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Write a story about a character who finds guidance in an unlikely place.

Posted in Dramatic on Oct 27, 2023

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✍️ 81 stories

Welcome to Novice Night

Submitted to Contest #222

“Why did you take this class if you are only going to stare at a blank piece of paper?”I glance up to see who's speaking. It’s a man with boyish looks and curious blue eyes. He sits at the desk next to mine. His paper already holds all kinds of objects. A square with deep shadows. A sphere with lots of pencil shading like the one on the board in front of the class. It looks even cleaner than the one our instructor drew. The rest of his paper holds a flawless cylinder. It captures the light hitting it at the perfect angle. It’s so smooth it l...

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Sweet And Sour

Submitted to Contest #222

“Any more words of wisdom?” “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.” “You come up with that, yourself?” “It’s Shakespeare.” “When have you read any Shakespeare?” “It says it on this small piece of paper, quoting Shakespeare.” “I thought you only read stuff when it’s got pictures in it.” “I’ll have you know that we are living in the new age of literary enlightenment.” “What, reading comics?” “They’re starting to be referred to as graphic novels, now.” “More commonly known as children’s books.” “They come with a rating, Tom. So, they ain’t f...

26 likes 16 comments 16
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Hometown Boy

Submitted to Contest #222

Hometown Boy The year was 1920. Nine-year-old, Dutch, moaned to his four-year-older brother, Moon, “This is all there is?” “Yeah, ain't it grand? Everything they promised. Well, nothing like the run-down row houses of Chicago. Maybe you don't remember them but they were crammed in pretty tight with no room to play ball at all. Had to walk down two or three streets and cross busy traffic lanes just to get to green open space at a park. Never knew what kind of riff-raft might jump out at ya. Ma wouldn't let us go alone and Dad, well, he was ...

24 likes 28 comments 28
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Brown Fur

Submitted to Contest #222

It was the fourteenth day in a row Daisy found herself animal tracking in the forest. By her feet was another clump of brown fur. She kneeled to pick it up, rolling the tough strands between her finger and thumb before allowing them to settle in her palm. A short gust of wind lifted them from her hand, and she watched as they spread across the air and into nature. The surrounding trees towered beyond sight and lined deep in every direction, but the thick greenery that shrouded them cast no shadow, allowing light from a blazing pink sky to il...

23 likes 13 comments 13
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Where do electrons go when the lights go out?

Submitted to Contest #222

I'm an electron, a tiny piece of the puzzle, dancing through the spirals of existence. I carry questions that burn within me like fiery sparks. "Who am I? Where do I come from? What's my role in this cosmic dance?" Immersed in the uncharted darkness of atoms, I seek a light that can illuminate the unknown paths of my universe. My trajectories may seem to stretch into infinity, but within me, there's an irresistible desire to understand what lies between the folds of reality. One day, as I followed the orbits around my nucleus, I heard a dist...

22 likes 10 comments 10
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Goodbye Darkness, My Old Friend

Submitted to Contest #222

There must be some way to cheer the world up. It's rained recently. The clouds are moody and the grass is drooping, covered in tears. The tree in our back garden moans in the wind, trying to tell us how lonely it is. No-one listens but me. No-one ever listens but me. My parents call me into the living room to receive my presents. Florida hands me hers first, and I take it gently. The poor thing is trembling, scared that I might hurt it. I try to smile reassuringly, willing it to be calm. "Thank you," I say, more to it than to Florry. I...

21 likes 18 comments 18
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Thank you, Lyddie Loo

Submitted to Contest #222

An early winter chill infiltrated the otherwise mild weathered town of Seaview, catching the residents and University students completely off-guard. Overnight packages from popular online shopping venues, containing sweaters, coats, hats and gloves dotted every front porch for miles, including that of college senior, Lydia Wyatt. Grateful for overnight delivery, Lydia spared little expense as she stocked up on winter wear, she never anticipated needing and truth be told, may never need again. Indulging in frivolous retail therapy and convinc...

