Set your story during the coldest day of the year.

Posted in Short Story on Dec 13, 2024

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✍️ 52 stories

“The Counter and the Coal” by Karissa W

🏆 Winner of Contest #281

Not even magical reindeer who fly are immortal, and Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen were tales of Christmas mornings that had long since come to pass. Rudolph himself lived seventeen years: a respectable lifespan for the average captive reindeer. By no means a miracle. Unless such a reindeer was among the lucky few to be housed in the stalls of a certain, southern toy shop. These reindeer tended to be shorter-lived than most. Every Christmas, you see, a few of Santa’s reindeer would fall s...

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“The Value of the Corn” by Colin Wadeson

Submitted to Contest #281

*Murder / Suicide / Mild Gore*It was the coldest day of the year. The crow swooped down from the white sky and landed in the middle of the field in front of the scarecrow.The crow said nothing yet, but paced back and forth on the frozen soil like a drill sergeant. A few minutes of this passed, then the crow stopped and announced to the scarecrow:'Bad news, friend. Spring isn't coming. Neither the warmer summer. This winter is, it pains me to apprise, all you'll see from now until your splints give, or the farmer dismembers you for kindling. ...

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“The Big Freeze” by Simeon Whiting

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #281

Everyone in Longstanton knows the story of Tom Forbes. It began as a ghoulish news item in the South Cambridgeshire Recorder in December of 1962, fuelled village gossip for months afterwards and finally passed into local folklore. The Rev and Mrs D.P. Goodwin were scandalised when they heard that their beloved daughter, Caroline, had been accosted by Tom, an uncouth young farm labourer. (Accosted repeatedly in fact and, I might add, a very enthusiastic participant in the accosting.) The ever-respectable vicar forbade Caroline from seeing Tom...

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“Ye old hag. ” by Ashlee Osborn

Submitted to Contest #281

Salem.A very dark era of history emerged in the city of salem. This book is inspired by the things that happened to the witches of salem Massachusetts. It takes a look at the consequences they endured if they were accused of witchcraft. Very dark magical times. For young adults due to triggers, death, violence and magic and foul play/language. Ye old Hag. The coldest day of the year that we've had in decades. My lips were blue and my teeth were shivering. But I was determined to see what was in the Forrest and why it was prohibited. It was ...

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“Embers of Discontent ” by Kaitlyn Stadler

Submitted to Contest #281

Joshua was a contradiction; his ailment being the constant failure to unconditionally love his wife during her recovery from pregnancy. The 32 weeks leading up to the preterm birth of his surprisingly healthy baby, Ethan, were a long, faithless journey. Although it had been difficult to watch his wife convert into a stranger, he still hoped that this newfound uneasiness would settle like the wind lost in a valley and that the life of a loving family would truly begin.Bethany, his wife, sat in the passenger seat of the 2002 rusted Jeep Libert...

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“Whitetail Trail” by Michelle SHAAY

Submitted to Contest #281

Warning: Story contains sensitive content i.e. animal huntingSunlight dashed quickly away like a thief in the night and it had become bitterly cold. The wind began nipping at Ryan's neck and his brown corduroy hat dangled with glistening icicles.He shifted his weight on the tree stand a bit and chumped on old chewing gum to focus on some thick brush a few feet below him. His buttocks were sore, his feet were extremely cold even with three pairs of socks stuffed in rugged combat boots, and his stomach rumbled loudly from hunger."Damn," he mum...

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“"When winter comes, where do the forest folk go?"” by Raye McLaughlin

Submitted to Contest #281

The night air carried a storm and a stranger. The storm came from the North and brought with it thick, dark clouds that hung low about the trees, the power of them almost tangible in the air. The temperature dropped steadily with the sun, and just as the last light of sunset glittered away, snow began to fall. The winter came like a dam breaking. By morning, the land was painted white. The snow had slowed to a gentle dusting, but still fell steadily...

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“Cara” by Dragana Ristova

Submitted to Contest #281

I stand and watch the passing of time. The night is cold, too cold for a December night, as if the Earth has frozen. And I am not properly dressed. In this black suit I haven’t worn for years, no coat which I find odd and a top hat I would surely never put on – not anymore. I do not remember putting on any piece of clothing on this frail body, I do not remember leaving my bed, but here I am outside, in our rose garden.I take a step towards the front door, using my cane which I just become aware is at my side, my steps not making any sou...

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“The Coldest Day in Kirksville” by Zoe Dye

Submitted to Contest #281

Kirksville, Missouri, February 11th, 1983 I awoke in my bed with my dachshund curled up next to me, shaking like a leaf. My feet were so cold I couldn’t wiggle my toes and my fingers felt like ice bricks. I covered my dog, Poppy, with my heated blanket, along with myself, and turned it on to the highest setting. I reached over to my night stand and grabbed my glasses. I put them on my face which instantly made it colder. I looked over at my thermostat. Forty-seven degrees!?! That can’t be right. I got out of bed, put on my slippers, and trie...

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“The Ice Veins” by Chyna Wells

Submitted to Contest #281

The coldest day of the year had arrived in Black Hollow, and no one dared venture beyond their doors. The frost was unnatural, deeper and sharper than anything that came before it. The townsfolk whispered that it was the doing of the ice veins—strange fissures that had appeared across the frozen lake in the past few weeks, glowing faintly blue as if alive. Samantha "Sam" Miller didn’t believe in the town's superstitions. She believed in science, in reason. Ice veins were just a natural phenomenon, caused by trapped gases or thermal pressure—...

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“Hunger” by Krystian Maj

Submitted to Contest #281

Eternal Winter. Eternal white. The deafening hurling of the wind. It’s all that was left of the world. Snow and ice, covering everything an eye can see in this grey atmosphere that hasn’t witness the sun since the Last Summer. The freezing blades of air piercing through not so warm fur Lucas wore were a painful reminder of what everything has become.The sharp crunch of snow under his boots. One, after another. He was marching through this white hell, going forward. Looking for food. Looking for survival. His and of his family. Struggling thr...

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“The Last Wave” by Lindsay Marshall

Submitted to Contest #281

It was the coldest day of the year, in Southern California, which meant I put away my 3/2mm Rip Curl wetsuit for a few months and pulled out my 4/3mm. Cold meant we stowed our shorts in the closet for a few months and resurrected our long lost jeans. Everyone started wearing their Patagonias, but let’s be honest, it wasn’t because we needed them. It was only because Patagonia was based in downtown Ventura and the small group of people who worked there had somehow made it trendy to wear the snow-grade jackets in our small surf tow...

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“Strangely Unforgettable ” by Chris Baum

Submitted to Contest #281

Strangely UnforgettableIt was a family Christmas Eve party that I would never forget, and not just because it was the coldest day of the year.My family always got together during Christmas Eve. We would each take turns on whose house we would visit. It was an annual tradition that never got missed, save for the first year Covid hit.It was my mom’s turn to host–G.G.’s place. My mom was one of the best cooks out of the bunch, in my opinion, which always made the holidays delightfully tasty. If you left G.G.’s place still hungry, it was your ow...

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“Winter” by Rose Lind

Submitted to Contest #281

Please note; Sexual References.The train platform was damp. I could hear the train rattling in, its noise echoing off the tunnel walls. My educated guess was that it was only a minute away at the most. Frigid winds swirled around me, causing the soggy fallen leaves at my feet to lift their tips slightly as if longing to dance.I pulled my dark parka tight, trying to trap warmth around my torso. I wrapped my long, bright scarf around my neck and over my mouth and nose, hoping to warm the wisps of breath escaping me. The hood, made heavy by its...

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“Chill of the Unseen” by Brianne Knodel

Submitted to Contest #281

Note: There is a theme of death in this story. It’s the coldest day of the year. No one but her can feel the chill. The way it lodges itself deep inside her soul. The ominous feeling of dread. It’s the coldest day of the year, but it’s not actually cold outside. It’s her, not them. It’s the coldest day of the year—someone save her. Alora knew she was different. It’s not something she could explain but she knew. It’s the way shadows and lights played tricks on her that aren’t quite tricks making it look like creatures lurked there. Or ho...

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Title: The Counter and the Coal

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Set your story during the coldest day of the year.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 52 stories

“The Counter and the Coal” by Karissa W

“The Value of the Corn” by Colin Wadeson

“The Big Freeze” by Simeon Whiting

“Ye old hag. ” by Ashlee Osborn

“Embers of Discontent ” by Kaitlyn Stadler

“Whitetail Trail” by Michelle SHAAY

“"When winter comes, where do the forest folk go?"” by Raye McLaughlin

“Cara” by Dragana Ristova

“The Coldest Day in Kirksville” by Zoe Dye

“The Ice Veins” by Chyna Wells

“Hunger” by Krystian Maj

“The Last Wave” by Lindsay Marshall

“Strangely Unforgettable ” by Chris Baum

“Winter” by Rose Lind

“Chill of the Unseen” by Brianne Knodel

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about a mysterious guest who arrives at a party — but no one knows who they are.

Start or end your story with someone receiving a strange — and possibly sinister — gift.

Write a story from the POV of a non-human character.

Write a story that includes the line “Be careful what you wish for.”

Contest #281

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

309

Contest entries

154

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: