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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Write a story involving a magical potion — which may or may not work.

Posted in Fantasy on Dec 9, 2022

Submissions are closed

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✍️ 58 stories

“Blood of the Wolf” by Michał Przywara

Submitted to Contest #176

They followed Agatha into the woods, with the last light of summer warding them from the threat of September. Nina endlessly ran her tongue along her new braces, still unable to get used to their feel. Rick huffed as he shambled, balancing the awkward one-legged wooden table under one arm, and the big brass bowl under the other. Dennis frowned and kept glancing over his shoulder, certain he had heard rustling in the foliage. Katie hugged herself and shivered, even though it was still warm enough to be called a warm day.And Agatha marched wit...

50 comments 50
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“Rural Route 12: Biblical Tarot for Dummies” by Wendy Kaminski

Submitted to Contest #176

SENSITIVITY WARNING: The odds of a lightning strike are -- and I cannot stress this enough -- astronomical due to the sacrilegious content of this story.~~~Buying myself a deck of “Biblical Tarot” cards this Christmas may have been a little tone-deaf, in retrospect: it turns out that the Bible thumpers hate the Tarot nutjobs, and vice-versa, thus making it near-impossible to find anyone who will agree to sit for a reading in order to help me practice the occult.Fortunately, my next-door neighbors have questionable morals, a lot of time on th...

69 comments 69
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“A King, His Brother, His Wife, A Potion, and An Evil Plan” by Isa Hasan

Submitted to Contest #176

Palace intrigue has always fascinated me, but ultimately, there's no way to verify the veracity of the stories. Did King Arthur really exist? Lancelot? We'll never know. But one summer, I learned of a story of palace intrigue that was as true and real as anything you have ever known. And far more morbid. I'm here to tell it to you… My family visited India for two weeks last summer. We stayed in one of the family houses, called Machli House. My parents spent their days visiting relatives, reliving their childhood memories,...

11 comments 11
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“Friday Dinner Date” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #176

My tail taps against the perfume bottles on the dresser as I watch Zaya’s latest conquest. In his business suit he looks out of place in our dimly lit apartment full of hip antique furniture. He’s perched on the edge of the bed. “You want me to give you ten thousand dollars?” he says, shaking his head. “I’ve worked weeks as a database administrator to save that much. I’ll have to cancel my trip to Austin.”“If you want to see me again, Luis.”“This is ridiculous,” he says, his eyes full of anger. They usually need to pass through this sta...

34 comments 34
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“Anything You Can Imagine” by Melony Beard

Submitted to Contest #176

"I know a magical place where you can see anything you imagine," Jenny stated matter of factly swinging her fire red pony tails from side to side.  "Hmph..." Cason the freckled face boy standing beside her in front of Jack D's Bayside Restaurant replied, "You do have a wild imagination just like everyone says." Cason, outdone with the annoying red haired, pig tailed girl, flipped around and began walking down the sidewalk.  "Where ya going?" Jenny ran to catch up and bounced beside him.  "As far away from you as possib...

9 comments 9
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“Flowers in Bloom” by Daniel Allen

Submitted to Contest #176

‘And what seems to be the problem, Mrs…?’‘Whittemore. Devona Whittemore, of the Lancashire Whittemore’s. Perhaps you’ve heard of my family. We’re rather big in the automotive industry.’Mr Shikhandi shrugged in apology. ‘I can’t say I have, though I don’t get out much.’ He waved a hand, gesturing to the dimly lit workshop around them. ‘As you can see, my work keeps me rather busy.’Violet peered out from behind her aunt to take a look around. She’d heard much about Mr Shikhandi, or ‘The Alchemist,’ as he was usually known. Several tables were ...

16 comments 16
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“Breaking the Curse” by Corey E. Gleason

Submitted to Contest #176

Kate rushed down the hall holding tightly to the canister in her hands. She couldn’t get out the door fast enough. She was certain that the scientists in the Lab were closely following her. She tried to be as inconspicuous as possible to not draw the attention of the receptionist who appeared to be deeply involved in the magazine she had opened in front of her. Kate flashed a brief smile at the receptionist who looked up as Kate hurried past. She was almost to the big double doors that dwarfed the entrance to the Lab. She took a quick glance...

10 comments 10
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“Look Homeward, Witch” by Delbert Griffith

Submitted to Contest #176

“Good evening, sister. And where is our little Ravelil?” Luella sipped more tea and looked around for their niece. Hmph. Just like her to miss the evening restorative. The girl has become a leetle self-centered. “The devil only knows. Her car is here. Maybe she’s sleeping,” Jeruda said. She went to the window and pulled the thick curtains closed. The sun was still up and it didn’t do to let too much sun touch their delicate, ochre skin. The witches that did that wound up with skin that looked like the skin of mortals. The incorrigible Ravel...