21 likes 9 comments 9
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The Wisdom of Trees

Submitted to Contest #222

Trey had never taken a vacation. It was not for lack of interest, but rather lack of means. Everyday was the same. He woke up, dressed for work, worked, and went home. His life had become predictable which he both liked and despised. Trey was a home body with aspirations towards exploration. His nine to five paid the bills, but left him with no room for the exploration he craved."Trey, when are you going on vacation? You're here every day. You have the time banked," Marie put a hand on Trey's shoulder. It was gentle, and he thought he could ...

20 likes 5 comments 5
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The Blood-Stained Shore

Submitted to Contest #222

Old Hugh’s toothless jaw seemed to move independently from his skull, restlessly searching for its place. He picked up a beer in his cadaverous hand, sipped off the foam, licked his dry, cracked lips, and his craggy face relaxed for an instant, repose from constant agitation. “Give me a moment to savor this nectar, my dear”, he said, looking at Kelsey with hooded eyes that seemed buried deep in his skull, and seemed too intelligent to be trusted. His voice sounded like it was struggling to get out of his body, like he hadn’t u...

16 likes 2 comments 2
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The Courage To Change

Submitted to Contest #222

The Freedom of knowing… I didn’t know I was me when I felt helpless and powerless. I became masked, trying to fill a void of not knowing who I became. I become someone I mirrored who I didn’t recognize, I lost me in the process of finding a new you. The singing of the ancestors crying out from the heaven above reminded me of who I am. I am the storm that carry the spirit of my ancestors who forcefully guided me through the doors that once hindered me. The voices of the past whispered eloquently to stand, never waiver and continue to strive. ...

16 likes 13 comments 13
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A Case of the Useless

Submitted to Contest #222

Your blood test results have come back POSITIVE.  This is something Devin has suspected for a long time. His first thought is to reject the diagnosis and prove that it is wrong. When Devin checks the notice on his iPhone it is 2:38 am. Devin turns back to his computer and continues playing the new fantasy game “Star of Remphan,” in which his avatar is a dark wizard of Druid origins whose spells require a sigil in the form of a pentagram or Star of David enclosed in a magical circle. His avatar is named Austin Osman Spare.&...

16 likes 2 comments 2
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Benny Freedom

Submitted to Contest #222

Let me tell you why I’m running away. My old man ran off with another woman and refused to pay child support. That means my mother has to work two low-paying jobs to make ends meet.  She hasn’t any time to cook or clean, and especially none for me. I have two twin brothers who are four years older than me and are supposed to help Ma by keeping the house clean and watching out for me, but instead, I have to do all the work while they sit around smoking dope.  I saved up some money to buy a Fender Stratocaster k...

16 likes 5 comments 5
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My One Day in Bermuda

Submitted to Contest #222

“No, no, no,” I screamed helplessly holding onto the wire basket behind me where my carefully packed bag was placed. The street was coming up fast. Too fast. The crowd formed quickly. “Are you okay?” “You’re bleeding.” “Can you walk?”Someone pulled the motor scooter off of me. Why was it that you always see one shoe in the middle of the road after an accident? This time it was my husband’s shoe.“You need to get to a hospital,” a voice from somewhere floated to me.“No. I’m fine.”“Aww, don’t cry.”&n...

16 likes 9 comments 9
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The Light That Guides Us

Submitted to Contest #222

The problem is the problem. So now here's the catch, how do I go from a general a + b = c to finding the right answer? The only one that I am looking for to get out of this life of hell shoved at me and brought to me by bad karma. That's the problem.  Jawn's life stayed pretty neutral after high school graduation. He wasn't off to see New York City or take any other joy ride to a swank venue. With what, his tip money? Working as a busboy, evenings and weekends in a dreamland job at a burger place was his gig. Everyone in the senior...

12 likes 1 comment 1
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The Boy, the Mother, and the Witch's Wind

Submitted to Contest #222

The boy was only 3 years old at the time, but already showing signs of oddities. The first one occurred on a December morn, in the early hours of dawn before the birds woke. The mother rose from a nightmare to the faint sounds of her son, the boy, speaking to someone in his room. The voice was masculine, old, and gruff. The mother panicked, fearing that some intruder had forced his way inside the house and was attempting to kidnap her boy. She cautiously sprang to her feet, grabbing the hunter’s knife from under her pillow and quietly crept ...

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