Set your story in an oracle or a fortune teller’s parlor.

Posted in Fantasy on Jun 24, 2022

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✍️ 66 stories

“The Correct Question” by LC Moran

Submitted to Contest #152

A young woman entered the shop with interest, trailed by another who was intensely watching her phone. It looked nothing like any of the other shops they frequented; there were no beaded curtains, no macabre decor, no neon signs in the windows. But this one had just suddenly popped up on her daily newsfeed, and she always wanted to visit a new one. The mass of bells hung in wreathes on the door, some clearly older than others, announced their arrival and a very normal-sounding woman called out that she’d be there in a moment. The cat in the ...

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“The Dancing Oracle” by Kiersten Harvey

Submitted to Contest #152

Stepping through the beaded curtain felt just like so many times before. Year after year, the young knight searched, in hopes of finding what he so desperately desired. Sir Baz had never in all his days come across such an odd place as this, however. Carved into the mouth of a cave, this fortune teller’s shop looked to be more authentic than the numerous crocks and scams Baz had come across over the years. A stream of silky cloth of all hues and patterns descended from the crags in the cave’s ceiling not far ahead of him. The stone wa...

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“The Oracle in the Alley by JD Magowan” by Sullivan Dark

Submitted to Contest #152

My friends talked me into going to a fortune teller with them, I did not want to go, but I know they are only trying to make me forget about Elijah, and what happened to him last week. But I really don’t believe in fortune-tellers or oracles. I know Elijah died and he will never be in my life again, so what’s the point? I asked myself. I know I have been down since the wreck and the girls are trying to make me feel better so reluctantly, I agreed to come along. Laura, my best friend turned down an alley and we...

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“The Oracle on the Hill” by Cannon Shealy

Submitted to Contest #152

The bounty hunter rode through the valley, an empty canteen and loaded gun banging at his thigh. The sun beat down on him, causing his open-throated shirt to be soaked with sweat. He wanted a beer. Whether it be unexcitingly flat or painfully bubbly, he wanted one. But first, shade. Something that couldn’t be found in this winding valley at high noon. The mule underneath him seemed to be tired of the heat as well, but what did he care? It had been free, after all. Stolen from the last man he hunted down. He had already forgotten the man’s na...

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“Anomalous” by Indigo Brenner

Submitted to Contest #152

The red and purple beads clacked curiously as Harper Dia pushed them aside. The whole place was curious, in fact; putting down her briefcase for a moment, Harper made a note on her clipboard to report the psychic’s shop as at least a second-class liminal space, if not first-class. “Hello?” She called. “Agent Dia, Institute for the Research of Irregular Subjects. I’m here to investigate your establishment. We’ve gotten quite a few reports of anomalous entities.” “Hello—” Harper jumped approximately seven inches in the air at the sudden app...

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“The Obeah's Curse” by Ashley Kujan

Submitted to Contest #152

The Obeah’s Curse Aaah, the scent of warm, salty air with a hint of plumeria and pineapple, the sound of seagulls chattering on the dock, and an indescribable wave of relaxation flowing through my entire aura. My partner and I had just arrived in the Bahamas for a long anticipated vacation, and the noisy, dingy city was just a faint memory already. We were entranced by the lulling, tropical vibes, as though we were in the most awesome dreamscape, and never wanted to wake up! I don’t know if it was because we wer...

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“The Blind at the Crossroads” by Nox Carmenate

Submitted to Contest #152

Lara stepped across creaking wood into the heart of the old shack. She didn’t want to be there as much as any person who’d come before her hadn’t wanted to be there. Here, in the old and rotting shack lived an oracle, a witch, a collector, really a woman known as many things by many different people. Lara preferred the name that was most true and just so happened to be what the woman called herself. Scavenger. The only true disciple of the rotting god, she had built a home for herself in the rotting remains of what m...

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“It Runs in the Family” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #152

It Runs in the Family When I see my mother playing the part of the fortune teller in her room/office in our house, it brings to mind her mother, who would completely charm me with her performance in the same role in the same place. I would sit quietly and motionlessly in the corner of the room, and would watch and listen to her as she did her show for her client/customer/believer. She wore a filmy black dress with long, bulgy sleeves. On her head was an orange wreathlike top that she wore like a crown. Somehow it glowed ...

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“Unlikely Story” by Sharon Williams

Submitted to Contest #152

‘Saz. What was the name of that medium that you and Bev went to see?’ ‘Antonio Butoni’ ‘I’ve got him here for a health check…I’ve had to come and hide in the kitchen in case he can read my mind.’ ‘What?’ ‘In case, he can see how hot I think he is.’ &nbs...

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“Psuedo-Psychic Mobster” by Farah Majd Abbar

Submitted to Contest #152

March 7th, 2024 - Manhattan, NY, NY I knew lying to people was wrong, but it didn’t stop me from doing it for money. “I can see… a red car… crossing your path….” A young woman sat before me. “Oh, my mother’s car?” “Is your mother’s car… red?” I tried to stay mysterious, but I was confused about what the young woman wanted. “Yeah! I love it! ‘bright red Ferrari! I can’t wait to get my own someday.” “Would you like me to look into your future for a new car?” “Oh, yes! Absolutely!” My earpiece underneath my veil buzzed before Luca spoke. ...

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“Skeptic Shock” by Marie White

Submitted to Contest #152

Beside her, Hayden stared out his window with intensity that she would’ve found sufficient even if he expected their missing son to dart up amid the emerald blur of passing trees. He’d folded his arms over his chest, jaw set, a vein bulging in his neck. His demeanor didn’t surprise her; he’d made sure that she knew he didn’t agree with this. There were no such things as “oracles,” he’d said. Soliciting Charissa would lead only to wasted time, effort, and money (the last, she knew, mattered most to him, though she hadn’t thought it wise to fe...

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“The Oracle and Her Captors” by Kristina Campbell

Submitted to Contest #152

The squeaky wheels of the gurney served as a shrill omen of the day’s reading. The air of the sanctuary was cold with a tinge of sweetness which stung the sinus cavity. Père Abdon and Père Abraham wheeled Pythia to the center of the sanctuary, a barren room save for a lone, crimson, velvet throne, illuminated by a bright flood light. Her pères lifted her emaciated body from the gurney and lowered her gently on the throne. The chair wrapped around her like arms embracing her in a comforting hug. A golden shawl was placed over her legs and cas...

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“Doomed From The Start” by Joshua Copus - Oxland

Submitted to Contest #152

Jonathan stared at the tattered, discoloured tent and gripped his clammy, shaking hands. 25 years ago, he’d been at this same spot as a kid – the snot-nosed, candy floss munching, baseball cap wearing little shit that he was. He’d waited for his dad to come out of the tent from his fortune telling session. When Jonathan had asked Dad about his fortune, he just laughed it off. Dad died not long after. Jonathan knew fortune telling was bogus as an adult, and yet, he couldn’t turn away. Coming here wasn’t originally the plan – the bus...

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“Fate of the Fateless” by Dhruv Srivastava

Submitted to Contest #152

Not a whisper on the boots, thought Erica as her husband waved to her from the front door. Despite the blazing hot day, a scorcher even by South Carolina standards, his shirt was clean and his face just covered in a thin layer of sweat, almost like dew. Even when she kissed his slightly puffy, unshaven cheek and smiled, she saw the flicker of doubt in his blinding blue eyes - the doubt which originated from those boots. “Hi, honey,” he said softly, grabbing both her arms and returning her smile. “How was your day?” “Oh, ...

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“So This is Love” by Shalon Atwood

Submitted to Contest #152

With eyes half lidded and his body anesthetized with a generous layer of whiskey, Eric bounced off the crowd of party goers like a pinball. The sea of people had swallowed his friends what felt like ages ago, but had probably only been mere minutes, he couldn’t be sure. He had thrown back his sense of time along with that last Jagerbomb. The sounds of jazz permeated the streets and his eardrums were blasted with the blaring of trumpets and the low strum of bass. Bourbon Street was often littered with partiers of all ages, and tonight wa...

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Set your story in an oracle or a fortune teller’s parlor.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 66 stories

“The Correct Question” by LC Moran

“The Dancing Oracle” by Kiersten Harvey

“The Oracle in the Alley by JD Magowan” by Sullivan Dark

“The Oracle on the Hill” by Cannon Shealy

“Anomalous” by Indigo Brenner

“The Obeah's Curse” by Ashley Kujan

“The Blind at the Crossroads” by Nox Carmenate

“It Runs in the Family” by John Steckley

“Unlikely Story” by Sharon Williams

“Psuedo-Psychic Mobster” by Farah Majd Abbar

“Skeptic Shock” by Marie White

“The Oracle and Her Captors” by Kristina Campbell

“Doomed From The Start” by Joshua Copus - Oxland

“Fate of the Fateless” by Dhruv Srivastava

“So This is Love” by Shalon Atwood

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story in which a miracle happens — or everyone thinks it did.

Start your story with a character saying “I can see it now.”

Write about a character whose life changes for the better.

Write a story about someone whose job is to make miracles happen, literally or figuratively.

Contest #152

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

237

Contest entries

101

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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