Set your story in the woods or on a campground.

Posted in Summer on Oct 25, 2022

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✍️ 82 stories

“Fire” by Marshall Chapman

Submitted to Contest #143

They sat around the fire. The moon was the backdrop. Clouds obscured the stars, but not the circle of white which sat unmoving against the black of night. Just the moon. Its essence only accented by the fire. In the event the fire went out, they would see solely by the light of the moon. Around the fire a circle of instant chairs had sprouted. Red, green, blue, black and metal. The things perceiving the fire sat in those chairs, they the only confirmation that the fire indeed existed...

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“Camping with Cleo” by Luna VanOs

Submitted to Contest #143

"Come on Eve we have to help load the car, '' shouted Cleo as she pulled her pink overnight bag out the garage door. "But I don't want to go camping." Whined Eve, Cleo's little sister, as she pulled her blue suit case after Cleo. Cleo's family was going on a camping trip for spring break. Everyone in the family was excited, except for Eve, who of course complained loudly about how many bugs and snakes there would be. No one took her seriously because Eve was only 6. Though her parents told her to not say anything Cleo found it getting harder...

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“April 22nd” by Maya Chamberlain

Submitted to Contest #143

A drop dripped down the little girl’s cheek. It was cold and sent a jolt to her head, conveying a message for retreat from its foggy trip up from the sky. As it returned to her hull, she was riddled with the question of whether the sudden moisture was due to the rain or the tears that seemed to flow from her low, dark eyes. She wondered if such feelings of sorrow could ever create something beautiful. She’d imagine a flower materializing from the ground as her tears splattered in the dirt. The flower would thank her for her somber secretion ...

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“The Doomed Crew” by Vincent Paiement Désilets

Submitted to Contest #143

The doomed crew drifted down Slave River in their rotten York boat. They had given up on paddling. Fatigue, strain, and hunger had ripped all layers of thought so that only the roaring of the river and the cries of the pelicans filled their heads. Most of the original crew, the rejects of the Hudson Bay Company, had died from sickness or attacks. Four of them remained, including the Husky, who was covered in dirt and had patches of hair missing, exposing the pink, damaged skin. Halfy—a nickname he hated—stood at the front of the boat, the po...

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“Memory lost” by Maïa Blanchot

Submitted to Contest #143

She’d been running like a madwoman for a few minutes now, yet she felt like she could hold this pace forever, and nothing could stop her. Not the branches that whipped her face, nor the thorns of the wild brambles that slashed her legs and arms. For these small nicks were nothing compared to the anguish responsible for this frantic race. An agony she knew all too well, yet still it suffocated her, drove her on edge, often obligated to flee, sometimes completely unable to move, in each case in the grip of some unspeakable malaise. And so she ...

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“Nature is Unmatched” by Sheila Sarrett

Submitted to Contest #143

Jeff’s parents had a log cabin on the edge of a large woods. Jeff was allowed to bring his two best friends Howie and Scot along for the three days they would be there. Since Jeff’s friends had never been at the log cabin before they were somewhat frightened about living at the edge of the woods. Jeff’s mother wanted the boys to be comfortable so she asked all the boys to sit on the house patio and offered them soft drinks. She began to explain to the boys what a woods really is. People think the woods and the forest are ...

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“Dorothy's Garden” by Laura Stephens

Submitted to Contest #143

My hair tickles the exposed skin on my back and arms while it dances away from my face. The cue to fill my lungs. Fallen leaves clatter around me as if to dance with my hair. And exhale. The dancing ceases, but the distant songs do not. Chirp. Whistle. Ribbit. I breathe deep and encapsulate the things I can't hear. Pine. Flowers. Moisture. Exhale. I blink until my eyes decide to work again. It's the golden hour and I'm facing the glorious ball of fire. My skin appears tanner in this light and I fight the urge to take a self...

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“Big Blue” by Donald Bluhm

Submitted to Contest #143

When he first had come to the river it was summer and he was 12 years old and he carried a spinning rod and reel. He used a small silver lure that wobbled and flashed on the retrieve. The fish in the river were mostly brook trout, but occasionally a brown trout would appear and even a rainbow, stocked by the local conservation club, and all attracted to the small silver lure that wobbled and flashed. The river was not very wide and it ran crookedly through a forest that had not been logged, his father said, in maybe 50 years. The river wat...

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“OVER AND UNDER” by Debbie Curtin

Submitted to Contest #143

For the umpteenth time Rev decided to choose the path less travelled, or so she hoped. Down the road and around the corner there was a pathway that one day, she had to meander down, just to see. See what? She had no clue, but these mystery walkways disappearing into the woods, were always a draw. Forever and a day, random side adventures captured her imagination, interest, and curiosity. Today’s scene reflected her past which has now led to an interesting path to her future. It was the many moments as a little kid disappearing in...

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“The Sunny Side Of The Mountain” by Meagan Spurgeon

Submitted to Contest #143

(The play takes place in 1832 In the Pocono mountains in Pennsylvania United States. It is springtime in the month of May and everything is in bloom. The Pocono mountains are full of life and beauty. On one side of the mountain stands a small farm house with a mother raising her four girls as they take care of the farm their dear departed father had left them when he passed away two years ago due to a fever during the harsh winters they endure on the homestead. Now the girls must take care and run the farm doing all of the work themselves. T...

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“Jason's Helicopter” by Chris Holland

Submitted to Contest #143

Jason finished his chores of clearing the eggs from the chicken run and milking Jessie, holding a pail between his legs the way he had been taught by his Dad. Freshly baked muffins welcomed him into the expansive kitchen where his Mother was busy with her daily routine. ‘Breakfast is ready’ she said, placing a plate of ham and eggs in front of him. ‘Dad has already left for the fields and asked if you could check the beehives in the forest.’ ‘Sure’ replied Jason as he wolfed down his breakfast and slurped his mug of tea. ‘See you later Mum’ ...

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“She Almost Missed It” by Reah Alleyne

Submitted to Contest #143

“If you plan to eat something this evening, you can’t cook it on that phone.” Rachel’s mother directed her attention to the worn path, recently traversed by her younger brothers. “Go help them with the firewood, and make sure they come back the same way they left.” Rachel, with all the excitement of a child going to the dentist, put her phone in her pocket and followed Daniel and Lucas between the luscious evergreen trees, towering beyond Rachel’s notice. She was less than enthused about the prospect of an entire weekend camping with the fam...

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“The Smell of Brushwood” by Lisa Bresgott

Submitted to Contest #143

A gigantic field of rapeseed encloses my view; it’s a vision of intense yellow opposed by a foul odor that arises from some withered blossoms. I don’t halt at this rich sight, because my lungs demand the freshness I was coming for and the rapeseed corrupts it too hardly. Still, there’s notice of the fresh scent I’ve been awaiting to enwrap me. It feels so close that I’m nervous with excitement.I continue walking down the sidewalk parallel to the rapeseed field, but my view merely touches it – it’s concentrated on the nearing trees, not the y...

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“The Mind-Boggling Anti-Logic of a Tyrant” by Tanya Humphreys

Submitted to Contest #143

Warning: This story contains death, mental illness, and the senselessness of war.The small brown rabbit hopped from shadow to shadow through the underbrush, his sister followed close behind. Razin stopped suddenly and Fizza hopped right into his backside. “Oof!” Giggle.Razin whispered, “Stop. What have I been teaching you?”Fizza rolled her eyes, “Be careful when venturing out into open spaces.”“Okay then. Let me look.” Razin cautiously parted the ferns and peeked through the opening, the fronds tickled his nose like feath...

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“Some People Are Worth Changing For” by Ryne Moore

Submitted to Contest #143

**TW/CW** Contains sensitive content related to mental health, physical violence, and gore. “Kevin, are you sure we’re not lost?” “I’ve been here before with my dad. I know where I’m going.” Nearly a decade had passed since he had been to the campground. A lot of things can happen in a decade. A lot of things can happen in a few hours. Memories and recollections can often become ambiguous to time and place and reason. “Kaci, just relax and find something good to listen to.”Kaci looked down at her phone. “I don’t have any ...

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Set your story in the woods or on a campground.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 82 stories

“Fire” by Marshall Chapman

“Camping with Cleo” by Luna VanOs

“April 22nd” by Maya Chamberlain

“The Doomed Crew” by Vincent Paiement Désilets

“Memory lost” by Maïa Blanchot

“Nature is Unmatched” by Sheila Sarrett

“Dorothy's Garden” by Laura Stephens

“Big Blue” by Donald Bluhm

“OVER AND UNDER” by Debbie Curtin

“The Sunny Side Of The Mountain” by Meagan Spurgeon

“Jason's Helicopter” by Chris Holland

“She Almost Missed It” by Reah Alleyne

“The Smell of Brushwood” by Lisa Bresgott

“The Mind-Boggling Anti-Logic of a Tyrant” by Tanya Humphreys

“Some People Are Worth Changing For” by Ryne Moore

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about a character who loves cloud gazing.

Start or end your story with a person buying a house plant.

Write about a trip to see a natural sight that’s usually only ever seen in photos.

Write a story involving a friendship between two different species.

Contest #143

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

253

Contest entries

139

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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