Write about a summer vacation gone wrong.

Posted in Summer on Aug 2, 2024

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✍️ 66 stories

“Echoes of a Lost Summer” by Amanda Evans

Submitted to Contest #262

The anticipation of summer vacation is a feeling like no other. The countdown to freedom, to days without responsibility or structure, filled me with a sense of exhilaration. I imagined the adrenaline rush as we climbed the heights of the roller coasters, the wind whipping through our hair, the simultaneous terror and thrill as we plummeted downwards. Each ride would be a shared victory, a memory to recount and laugh about later.The teasing glances from girls in line were part of the fun, a playful dance of flirtation that added to the adven...

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“Rough Waters” by Bethany Meyer

Submitted to Contest #262

In the Summer of 2021, my family of 5 took a vacation to Cutter Reservoir, New Mexico to go camping with my husband's life long friend, Josh. Our boys were ages 7, 5 and 2 at the time.Josh is well known for being a river-rat, which always brings to mind the book, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.Josh is a good fellow, kind hearted, experienced with water activities and a good laughing conversationalist. He heartily invited our family for a river float. Key word...float.With absolutely zero experience with river floating, my husband...

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“These Summer Moments” by Sophie Goldstein

Submitted to Contest #262

Raymond held his daughter’s hand as she pulled him toward the water.“Come on, daddy! Come on!” she yelled, running as fast as her short, squishy legs would carry her.“I’m coming, Sylvie, I’m coming,” he sing-songed behind her.He tried to stay calm when Sylvie let go of his hand. When she ran ahead of him. When she dipped her toes in the water and didn’t seem fazed in the slightest that her dad wasn’t standing next to her.“She’s ok.”Raymond turned to see his dad, Larry, staring at Sylvie with a big smile.“She reminds me of you, you know,” Lar...

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“A Road Trip with Returns” by Frances Gaudiano

Submitted to Contest #262

A Road Trip with ReturnsOnce a year her Aunt Anna came to visit with her rich husband and two spoiled children. Gillian looked forward to these holidays because her aunt enjoyed showing off her wealth to her sibling, Gillian’s father. They would arrive in their new car (a new one each year) and take Gillian’s family to restaurants, a rare treat for them. Over the visit, Gillian and cousins would be transported to amusement parks, the cinema and baseball games. Wherever they went they were allowed to fill up on ice cream and be given a souven...

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“Hunting in Times Square” by Christina J

Submitted to Contest #262

The headlights pierced through thick New England fog as Henry Creek and his son Edgar drove the winding road to Calais. The prestigious Wormwood Academy lay a mere two miles outside of the town and was the closest American boarding school to Canada. The father and son were picking up the third member of their family, Wynona. The pair of them grew more and more silent as the gates to the school approached. Picking up Wynona was always difficult. Henry would never admit this, not even to himself, but he thought of her as the problem child. The...

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“Ninety-two degrees” by Maria Wickens

Submitted to Contest #262

Trigger warning: Theme of Family violence / Sexual abuseIt’s the time of year when the depressing chill of autumn should be settling in, yet the sun is unrelenting stark radiance. No shadows, no perspective just a harsh white light providing a spotlight for my stepfather’s gaze as he watches us. I’m supposed to call him Daddy but under my breath I call him Kronos. Devourer of children. Unhinged titan. Seems more apt.He’s going stir crazy with the pressure of no work on the horizon. We’ve ducked his ill temper, dodged the petty arguments he t...

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“Focusing too much on Work” by Gabrielle Holly

Submitted to Contest #262

On the sixth day of his vacation, when he’d finally stopped thinking about work, Kenneth saw the CEO of the company worked for check into the hotel he was vacationing at. Kenneth tilted his head back and laughed, causing the other hotel guests in the lobby to move away from him. He opened his eyes and sighed. The steely blue eyes, angular jaw, and half smile half smirk weren’t softened by the Hawaiian shirt and Bermuda shorts he wore. The CEO would have been an indistinguishable tourist if it weren’t for the gold Rolex watch on his wrist tha...

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“The Summer of Disaster” by Faith Holtkamp

Submitted to Contest #262

TW: Includes mentions of self harm, mental health, and substance abuse (alcohol). I laid back in my bed, holding Jane Eyre above my head to read. I've been reading the same line for the past hour. I don't know why I haven't given up yet. Probably because my parents want me to get as much extra credit as possible with how horrible my grades have been. Tomorrow we're heading to the summer house, and I'm dreading it. We go to this house every year expecting it to be different and magical, but our family lost the magic a long time ago. I roll o...

