” by Zachary Cleveland-Blunt

Submitted to Contest #108

On a regular street, in a regular suburb, you will find a regular house. At a glance, it is not noticeably different than any of the other homes around it. The bricks are worn yet jaunty, the wooden door is tired and in need of another coat of paint, but they all have an almost cheery quality to them, suggesting many happy memories layered into its bones. There is a neat little fence, surrounding a neat little yard, with a neat little swing set tucked into the corner. The yellows and reds of the swings shine a plastic smile at the trim green...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Shining Bow” by Holland Wells

Submitted to Contest #108

[Warning : This is a True story with graphic parts.]The house was fully ingulfed in flames as it's smoke filled the sky near a small Wisconsin town. It was August 15th 1914 in the flat plains near the town of Spring green.There were five men and a young boy inside trying to escape as the fire raged. The men would try to open the door but it had been locked from the outside. Each time one of them would try to go through a window, Carlton would be waiting on the other side with an axe. Screams could be heard from far away and the smell of burn...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Shamus MacFadden's Fiddle” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #108

Sometimes Colin Fergus would wake to the mournful sound of a fiddle. He would try to ignore it, but sour old tune continued to rise in his head until it could no longer be ignored. His memories were filled with images of his life on the Fergus Estate and of Dalton, West Virginia which his Aunt Lucy had told him to forget. It was her own memories of that horrible place that haunted Lucille Amundsen. It was a frigid October evening. Colin awoke to the acrid aroma of smoke. When he opened his eyes he s...

1 comment 1

Read story

“A Magician's Dream” by Siya C

Submitted to Contest #108

I never imagined this would happen I thought as I witnessed the smoke, ash, and worst of all the sinful flame. I watched it destroy our wooden house flame by flame crackle by crackle minute by minute and there was nothing I could do about it. “What are we going to do?” My brother asked in a somber tone, his face was half covered in tears. “Simple we’ll live with our relatives.” I replied. “Listen Jake the only relatives we had were grandpa and grandma. “That’s genius we can stay with our grandparents!” I exclaimed. Winston frowned with a dis...

1 comment 1

Read story

“SAVING ANDY” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #108

The wave of heat from the house fire flushed Andy Fluke’s sweaty face. He stood, unblinking, with a blank stare, as the flames engulfed his home. Smoke and soot swirled through the air. Police officers set up barricades that kept the curious onlookers back. And out of danger. The firefighters worked feverishly, trying to bring the fire under control. While some firefighters operated the fire truck hoses and shot water streams at the flames, others used axes to chop down anything that could fuel the fire. The police and fire vehicles bl...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Community Club” by Karen Toralba

Submitted to Contest #108

The Monahatchie Community Club found itself on a typical Tuesday in May with a newcomer. Rachel Dewberry, the town’s newest transplant, poured herself some tea and sat down, waiting for the meeting to commence. Ever the confident extrovert, Rachel knew that getting to know people took time and effort, both of which she readily possessed. “Well, who do we have here?” The genuine smile from Linda’s plump face assuaged any uncomfortable feelings. “Hi, my name’s Rachel, Rachel Dewberry. I’m new to Monahatchie.”“Oh honey, we figured tha...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Withering Gaffe” by Driana Vega

Submitted to Contest #108

It was gone. It was all gone. My life as I knew it had gone up in flames, and no one cared. It seemed like the last six months had been a hell storm of tragedy after tragedy for my family. My mother had been diagnosed with stage three breast cancer four months prior. My brother came clean about hidden addiction to prescription pain pills two months prior. Worst of all, my beloved sister had mysteriously been murdered not even a month ago. If our family was a house, the foundation would be cracked and damaged. The roof would would need re...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The fire bombing” by Ian Berrones

Submitted to Contest #108

Good evening! My name is Daniel Callahan and I'm twenty-seven. This tale is the story of my house catching on fire. But before you think about the fire let me take you to the beginning of the story! My children, Catherine and Braxx Callahan are competing to win a trophy that says “Best Swimmer of Georgia”. Me and my wife, Isabella, are cheering them on in the bleachers shouting “ YOU CAN DO THIS, YOU ARE GREAT, YOU CAN WIN!!” Then, all the other parents start doing something similar. Then over the speakers, we hear the words, “This one wi...

0 comments 0

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about a voyage on a boat.

Adventure – 42 stories

Write about a person or object vanishing into thin air.

Thriller and Suspense – 44 stories

Write a story about a team tunneling down into the centre of a planet.

Science Fiction – 6 stories

Write a story about a character who’s trying to fill an empty space, literally or metaphorically.

Angst – 55 stories

Contest #108

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Elemental

$250

Prize money

202

Contest entries

207

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 27, 2021 EST

Won by Rachel Kenley Fry 🏆

Title: I Leave the Six Blank

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

Start or end your story with a house going up in flames.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 55 stories

“Goodbye Party ” by Rome Giuliano

“Tinderbox” by Penn Kname

“Love From the Flames” by Tanya Smith

“Lighting the Darkness” by Allen Wilkinson

“ MEGAN” by Joan Wright

“Leave” by Mike Garrigan

“Tall Tales and Tiny Wings” by Freya R.

“Under The Ash” by Zachary Cleveland-Blunt

“Shining Bow” by Holland Wells

“Shamus MacFadden's Fiddle” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

“A Magician's Dream” by Siya C

“SAVING ANDY” by Gerard Watson

“Community Club” by Karen Toralba

“Withering Gaffe” by Driana Vega

“The fire bombing” by Ian Berrones

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about a voyage on a boat.

Write about a person or object vanishing into thin air.

Write a story about a team tunneling down into the centre of a planet.

Write a story about a character who’s trying to fill an empty space, literally or metaphorically.

Contest #108

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

202

Contest entries

207

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: