Free Writing Fridays #030

Your 100 Word Story

December 1, 2023

Your 100 Word Story

A 2023 OPPORTUNITY

I’m giving EVERYONE who participates in these Free Writing Friday challenges THREE comp months in 2024. That gets you access to 14 episodes of Sleight of Hand and the entire 100 Word Stories archive.

But wait, there’s more! If I select your story as my favorite, you’ll get ONE FULL YEAR comped! That means you get to read the entire serial from beginning to end for FREE!

I’m giving away 6 FULL YEAR comps and an unlimited number of 3 month comps every Friday till December 29th!

Time to flex your writing skills and share your best 50 words to add to mine! Clock is ticking on the second weekend giveaway that ends at 10pm EST on Sunday, December 3rd.

IMAGE PROMPT

I’ve always felt there was something so majestic about horses running wild and free. Where are they going? Where have they been? Tell their story, please, I beg you…

A 100 WORD STORY COLLABORATION

[MY 50 WORDS]

Every five years the great stampede of horses can be heard, and felt, from miles away. Townsfolk are cautioned to stay clear of dirt roads until they’ve passed through safely.

No one knows where they come from or where they’re going, though many have tried and failed to find out.

Write your 50 words to follow mine, then copy/paste them into the comments. Be sure to put “[My 50 Words]” first so I know it’s an official entry.

REMINDER: You don’t have to write your story just on Fridays! Take this sentiment and free write all weekend long!

HOW TO JOIN THE COLLABORATION

I write 50 words (see above) then you write an additional 50 words.
My 50 must start. Your 50 must follow.
You have all weekend long to copy/paste your 50 words into the COMMENTS section of this post.
My 50 words will always use the IMAGE PROMPT as inspiration.
I will select my favorite 50 word addition to my story and share it in the following ways:
- Substack Notes (you will get tagged as well)
- Upcoming First Edition email on December 1st and January 1st (respectively)

If you are up for this challenge scroll to my 50 words BENEATH the IMAGE PROMPT! Good luck!

JUST WANNA WRITE YOUR OWN 100 WORD STORY?

Here’s how:

Write exactly 100 words. Not 99 or 101. The Word Count Police are tracking!
Genre? Writer’s choice! So long as you give us all the thrills and the feels.
To Fic or to Non-Fic? You decide. What matters most is that you’re satisfied with the output.
Copy/paste your words in the comments, then share on your own Substack, and maybe, share to social media!
A Note on Substack Notes | Click the 🔄 “Restack with a Note” and copy/paste your story for added reach and growth.

Erica Drayton Writes

Queen of 💯 Word Stories.

The Man Behind the Screen

December 1, 2023

[MY 50 WORDS]
(Every five years the great stampede of horses can be heard, and felt, from miles away. Townsfolk are cautioned to stay clear of dirt roads until they’ve passed through safely.

No one knows where they come from or where they’re going, though many have tried and failed to find out.)

But little Jim Prichard was determined to learn, no matter what Pa said about the danger. Horses were his favorite! He’d ride one someday, with six shooter in hand and a seven-pointed star on his breast!

So he walked over sand and field, looking for where the horses came from.

Reply
Rolando Andrade

December 1, 2023

[MY 50 WORDS]
(Every five years the great stampede of horses can be heard, and felt, from miles away. Townsfolk are cautioned to stay clear of dirt roads until they’ve passed through safely.

No one knows where they come from or where they’re going, though many have tried and failed to find out.)

But, when the fence opened, all the horses hesitated. The first glimpse of freedom can be frightening.

It’s always easier to face fear when you’re part of a herd. When the black horse went through the gate, everyone followed the first who had the courage to go through the unknown.

Reply
Alice Meredith

December 1, 2023

[MY 50 WORDS]
(Every five years the great stampede of horses can be heard, and felt, from miles away. Townsfolk are cautioned to stay clear of dirt roads until they’ve passed through safely.

No one knows where they come from or where they’re going, though many have tried and failed to find out.) But they always left something behind – pennies. One penny for each horse the old folk used to say.

As soon as the last hoof beats faded in the distance, the children would begin to search the town, but this year they found none. Instead, they found nickels. Must be inflation.

Reply
Pipp Warner

December 1, 2023

[MY 50 WORDS]
Every five years the great stampede of horses can be heard, and felt, from miles away. Townsfolk are cautioned to stay clear of dirt roads until they’ve passed through safely.

No one knows where they come from or where they’re going, though many have tried and failed to find out.
This year townsfolk saw a lone ranger riding with them. Rides without a saddle. Sleeps wild. He doesn’t speak but understands horses and they understand him.
He talks in sign. Says there’s no rain to the north. Predator’s moved south. River smells dry and the warning screamed in the wind.

Reply
Michael S. Atkinson

December 2, 2023

[My 50 Words]
Every five years the great stampede of horses can be heard, and felt, from miles away. Townsfolk are cautioned to stay clear of dirt roads until they’ve passed through safely.
No one knows where they come from or where they’re going, though many have tried and failed to find out. The curious thing is that you can’t actually see neither hide nor hair of them, just the thunder of their hooves, the shaking of the roads, and the sound of their passing.
Unfortunately, if you do chance to see one of those horses, well, no one ever sees you again.

Reply
Sara Dietz

December 4, 2023

[ERICA’S 50 WORDS]
Every five years the great stampede of horses can be heard, and felt, from miles away. Townsfolk are cautioned to stay clear of dirt roads until they’ve passed through safely.
No one knows where they come from or where they’re going, though many have tried and failed to find out.

[SARA’S 50 WORDS]
Newcomers to the area never believe the stories. They try to get too close. This year, the town had five funerals after the horses ran through.
One of them was mine. I wasn’t there for it, but I heard it was lovely.
I can’t wait to see where we’re going.

Posting on mobile so I can’t share to Notes but I’ll see if I can figure it out!

Reply
Joseph Wiess

December 4, 2023

(Erica’s 50 words)
Every five years the great stampede of horses can be heard, and felt, from miles away. Townsfolk are cautioned to stay clear of dirt roads until they’ve passed through safely.

No one knows where they come from or where they’re going, though many have tried and failed to find out.

(my 50)
Ulrich adjusted his leather jerkin as he watched the wild herd go rushing around the farmer’s hovel.
He needed a horse and the only way to get one was to capture and tame one.
It was then that he saw the black stallion, “Yip, yip,” and the chase was on.

Reply

Erica Drayton Writes