Start your story with the line, “That’s the thing about this city…”

Posted in Adults on Oct 25, 2022

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✍️ 283 stories

“The Hidden Force of Tempered Glass” by Zilla Babbitt

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city—it looks like it’s made all of glass. The city seems so big and hardy, full of stretching alleys and ever-expanding secret holes and infinite dim-lit streets. And at night the skyscrapers, glassy and poignant, are the only things marking the path to the sky. There is the big one Mom and I called the Keyhole, because there is a gap at the top that some huge god-sized key might unlock. To where we didn’t know. Narnia, probably. Heaven, Mom always said. “El cielo.” She is like that. She loves the city. It i...

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“the city called you, they want their angst back ” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city. It gets inside your head, makes you think that for once in your life, you’re gonna do something great. It makes you think that every time you walk by a stranger on the street, that they could mean something to you, so every time you leave the house you dress up and you look nice and you run those streets as though you own them, and they don’t own you. In the city, you don’t think anything owns you till it’s too late, and you’re lying in your room and looking up at a ceiling that doubles as the floor for the ...

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“Hold Me” by Writer Maniac

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city: it is always alive. It is like a long winding creature, always moving, always breathing, its heart always beating rapidly, fueled by the oxygen of our hopes, dreams and expectations. Our lives entangle and separate, but the city never stops for anyone. Everyone is a part of this city, and the city is a part of everyone. It is always a looming presence, sometimes a comfort, sometimes a luxury. I sometimes wish I were as alive as the city. Maybe then people would stay, just for the joy of listening to my...

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“A Saint Patrick's Day Green Snake Story” by Stevie B

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city—you can meet the strangest people who’ll tell you the strangest stories…“To Seamus!” all the Irish diaspora who were drinking their heavy, dark Guinness stouts and green tinted beers on Saint Patrick’s Day at The Blarney Stone Pub, located somewhere in the West 30s neighborhood within the concrete-canyons of New York City, loudly toasted. “To Seamus O’Malley and his sorry Saint Patrick's Day snake bitten arse!” another patron of the pub proclaimed and which elicited gales of laughter from the other Gaeli...

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“Bleeding Skies with Lost Wings” by Amiable Sorceress

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city…it was once home to flying humans. The sun was a cracked yolk-shell, spilling crusty yellow and frosted blue across the skies. Plastic bags flit along with the dully quiet interstate, shed of anything except the squat fire extinguishers and sidewalks following its path. Imani followed the road, cracking her knuckles to break the silence which often made her cry rivers under the protective shade. Sometimes, as she walked, she kneeled to lift a smooth stone from the street. They may have been aimed at house...

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“An Eidolon Named Night” by . .

Submitted to Contest #85

** This story has lines from Edgar Allan Poe's poem Dream-Land, my favorite poem, and you can see by now that EAP is one of my favorite authors as this is the second story that has a poem of his in it. I hope you enjoy it in all of its oddness.**By a route obscure and lonelyHaunted by ill angels onlyWhere an Eidolon named NightOn a black throne reigns upright“Tha’s the thing about this village,” Old Nula intoned, “darkness is evil.” She had her stand near packed up by then. Lime and ice had tinged the road lime like the color of her rags, so...

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“Enchanted, Enchanting” by Nainika Gupta

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city, angel. It never grows old.” Asmodeus said, sighing as we watched the sun sink below the skyline of Chicago. I murmured in agreement. “Mm, even when the Fire came and roared through the city, we bounced back like nothing happened,” I replied. I saw him shift uncomfortably at the mention of the Chicago Fire and grinned to myself. He sat on the park bench for a long moment before turning to me. “Any plans for this evening?” He asked. I shrugged. “I was going to try that new deep-dish pizza pl...

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“thursday night open mic” by Natalie Strawbridge

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city, I thought, as I examined the business card between my thumb and forefinger. Just when you think it’s time to pack up and leave, it sends you someone offering to change your life. Cady returned from the bar, balancing a quizzical expression and two drinks – mojito for me, something bright orange for her. She carefully set the mojito on a coaster and slid it towards me. “Who was that?” she asked, inclining her head toward the man I’d just spoken to, now leaning against the far wall. She dropped her voice to ...

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“The Distortionist” by 𝔼𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕟 ✳🏳️‍🌈

Submitted to Contest #85

That's the thing about this city; since father practically runs it, everyone is fake. They are mirrors to my face, reflecting what they wish for me to see. The only- "So, Jonathan..." My eyes bolt up to the woman before me, her thin curly hair piled stiffly upon her head. To perforate my thoughts is something only she could do, dastardly woman. "I was still wondering why you summoned me..." her deep, dark skin plunges straight between her form-fitting dress. I do wonder where mother finds these women. "I didn't," I flash her the trademark sm...

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“Nothing Changes” by ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕒 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕨 🏳️‍🌈 (inactive For The Summer)

Submitted to Contest #85

“That's the thing about this city,” Will said, looking at the two lane highway. “Nothing changes, nothing stays the same.” “Wow, Will, that was real philosophical.” I shoved him playfully on the arm. “What?” He asked. “Just because I’m a handsome skier doesn’t mean I’m a total airhead.” I giggled. “Riley Grace!” My mom called. “Young man, why are you still here?” Will Jackson, my boyfriend, looked up at my mom. “Sorry, ma’am. I’ll be going now.” He stood up from his seat on the stairs and trudged through the mud as soft flakes started to fal...

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“The Rogue One ” by Lemon Lime

Submitted to Contest #85

"That's the thing about this city, we can't hope to change anything without making it worse," a voice rumbled from downstairs."But Matthew, the council was supposed to meet the other day and discuss...""Oh, what do they know? A bunch of idiots. I told you, the main roads aren't functional, and the fire hydrants are still frozen.""What difference does that make? It's winter, for crying out loud! You're aware the fire station's been shuttered for three months now, aren't you? This place is a miserable excuse for a - you know what? I'm wasting ...

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“All because of a Gold Bar” by Niveeidha Palani

Submitted to Contest #85

"That's the thing about this city," Elias sighed."What?"Dale unloaded laundry into a neon orange patterned basket. "Eli, I'm going to the launders. Do you want me to do yours?" she asked, staring at the stack of shirts and jumbled-up shorts and boxers piled up against the wall.Elias bit his lip. "Yeah, whatever. I planned to take them in next week. But, sure. Anyways, there's too much crime in the city. They just reported a rob in the bank today morn'."Dale set the basket onto the floor, and pulled up a polished chair, fanning herself. "Boy,...

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“More than Words to Say” by Williwaw Puleon

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city, everyone cares about you. Me and my Dad were once alien to the heavenly city of Salem, we just got into our new roof. After mother transcends due to COVID, father apprehends that we should move to forget the pain of loss, yet I dictate him not. “We should stay near in the graveyard of mom, she told me to keep the house clean, since she will be gone for a long time,” I seriously told him, perhaps he will decline his verdict though it was just a lie. Dad is mama’s chauffer, he unceasingly tailed mom wherever s...

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“The 10-hour city” by H L McQuaid

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city,” I say as the shot of tequila burns its way down my throat. "Too many fucking bridges.” The bartender nods in sympathy, the green bottle poised for another tip into my gullet. “More?” he asks.I tilt my head back.“Closer,” he says, raising the bottle, “I can’t reach ‘at far.” I lean towards him, and he pours another shot into my mouth.“More,” I sputter. But he’s already walking away, along the two-foot width of the wooden bar, stepping over a shot glass, and weaving between two pints of lager and a...

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“The Neverending Sisters” by Valerie June

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city,It’s where sorrowful harmonic ditties,Are sung year round.This city of music is full of unexpected twists and turns,Where two maidens rule with equal power over the place they do call home,Their palace is a colossal dome,And their citizens roam underneath it.Waltzing their palace with plenty of joy,Both by dawn and dusk,The maidens’ fairy sprites,Their most loyal attendants,Keep them company both day and night.Yet the two twin maidens are sisters in disguise,One the mistress of illusions and the other heir to...

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Start your story with the line, “That’s the thing about this city…”

Submissions are closed

✍️ 283 stories

“The Hidden Force of Tempered Glass” by Zilla Babbitt

“the city called you, they want their angst back ” by Jubilee Forbess

“Hold Me” by Writer Maniac

“A Saint Patrick's Day Green Snake Story” by Stevie B

“Bleeding Skies with Lost Wings” by Amiable Sorceress

“An Eidolon Named Night” by . .

“Enchanted, Enchanting” by Nainika Gupta

“thursday night open mic” by Natalie Strawbridge

“The Distortionist” by 𝔼𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕟 ✳🏳️‍🌈

“Nothing Changes” by ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕒 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕨 🏳️‍🌈 (inactive For The Summer)

“The Rogue One ” by Lemon Lime

“All because of a Gold Bar” by Niveeidha Palani

“More than Words to Say” by Williwaw Puleon

“The 10-hour city” by H L McQuaid

“The Neverending Sisters” by Valerie June

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story in a major city that your character has a love-hate relationship with.

Write a story that takes place in the same building but in two very different time periods.

Write about someone fighting to change their city neighborhood for the better.

Write about someone fighting to keep their city neighborhood the same.

Contest #85

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

671

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: