Write a story that includes the line “Fate is resourceful.”

Posted in Short Story on Oct 25, 2024

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✍️ 77 stories

“The Rider on the Wheel” by Penelope Stansfield

Submitted to Contest #274

The small shop at number thirteen Temperance Street had stood desolate and empty, ever since old lady Morrison closed down her sweet-shop and died. That had been three years ago, the time it had taken her family and their solicitors to quarrel over the late spinster’s estate, and once a truce had been reached, the little shop was finally sold. So, one damp October morning, after months of rumour and speculation, number thirteen Temperance Street reopened to a curious and suspicious gathering of townsfolk.“Well I’ll be damned if I k...

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“The silent symphony ” by Amalia Tsimpli

Submitted to Contest #274

The old woman sat by the window; her gaze fixed on the rain-streaked glass. Outside, the world was a muted canvas, the colours dulled by the persistent drizzle. Her name was Elara, and she was a keeper of stories, a weaver of tales. But today, her mind was blank, her heart heavy. "Fate is resourceful," she murmured, a phrase her grandmother used to say, a comforting mantra in times of despair.She thought of her youth, a time of vibrant colours and youthful dreams. She had been a talented writer, her words flowing like a river, her stories ca...

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“Should Have Known Better” by Kevin Charlton

Submitted to Contest #274

The pipeline was slippery. I was crawling across it trying to get to the middle so I could leap into the canal. They grease it with tar to prevent us from days like this. The boats were ignoring the no wake signs, speeding without regard for the manatees. It made things more exciting when I stood up and Conon-balled into the water, my feet landing safely on the bottom missing any broken glass or sharp rocks usually trapped there. I pushed upward swimming against the strong current; splashing through the surface, I was...

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“A friend's advice ” by Harri Evans

Submitted to Contest #274

He lived at home with his parents, though he did all he could to get away. He had dreams of being a writer. He would write a novel. Not a simple, pithy thing; written for old women and beach holidays. He would write like a Russian. A great Russian. His words would touch the very core of human nature and society. Universities would analyse his work and study his poetry and prose to try and understand how deeply his understanding of human psychology went. He had a sneaking suspicion that it was Fate who had put this idea in his head. It was Fa...

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“Twin-Pearl Ring” by Tempest Phoenix Smith

Submitted to Contest #274

Melinda rearranged the silk scarf with blue colourways and gave her reflection a critical stare. People, well, mostly the housekeepers had always said she was pretty, but all she saw was that the blues of the scarf made her stormy blue eyes more noticeable.She liked the eighteenth birthday gift from the Portuguese housekeeper but refused to believe it would bring her the promised good luck. Stroking the blue scarf, she tried to pick up some nuance of the woman’s personality, but felt nothing. The guardian had probably cleansed the gift of an...

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“Fate's Binding” by Theresa Sullivan

Submitted to Contest #274

Every witch has her secrets, but few hold them as closely as Brooke. A terrible night was when fate found her.At the edge of the village, where cobbled roads faded into the embrace of an untamed forest, there stood an old shop, held together by warped wood and overgrown ivy. Brooke Ashwood, a kind-hearted witch known in the village for her gentle spirit, had always steered clear of gossip, yet tales of the Trinket Talisman had reached her ears. Some say the shop calls those seeking its treasures. As Brooke approached, the flickering sign abo...

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“The Time Traveler’s Gift” by Edward J. McCoul

Submitted to Contest #274

“The Time Traveler’s Gift” By Edward J. McCoul Dr. Ethan Carter was a scientist by day, a dreamer by night. Under fluorescent lab lights, surrounded by beakers and blueprints, he designed devices most would call impossible. He worked for a secret government agency, funded to uncover, harness, and, occasionally, hide what the world wasn’t ready to see. But his latest invention was not for the agency, nor for the world. It was, secretly, for himself. Ethan had built a time machine. It wasn’t some cobbled-together contraption with flashing ligh...

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“Shames Revenge” by Arpad Nagy

Submitted to Contest #274

He had never been afraid of the dark until the night it whispered his name. He had never suffered from insomnia either, but the sun was setting on his third day without a wink. How could this be? After 30 years? He paced from the table to the bottom of the stairs and back again. Aside from beef jerky, some cheese and crackers, and endlessly brewing pots of coffee, he had barely eaten or drank anything. When he raised an arm to lean on the kitchen entryway, he caught scent of himself and flinched. You stink. You need to wash. You need to get...

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“Always Together” by Susan O'REILLY

Submitted to Contest #274

He’s looking this way again. I purposely, resolutely, ignore him as always, well since the first time that is. Try and ignore him I mean, as he creeps me out, and he is always in the corner of my eye. He declared that first time, his undying love for me, in glorious poetic prose, loudly and astride a chair in the school canteen. He called it ‘Catriona my reason for Living’. I can only imagine the colour I must have become. I’m sure I could have lit up the whole school. My friends doubled up and I could get no sense or help from them. I or my...

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“Nine Fates” by Lou Jayne

Submitted to Contest #274

Nine Fates They say a cat has nine lives and they have eight near misses before they actually die. The question is does nine lives mean this, or does it mean nine lifetimes? Does it matter which it means? Maybe not! But let’s go with the story of a cat who who’s owner believes she actually died eight times already, in eight different ways, over eight different lifetimes, this particular cat is on their ninth life as we speak. She is called Ivory, is pure white albino Persian with beautiful blue eyes, aged 23 years old and is curre...

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“Story of a Dead Girl” by Beth Manson

Submitted to Contest #274

I’ve been following him. I know, I know. I’m aware of how that sounds. It’s funny how one thing can feel like the only thing you want in the world, and once you have it, your mind moves on to something else. The grass is always greener and all that, I suppose. I didn’t know being dead would be so lonely. I felt like I was beat around by everyone I ever met my whole life. Except for Maddy, but then she was gone, too, and that’s when my heart cracked open. My one friend, gone because of some pill popping drunk that couldn’t own up to her mista...

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“A walk through the mist” by Kashish Dalal

Submitted to Contest #274

“Are you lost, traveler?” A voice reached out to me, cutting through the darkness. “I am just looking for a place of retreat for the night,” I replied. “You won’t find much here at such a late hour,” the feminine voice reached back. A figure approached me, holding a freshly lit lantern. Despite the burning flame, I couldn’t glance at their features as their faces remained hidden behind the fog that enveloped this town. This was the first person I had encountered since I stepped into ‘Kasumi’. Completely hidden among the forest an...

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“Wavering Ghul” by Tamara Lieberman

Submitted to Contest #274

When I was visually a sixty-three year old man in a black dress shirt opened at the collar, with faded ebony khakis that ended at my scuffed camel brown shoes, capped at the cranium with a weather beaten umber stetson and pointedly steadied with an old wooden cane, others eyed me with disdain or pity for my vagrancy. If I sprawled on the damp grass like an animate mannequin after a storm, I was looked down upon like a soaked mutt and thrown moldy leftovers of charity. If I discarded my clothing for wudu from the rainwate...

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“The End of the World” by Bärbel Morsch

Submitted to Contest #274

Alright. I’m going insane. Now I’m really going insane. Earlier this morning, I’ve had doubts whether the neighbor’s house was yellow or blue yesterday, but now I know better. Right before my eyes… damn it – right before my damn own eyes, the color is changing! Just like that. Not because the sun is shining or a shadow is falling. No. Simply from one moment to the next. Bam. Now it’s green. I’m going insane.It’s been like this for days. In the morning, I look in the mirror, and if I’m lucky, my reflection hasn’t changed. Sometimes I wak...

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“Remember” by Sofija Ribaric

Submitted to Contest #274

It was a warm afternoon in October just before Halloween. Of course, at the time, the townspeople didn’t call it that way, but they were very fearful of the witches gathering, the fire they were burning, and the languages the witches were speaking. They couldn’t understand nor even imagine what the topic could be about, but nevertheless, the fear was very present in this town, tucked away between the steep mountains. It was one hour before the sunset and a light warm breeze was softly unravelling leaves of all colours from the treetops, oran...

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Write a story that includes the line “Fate is resourceful.”

Submissions are closed

✍️ 77 stories

“The Rider on the Wheel” by Penelope Stansfield

“The silent symphony ” by Amalia Tsimpli

“Should Have Known Better” by Kevin Charlton

“A friend's advice ” by Harri Evans

“Twin-Pearl Ring” by Tempest Phoenix Smith

“Fate's Binding” by Theresa Sullivan

“The Time Traveler’s Gift” by Edward J. McCoul

“Shames Revenge” by Arpad Nagy

“Always Together” by Susan O'REILLY

“Nine Fates” by Lou Jayne

“Story of a Dead Girl” by Beth Manson

“A walk through the mist” by Kashish Dalal

“Wavering Ghul” by Tamara Lieberman

“The End of the World” by Bärbel Morsch

“Remember” by Sofija Ribaric

🌟 Similar prompts

Center your story on a character filled with love and fear in equal measure.

Use a personal memory to craft a ghost story.

Write a story where a creature turns up in an unexpected way.

Center your story around a childhood fear that – as much as you try to shake it – still resonates in adulthood.

Contest #274

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

406

Contest entries

120

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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