Arid

The Prompt

Write a story that ends in a desert setting with this last sentence:

In previous challenges, we have given you the first sentence to inspire your story. This time, we're flipping the script by giving you the last. Your imagination is the key to unlocking countless possibilities as you develop characters, settings, and plot twists that all coalesce into that final evocative line.

The genre of the story is entirely up to you, whether you wish to explore the mysteries of the dunes, weave a romantic tale around an oasis, embark on an adventure through the desert's harsh terrain, or take readers on a surreal science fiction journey across the barren landscape (just don't copy "Dune"!). Take note that your story does not have to start in the desert, but it must end there.

In order for your submission to qualify, it must:

The Prizes

• Grand Prize: $700
• Second Place: $200
• 5 Runners-Up: $20

For your story to be eligible, it should be between 600 and 5,000 words, and adhere to our Community Guidelines. Stories published on Vocal and entered into the contest up until 11:59 PM ET on November 26, 2023 will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.

The Arid Challenge is exclusive to Vocal+ members. To learn more and upgrade to Vocal+ visit https://vocal.media/vocal-plus.

To be eligible to win the grand prize, second place, or runners-up prizes, you must be over the age of 13 and residing in a country where Stripe is available at the time of entry. A complete list of countries where Stripe is available can be found here—winners will need to have a Stripe account created and connected in order to receive the prizes. For this reason, entrants located outside of any of these countries will not be eligible to win.