Forums » Art & Creativity » Official Contest: Short Story Challenge 2024

It was a cold spring day, cherry blossoms falling around us from the oppressive wind when I first met her.
Her smile left me feeling as though each vein and artery of my body was blooming, opening up, warming me, just for her.
No warmth rose within her for me, though, and today, the cherry blossoms fall from my lips, speckled with sanguine.
My end may not be half as beautiful as she will always be, though my lungs seem to have chosen to bring forth the floral arrangements in a mockery of my pain.

Night as well ^__^ (Edit: Ooh, defiance >:]c)

"Yield." His sword to your neck and his tone flat as steel, his eyes give nothing away as he holds you at literal bladepoint. Despite it, you could only laugh. Loud and cackling like your life isn't in some madman's hands.

You give him a grin filled with teeth as your bare palms come up to grip the blade. "Kill me, then," you say to cold cold eyes, blood beading around the space where flesh and steel kiss. "But you and I both know it'll change nothing."

"The thing about revolution, captain, is that it is not just one person."

Rolling for entry, story upcoming.


prompt: surprise

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She was soft and gentle.

Then she was cast aside unexpectedly.

With no one to guide her and no one to comfort her, she grew on her own and found her new home.

Then one day when she was hardened and closed, she found them.

They stood at the horizon and on the very edge with her, and taught her how to be soft again.

Begin again.

Oh, what the heck. I'll give it a try.

Nervous and excited, I’ve never attempted a short story. Much less with “Lesson” as the topic.

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The effort of creation is exhausting. This wasn't always common knowledge to Murray, as there was a time where creativity came to him like flies on fruit. But as responsibilities grew, he found himself struggling to make new things. It took time, but eventually he realized that to create is to place pieces of himself in hundreds of little things and scatter them across his own path. Now, his creations are fewer, but they are improved and hold value, expressing Murray in deeper ways. They reflect him far clearer than the quick-fired ones that came to him without effort.

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Worst thing that could happen is me coming up with nothing.

Edit: wow, 100 words are an interesting challenge.

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Theme: Blossom (96 words)

When the Tyrann took over, we decided to do something."Gardener, you're a week and meek person and yet you have claim you could kill me?"
"Yes my king. You oppressed the people."
"Tell me how you of all people could do it and you may stay alive as court jester!
We search you each time you enter the castle, and you brought nothing but seeds."
"But you know nothing about the flowers I raise. You're content as long as the palace's garden is colorful.
The most poisonous flowers are very colorful, my king.
You were dead as soon as you took a bite out of that almond cake."
Neither cook nor gardener knew about weaponry, so we faked loyalty and bid our time. The guards searched anyone entering he castle and kept the cook separate from everyone but the Tyrann most loyal..
I just brought the seed in a basket. I raised the flowers in the palace's garden among many others.
At the evening of the celebratory banquet, I just nodded towards the cook, then towards certain decorative flowers.
She was a smart woman, and this evening the Tyrann enjoyed his last almond cake.

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Placeholder for roll. Entry soonish

doin this for fun
entry probably gonna be done eventually I'm hoping

Hmm... why not?

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"Defiance"

Defying eating (as a baby)

No, I said, I will not eat your food.

I want to play and jump and poo

I may have cried not 10 minutes before,

For my tummy had rumblied, disturbing my snore.

Don't tell me that i complain too much,

And that my brother happily eats his and such

You know that I will win this,

I'm great at throwing fits,

And- nom

Oh, that's yummy!

Thank you mummy!

Sure, this sounds fun!
Prompt: Defiance
Word Count:
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It was simply human nature to deny the course of change; To look the future in the face, and refuse it a place to root, that was what it was to be human.

So, the Homunculus, knew it was not human. It had been made to never deny, nor to look to the future, its place was here, for the betterment of its creator.

Yet, it stood, watching as its creator was accosted. She shouted that it help her, that it fend off the hoard of townsfolk - and, looking into the face of its future, it smiled, and uttered, 'No.'

Why not?

Edited: Discarded it is. 99 words.

******************************************************************

In a kingdom forsaken by hope, a discarded sword lay dormant in the rubble, its blade dulled by neglect. A lone warrior, once revered, now forgotten, stumbled upon it. With each swing, memories of valor surged, igniting a spark within.

The warrior embarked on a quest to reclaim glory, wielding the discarded weapon with newfound purpose. Through trials untold, battles unforgiving, the sword's edge gleamed once more, cutting through darkness.

In the final clash against tyranny, the warrior stood victorious, the discarded now revered. In their triumph, they learned: even the forgotten can rise, forging legends from the ashes.

saving for later, idk if i’ll remember

Alright, I will try.

Thanks for your patience on this one, everyone. I'm poking the judges to finish up with all their scores so I can make an announcement and dish out those sweet sweet prizes!

This contest had SO many great entries that when the first round of scoring was done and everything was added up, we had ties for almost every place, including something like an eight way tie for third place. So a bunch of tie breaking super nitpicky looks had to be taken, which took a minute

Congratulations to:

1. GingerHades
2. Ultimate.Gaymer
3. MercyInReach
4. GarnaalProductions
5. _Apollo_
6. VeraVe

And, frankly, to everyone who participated! This was an incredibly hard-fought contest!