Story idea:
Title: The House at the End of the Trail.
A mysterious trail appears in the wilderness that leads back to a house, but the house appears different to anyone who finds it.
Sunny fall days are rare in Valdez, Alaska. The autumn here is usually full of clouds, rain, and encroaching snow that powders the mountaintops. So, when we are gifted a clear blue sky, you have to enjoy it to the fullest.
That was what my wife and I did when the clouds decided to part. Hiking a trail we’ve hiked many times before, we enjoyed the warm sun and gorgeous views. But as we descended the trail, we came to a fork we’d never explored before. Not wanting to waste any of the sunshine, we decided to go left instead of the customary right. What we thought was just a loop that would lead us back to the main trail, we ended up stumbling upon a path we’d never seen before.
The path lead us to a pond, a waterfall, a stream, and it kept on going. It wasn’t long before we started wondering where the trail would end and what we’d find there.
Earlier in the hike, the trail passed by a downed tree on a hill. The way the tree fell and split, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the peaked roof of a house. And so, that image began to take root in my mind.
What if the trail ended at a house?
My wife and I started throwing out ideas of what kind of house we’d find. An old farmhouse. A treehouse. A house from our youth. A gingerbread house. A witches house. A house from the past. A house from the future.
But what if the house is all of those houses? What if anyone who finds it, finds something different.
This is a story idea without characters, plot, or action. But it has a destination. Who will find the house? What will they see? The answers await me at the end of the trail.
What magically appearing path have created a story for you?
Start your story in the comments below…