Set your story in an unlikely sanctuary.

Posted in High School on Oct 25, 2022

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✍️ 34 stories

“Junebird and Love” by Gem Cassia

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #146

Love crept in through the window silent and unannounced, like a mouse tip-toeing its way along the shadows of a dimly lit room. Or at least, that was the effect that she had been aiming for. What happened instead was a clumsy maneuver that involved stumbling over the roughly hewn wooden sill and landing on the floor of the treehouse in a crumpled heap. That was the way she made her entrances— it was the same way she had entered my life and it was the same way she greeted me everyday— stumbling, and messy, and beautiful. She smiled ...

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“A Friend Indeed” by Howard Halsall

Submitted to Contest #146

Walter Waterhouse shut his heavy front door with a neurosurgeon’s precision, making as little noise as possible. Clutching a laptop bag in one hand, he breathed a sigh of relief and extended his free arm across the swirling floral wallpaper to flick the light switch. A soft overhead glow illuminated the vestibule and the silent corridor leading to the rear. Walter tiptoed over unopened envelopes, snaked his way past cardboard packing boxes, and entered the empty kitchen to be greeted by a familiar voice.“I worry about you sometimes.”“You don...

12 comments 12

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“Resettlement Notes” by Cecilia Maddison

Submitted to Contest #146

This story contains themes of mental health and reference to sexual abuse.”Don’t forget your pills.”Alan slurps his tea to cool it. Some dribbles down his chin, adding to the damp patch on his chest. His mouth contorts with involuntary lip-smacking and grimacing caused by years of heavy medication.“Your pills,” repeats Agnes, nodding to the small paper cup on the table. She stands next to him, arms crossed over her stout body as she waits, sternly overseeing this regular ritual. Her eyes swim like fishes in the lenses of her glasses, cold an...

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“SANCTUARY ON HELL STREET” by Chris Campbell

Submitted to Contest #146

The Arizona sun completed another life creating and life ending day across the desertscape of cactus and tumbleweeds of the Old West. What had been a hot dusty passage of energy warming all in its radiative glare, made way for the setting of the solar giant - triggering the onset of an early evening chill. Days out in the desert were hot and dry. The nights, bitterly cold and treacherous. That mattered little to the young Mexican family - kneeling before several agitated men baying like dogs howling at a full moon. The goosebumps rising...

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“The Door” by Suma Jayachandar

Submitted to Contest #146

“So, is this the best you have on offer?” a sceptical voice inquires.I am jolted out of my corner, from my meditative mood. I put my pen down and smile.There is doubt in slit eyes, pursed lips and the tilt of her head.Oh! This one has high expectations.I see her eyes wandering through the world in my corner. The mountains, the rivers, the deserts. And a mixture of happy, sad and every other variation of characters going on about their lives.She shakes her head. And checks her catalogue.“It says an authentic experience,” she sounds cheated. P...

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“The Werewolf's Rose” by Mike Rigby

Submitted to Contest #146

A beast, from grace was his mind to fall, Did not see the signs; did not heed the call, A lone wolf indeed, but a heart there to give, Ugly he saw himself, so alone he did live. ‘twas a fine day that gave us the hour of luck, It began with a beauty, and the rose she would pluck... The garden was a place many visited for a tranquil escape. The high hedges and secret passages through bushes and shrubbery provided that privacy, even at its busiest time. Catherine Jenkins had spent hours upon end here, many times before. She did not have a ga...

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“Be(longing)” by Rebecca Miles

Submitted to Contest #146

This story contains material that is distressing: physical abuse. Before I can do anything, he’s upon me. Big hands clamp onto my neck, easily circling it. The man’s grip is unrelenting; I can’t turn my head to bite those fleshy fingers let alone duck and dodge. He flips me onto my side, knocking the breath out of me. Kneeling in the dirt, he swiftly slips a frayed rope out of his overall’s orange pocket, and round my throat. He tightens the noose and I’m trapped. My legs can’t hold me. He forces me up, but each time I buckle. I want t...

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“Broken Hand” by Graham Kinross

Submitted to Contest #146

Deep in the dark, beneath everything she knew Sir Danielle Longbow was introduced to one strange species by another. Kutharma, a cenaga, held a flaming torch high to reveal four bipeds that were more and less like Danielle than the quadruped serpent with antlers that was making the introduction. “I am Broken Hand,” said the foremost of the uamhith. Its arm was the length of Sir Longbow’s, but the width of a finger compared to her tree trunk arms. ...

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“Secret Women's Business” by Leticia Mooney

Submitted to Contest #146

'Sister, how long have you known?' My devastated whispers echoed through the dark cavern. It responded with dripped echoes. I imagined that the faint breeze kissing my face was a collective of kisses from all women past and future. A gentle honouring, a please forgive us. 'Did you know what you were doing? That you were complicit in this destruction?' I sat heavily, the rock's damp seeping into my pants, making me cold from the bottom up. I no longer cared. I want4ed to know why so much was hidden. How much of our lives is shooshed up,...

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“A piece of lightning” by Bruce Thomas

Submitted to Contest #146

I was walking home yesterday, and I saw a piece of lightning sticking out of the ground. I squinted at it, looked behind me and back. It was really real, that was for sure. Between the bus stop and the corner, it was.I looked at it.I pressed my pupils on it real hard; I didn't want to miss a single detail.It went up into the sky.Man, oh man, lightning is hugely huge!"Jesus, how did this get here?" I asked.Nobody answered my question.I approached one slow step at a time. I went with caution. As you would. I mean, who knows what it might do.Th...

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“Doggone” by Katherine Willey

Submitted to Contest #146

The light penetrating the room’s dusty curtains seemed too bright for the time of day. Still groggy, Archie lay blinking for a couple minutes trying to figure out what it was that felt off. It took a moment to recall exactly where he was. His head hurt a little, probably due to the five Coors he’d downed the night before, but that wasn’t it. Something else was out of kilter. On this fourth morning alone in Lim’s cabin, Archie had already established something of a routine, especially for the early part of the day. Well, actually, Lim’s dog...

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“Aftermath” by SEAN MILLER

Submitted to Contest #146

The peace found in the ruins of a battlefield is unlike any other. The aftermath of a battle is the antithesis of itself. War is chaos. A cacophony of sounds barraging one’s earlobes from every direction. The reverberating clang of metal as two bloodied swords strike, the erupting shudder of a cannon-shot rippling through the air, the commanding shouts from generals as they attempt to raise their voice above the other competing sounds with fail, each sound more terrifying than the last. The smooth sound of a blade across a slitted throat, ...

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“Choice kingdom” by Emily Rau

Submitted to Contest #146

The soft grass tickling my feet, the sweet smell of cherry blossoms. The light gently caresses my hair. It all seems so familiar, yet so foreign. To think that only two days ago, I was wrapped up safely in a blanket. Now, I am here. Looking out at the ocean that seemingly stretches to eternity. Yet, it had to be fate. I ponder briefly, what I would be doing right now had I not taken that wrong turn. Had I not opened that ever so peculiar door carved into the mountain? Stepping...

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“Hell, it's rehab!” by Monchi Dragg

Submitted to Contest #146

Content Warning: Excessive Swearing, Morbid/Disturbing imagery Seth “Charlie” Bridgeton clapped his hands. The sudden sharp noise startled the members out of their meditation. They all simultaneously raised their heads to the leader.“Great! Great silent time, guys! Now that you all have brought to mind the horrible atrocities you’ve committed while under the influence of alcohol, let’s talk about it.” He flipped to a page on his clipboard. "Let's see… There are a few new faces joining us. Would they like to introduce themselves?"The room kep...

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“Imagine Me” by Mary Thomas

Submitted to Contest #146

I awaken in a gust with cold wind blowing around me. It’s very dark. Low lighting gives just enough visibility to examine my atmosphere. I rise and began to follow a common mental pattern of seating around me, only to find that to my right there is a row; to my left there is nothing. Where could I be? It’s cold but not breezy anymore. I hear small noises. Clanks, the chatter of metal, and soft particles move briefly with short winds from space alone. I began to reach for the wall. I focus my direction toward lower dim light seen about every ...

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Set your story in an unlikely sanctuary.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 34 stories

“Junebird and Love” by Gem Cassia

“A Friend Indeed” by Howard Halsall

“Resettlement Notes” by Cecilia Maddison

“SANCTUARY ON HELL STREET” by Chris Campbell

“The Door” by Suma Jayachandar

“The Werewolf's Rose” by Mike Rigby

“Be(longing)” by Rebecca Miles

“Broken Hand” by Graham Kinross

“Secret Women's Business” by Leticia Mooney

“A piece of lightning” by Bruce Thomas

“Doggone” by Katherine Willey

“Aftermath” by SEAN MILLER

“Choice kingdom” by Emily Rau

“Hell, it's rehab!” by Monchi Dragg

“Imagine Me” by Mary Thomas

🌟 Similar prompts

Write from the point of view of a character writing a letter to their past or future self.

Write about a character attempting to meditate or do something mindfully.

Write about a character discovering a surprising strength in either themself or another.

Start your story during a team building exercise.

Contest #146

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

215

Contest entries

134

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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