Write a story about someone searching for a missing ingredient, literally or metaphorically.

Posted in Dramatic on Sep 27, 2024

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✍️ 54 stories

“The Love Impulse” by Geir Westrul

Submitted to Contest #270

"Miss, we don't serve his kind in this bar." The bartender looked at Susan, not at me, just twitched his head sideways in my general direction, then pointed at the sign: 'No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service ... oh, and No Synths Served'."He doesn't drink," Susan said. "Doesn't eat either. He's an older model. Huxley's been my brother's companion since Alex was a young boy, and that was a long, long, long time ago. Huxley's just here to guard me, keep me out of trouble, aren't you, Huxley?""That is correct," I said to the bartender, who still didn...

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“The Tree” by Ken Poirier

Submitted to Contest #270

The TreeBy Kenneth Poirier There was a man once, not so much a lonely man as his life was fairly fufilling. Just a man like any other man, honest, trustworthy and sincere. He wanted so badly to have a big, beautiful tree in his backyard like all his neighbors. He dreamed of a huge tree with majestic branches reaching high into the sky, and dazzling green foliage. He knew exactly what kind of tree he wanted. When he walked into the nursery to find the perfect tree he saw it right away. He knew almost instantly that this tree would be the per...

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“Searching for Perspective ” by Priscila Pesek

Submitted to Contest #270

There it was, Tuesday at 6:41pm. Unenthusiastically, Patricia looked around the room, searching for the… what? Courage to move? She had already timed the maximum amount of time she could stay home before she had to leave, drive, park and find her way to the art class at the high school she had not set foot at in 15 years. But here she was, faced with a wall of inertia. In the 45 minutes prior, she had giddily pushed for dinner in front of another episode of Nolly in her wife’s company. She’d also pulled away from the TV to corral old drawing...

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“The Taste of Resilience” by Kashira Argento

Submitted to Contest #270

Pilar has been absent-mindedly mixing the paella, and the familiar motions are a small comfort in her current tumultuous life. Her friends loved her paella and made every excuse for her to cook it. Pilar, being a true Spaniard, of course, accommodated them, after the necessary pleading…. The recipe has been running in the family for generations, mouth to mouth, never written down, as if the secret needed to be safeguarded. Pilar had the recipe passed down by her grandmother, Dolores, who did not trust her own daughter's cooking skills and sk...

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“Moonbeam Hill....” by Julie Grenness

Submitted to Contest #270

Silvery moonbeams still shone benignly in tranquil translucence as Alex stormed away from the lounge room of the unrequited. He was in his default moody mode again, glowering into the evening air, sulking in his grey hood. Philly, the Fenian, shrugged, their evenings usually ended like this. She got ready for bed. Yes, her monthly stranger had arrived, all part of being a woman. She took care of that, sighing in the loo. It was only another unfilled egg follicle, vanishing into the sewerage system. Her dreams of cute blond haired, blue eyed...

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“Michelin” by WM .

Submitted to Contest #270

“Again?” Mia angrily asks, looking at her phone reading 21:12. Clenching her teeth and her clutch, sitting at the bar. “Your martini, madame.” The bartender announces, taking away her previous glass. “It’s Mademoiselle.” Mia corrects, proving a point. The bartender smiles, clocking me tipping a tenner into the jar. “Look, I don’t -” “Have an excuse for my tardiness.” Mia mimes, nailing my mannerisms, and exploring the bottom of her glass. I hide her gift underneath my pea-coat and head toward the maitre d. “Excuse me, reservation for two…Smi...

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“The Great Nutmeg Chase” by Brandon Hamlin

Submitted to Contest #270

The sun was low in the sky, enveloping Blackberry Grove Ridge in a warm golden light. In his inviting kitchen, Mike Yolk, a 29-year-old pastry chef dedicated to the art of culinary craftsmanship, stood with flour lightly covering his apron resembling gentle snowfall. The inviting fragrance of apple cider permeated the air, blending seamlessly with the robust scent of cinnamon. Today marked a significant occasion—fulfilling his mother's yearly request for his renowned Apple Cider bread. He directed his gaze toward the clock. "Very well,...

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“The Alchemy of Simple Ingredients” by Elton James

Submitted to Contest #270

Simple food In the dining room of a small country cottage, a table is set for four. A chequered tablecloth covers a rustic wooden table. Each place holds a cloth placemat under a white plate, with spoon, fork, and a napkin. Simple setting for simple fare. Alice looks up as she places a fresh baguette on the table beside a bowl of pasta. The boys enter, carrying a bowl of steaming tomato sauce. The smells of cooked tomatoes, garlic, basil and chilli intertwine to fill the air. Alice’s husband, Barry, walks a step behind their son ...

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“Biting Into Beach Sand” by Fatima Lalla

Submitted to Contest #270

Summer 1908. The ocean was a dream. Glinting emerald waves with pearlescent seafoam. It quivered under the harsh breeze. The Cassandra was a boon of a ship, born from Parisan hands with its elegant sharpenings and fine stained wood, golden accents glinting under the harsh sun. The boat swayed in the water urging the sailors to hurry atop it, urging them to take to the sea with a desperation. They were set to sail for Greece. To collect a large shipment of olives to aid in overcoming the recent drought. Liam carried two bags over his shoulder...

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“Food for Thought” by David Newcombe

Submitted to Contest #270

The journey was taking hours longer than it should; a massive storm was imminent, and the first raindrops were already smearing themselves across the windscreen. The seemingly endless twists and turns of the unlit road were taking a toll on his concentration. Luckily there were few other vehicles which meant he had escaped what would have been certain head on collisions when he took the last two bends too quickly. A large whiskey and warm bed beckoned, but a rest break was needed if he were to reach home safely.Norman Lassiter was not a happ...

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“Where's my Liver” by Lillian Burson

Submitted to Contest #270

It was a cold fall morning, and all was still. Jenny was calm and content; her husband was still sleeping off his hangover. She sat on the old chair they placed beside the back door; no one could see the swollen pulp of a left eye that she received the night before. The breeze kissed it softly, and the air carried the coming of rain that would soon fall. The vibrations of her husband's pounding footsteps shook her through the home and to the outside. Jenny sighed and prepared herself for the co...

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“The Missing Ingredient ” by Isabella Sparks

Submitted to Contest #270

Watching her granddaughter keep their tradition alive, she couldn’t help but smile. She hoped that the young girl could feel her presence, and that she hadn’t forgotten what her grandmother taught her. A wave of sadness and longing washed over her as she watched her struggle to make the holiday dinner preparations alone. Grandma knew the first year would be the hardest, the first Thanksgiving after she passed. She found herself hoping that she would persist, that the loss would not make her want to give up. She was touched that her gra...

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“Hunting for Breath” by Constance Marie

Submitted to Contest #270

Aim across the brow, Louis reminded himself. The tip of his rifle stalked the deer amongst the golden autumn trees. Its sights lined up perfectly with the intricate black lines around the magical creature’s eyes and running down his snout. Even from his hiding spot fifty yards out Louis could tell the buck’s runes were fully formed, meaning he was mature enough. He waited for the perfect moment to put a bullet through his brain. His pop taught him one usually aims for the heart. That it’s a clean kill. “But we needin’ the lungs n...

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“Food You Can Trust” by Sydney Nyberg

Submitted to Contest #270

It’s a damn shame what’s happening to food in America. But the bigger shame is the people funneling in and out of the grocery stores, like cattle, lining up to get their steroid shots not knowing the true cost of their quick treat and promise of dinner. Not even the so-called “healthy” food choices are safe anymore, most of them chalked full of mono- and diglycerides, phosphoric acid, potassium sorbate, and on and on and on, all to extend shelf life and cut down on productions costs to satiate the corporate greed that has consumed ...

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“MINISERIES:" PEOPLE ARE STRANGE": EPISODE 4: "FACES IN THE RAIN"” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #270

DISCLAIMER:"THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO REAL EVENTS OR PERSONS, LIVING OR DEAD, IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL. THE DOORS AND JIM MORRISON'S ARTISTIC WORKS ARE THE SOURCES OF INSPIRATION FOR THE STORY. STILL, IT IS IN NO WAY ASSOCIATED WITH, NOR DOES IT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT BY, THE BAND OR ITS MEMBERS. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED, AND THIS STORY IS PURELY FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES. ALL RIGHTS TO 'PEOPLE ARE STRANGE' BELONG TO THE ORIGINAL COPYRIGHT HOLDERS."(The episode opens with a rapid-fire montage, a vivid snapshot of d...

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Write a story about someone searching for a missing ingredient, literally or metaphorically.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 54 stories

“The Love Impulse” by Geir Westrul

“The Tree” by Ken Poirier

“Searching for Perspective ” by Priscila Pesek

“The Taste of Resilience” by Kashira Argento

“Moonbeam Hill....” by Julie Grenness

“Michelin” by WM .

“The Great Nutmeg Chase” by Brandon Hamlin

“The Alchemy of Simple Ingredients” by Elton James

“Biting Into Beach Sand” by Fatima Lalla

“Food for Thought” by David Newcombe

“Where's my Liver” by Lillian Burson

“The Missing Ingredient ” by Isabella Sparks

“Hunting for Breath” by Constance Marie

“Food You Can Trust” by Sydney Nyberg

“MINISERIES:" PEOPLE ARE STRANGE": EPISODE 4: "FACES IN THE RAIN"” by Darvico Ulmeli

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story in the form of a recipe.

Start or end your story with two people discussing an important matter over a meal.

Write a story inspired by the saying “Revenge is a dish best served cold.”

Set your story in a kitchen, either early in the day or late at night.

Contest #270

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

341

Contest entries

134

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: