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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Write a story about two characters whose paths briefly cross, but are actually going in opposite directions — whether literally or figuratively.

Posted in Dramatic on Jan 27, 2023

Submissions are closed

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✍️ 93 stories

“The Mark of David” by Chris Campbell

Submitted to Contest #183

“Excuse me,” the restless old man asked. “I seem to have misplaced my suitcase. Can you see it?” The obvious concern in the tone of his voice, solicited an instant response from the young man standing beside him. “I see many suitcases,” replied the young man. “What colour is it?” “You have me at a disadvantage, the old man curiously responded. “What colour do suitcases usually come in?” The peculiarity of the question immediately brought to light that the old man was blind. Without drawing unwanted attention upon him, the young man reached ...

15 comments 15
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“Different Planets” by RJ Holmquist

Submitted to Contest #183

My planet is different from your planet. I’m not saying it's better. It’s just different. I know, I know, it's hard not to start drawing comparisons, especially when it comes to things like the place that made you. Naturally, everyone is curious to know whether the ball of matter that is responsible for the particular arrangement of molecules they are currently styling as “themself” is of high or low quality. But that’s the problem people! We have to resist the temptation to engage with those kinds of insecurities. Planets are just different...

8 comments 8
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“The Gray & Blood In Between ” by Angela Pirozzi

Submitted to Contest #183

Sensitive Content Warning: This story contains scenes of fighting, war, blood, and death. My ears rang as the barrage of artillery rained down around me as I stumble- walked- ran bleary-eyed through the unfamiliar hilly terrain. In all my years in the small town where I’d grown up, I’d never seen such chaos. Such utter destruction. No video game had ever prepared me for what I had come to witness. I wanted to close my eyes to it all but that would mean my immediate demise. So, I struggled on. Losing my bearings in all the anarchy, I...

13 comments 13
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“The Scarf and the Sword” by Jacob Gauthier

Submitted to Contest #183

A girl moved across a landscape of dead, yellow grass, her breath creating puffs of vapor in the frigid winter air. She wore a thick jacket the color of dried blood and pants covered with white dust. The only bright spot of color she wore was the bright apple-red scarf wrapped tightly around her neck. She tried singing as she walked but stopped after just a few minutes. It felt wrong to disturb the all-encompassing quiet of a world that had come to an end. ~~~ A few miles west, an old man with a large sword strapped to his back was wal...

2 comments 2
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“how the passenger princess lost her crown” by Masha Kurbatova

Submitted to Contest #183

A month before heartbreak, we were in the car. My phone was hooked to the speaker by an umbilical cord of pink wire. Melly drove – I didn’t have my license yet. “I’m gonna play a cover. It’s funny,” I said. A whiny man’s voice screeched from the stereo. “Can you play the original version? The Kate Bush one?” she asked.“Aw, come on. The original is overplayed.”“This one sucks. No offense.” “Mm. Okay,” I obliged.Such were the conditions of my being a passenger princess: driver held the music veto. Fields dipped down an...

3 comments 3
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“Like Two Ships” by Ralph Aldrich

Submitted to Contest #183

The spring winds rush down the streets of New York City, blowing up dirt and sand everywhere. I hold my head down to keep the dust out of my eyes while trying not to walk into other people doing the same. I reach my favorite breakfast spot and pull hard against the door. I struggle inside as the owner laughs, “Windy enough for ya, Mr. McGee?”  I dust my shoulders and the front of my jacket as I sit at the counter. The rotating stool screeches in protest. The owner Benny removes a dirty plate and wipes the ...

0 comments 0
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“Winston's Wet Book” by Von Armstead

Submitted to Contest #183

Day 1 I hope this makes it out in one. My name’s Winston Garret. I’m an employee at H&M. Well, I was. Now I mine and sell dirt for a living. I know I wrote “Day 1”, but I decided today to write in my favorite leatherbound book; I felt hopeful after a droplet splattered my forehead when I was half awake. It had been exactly 1,946 days since I was thrown into this room and met this alcove and many unfortunate men like me, whose language I do not speak, but I was certain it was Thai. The sole purpose I came to the Land of Smiles was t...

3 comments 3
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“The Waiting Room” by Earl Carter

Submitted to Contest #183

The door WOOSHED open as she ran into the waiting room. “Am I late?” She frantically scanned the room.. “Did I miss it? Has he come yet?”“No, you haven’t.” A voice murmured behind her. She turned and looked at him. The young man was sitting, wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans. His hair was disheveled and his eyes were sleep deprived and sunken. He had a laptop resting on his legs and was typing away. “They started Pitocin about an hour ago. I think they just put in the epidural.” She turned and looked at him through pierced eyes, “Ho...

19 comments 19
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“Locomotives” by Pocket Paperbacks

Submitted to Contest #183

The little crease in his brow was there again today. It sat just between his eyebrows, a little valley with some stray hairs falling in. It seemed to be deepening the past few weeks, and I briefly wondered at the cause for this single, premature furrow before he handed me my ticket. He didn't smile this morning. He looked far away. I flashed a tight-lipped acknowledgement as I took the little paper from his hand and moved aside. I knew his funny little crease would be the first of many lines to come, and I found myself feeling strange as it ...

8 comments 8
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“Aqua Blue Headband” by Will Chu

Submitted to Contest #183

Boom -- Accompanied by a loud noise, a shell across the blue sky, a rock blast shattered, originally entrenched on the reef mermaid hurried into the sea, however, red blood still dyed the sea. "Fire! Fire!" The general stood on a splint, jumping furiously and waving his saber wildly. Under his command, the shells fell like a meteor shower on the sea. "Your Excellency General! We have no more shells!" The general kept growling as his adjutant tried to send him a message. "What? You're a bunch of worthless pigs! Go back to the dock and ...

0 comments 0
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“Modern Kindness:” by Raizy Beaton

Submitted to Contest #183

She had invested everything into this new venture. Faraji had laughed at the new laptop. ‘Modern technology.’ He had claimed just yesterday, his voice still tinged with the old accent. The sharpened pencils beckoned to her. She longed to get out into the world and see the huge expanses of exposure. To draw her world. The four walls of her apartment could not stifle her, she would not allow it. In her mind, the terrible expression on Faraji’s face stifled her as he lived in his brain and yearned in his heart. Her heart ached too but she quell...

6 comments 6
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“What I Want Today” by Michelle SHAAY

Submitted to Contest #183

The light to moderate traffic and sunshine seemed to lessen her notoriously stressful commute. In an attempt to encourage and even demand workers return to the office, Cori’s team had been assigned a difficult but necessary task. Their directive included placing WFH workers on notice about upcoming workplace changes. The changes would significantly impact the workers current schedule flexibility and require 90 percent onsite, in-person interaction with management.According to her Director, a possible hiring freeze was looming and any promoti...

4 comments 4
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“From Your Heart to Mine” by Constance Maple

Submitted to Contest #183

Why am I here?Dr. Bertrand would say it's because of the forty-five years of smoking. And that other doctor -- I can't remember her name -- would say I was an alcoholic. (What head chef doesn't drink on the job?) It wasn't until after my second heart attack that I quit both drinking and smoking, just in case.I admit I could have lost some weight, or at least stopped gaining it. But once I retired, I had all the time in the world to sit around and eat the delicious food I'd been cooking for everyone else all those years.What I want to know is...

4 comments 4
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“Parallel Lines” by Mark Gagnon

Submitted to Contest #183

It is strange how the mind can play tricks. When I stare down the train tracks, I’m standing on, I could swear the left and right ribbons of steel join, becoming one at the horizon. Of course, the logical part of my brain tells me such a thing is impossible, but could it be that just this once my eyes aren’t betraying me? Are the mathematical laws of the universe always unwavering? In my life, I have observed other constants abruptly evaporate, allowing random chaos to rule, so why shouldn’t parallel lines, for just a moment, meet somewhere ...

3 comments 3
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“The Last Coffee Mark Will Ever Spill......” by Andy Mac

Submitted to Contest #183

“Maybe that schmuck would treat me a little differently if he knew I just blew up his house, family, work and city for pete’s sake!” blew Alan under his breath. I think it goes beyond saying that blowing up a city was not something you say aloud in a busy train concourse.  He did however give a rather disgusting look to the gentlemen who brushed passed him earlier,  knocking his coffee on the twenty dollar cotton shirt he found at the bargain store. To be fair, this was mostly because he normally wore rather expensive suits for w...

1 comment 1
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Contest #183

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This week's theme: Opposite Day

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Ended on 23:59 - Feb 03, 2023 EST

Won by Laurel Hanson 🏆

Title: Of Harpers and Heroes

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