Write a story where fortune doesn’t favor the brave.

Posted in Thriller and Suspense on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 38 stories

“Mummy's Little Man” by Petina Rowsell

Submitted to Contest #135

Mummy’s Little Man Even as a very young child, Bobby was brave. As soon as he could sit up, he wanted to crawl. As soon as he could crawl, he wanted to walk. As soon as he could walk, he wanted to run. His mother was very proud of her “Little Man” but despaired of the fact that he was always covered in bumps and bruises. However, in the late Victorian age, it was expected that “boys will be boys”, decades before social services would be suspicious of such frequent injuries. Even so… Little Davy burst into tears. “Aw, my mum’s gonna kill me i...

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“Mid-western coffee ” by Lyla Koch

Submitted to Contest #135

It was a February day, some town in Portland- I’d lost track at some point after I’d left Montana. Coffee, people, faces, 10 fingers, 10 toes. Bradshaw’s coffee house filled at 12, and emptied at 2; I’d kept careful note, ordering usual and unusual customers in my head.I had no idea where I was, but every inexhaustible variety of some vaguely Mid-Western coffee house was irrevocably forged in my mind. The agreeableness, the palpable pleasantry, a testament, to the unparalleled motion of human nature. Minds and words alike, crushed and filter...

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“A reflection on my life, for interested parties.” by Justine Arndt

Submitted to Contest #135

The parchment papers are tainted yellow from age, dark brown fingerprints are dragged across the corner of each piece, emitting the faintest metallic smell. Three starting lines are crossed or scribbled out. The writing is in a thick black liquid, not possible to verify if it is ink or something else. Nonetheless, each curve, each joining of the words are placed with careful penmanship. When I was younger, my parents told me that putting faith in anyone was the largest mistake you could ever make. They then gave me a practical exampl...

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“Heart Shaped Things and Contours of Flame” by Kathleen Hair

Submitted to Contest #135

“It’ll be nice to get that beer huh?”My mechanic asked as he reached out grabbing the flashlight I’d been holding beneath my chin, I squinted when he pointed the light in my eyes softly laughing.I wondered why so many people thought such a thing funny as I reoriented the final piece my uniform – the piece was my patrol cap, which wasn’t authorized to be worn backwards beneath the helmet but…. Meh. I slapped my ACH over it just the same. It was the weekend of the Fourth of July in the States and if we managed to make it back to Camp Echo, we’...

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“Children of Ceridwen” by India Lee

Submitted to Contest #135

Shutters beat against the panes, rattling the horn plates of the window. They glowed orange against the shutters, lit within by a fire falling and blazing with each gust of howling wind. Like cat's eyes in the night, they shone on Madwyn, watching her across the room where she huddled beside the gulping fire. She rubbed her stiff toes together through three layers of stockings. Her sewing needle trembled between neat stitches of embroidery. It dove into the pale cloth with her exhale and shook as her chest seized, unable to breathe in as she...

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“Wannabe” by Hippity Hoppity

Submitted to Contest #135

The attic was cold, but cold was better than the piercing heat of angry handprints littered across mottled skin. The sister and brother sat hunched over, bony knees folded into their hollow rib cages like origami. Despite its cramped mustiness, the attic was really the only place they had in the Thing’s house. And, of course, the few picture frames of their deceased mother that sagged along the walls, if those counted for anything. And, the sister’s astronomy book. The sister reached for the book, which smelled of stale air and pla...

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“Fortune Lost” by Mark Hebert

Submitted to Contest #135

Fortune Lost A Tale From The Silver Exodus Series Marcus Abear Copyright March 2022 When the aliens announced the silver trading program my wife and I decided to play it safe and keep our trades quiet. In the weeks following the Yellowstone eruption, society had spiraled out of control and those with silver became targets. Intelligent people, like the two of us, didn’t advertise our ownership of silver or tell others about the technology we traded for. Even though the aliens explained how they could track stolen silver and prevent the tr...

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“Escape” by Sandra Byrne

Submitted to Contest #135

Dayna scrambled through the escape pod hatch and into the cool morning air. She stood on the side of the pod and looked back along the deep furrow it had scored through the forest. Sliding down the side of the pod, her bare feet sank into the soft, damp soil, and she savoured the feeling. It had been so long since she had been outside and felt dirt beneath her feet, or a soft breeze against her cheeks.Three months ago she had been imprisoned for murdering her employer, Professor Morrison. Her skeletal shoulders slumped in her threadbare pris...

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Write a story where fortune doesn’t favor the brave.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 38 stories

“Mummy's Little Man” by Petina Rowsell

“Mid-western coffee ” by Lyla Koch

“A reflection on my life, for interested parties.” by Justine Arndt

“Heart Shaped Things and Contours of Flame” by Kathleen Hair

“Children of Ceridwen” by India Lee

“Wannabe” by Hippity Hoppity

“Fortune Lost” by Mark Hebert

“Escape” by Sandra Byrne

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about a hero or a villain deathly afraid of doing their job.

Start your story with someone stepping outside their comfort zone.

Set your story in a town full of cowards.

Write about a casual act of bravery.

Contest #135

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

212

Contest entries

154

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: