Start your story with “It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark.” (Hans Christian Andersen, “The Little Match Girl”)

Posted in Winter on Mar 10, 2023

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✍️ 112 stories

“Blessing of Aesir ” by Eric S

Submitted to Contest #189

It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark. I sit up from a lying position on the ground and feel a sharp pain blinding pain all over causing me to vomit. A pulsating pain on the top of my head feels as if my head is split in two. I reach my hand up and feel a large painful gash surrounded by knotted hair sticky with what I assumed is dry blood. Looking up I notice I am not the only poor soul lying in the snow. Checking my surroundings there ...

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“Where Are You?” by Joshua Kim

Submitted to Contest #189

Where Are You? It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark. Sheets of snow had already covered the garden. In springtime, the roses would bloom to perfection in this garden. This was a place where Jonathan and his father would come every year to get away for one day. For Jonathan, from school, for his father, from work. Now, some people might ask, why a rose garden? Well, the answer was simple: Jonathan and his father were two people who wanted to be around beautiful nature for a day, rather than go on an adve...

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“The Lady and The Man” by Glenda Toews

Submitted to Contest #189

It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark. They walked side by side without saying a word. The man was carrying the blanket. The lady was carrying the shovel.Christmas lights, some flashing red, green, and gold, others twinkling soft warm white, were draped across the veranda eves. An inflatable Santa holding his belly in a silent, jolly ‘Ho, Ho, Ho,’ stood in the neighbor’s yard. Blow up Snoopy beside him napping on the roof of his doghouse. A duvet of snow kept them both warm. Yesterday they were festive.Porsche was...

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“The Ancestors” by Maya Thornell-Sandifor

Submitted to Contest #189

It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark. They came in the night. And it was for that reason Sarah lit every lantern and candle in the small cottage. She sat directly in front of the wood-burning fireplace. A blanket and the warmth from the fire cut the chill. And then there it was…the stirring of wind, the hum. To those who didn’t know, it was just a winter wind rustling through the forest. But she knew different. “He is my refuge and my fortress, My God in whom I trust…,” Sarah whispered the prayer ...

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“A Child of Snow” by Grace Hodges

Submitted to Contest #189

It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark. The stark outline of a young girl and her white hood walked soundlessly across the clean sheet of an undisturbed snowfield. I assumed I couldn't hear the crunch of snow under her boots because of the whistle of wind that brushed through the barren desert of trees and winter cotton, or perhaps it was just the sound of my teeth chattering against each other. I couldn't remember how I had appeared here or how it was snowing in what I thought was mid May. All I could remember w...

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“Maybe Not. Meant to be.” by Skylar De La Cruz

Submitted to Contest #189

It's so terribly cold. Snow is falling, and it’s almost dark. I wandered around the streets of Delaware, not knowing how to get home. Hi. I'm Crystal, I'm 16, and I live in New York City. Well, I do, but my parents forgot to bring me home from vacation in Delaware. I mean, I get it. 16 kids. But forget the oldest? Really? I walk up to an apartment building and sit at the entrance on my phone. "Hey." I hear a voice behind me. I turn around. "Woah there! Are you okay? You look a bit pale.." The person says. I rub my eyes for a better look and ...

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“Brown Bear” by Katarina B

Submitted to Contest #189

It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark. I warily looked out of my window which now had icicles draped across it. I couldn't see anything but snow and trees for miles. My eyes then traveled to the brick fire place which had only kept me warm for a mere two hours. Now however, the cold had gotten to it too, and the ember flames quickly stopped producing. With no light, and no warmth, I snuggled into my blanket, waiting for a flicker of light, a sound, a person, to come. I reached for my phone which only had one bar o...

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“Light in the Darkness” by Karen W

Submitted to Contest #189

It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark. The old woman had been wandering in the woods for what seemed to her like a very long time. She knew that not too long ago she had been in a sunny, warm, peaceful place, but as she sought – something, what was it, someone, someone she loved, she couldn’t quite remember. She just knew the more she looked, the farther she got from the warmth and light and the more she forgot. She desperately wanted to return to the peaceful place, but was hesitant to leave off her search. She ...

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“What A Seventeen-Year-Old Will Do For Love” by Anita M Shaw

Submitted to Contest #189

It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark.Mark paced his bedroom, trying to decide what he ought to do.Well, he ought to stay home. The weather outside told him that.But—he’d told Gracie he’d be at her grandparent’s at six-thirty. The Vincent's place was forty-five minutes away . . . no big deal if he had a way of getting there. Mom’s car was in the shop, and his father had, naturally, driven the truck to work. His shift started at three so he wouldn’t be getting back until after midnight. Maybe well after if thi...

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“My Rock in the Snow” by Ginger Edin

Submitted to Contest #189

It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark. As I rounded the last bend in the trail, the wind picked up in my face. I put my head down, determined to glide my skis right to the van. I pumped my arms until they burned as I maintained my balance, soaring in the tracks I had laid down on my way out. My core was sweating under all my layers, but my fingers, toes, and face were numb. I couldn’t wait to feel my seat heaters. The van was perfect for our skis, ...

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“Apples” by Leasa Moore

Submitted to Contest #189

This story could/can hit many of us where it hurts the most. Whatever that is. This ain't no fairy tale. Wasn't meant to be. It was terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark. I felt like I was walking around in a black-and-white photo where everything was shades of gray, including the sky. There were no stars on this night. It wasn’t the stars that I turned my face to the sky to see. I was looking for the Lord. I didn’t see Him. I saw apples. Apples by the bushels. I blinked my dry eyes to blink away the dryness and take anot...

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“Pandemonium” by Ernie-Rose Wayer

Submitted to Contest #189

*** It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark. And the farther I got from the edge of the ravine, the drier the blood on my palms became. It wasn't ideal to tuck my bloodied palms into my puffer jacket pockets because I'd be contaminating it, and as much as it would be odd to say, I rather loved the jacket and wouldn't want to have to dispose of it. Funny, I thought. That was my worry when I had just brutally murdered the love of my life. Funny how that was my worry now that Owen was dead. Or, more accura...

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“The Two Faces of Nick” by Stephanie Stevens

Submitted to Contest #189

Beware: This story contains substance abuse and phyical abuse.The Two Faces of Nick.It was terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark when I got out of the cab at my hotel. I looked up at the mountain, shrouded in a thick white veil like the one I wore on my wedding day. A gust of wind caused thick snowflakes to stick to my face. But I did not heed their stinging touch for they hid the tears glistening unchecked on my lashes. Oh, how had I been so blind? &nbs...

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“Adventure tale by candlelight” by Odile Glatz

Submitted to Contest #189

It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark. The young Bell girls gasped, “The power went out.” Vicky and Allison had colds, and were soon covered in extra blankets by their concerned mother, Naomi. Naomi went to the candle cupboard and brought out matches. It was times like these that she was thankful for her moderate scented candle addiction. Sicilian lemon, gingerbread, balsam fir, they would all be lit, and spaced out throughout their ranch home...

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“Desiderium” by Jarleene Almenas

Submitted to Contest #189

It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark. In a parallel universe, she would be going through her closet for her most ornate pieces of clothing. Sequins. Glitter. Beads. Gold. Silver. Black. Red, if she was feeling particularly bold and her new college friends hyped her up enough. Her closet would be a warzone of discarded tops and dresses; that one too tight, the other too big, a hand-me-down from her mother whose hobby was picking out beautiful things even if she had no need for them. Tags hanging from skirts and sl...

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Start your story with “It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark.” (Hans Christian Andersen, “The Little Match Girl”)

Submissions are closed

✍️ 112 stories

“Blessing of Aesir ” by Eric S

“Where Are You?” by Joshua Kim

“The Lady and The Man” by Glenda Toews

“The Ancestors” by Maya Thornell-Sandifor

“A Child of Snow” by Grace Hodges

“Maybe Not. Meant to be.” by Skylar De La Cruz

“Brown Bear” by Katarina B

“Light in the Darkness” by Karen W

“What A Seventeen-Year-Old Will Do For Love” by Anita M Shaw

“My Rock in the Snow” by Ginger Edin

“Apples” by Leasa Moore

“Pandemonium” by Ernie-Rose Wayer

“The Two Faces of Nick” by Stephanie Stevens

“Adventure tale by candlelight” by Odile Glatz

“Desiderium” by Jarleene Almenas

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story where a character must continue to tell their tale to a listener to avoid unsavory consequences.

Write a story inspired by this quote from Dante Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy: “In the middle of the journey of our life I came to myself within a dark wood where the straight way was lost.”

Write a story about a fox spirit (a gumiho, jiǔwěihú, kitsune, or hồ ly tinh), inspired by, e.g. Korean, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese folklore.

Write a modern version of "The Tiger, the Brahmin, and the Jackal," in which someone suffers from their own good deeds and must turn to an unlikely source for help.

Contest #189

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

281

Contest entries

121

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: