Write a Western-inspired story in a new genre or setting (e.g. a space western, fantasy western, etc.)

Posted in Fiction on Jun 23, 2023

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✍️ 78 stories

“Destination...Nowhere” by Kimberly Walker

Submitted to Contest #204

Mom was a type 1 diabetic who lost her only pregnancy in the second trimester, in the late 50s, and she had to continue carrying the child until she naturally aborted. That was so traumatizing that she never wanted to attempt to have another child; depression set in soon after. Although happy with their life, Dad suggested becoming foster parents and adopting to get Mom to smile again. He wanted a son; the baby would have been named Warner had he survived. They started the applications for both programs at the same time. There were classes f...

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“Space Rangler” by Brwn Trout

Submitted to Contest #204

Space, the final frontier, is a cold and desolate empty void where very little occupies so much. It is open and vast, interspaced with bits of beautiful visions and epitaphs of stars, suns' and novas. A simple man is sitting on his porch, watching the stars and the quiet beauty of space. His home is little more than a large rock with metal panels strewn along its side's like a large metal ring; sitting atop the large rock is a house; from a distance, the house would look like a quaint small ranch with a small red barn in the back, but as you...

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“Jackalope Horror” by Liv Sand

Submitted to Contest #204

Olivia M. Schmidt Jackalope Horror Under the full moonlight, half a dozen horses and their riders tracked cautiously over the cool desert sand. They hold the reins in a white-knuckled grip with a rifle slung around their backs. Thunder rolled in the distance, steadily growing closer and closer. The horses snorted and neighed, stomping their hooves nervously against the rough grains. At the raised clenched fist of the sheriff, the little band stopped. “We’ll carry on foot,” the gruff voice of the sheriff could be heard over the ...

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“Marauders of the Plains” by John-Paul Cote

Submitted to Contest #204

SUMMER, 2199, ORIONIS STEPPES Arne and Frode looked out over the scene. Many bodies from both sides lay on the grass of the field, now bloodied by battle. It was bodies neither side could afford. The native Betorans’ numbers were dwindling because of the Great Plague brought by the settlers had taken many of them. For the settlers, the meteor shower had destroyed their ship and communications, cutting them off from space. They were alone. There would be no rescue coming. “We cannot keep up this fight,” Arne said. “Each time t...

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“Windy Trails of Jalvern” by Paul Besancon

Submitted to Contest #204

The small village of Jalvern, was quiet—deceptively so. Residing in northern Starklevende, the jagged mountains dwarfing the little town from either side gave its deep valley an ominous whistle of wind that flowed through the damp roads, lifting skirts and disheveling hair. The sign out front of the tavern creaked and swayed with the gusty breeze, echoing its rusty cry across the buildings’ stony faces. The few denizens of Jalvern silently went about their morning business. Eyes focused on feet, rather than meet the gaze of passersby. Hardl...

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“Dog Park, High Noon” by Robert Egan

Submitted to Contest #204

Paradise isn't easy to come by and it's even harder to keep. But a good dog knows that she has to stand up to protect what's hers. This is the story of one such dog, the one they call Bella.Now, paradise was Three Forks Dog Park in Snoqualmie, and even on overcast days, of which there were many, the park was a bright place to be. But the sun was shining on that October Saturday when Greg and Bella rode their Ford Bronco into Three Forks. Heads turned, as they always did, at Bella's arrival.Greg strolled, but Bella pranced. Greg was a well-gr...

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“Heavy Rain, Ex-Detectives, and the Mojave Desert” by Jordan Armstrong

Submitted to Contest #204

One, for a cruel God. The spirit burned as it snaked down my throat, conjuring memories of flames and charred corpses; a mother and father, torn from a son destined to pain. Two, for a wasted opportunity. The orphan, a prodigy; gifted, they said, and they wondered what would become of him- a mathematician, a poet, a lawyer, surely. Three, for false promises. Alone, the men in blue comforted him, as the firemen dueled the blaze; he would be just like them, one day. Four, for the loss of innocence. Lost footage, lost...

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“The Man who Painted the Sky” by Deryn Pittar

Submitted to Contest #204

“Grampaw, wake up.” The high-pitched command dragged him from a dream where he’d been almost flying on his palomino while trying to paint the sunset. He stared at his granddaughter, banishing the nonsense of his dream and concentrating on her blond curls which bounced as she jumped up and down beside his rocking chair. “Mumma says you have to come to the table.” She grabbed his walking stick, cut from a length of black wattle, a tree under which he’d had his first homosexual experience. It reminded him every day how lucky he was to have a wi...

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“And its rider’s name was Death” by Briana Spring

Submitted to Contest #204

Ten The oppressive heat of the high noon sun beats against her back. A drop of sweat slowly traces a path down her neck, smearing the dirt and dried blood on her skin and catching on the smoothness of her leather vest. Her body’s discomfort at having been riding for so long makes itself known; her muscles burn and her eyes itch. She keeps them forward regardless. Nine After days, months, years of relentless searching she finally has her target in sight. She squints against the sun’s light, the relatively wide brim of her hat prov...

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“Sins Not Her Own” by Heather Campbell

Submitted to Contest #204

Medda galloped. Hard. Sweat soaked the lining of her hat and beaded on her chestnut flank as she practically flew across the desert surrounding the small town of Hope’s Landing. The flat valley, dotted only by sagebrush and jutting rocks, radiated heat from packed dirt reflecting the afternoon sun. She had to use a cooling spell (heatstroke wouldn’t help anyone), but found it difficult to concentrate beyond her sinking in her gut that told her something was wrong, wrong, Wrong! That, in turn, meant her usually precise control fluctuated dras...

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“A Storm is Brewing” by Blessing Shanks

Submitted to Contest #204

Old Western Township, Southern Nevada -Winter 2022 “I haven’t seen clouds this dark since I was a sprout”, Mary Adams says taking a seat at the Bar. “Seems as if a storm is brewing”, Tom Kingsley suggests, drying off a clean glass behind the counter. Kingsley Saloon has been around for many generations and has been a townsfolk favorite fellowship spot. “Seems as if everyone is running late to join us this afternoon” Kingsley glanced above the Saloon’s wooden double doors. “It’s mighty weird, that’s for sure, being that it’s the weeke...

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“On the Dwarven Trail” by Michael Martin

Submitted to Contest #204

The wolf howl echoed off the jagged walls of the ravine, accompanying the creaking wagon wheels with a haunting chorus of deep notes and soft yips. The howls followed the solitary wagon ever since it departed that morning to catch the wagon train that had to leave them behind the day before.When the echoes subsided, Thordar prodded at their elf guide again. “Can you tell 'em to give it a rest?”Sylfaen’s face, ever statuesque and emotionless, never shifted. “What do you mean, master dwarf?”Thordar grumbled. The elf possessed the ven...

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“The Mechanic Remy LeRay” by Matt Wallace

Submitted to Contest #204

The Mechanic Remy LeRayRemy could smell the acrid smell of blast pistol fire. The silence that echoed off the tavern’s previously raucous interior was nearly deafening. A place like this should only be quiet when it’s closed. His pistol was lazily smoking in his tight grip, the rising smoke entrancing. For a moment, he thought the smell of burnt metal might be coming from a hole in his chest where the officer’s energy round had burned through. He was wrong of course because he felt his heart thudding in his chest and heard the ragged intake ...

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“The Spotter on the Path” by Neil Achary

Submitted to Contest #204

The sun was rising when the Spotter crossed the trickling stream into the Borderlands. His steed was a black Rhodanian horse, known across Errat for their fierce tempers and immense strength. It was the only horse that he could ride, and this one he had tamed personally. "Steady, Quickbeam," he whispered as they rode onwards. On the horizon, encircled by orange hills, was Triumph, a town founded after the Genocide. The perimeter of the town the Empire had named was fortified with crooked palisade fences. As the Spotter and Quickbeam entere...

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“The End to a New Beginning” by Janade Lugo

Submitted to Contest #204

I breathed in a long breath, tossing my braid to the side behind my shoulder and hefted up the bucket full of water, grunting at the effort it took to lift it. I needed to get back to town, my mom was expecting me soon I was sure but the bucket being heavy wasn’t the only thing that was slowing me down, the heat from the sun that was bearing down with full force didn’t make things easier. I hated the heat, always had, and living in the desert where you couldn’t even escape the sun certainly wasn’t helping. Grunting again I shuffled to...

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Write a Western-inspired story in a new genre or setting (e.g. a space western, fantasy western, etc.)

Submissions are closed

✍️ 78 stories

“Destination...Nowhere” by Kimberly Walker

“Space Rangler” by Brwn Trout

“Jackalope Horror” by Liv Sand

“Marauders of the Plains” by John-Paul Cote

“Windy Trails of Jalvern” by Paul Besancon

“Dog Park, High Noon” by Robert Egan

“Heavy Rain, Ex-Detectives, and the Mojave Desert” by Jordan Armstrong

“The Man who Painted the Sky” by Deryn Pittar

“And its rider’s name was Death” by Briana Spring

“Sins Not Her Own” by Heather Campbell

“A Storm is Brewing” by Blessing Shanks

“On the Dwarven Trail” by Michael Martin

“The Mechanic Remy LeRay” by Matt Wallace

“The Spotter on the Path” by Neil Achary

“The End to a New Beginning” by Janade Lugo

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about a stranger coming to town and shaking up the order of things.

Set your story in a desert town.

Write a story about someone undertaking a long, dangerous journey.

Write a story about someone seeking revenge for a past wrong.

Contest #204

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

298

Contest entries

94

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: