Write about a character who, for whatever reason, retreats to a remote cabin.

Posted in Mystery on Jan 13, 2023

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✍️ 61 stories

“The Siblings’ God Forgot to Give Us” by Kathleen Fine

Submitted to Contest #181

“The key is under the flowerpot, next to the frog statue.” Casey recalled the instructions Muriel had given her a few days ago. Bending down, she lifted the heavy terracotta pot with both hands. She watched as a large earth worm raised its faceless head towards her, assumingly agitated by her interrupting its dark slumber.“Sorry, lil’ fella,” she whispered as she grabbed the brass key, placing the pot back down carefully as to not squish the tenant underneath. “We haven’t been there in a couple years…since mom and dad passed away, so I ...

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“Lilies” by Keira Shinn

Submitted to Contest #181

They were both young when they fell in love. Just out of high scool; she was seventeen, and he was eighteen. Many, at first, called it infatuation, but they knew it was love right from the start. Not a day went by where they weren't together, utterly enraptured in each other's presence. They loved adventure and the outdoors, and he never grew tired of the way her auburn hair fluttered in the wind on top of a mountain or cliff they had just climbed. Her hand fit perfectly into his, and his strong embrace brought peace to her heart. Dialogue w...

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“The Collector” by V. S. Rose

Submitted to Contest #181

The air was unrelentingly frigid, yet he did not feel its cold. His hands were blood-covered, chafed, and worn. A frozen bloodied body, skull cracked, laid on the white snow beneath him, slowly turning it a deep crimson. The heat, still radiating from the body, melted the surrounding snow like warm butter. The corners of his mouth spread into a satisfied grin; it was his fifth kill today. He reached across his body and pulled a serrated knife from its sheath on his hip. The blade glistened in the starlight, blood stains twinkling u...

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“Forged in Fire” by Noel Turner

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #181

Ancient hinges groaned stubbornly as she opened the door. A quaint mountain cabin seemed a drastic understatement. Aged red cedar, warped by more than one hundred years of extreme weather, whined against her efforts to push it open it. “Well,” she said, “at least no one can sneak in, Mabel.” She set down the large cooler containing her groceries. Running her fingers along the wall, she flipped a lone switch. Nothing. “Fabulous,” she said flatly, then scanned the room, eyes adjusting slowly in the fading light before moving further insi...

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“The True Story of Goldilocks and The Three Bears” by Michelle Esposito

Submitted to Contest #181

The flames flicked the night air, warming her freckled skin. She looked into the darkness beyond the fire, closing her eyes. She swallowed hard, and started to speak. "Have you ever heard the story of goldilocks and the three bears?" As her words echoed into the night, the air got even more still and ominous around the fire. Tears ran down her cheeks as she choked out the words in a rasp. "This is the true story." Her words echoed into the depths of the night. Goldi followed the path, humming to herself, going further into t...

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“The Follicle Chronicles - Pt 1: Lifter of Wigs” by Jim Firth

Submitted to Contest #181

CW: Swearing. Mild Peril.I didn’t realise how pale people from the city looked until I moved away. Tove thinks the urban water supply is laced with hair growth inhibitors, and I believe her—that would explain why everyone is hairless and smooth all over. Now that we’re convalescing at the cabin, our detox pathways have had a chance to eliminate the chemicals completely, and our follicles are sprouting for the first time. I don’t know what the history books will say, and I don’t want to speak too soon or sound arrogant, but this feels like a ...

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“Running Man” by Sav Lightwood

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #181

Sports jerseys. Defunct firearms. Leather notebooks bound by thread and twine. Dilan was a man of memorabilia. Mountains of gimmicks and curios, littered and stacked and filed with seemingly no order. This was far from the truth, however. Dilan was an organised man. For what he was, he had to be, and he loved all the qualities that came with it; clarity, understanding, peace of mind. His belongings were exactly where he intended them to be, his time protected like a princess in a castle. In another life, he could be a project manager, doct...

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“Missing pieces” by Ross Dyter

Submitted to Contest #181

The chants of the protestors faded as the door closed behind Harry. His footsteps echoed in the empty space as he approached the desk. The receptionist looked up, her straight, jet black hair cut to a perfect bob, not a strand out of place, her dark suit looked expensive, it probably cost more than Harry’s car. She smiled, that fake, forced smile employed by receptionists everywhere. “Mr Serwatka, how good to see you, your father said you would be dropping by today.” “Yep,” Harry replied absently scratching his ear. “My apologies for the pe...

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“Herb Goes Hermit” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #181

Herb Goes Hermit Herb peered over the top of his cubicle, mesmerized by the agonizingly slow movement of the minute hand on the clock at the far side of the room. In his one lone, exhilarating act of defiance, he had tossed his watch into the waste basket in the company cafeteria years ago. Everything else in his life was constraining and suffocating. As illusory as it was, Herb could at least imagine he was freed from the bonds of time.Time. 34 years = 408 months = 1,768 weeks =12,410 days = 297,840 hours = 17,870,400 minutes. The last 20 m...

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“The Mystery of Floren Woods” by Tamarin Butcher

Submitted to Contest #181

The camera flashed. Jade blinked, even though it wasn't pointed at her. "I asked whether you recognize the victim, Ms. Galloway," the Detective Chief Inspector said impatiently. "The body?" Amy. "No, no, like I told that policewoman, I don't think I do. . ." "Don't think you do or don't?" the DCI prompted. "Well, I haven't' looked closely. . ." Another camera flash. How many pictures of the corpse did they need? "Hm," said the DCI, unimpressed. "And why on earth were you all the way out here?" "I live in the woods--" "The woo...

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“The Missing Piece ” by CJ Shutt

Submitted to Contest #181

Staring out the window, she scanned the landscape. The night always played tricks on her mind and tonight was no different. She knew who her pursuers were but she hoped she lost them in the darkness. It would be Dawn soon, and she would lose all of her advantage. Alabaster skin seemed to glisten in the night, silky red hair fell in curls around her shoulders, piercing blue eyes met anyone that looked her way. She momentarily lost herself in the moment she couldn't help to think about the events that ...

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“Alone in the woods” by Baxter Renfroe

Submitted to Contest #181

“Suppose you hurt yourself…” Flora started with an awkward hesitation in her voice; she was standing against the kitchen table, a slender hand resting on her throat as though to wrestle the words back. “Who’s going to help you?” There was a silence that followed her question which was only broken when the kettle began to whistle on the stovetop. Flora’s hand fell from her throat and she turned away woefully to the stove; she poured the water into her te...

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“Hero of the Appalachians” by J. Nicholas

Submitted to Contest #181

(CW: dialogue, mature themes, tobacco use, alcohol use, violence) “You sure I am safe? They are not finding me?” Elena asked in her best English, which she’d studied since age thirteen. She wiped sweat from her brow, improbable with the driver’s window open, blasting cold air through the cabin of the Ford LTD. It was the 1974 model, they said, but that year was still two months away. These men wanted to impress her, obviously. Suits, ties, shined shoes, and suppressed Uzis s...

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“Monsters in the Woods” by Elijah Rose

Submitted to Contest #181

Ariché didn’t know why Daddy was in such a hurry to go to the hunting lodge. All he’d say was they needed to hide from the monsters, whom he assured her were ugly and smelly. Of course, Ariché was old enough to know there were no monsters hiding in her closet and wondered what Daddy was keeping from her. They were driving down the road going the speed limit, but they left with hardly enough time to grab an extra set of clothes and whatever canned foods were in the cupboard and Daddy wouldn’t stop to use the bathroom. Ariché fidgeted around b...

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“Cult in the Valley” by Jamie Pickering

Submitted to Contest #181

Karen woke abruptly to the piercing sound of her alarm clock radio. She was at a crossroads in the youthful stages of her young adult life. Getting out of bed was becoming a chore, post break up from her boyfriend of two years; she was 19 years old with the “whole world ahead of you,” her father would regularly quote. Karen wanted so much to be a journalist, a writer, but her inspiration had faded along with her health. Karen gradually dragged her tired, weak underweight body up to gaze at herself in the mirror. Staring back was a sha...

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Write about a character who, for whatever reason, retreats to a remote cabin.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 61 stories

“The Siblings’ God Forgot to Give Us” by Kathleen Fine

“Lilies” by Keira Shinn

“The Collector” by V. S. Rose

“Forged in Fire” by Noel Turner

“The True Story of Goldilocks and The Three Bears” by Michelle Esposito

“The Follicle Chronicles - Pt 1: Lifter of Wigs” by Jim Firth

“Running Man” by Sav Lightwood

“Missing pieces” by Ross Dyter

“Herb Goes Hermit” by Murray Burns

“The Mystery of Floren Woods” by Tamarin Butcher

“The Missing Piece ” by CJ Shutt

“Alone in the woods” by Baxter Renfroe

“Hero of the Appalachians” by J. Nicholas

“Monsters in the Woods” by Elijah Rose

“Cult in the Valley” by Jamie Pickering

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone who realizes they're on the wrong path.

Write a story about someone who has to “move mountains” to get what they want.

Write about a character who’s climbing a mountain, whether internal, external, or both.

Write a story that includes someone saying, “Let’s go for a walk.”

Contest #181

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

277

Contest entries

125

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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