28 comments 28
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“Loose Ends” by Doreen Shea

Submitted to Contest #176

Loose Ends Happily-ever-afters never found their way to Amanda, Sherry, or Eli’s world.  They languished somewhere between neutral and destruction. On this particular day, the sun cast long, drawn-out afternoon rays.  Later, not unlike their lives, it would squeeze out the last of its glimmer before twilight. Sherry shoved the groceries in her car as she looked down the street for some other place to kill time. Kill time, kill herself, kill, kill, kill she thought.  She dodged two little girls running between some ou...

1 comment 1
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“Liquid Courage” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #176

CW: mentions of date rape“Here you go, sis. S’later.”Julian pulled over and stopped at the café where Shelby worked.“Aurora’s my friend, Jules. Get real. We could hang out. Get acquainted. See if you like her.”“I’m already in love with her, Shel.”She grinned. “So, you love her cute little mole…?”He gasped. “Wait. She has a mole? Like a pet?”Selby stared in disbelief. “No idiot. She has a whole flock of them. On a ranch up north.”“What?”“On her lip. The mole on her lip. A beauty mark. I don’t believe you.”~Julian followed Shelby in. He watche...

8 comments 8
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“Elixir of Life” by Howard Halsall

Submitted to Contest #176

In the years before we got a motor vehicle, it was my job to hold Charlie’s reins whilst Papa stowed his precious crates at the rear of our waggonette. Papa trusted me, even with my one healthy arm, because Charlie was docile first thing in the morning. As long as Mama topped up his nosebag, there was no chance of him trotting off. After Papa secured our goods, he’d join Mama and me on the wooden bench and tweak my nose.Well done, laddie, he’d say, adjusting his lucky hat to Mama’s chagrin. She’d roll her eyes and sigh as Papa clicked his to...

9 comments 9
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“A Toxic Love Story” by Lezly Collins

Submitted to Contest #176

There’s a reason they say never mess with anything you don’t know. Wanting to find love, Vanessa tampered with something she knew nothing about; something that almost ruined her. Vanessa and Samuel have been best friends since middle school, with Vanessa developing romantic feelings as they got older. Samuel had always been oblivious, even years into their 20s, setting his sights on every other woman but her. Over the years, Vanessa’s infuriation grew as he overlooked her. One night, she finally decided to reveal her feelings after a night o...

4 comments 4
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“The Elixir of Fortune” by Pious Alpha

Submitted to Contest #176

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, Elizabeth stood at the edge of her balcony and surveyed the sprawling city below. Despite her many accomplishments and successes as a businesswoman, she felt a sense of weariness and exhaustion wash over her. She worked tirelessly for weeks, her sharp mind and quick tongue driving her to ever-greater heights of success. But the constant demands of the corporate world had begun to weigh on her, and she found herself longing for a moment of respite. She gazed out at the city, her mind lost in thought,...

4 comments 4
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“More Deadly Than Poison” by Michele Burke

Submitted to Contest #176

More Deadly Than Poison WARNING: Gore, Violence I look at the strange liquid in front of me. If you could even call it that. The potion moved like sludge in the glass container. The residue streaking the sides like spoiled gravy. Hesitantly I lift the bottle to my lips. Unprepared for what comes next. The deep crimson color is almost unnatural. A soft glow emanates from the bottle. The very same color as the liquid itself. The pulsating of it taunts my cowardliness. I recall what would lead up to this point in my life. The idea came to lig...

4 comments 4
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“Love potion number nine” by Dao Huy Kien

Submitted to Contest #176

When in high school, I was secretly in love with a classmate named Evelyn, who had beautiful round eyes, pinkish white skin and smooth black hair. She had a face of angel so that a lot of guys like her, even the guys from upper class and colleges. Meanwhile, I was neither a handsome boy nor an outstanding student. I was not a rich kid or an excellent basketball guy either, just an average teenager so that I thought there was no chance for me to be her boyfriend. I enjoyed watching her secretly, especially when she tied her hair up or took he...

3 comments 3
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🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with someone witnessing magic from a hiding place.

Fantasy – 52 stories

Cast a magician (a real one, or a party entertainer) as your story’s protagonist.

Adventure – 25 stories

Write a story told from the point of view of an animal.

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