A character finds a clue or object linking them to a stranger.

Posted in Character on Oct 4, 2024

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✍️ 58 stories

“Raisins and Almonds” by Scott Taylor

Submitted to Contest #271

The petite librarian strolled through the park, entranced by the hauntingly familiar tune that floated through the crisp autumn air. As she turned towards the source, her steps faltered, captivated by the enchanting melody of a guitar. A rugged man, with hair wild and untamed, strummed a tune from a lullaby. The song he played transported her to peaceful nights, where her mother's voice would lull her to sleep despite the stark differences between then and now. The choice to play an old Yiddish Lullaby struck her as peculiar yet heartwarming...

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“The Missing One” by Kaitlyn Wadsworth

Submitted to Contest #271

Mention of blood, gore, death, drugs, mild reference to sex.Veronica's tear-stained face told a tale as she stared out the Women's Hospital window. She looked at her distended tummy. Nine long months to finally see her little Fleur, and now her arms were empty. Fleur had breathed for a minute and then died in her arms after the elective C-section. She couldn't be resuscitated. Veronica refused to let them take Fleur away, but after holding her for a day and a half, her husband Gerrard convinced her to let her go, to move on. Move on with wha...

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“Between The Sheets” by Rebecca Hurst

Submitted to Contest #271

In a road parallel to the seafront, there is a jewel of a shop for those of a mind to find it. The frontage is painted royal blue, and the lettering above the shop is rendered in gold gothic script. It has two Georgian bay windows, and the glass betrays its liquid nature by bulging slightly beneath the bullseyes. No one would look twice if Charles Dickens were to tinkle the bell above the door. It is called The Underground Library, which is intriguing and provoking in equal measure, for it sells books from the past which do no...

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“Hey!” by Kate Simkins

Submitted to Contest #271

“Hey! Hey you’ve dropped…!”Emily tried to catch the attention of the dark-haired man who had dropped his wallet, but the street was too busy and she lost him in the crowd.“Dammit.”Fumbling with her bag, an umbrella and now the dropped wallet, Emily moved the side of the street, the London rush-hour hustle and bustle ignoring her completely.“Just what I need.” Emily mumbled to herself as she popped the wallet into her bag. She caught sight of her watch. “Crap. Now I’ll miss the train.”Emily re-joined the river of people trying to get home aft...

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“Ginger Biscuits” by David Meredith

Submitted to Contest #271

Waterloo Train station at 3:30 pm on a Tuesday is as glamorous as it sounds. The evening rush hasn’t started, so it is busy with tourists, lost souls, homeless people seeking respite from the cold Spring rain, and people like me whose schedules placed them here against their will. Two distinct, loud chimes sound from the intercom, followed by an automated voice announcing, “The 3:45 pm train to Portsmouth is. Delayed.” “Yes, dear,” I think. “We have already seen that from the messages on the antiquated wooden schedule boards.” I sigh, draggi...

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“Rain Water” by Arora Gleans

Submitted to Contest #271

Nothing was worse than the sight of rain stepping right out of the London Tube. The rain in London showed no mercy. My blonde curls went haywire and my lips froze to the point where it became hard to speak without feeling like I was under a dose of anesthetics after visiting the dentist. I pulled a rubber band off my wrist and turned my loose hair into a topknot. It was either a messy bun or hair with a life so much of its own that it would make anyone look twice. I couldn’t let James see that side of my hair, so I completed the final ...

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“Roots that Run Deep ” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #271

Muggy day, Corwin thinks to himself. He is driving through to San Francisco and on to the University of California, Berkeley where he will begin taking college classes. He is aware that the world he has left behind will be nothing like the world he will experience at Berkeley. Rube is the word that describes the folks where he is from growing up in Durango, Colorado. With the Weminuche Wilderness to the east and Mesa Verde National Park to the west, Corin Watson has spent his life in the western wilderness. Traveling ...

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“CHRISTMAS MIRACLE” by Jennifer Spagnol

Submitted to Contest #271

CHRISTMAS MIRACLE Once again Mario was flat broke. Christmas was round the corner and he had no money. He didn’t even dare ask his mother to help him. She barely had enough to feed him, let alone enough to give him any for Christmas. With the little she earned, she had to pay the bills, buy their food, and pay off the debts his father had left them after his sudden death a few months before. He’d been looking for a job for weeks now, with no success. He couldn’t go out with his friends without any money. He’d steal!! He’d b...

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“Spare Change” by Vicki Indrizzo-Valente

Submitted to Contest #271

Spare Change Upon entering the over-sized wooden library doors, the warmth felt by the burning fireplace immediately surrounded Thomas. Pictures adorned the walls dating back to a day when the residents would all meet at the Ronald Hayes mansion. It was built with such incredible architecture. The elders of the town could still feel the presence of Ronald Hayes for which he praised for his desire to make the town the most prosperous land in New England. It seemed everything he touc...

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“The Trench Coat” by Cindy Calder

Submitted to Contest #271

This bright and early morning was no different than any other. As usual, Tessa had chosen to spend it by returning to the same café, situated just four blocks from her lofty flat in West London, and drinking the usual cup of Americano coffee. She sat, for the most part, unnoticed in a corner of cozy café, which was just as she preferred whilst she struggled to pen a continuance of her book on a laptop. The ongoing novel was a mix betwixt fantasy and futuristic genres – the two that had always intrigued her own interests. Her attempt at said ...

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“Dorian Manor” by Dean Nichols

Submitted to Contest #271

In the quiet town of Seaport Summit, nested on a plateau among rolling hills and whispering pines, lived Eleanor Gray, a librarian with a penchant for mysteries. Eleanor's days were spent surrounded by books old and new, their stories weaving through her mind like a continuous narrative. One crisp autumn late evening, Eleanor locked the door and walked through the cobblestone path to her car as she has done for the last forty years. She noticed a small, weathered envelope tucked under a rock. Curiosity piqued, she picked it up. Inside was a ...

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“Reflections of the Forgotten” by Jewel Storm

Submitted to Contest #271

Rain hammered against the windows, each droplet tapping like an impatient visitor. Sarah sat on the edge of her couch, scrolling through an online marketplace for vintage trinkets, a hobby she’d developed to pass the time. She paused on an old locket—golden, delicate, but worn by time. The caption read: An heirloom with a story waiting to be discovered. Without thinking twice, she bought it. Something about it felt oddly… familiar. Two days later, the locket arrived. She sat at her kitchen table, holding it between her fingers. It was heavie...

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“The Insatiable Dangers of Curiosity” by Lily Finch

Submitted to Contest #271

[As printed initially in TheWriteLaunch, July 6th, 2024] The roofline caught Wade's attention, prompting him to carefully navigate the surrounding woods in search of an entrance to an unfamiliar and narrow trail. He cautiously approached the porch, carefully considering his next course of action, and surveyed his surroundings with anxiety and vigilance. As he made up his mind and attempted to leave, a sudden gust of wind forcefully pulled him into the house. With a resounding slam, the door forcefully closed, ushering Wade into the elegant f...

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“Do You Believe in Parallel Universes?” by Tirzah Young-Miles

Submitted to Contest #271

It’s a fifteen-minute walk to the Foggy Bottom Metro. The wind stings my cheeks, but the crisp air is a welcome break from hours of reading, endless lectures, and the typical stress that comes with being a law student. The bare trees, gray skies, and biting cold define D.C. in January, yet the streets remain bustling with people.As I descend the escalator into the metro station, I find myself behind a school group. Thankfully, there are no delays, and I only wait seven minutes for my train. The harsh fluorescent lights assault my eyes as I b...

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“Railway to Scotland” by Savannah Wagner

Submitted to Contest #271

"Dear Diary, the date is September the 1st of the year 1851. I finished reading Jane Eyre, and now I must complete my needlepoint—Uhhhh!” Clara Ashcombe threw her journal across the candelabra-lit room toward the wall, nearly knocking over her used tea set from the morning. “Mum would be furious if she saw you chipping the wall.” “I’m unwell, Sister.” “Clearly.” Her sister, Abigail, paused to temper her judgmental glance. She sensed the genuine pain in Clara’s eyes. “What troubles you, Clara, dear?” “My life. My older sisters have found husb...

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A character finds a clue or object linking them to a stranger.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 58 stories

“Raisins and Almonds” by Scott Taylor

“The Missing One” by Kaitlyn Wadsworth

“Between The Sheets” by Rebecca Hurst

“Hey!” by Kate Simkins

“Ginger Biscuits” by David Meredith

“Rain Water” by Arora Gleans

“Roots that Run Deep ” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

“CHRISTMAS MIRACLE” by Jennifer Spagnol

“Spare Change” by Vicki Indrizzo-Valente

“The Trench Coat” by Cindy Calder

“Dorian Manor” by Dean Nichols

“Reflections of the Forgotten” by Jewel Storm

“The Insatiable Dangers of Curiosity” by Lily Finch

“Do You Believe in Parallel Universes?” by Tirzah Young-Miles

“Railway to Scotland” by Savannah Wagner

🌟 Similar prompts

A character crosses paths with a stranger who looks eerily familiar.

A chance encounter brings together two old friends who have changed in surprising or strange ways.

Write a story that includes the line “Have we met before?”

Two strangers discover they have a hidden connection that alters their understanding of each other and themselves.

Contest #271

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

383

Contest entries

134

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: