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

Posted in Dramatic on Mar 1, 2024

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✍️ 37 stories

“Lost in the Wind” by Eric Muller

Submitted to Contest #240

There sat Charlie, sitting alone in the candlelight; all around him was the storm. It shook the walls. The glass windows in the lighthouse’s tower rattled. “It’ll pass quickly,” lied Charlie to himself. A clap of thunder sounded and the lighthouse shuddered. Then the storm quieted. Charlie listened intently. He could hear the rain pattering on the roof, the hum from the lantern room, the wind sweeping across the island, In the next moment came three knocks from the door. Charlie looked up. A muffled voice shouted from outside, then the knock...

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“Nulistea” by Aidan Romo

Submitted to Contest #240

As the wind picks up speed and even more strength, I stand under our glorious purple moon. The moon that shines high above us, the stars in this galaxy, in the midst of the ever expansive empty black of space. The six pillars of our grand governance flashing up with power and pride against the corners of our gorgeous moon. As it all waves high in the air in defiance of Yrrim’s planetary wrath, my heart fills with the greatest resolve there is. The type that only the most devoted of patriotism can deliver. It isn’t as strong as it was when I ...

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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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“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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“Dusk on an isle” by Dani Guldborg

Submitted to Contest #240

It is dusk on the isle; desolate and dead with no one to witness the gradual settlement of night. The craggy outlay of rocks further enhances the dank gloom of the lighthouse - the wind battered structure solitary, surrounded by a wasteland of water. There is a man in the corner - he is watching me. His bloodshot eyes pierce the damp darkness of the room, pinning me to the bed like a bug on a board. I sit on the edge of the mattress, my stuttering hands clasped neatly in my lap as my thighs grow heavier, sinking into the indentations I make ...

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“Gale-force Fears” by Tawny Molina

Submitted to Contest #240

Another gust of wind hit the side of the building, causing plumes of dust that had built up over the years to shake free from the ceiling and sprinkle down over Anna's head. She had lived here on her own for several years and had been sure she'd gotten every cobweb and dusty spot in the old lighthouse. It seemed whatever storm was causing the rush of wind outside was determined to prove her wrong. She glared up at the roof, beyond which were several flights of stairs and the light at the very peak. The reason she remained here even in these ...

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“Stranded in the Wind” by Victor Wolfe

Submitted to Contest #240

“... Supplies running low. Rationing begins tomorrow. Aphrodite’s Kiss due to sail near this route tonight. Attempt at rescue possible.” Rufus read the final line of the entry over and over. With an almost involuntary shake of his head, he snapped the logbook closed and shoved it into one of his many pockets. Rufus stood near the beach as the waves became larger and more frequent. The horizon was so blackened it swallowed the sunlight, casting an ominous glow across the open ocean. “So much for fishing,” he thought, loosening the grip on hi...

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“Confederate Crypt Isle” by Valentine Tarango Jr.

Submitted to Contest #240

The Texas lighthouse, Hope Isle, has been a sentinel of protection from the dangerous shoals of the East Texas coastline since 1862 when the port of Bull Run Bay, Texas, was one of the leading cattle exporters to the Confederate states of Florida and Georgia. Now, it protected merchant vessels for the United States of America. On the tiny rock of an island surrounded by the meditative sound of steady waves washing on it, the three-man crew of lighthouse keepers were taking advantage of the sunny, brisk spring mor...

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“Tower of Strength” by Kathy Walsh

Submitted to Contest #240

The day began with the sun peeking out over the horizon of the sparkling bay waters. A soft breeze floated gently over the waters, as the tide began to come in. Billowy clouds were scattered through out the morning sky, moving westerly and changing shapes as they were caught in the higher winds.The young girl scouts ran across the island to try to be the first one to enter the doors of the sleepover destination. Excitement and enthusiasm surrounded them as they carried their overnight backpacks across the rocky and shell filled grounds. Sitt...

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“Borne by Storms” by Drew Harrison

Submitted to Contest #240

The wind’s wail was a constant presence: it droned from the creaking window latches, from the thrumming stone walls, from the thrice-locked door that sagged and heaved with each squall as though the lighthouse itself drew breath. The wail settled into the kitchen and wrapped around Cade more tightly than the woolen blanket he wore—it draped over him as he slept, heavier than the patchy quilt he’d brought from home. Somewhere in his dilapidated chambers, there was surely a clock, but time and its precise, hour-long demarcations me...

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“Isolation Breeds Appreciation” by Kristina Lushey

Submitted to Contest #240

Rory couldn’t believe the spectacular view of the sea as he gazed downwards from the gantry at the top of the lighthouse. The different hues of blue and green of the sea crashing against the jagged rocks 161 feet below him were spectacular. From the towering height of the lighthouse, he marvelled at the untamed splendour of the rugged coastline.“God, I love nature,” he said to himself. He watched as a group of seagulls flew past, noisily squawking to each other as they dive bombed the lighthouse. They were huge! He breathed in the salty sea ...

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“Tony and the Nefway” by Heather Henderson

Submitted to Contest #240

(Note – itksaurpok means ‘love obsession/crush’ in the Intuit language) I had listened to the Earth spinning for much too long. Hours must have passed, and Zane still had not come. The smothering silk of night stood hushed in my coop, submerging me into the hollow of my own vexation. An uncanny stillness had taken over the lighthouse and, at long last, I pushed through the wires and took off, swooping through the winds as they bellowed along the Arctic mountains.The higher I flew, the darker the Earth grew in my wake. A g...

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“A Stormy Night in a Lighthouse” by Sara Potter

Submitted to Contest #240

We did a crazy thing, Mary Beth thought as Mike steered the motorboat through the choppy waters of the sound. But as the old lighthouse grew closer, she smiled. No regrets. She and Mike had “won” the lighthouse in a government auction. It had taken a decent chunk of their savings, and they would probably spend the next 20 years getting it fixed up, but this was their dream. They had heard about the auction on the local TV news and were captivated by the pictures of the 19th-century structure. One of the things that had drawn them together as...

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“Within the Wind” by Samuel Bowen

Submitted to Contest #240

At the brink of the world, thunderbolts lit up the horizon as they struck the dark waves. An eternal maelstrom racked the sea, churning currents into a monstrous tide. The star riddled sky watched the waters dash themselves upon islands of black stone. Jagged edges turned to polished smoothness as the water spilled further onto solid ground. It pooled at the base of a marble tower as a moat of raindrops. The tower stood in defiance of the chaos. A simple beacon of light amidst the vengeance of the sea. White light shone like a star from the ...

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“From Lighthouse To Laughter” by Jay DeBurgh

Submitted to Contest #240

A glint of light in a broken glass reminded Carrie of the thrashing that the lighthouse continued to receive as though the sea were angry at being starved of rotting corpses as forever guests at Neptunes’ table.Thick smoky clouds rolled in like the seven plagues of the apocalypse, ready to pound anything in their way. Warning all to hide from its impending promising crush. Rising up and pausing to suck in air, the oceans’ rage came gushing down, throwing itself onto the gagged curved rocks to hone them into knife-like edges ready to splice v...

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 37 stories

“Lost in the Wind” by Eric Muller

“Nulistea” by Aidan Romo

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

“Echoes of the Storm” by Dave Russell

“Dusk on an isle” by Dani Guldborg

“Gale-force Fears” by Tawny Molina

“Stranded in the Wind” by Victor Wolfe

“Confederate Crypt Isle” by Valentine Tarango Jr.

“Tower of Strength” by Kathy Walsh

“Borne by Storms” by Drew Harrison

“Isolation Breeds Appreciation” by Kristina Lushey

“Tony and the Nefway” by Heather Henderson

“A Stormy Night in a Lighthouse” by Sara Potter

“Within the Wind” by Samuel Bowen

“From Lighthouse To Laughter” by Jay DeBurgh

🌟 Similar prompts

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

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

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

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

Contest #240

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

331

Contest entries

134

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: