Write a story about a character who is moving on, literally or figuratively.

Posted in Narrative on Nov 1, 2022

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✍️ 58 stories

“About Face” by Cindy Hammonds

Submitted to Contest #168

His thoughts were like the light dappling through the trees, wavering, just out of focus. He felt certain if he could just make one connection his path would become clear, just as the dense forested path he was running had opened into a peaceful sun-filled meadow. He certainly hadn’t planned to take on a father role but then he never figured on a car crash leaving him without a sister and his nephew without parents either. What the hell was Cari thinking anyway. She knew I was a loner. Running had become Jake’s drug of choice since his disch...

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“The Dawns Call” by Emily Westcott

Submitted to Contest #168

Winter crept in through the old master’s window. He hadn’t noticed, but soon found out. Sharp needle like frost crisped round the edges of the old stone walls, creating a prison cell, while the old man dreamt of warm fires, and toasting bronze goblets filled with rum, which burnt the tongue with the sweet richness of Spring. The wind howled through the castle window. He hugged the sheets closer to his body. It’s warmth had shielded him all night from the frozen air. If he had the choice, he would of stayed in the comforts of the shee...

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“Running in the Mist” by Gabriel Hildreth

Submitted to Contest #168

The glass was cool against my forehead as my thoughts were drawn to the reasons for my journey. The red seat was nicely cushioned, though my fingers endlessly twirled the single loose string the way my mind came back to my family and friends. The same people I had fought with and the others that I had been tangled up in. It was strange how they seemed to be with me wherever I went. I was on a train headed towards Geneva Switzerland, having spent the last two months up in the mist-covered mountains. Ridges and trees blurred together in...

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“Ziggy Stardust” by Sammy Courtney

Submitted to Contest #168

The move has been okay thus far. I’ve only been here for about a week, and although I still have much to adjust to, I feel like I am slowly, but surely, getting acclimated to this way of life. In this stage of life, one can only feel nostalgic of the good times past. I miss my friends. Now we are all dispersed around the country, and a few still at home. I remember when Bowie would say how excited he was to go to college together. How we would play sports every day, like we did during the school year. How we would go to parties and hook-up w...

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“Memories of Home” by Sharika Mandyam

Submitted to Contest #168

Memories of My Old Home I remember. I remember the delicate song the birds used to chirp. I remember the way the bells used to ring through the streets. I remember the laughter of children and the sound of their feet running after school. I remember the baker’s sweet face and the desserts he gave us for free. I remember the kids jumping into the lake, swinging on the rope tied to the old oak tree. I remember the quaint cobbled streets and the brightly painted, small townhouses. I remember playing hopscotch with the other kids, trying...

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“A Change of Plans” by Elina Nikol J

Submitted to Contest #168

Emmalee sat in The Green Goose, her favorite local coffeehouse, waiting for her boyfriend, Michael, to arrive. An hour ago he asked her to meet him there, said it was important and couldn’t wait. As she nursed her flat white, she thought about the future. Everyone wanted to know when they were getting married—they’d been dating six years—and maybe this was it. A bit weird, but Michael wasn’t a romantic. She complained to her friends about it, but they didn’t think it was that big of a deal. The same went for Emma’s longing to return to the...

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“The Mission” by Aaron Tippit

Submitted to Contest #168

They got off the plane with only carry-on baggage. This was going to be a one-night trip. They headed to the rental car counter in the small airport, rented a cheap sedan on a government credit card, and went to the exit. Grimes inhaled deeply as he stepped through the doors and smoothed on his beret. He looked up at the other man, from the patent leather shoes up his blue trousers to the dark blue jacket and the captain bars on his shoulders. He was smoothing on his own beret. "Ready, Sergeant?" Captain Owens asked. He didn't smile, but h...

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“The Engineer Sisters” by Tanya Humphreys

Submitted to Contest #168

The young boy sat slumped on the bench outside the train station. He sat in between a hatless man dressed in black, and a large scruffy tan and black dog of many breeds. The boy did not look up as a whistle blew. The man stood up, tall and straight as a flagpole. Over the white collar he wore, he forced a smile to his face, the deep lines at his eyes crinkled with kindness. He bent and took the boy’s small hand in one of his large, knobby knuckled ones and gently pulled the boy up. The dog looked up towards puffs of pale...

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“Wounded Butterflies” by Fatimah Gomez

Submitted to Contest #168

“Elior?” A petite dark-haired Lisa approached my father’s new ‘75 SS Chevelle. “I thought your mom was coming.” Thunder rumbled across the sky like bowling pins clattering loudly as angry droplets fell. “She’s outta town,” I leaned over and unlocked her door. “Get in before you’re all soaked.” Her backpack went in the backseat and she climbed in the front. “Sorry. I’m a bit wet.” “No kidding,” I muttered. Why did my cranky neighbor have to ask me to pick up her thirteen year-old daughter? “This is your dad’s ca...

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“Lucille Takes the Super Chief” by Jill Koenigsdorf

Submitted to Contest #168

Lucille Takes the Super Chief Immediately after boarding the train, Lucille climbed up the steps to the domed observatory and ordered a scotch and soda to calm her nerves. Even as The Super Chief lurched away from its pause in the rococo splendor of this Midwestern Union Station, and began its steady labor towards Los Angeles, part of Lucille still remained unconvinced that armed police would not burst through the doors and haul her off the train. It was not common in 1959...

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“Maybe in another world...” by FabWritesStuff -

Submitted to Contest #168

The full moon glowed brilliantly in the night sky. As Amelia gazed at it from the window, she couldn’t help but groan. Of course the moon looked beautiful. Of course it was a beautiful night. Of course there wasn’t a single gloomy cloud in the sky or any lighting bolts ready to strike down below. Of course such a beautiful night was going to lead to an even more beautiful day tomorrow. Tomorrow would surely be a beautiful day for a wedding. She felt bad that she was having these thoughts. Only a truly selfish and despicable...

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“Doors” by Jonathan Ment

Submitted to Contest #168

“Stand clear of the closing doors, please” Rachel heard the announcement scratch its way through the speakers of the subway’s public address system as she had countless times before. She inhaled while the fresh air was available and watched as several more passengers squeezed themselves into an already overcrowded car. She had been riding for some time. Not half an hour yet, she was fairly sure, but Rachel was uncertain how long she had been on that train. Feeling insecure or uneasy was nothing new these days, but this was different. Her...

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“End Of The Season” by Nancy Lucas

Submitted to Contest #168

The closing went smoothly, other than the banker spending 20 minutes convincing my buyer to not default on a $400,000 loan. There was a lot of mumbling at their end of the table, and I felt like I was in a different dimension. All the stress. All the stress. I set the only 2 keys to the store on the conference table. One for the handle and the other, the deadbolt. After 48 years in our family, I felt the crush of letting go of something our family owned for so long and for not knowing what tomorrow would look like. I just knew it couldn’t ...

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“The Awakening” by Anita Ojukwu

Submitted to Contest #168

Chapter 1 As she stared out the window, her face was blank with no expression. The room was dark, unlit on purpose. What was the point of lighting the room, her whole life was dark, her marriage shrouded in secret, multilayered veils. “Are you okay?” a small voice pierced through her muddled thoughts. She glanced at him and turned again to the window. It was her son, small and innocent, she did not have the words to answer him. He stood there for a while, frightened by her silence, then left to find his twin. She always gave them atten...

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“Overture” by Remus Sutherland

Submitted to Contest #168

Twenty five thousand. Three zeros. She visualized the number trailed by a three dimensional dollar sign, big and bold in that sharp casino font, resting neon in the void behind her eyelids. She thought about her rent and medical bills, vaporized, pow. New car with functioning air conditioner and aux-compatible stereo. Maybe buy her mom something gorgeous and fork it over the table at a fancy restaurant that requires a reservation. Steak. Save ten thousand maybe, don’t get too crazy. Trip to Europe. “They love it Sophie,” he said. “They wer...

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Write a story about a character who is moving on, literally or figuratively.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 58 stories

“About Face” by Cindy Hammonds

“The Dawns Call” by Emily Westcott

“Running in the Mist” by Gabriel Hildreth

“Ziggy Stardust” by Sammy Courtney

“Memories of Home” by Sharika Mandyam

“A Change of Plans” by Elina Nikol J

“The Mission” by Aaron Tippit

“The Engineer Sisters” by Tanya Humphreys

“Wounded Butterflies” by Fatimah Gomez

“Lucille Takes the Super Chief” by Jill Koenigsdorf

“Maybe in another world...” by FabWritesStuff -

“Doors” by Jonathan Ment

“End Of The Season” by Nancy Lucas

“The Awakening” by Anita Ojukwu

“Overture” by Remus Sutherland

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with someone looking out a train window.

Make a train station an important part of your story.

Write a story about a character who misses a train, for better or worse.

Write a story that includes someone saying, “Bon voyage.”

Contest #168

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

280

Contest entries

105

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: