Begin your story with a protagonist taking shelter under a bridge during a thunderstorm. An animal scurries past which shouldn’t exist. Against their better judgment, they decide to follow it out.

Posted in Fantasy on Oct 13, 2023

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✍️ 50 stories

“Meta-Verse ” by Kevin Logue

Submitted to Contest #220

Kal tugged his sodden patched cloak over Esmae's shivering shoulders and rubbed her back. Little good it would do in this weather, but what's a brother to do? He felt the fool, promising so much he couldn't give. Reckoned mother was right - he truly was less than nothing. Although she was as much his mother as he was the Emperor of Everywhere.Thunder rumbled and lightning exploded, like the gods were moving furniture around, then thought divine redecorating was a bust and burnt the armoire instead. Kal couldn't help but think that the d...

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“StATuE” by Michał Przywara

Submitted to Contest #220

Considering Ray had just officially missed rent again, hadn’t heard back from any interviews, and that he’d actually considered buying cat food since it was on special – and then did buy it – the sudden thunder suited him just fine. A little weather would scatter most of the casuals from The Butthole – what everyone called Button Park – so maybe this time he could enjoy nature without getting mugged again.Crunching through the autumn leaves, and sidestepping the broken glass and syringes, gave him a sense of peace. The first drops of rain we...

58 comments 58

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“Not All Who Wander ...” by Sue Schroeder

Submitted to Contest #220

Angel sat with her knees drawn up. The wind whipped her hair around like a Medusa. Sand stung her cheeks and she buried her face in her knees, letting the tears fall. Even though she was hidden under the embankment of the bridge, the wind pulled at her. Come into the darkness, it seemed to say.Why, oh why hadn’t she listened to the weather reports? Well, she had, but meteorologists were always wrong. And Houston just didn’t get storms like this. She’d gotten worried about the weather on her commu...

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“A strange sight” by Eddie McKenzie

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #220

Everybody knew that trolls had been hunted to extinction years ago. It was just common knowledge that they had gone the way of the way of the common European dragon, the garden gnomes and, of course, the great auk. That is a tragedy, of course, but it had also been long accepted as just one of those things that people did, hunting innocent species to extinction, so that people wouldn’t feel quite as bad about their misdeeds for as long as they were able to justify them away as human nature. Now, with that said, Elliot could not quite fi...

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“Feed Your Head” by Josephine Harris

Submitted to Contest #220

Her bladder nearly let go with the boom and searing flash of light. Another peal of thunder came close on its heels rumbling and crackling across the sky, and then the torrential downpour kicked in. Tiffany was going to get wet one way or another. Fortunately, the relentless lightning lit up a stone bridge thirty feet in front of her. She sprinted as best she could to the abutment leading down. Scrambling, she lost her footing and slid on her backside in the mud, hoping all the while to be able to stop before reaching the wettest thing ...

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“Under the weight of rain” by Elise G

Submitted to Contest #220

“Looks like we got ourselves lost.” A voice, low and resigned, words like the crunch of gravel under horse hooves, heavy, stones rolling down an endless plain. The man bends over in his saddle, patting the horse’s steaming flank, kneading his knuckles down its heaving neck. Foam gathers on its lips, frothing and bubbling, dripping to the sodden ground bit by bit, as hot air heaves from its lungs. Ears quiver, hooves stamping anxiously on the floor, eye twitching as it struggles to remove the dying fly caught in its corner, thin limbs caught ...

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“Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass” by Jonathan Page

Submitted to Contest #220

Running along the streets of lower Manhattan, crossing over Centre Street, I kept an even tempo. The sky suddenly darkened as heavy clouds covered the blue sky like spilled ink clouding out over parchment paper.I could have turned back and avoided the storm. But I needed to get my miles in. Post the numbers. Do the work. Think of that Starbucks cappuccino and the warmed-up butter croissant that’s waiting for you.I had already gone five miles by that point. But six miles was my daily minimum. And I was hurting. Right calf cramping. Stich in m...

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“The Bugbear” by Cemi Jade Weatherford

Submitted to Contest #220

I don't know why I thought it would have been a good idea to take the long way home. Especially this time of the year. Monsoon season. The man on the news said today's forecast was sunny, but partially clouded. As usual, he was wrong. Sometimes I don't know why they even bother trying to predict the weather when they're rarely ever right.I suppose it would have been smart to bring an umbrella along just in case, but much like me, I never think too far ahead. So, I began my walk home from school. There was a path that I like to take home that...

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“Afterparty” by Robert Egan

Submitted to Contest #220

FADE IN:EXT. L.A. RIVER – NIGHTA battered Mini Cooper, headlights off but interior cabin lights on, is parked under the Fourth Street Viaduct. Water curtains both sides of the bridge as the car putters in place.A once-in-a-decade rainstorm is hitting the city, and the L.A. River—nearly concreted out of existence during the last drought—is remembering what it once was. As the water rises under the bridge, the car continues to idle.INT. CAR – NIGHTViolet Caffrey, 29, an old soul trapped in a girlish body, snorts the remaining dot of her latest...

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“Rude Awakenings ” by Peter Gerber

Submitted to Contest #220

"Fuck! I can't believe this junk! " Sam's old Tesla kept breaking down for no reason and the weather wasn't helping. Even a blind man could have seen this storm coming, bringing with it strong wind and aggressive thunder. "Hello Triple A?" "Hello this is Triple A. How can we be of service?" "Thank God!" said Sam as his uncontrolled thoughts of dim scenarios quickly came to a halt. "My car broke down. I'm about 200 meters away from Newport. Between old Billy's gas station and Peter's Pinecone forest. I'm stuck in...

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“Beyond the Darkened Path” by Cailyn Yallop

Submitted to Contest #220

The storm shows no mercy to those who venture into its icy depths. Lilian Crawford was no exception, in fact, she had willingly ran into the violent force of nature to escape the clutches of her parents and another one of their pathetic arguments. If she was being honest, she didn’t know where she was running to, her feet were moving of their own accord. The clouds let out a mighty roar as a clap of thunder split the sky, the rain coming down so heavy it was near impossible to see. It splattered Lilian's face as she raced for the old...

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“Ghosts” by Erik Mundrievskii

Submitted to Contest #220

Dull buildings, dim light of rusty street lamps, a sign covered with thick layer of dust – everything was slightly distorted in the growing puddle in front of me. It was raining pretty heavily, but I was too exhausted to hurry. As I got close to the puddle, I saw the trembling silver light of the crescent moon reflected in it. I suddenly stopped, gazing into the deep night sky, as unclear images unexpectedly appeared in my thoughtless mind. That lovely reflection reminded me of something. Just like now, a puddle was in front of m...

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“Up From Extinction” by Bob Faszczewski

Submitted to Contest #220

The skies over Witchita opened up to dump a torrential downpour just as Sam Johnston finished his shift at the area’s Burger Barn on Thursday night. He had to run for shelter under the bridge and hope he didn’t get struck by one of the lightning bolts that seemed to descend in front of him every few seconds. Only a high school junior, Sam still hadn’t put away enough spare cash to buy the used Honda Accord he had his eyes on for the last six months. &nb...

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“Take Me To The Bridge” by Jed Cope

Submitted to Contest #220

The cymbal crash echoed across the sky and told me all I needed to know about my near future. It was cold enough as it was. The wind driving that cold into and through me. Pushing against me and finding its way through gaps and seams. I huddled up, feeling like a little washer woman. Humiliated by the persistent elemental force. Upping my step I bent further into that cruel wind and drove myself forward. A single player against the scrumming team, but making ground all the same. A crack of light illuminated the gloom and heralded the...

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“Warm light ” by Shondell Fuller

Submitted to Contest #220

Well, if my day couldn’t get any worse, this storm came out of nowhere, Nora groans. It’s a good thing I found this bridge when I did. It reeks of pee and earth and questionable things in this overpass that she would rather not think about. “I guess it’s better than nothing.” she laughs to herself. I wonder how long I will have to wait here. I can’t believe today of all days I forgot my umbrella. Nora blows out hot air from her mouth in annoyance. Not too long after, she sees something in the corner of her eye that looks like a cat or a mous...

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Begin your story with a protagonist taking shelter under a bridge during a thunderstorm. An animal scurries past which shouldn’t exist. Against their better judgment, they decide to follow it out.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 50 stories

“Meta-Verse ” by Kevin Logue

“StATuE” by Michał Przywara

“Not All Who Wander ...” by Sue Schroeder

“A strange sight” by Eddie McKenzie

“Feed Your Head” by Josephine Harris

“Under the weight of rain” by Elise G

“Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass” by Jonathan Page

“The Bugbear” by Cemi Jade Weatherford

“Afterparty” by Robert Egan

“Rude Awakenings ” by Peter Gerber

“Beyond the Darkened Path” by Cailyn Yallop

“Ghosts” by Erik Mundrievskii

“Up From Extinction” by Bob Faszczewski

“Take Me To The Bridge” by Jed Cope

“Warm light ” by Shondell Fuller

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with a character walking through a desert landscape, when they stumble across something unexpected. “That shouldn’t be there,” they muse.

You arrive at a destination you promised an old friend you’d visit after they passed, only to find them there too.

As a child you’re helping your grandparent bake. When you’re sent to the pantry to fetch an ingredient, you discover something odd.

You’re awakened from your nap by someone asking, “Are you hungry?”. You fell asleep somewhere else entirely.

Contest #220

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

249

Contest entries

129

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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