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“Finding Peace on the Beach ” by Christina Beller

Submitted to Contest #262

Sensitive content: Car crash, depression, mental healthI eagerly hopped out of the car, hearing the crackling of the gravel beneath my sandals. The house looked serene, untouched. I could faintly hear the waves crashing, despite the wind hitting me from all sides. Although the sun was out, I kept my sweater wrapped around my shoulders. A 60 degree day on the Oregon coast was about as warm as it got.It was a three hour drive to Yachats, a small town on the coast. I spent the afternoon weaving through packed minivans and trucks that boasted Or...

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“Killer Heat” by Book Lover

Submitted to Contest #262

Warning: Autistic Meltdown (Including restraint and self-harming behaviors) Leah fiddled with the volume button on the dash, turning the pop music up so loud it shook the car. Q covered her ears with her hands, wincing as the sound hit her eardrum. She glanced at Tytus, who was sitting in the back of the van with her. He said something Q couldn’t hear, and the car stopped shaking as Leah turned the music back down. “Sorry about that, Q-tip,” Leah said from the front. “That’s not my name,” Q responded, looking out the window at the blur of t...

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“It'll Only Get Better” by Aaron Bartmess

Submitted to Contest #262

Finally, I thought to myself, vacation. The word itself seemed almost sublime, both because I needed the break so badly, and because the trip had just fallen into place, details and all, like a dream. “Aaron, we would like to offer you our cabin the Ozarks for the week. There’s a big pond next to it and you can fish. We’ll let you borrow our Jeep for the week, too. We think y’all could use the chance to get away.” As a full-time seminarian working two part time jobs to try to support my family of four, I was overwhelmed and grateful for the ...

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“Accidental Staycation” by Kimberley Connor

Submitted to Contest #262

It was my first ever paid vacation. Day one started with a list of my grandparents’ house plants, garden tasks, and poodle related chores. Sparkle snuffled her encouragement as my grandmother highlighted the items she deemed most important. Care of their home and Sparkle would be punctuated by short day trips to local parks and hiking trails. Unbeknownst to me, my plans for the remainder of the week would be derailed in a few short hours. After wishing my grandparents a safe trip, I reminded myself that my vacations woul...

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“The Summer of the Limes” by Odile Glatz

Submitted to Contest #262

That summer didn’t have a particular theme song. There was no particular color that summer. But, ohh, the smell of fresh cut limes and limeade, that was the memory. Wherever I went that summer, to my potential future father in law’s, my mother’s house, my friend’s Spanish-style villa, limeade was served, and the scent of fresh cut lime lifted my soul. I, Vicky, was engaged to be married that summer. Life was getting hectic with work, planning ...

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“Uninvited” by Faiba Mohamed

Submitted to Contest #262

“‘Choose well!’ said Johann Wolfgang von Goethe”…Camellia thought to herself when she rode the open-top double-decker bus on a scorching afternoon in August in London.She squirmed in her seat unable to adjust to the sudden change in weather, unlike her little sister Petunia. It is like her parents named them knowing how they will turn out to be.From clothes to sandals to mini yellow satchels, Petunia nailed it. She looked kawaii in her Hawaiian style whereas Camellia who claims to be the know-it-all underestimated the heatwaves in the UK wit...

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“No Show” by Ndai Irene Nyamakura

Submitted to Contest #262

The tour-guides led us towards the beginning of the ascent, their footsteps deliberate and sure. As we started our climb, the forest enveloped us in a cocoon of greenery, and the summer sun cast a warm, golden hue over everything. The air grew crisp yet carried a fragrant warmth, infused with the scent of earth and ancient wisdom. The journey up Ayotha promised not just physical elevation but a spiritual ascent into the heart of Rosina's natural sanctity, where the vibrant energy of summer matched the mood of our adventure. I have alwa...

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Write about a summer vacation gone wrong.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 66 stories

“Echoes of a Lost Summer” by Amanda Evans

“Rough Waters” by Bethany Meyer

“These Summer Moments” by Sophie Goldstein

“A Road Trip with Returns” by Frances Gaudiano

“Hunting in Times Square” by Christina J

“Ninety-two degrees” by Maria Wickens

“Focusing too much on Work” by Gabrielle Holly

“The Summer of Disaster” by Faith Holtkamp

“Finding Peace on the Beach ” by Christina Beller

“Killer Heat” by Book Lover

“It'll Only Get Better” by Aaron Bartmess

“Accidental Staycation” by Kimberley Connor

“The Summer of the Limes” by Odile Glatz

“Uninvited” by Faiba Mohamed

“No Show” by Ndai Irene Nyamakura

🌟 Similar prompts

Start or end your story with a heatwave announcement.

Write about a character who is allergic to heat.

Center your story around an unexpected summer fling.

Set your story during the hottest day of the year.

Contest #262

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

267

Contest entries

91

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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