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

“Wiggling” by Chris D

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city; it's magic. It's a conglomeration of fantasies melded into a world that she dare not leave, for fear of not finding her way back. It's been three weeks in this city. Three weeks of utter bliss and perfection after waking up in that chair. For once, that chair didn't have wheels. For once, her feet moved one in front of the other, from that chair to the front door. It's her own little universe, where the lawn is freshly mowed, but you never hear a mower. All you hear are birds singing songs, and childre...

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“Moving On ” by Cora Barlow

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city. You never know what’s going to happen,” Mark told his friend. The two boys were walking along the dirty, rust-covered streets of Zrada, the Beautiful City. Or so it was called. In Mark’s opinion, it was just a giant mud pit that tried to pass itself off as an oasis. He and his friend, Noah, were going to the food market, which wasn’t much more than a few shops selling different flavors of paste. Actual food was long gone; most people didn’t know what an apple tasted like. “What do you think? Bread or...

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“City Of Dreams” by David Zasloff

Submitted to Contest #85

That's the thing about this city...it's not very big, but it acts like it's a major metropolis. I'll explain. You know how in a big city you have to wait at intersections even when the light is green because some dope going across didn't quite make it all the way across? It's like that here because the city can't afford the computers to synchronize the traffic lights. So you wind up waiting at the green light while the cars behind you honk and honk, as if you could just go through the car in front of you. You know how in a big city you m...

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“BRAIN FREEZE” by Ronja Wang

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city, it rots you from the inside out. Slithering down your throat to make a coiled home deep in your tummy, twisting, turning, beating like an extra heart. Eleanor pushes off from the ground and she soars on the swing, eyes closed, head tilted back. Higher and higher. On the swing next to her, Katinka isn’t moving. She blinks, and an eyelash stabs her in the eye. She pulls at it, unafraid, pressing it between two fingers like a tiny fairy wing. ‘El,’ she says. Her voice is like a cough, her mo...

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“Dancer's Fight Club” by Franchesca Patino

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city, there's more to it than meets the eye. I was born into one of the richest families in Manhattan. I come from a long line of people who worked boring office jobs to make their way to the top of Corporate America with not a single creative bone in their body. I’ve lived in Manhattan my entire life; I’ve been to every museum it has to offer, gone to every charity ball or unnecessary banquet with my family, seen more than 10 Broadway shows, have visited the statue of liberty, and been to the ...

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“THE CITY CALLED HOME” by Claire Tennant

Submitted to Contest #85

The thing about this city is, it is home; home to many people, including immigrants; who, having left their shores for a life in the lucky country, worked hard to make a place for themselves and their families; and their families, in turn, never looked back. In the sixties, when we came, life was tough, the immigrants were tougher, the children learned to be, and laughed and cried together or apart, which strengthened them, and their resolve, to push forward regardless of opposition. Ah, it was the sixties though, and, well, ...

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“Why...” by Sophia Selby

Submitted to Contest #85

That's the thing about this city, that is what I am always wondering. Why? I can never leave this city and day after day after day, I ask myself why. Simply just why. Why can't I leave? Why can't I move away? I have dreamed of moving away, far away to a small countryside in Britain, climbing out onto the rooftop of a small cozy cottage at the absolute crack of dawn, just when you can barely see the sun peeking out from behind the mountains and tall, thick, pine. When it looks like someone just put a miniature, almost microscopical dot in the...

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“Style and profile are what matters” by Greg Ford

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city. No matter how many times I drive through it or traverse it by foot, I get the same impression. This metropolis of the Southwest values style over substance. Straight south of us, about four hours away, is Houston, a place I don’t particularly care for, but one that does have a certain distinctiveness and flair. For one, officials decided long ago not having any zoning, which means, arguably, you could see a slaughterhouse right next to a senior citizen’s home. It’s the kind of quirkiness for which a number o...

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“City Of Feels” by Adesola Toluhi

Submitted to Contest #85

See that's the thing about this city everyday is not the same the feelings even if we don't admit it sometimes its different its either anger or happiness or just plain relief that something is always going to be there or it isn't and sometimes it's the fun or the legendary "special" skilled drivers and the skilled is quoted for a reason, if you know what I mean, see that's the things about this city people know it for different reasons and its weird when you meet someone that knows so much about the city you spent all your life grooming for...

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“The City” by Scott Chadwick

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city. It’s better to have things done early, ” Brian’s landlord warned. “You have to pay rent if you want a place to stay. Tomorrow! On time!” The landlord’s guttural emphasis drifted as Brian floated through an agitated night’s sleep. Toxic yellow sunlight infiltrated his weary dreams. I’m late! He threw his blankets aside, hurried to a window, parted the curtains. Ash was falling from the sky again. Sunlight meagre as it was, hushed shadows into nocturnal hiding places. He peered outside. He had no idea what th...

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“The City of Meat and Bones” by Astrid Harper

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city, glamorous on the outside, rotten on the inside. Each of us was shredded into meat and bones walking, disguised in decent outfits twice the value of our individualities. She thought survival was easy in college. She succeeded in each semester with a row of shimmering Grade A. They told her studying well is the only pathway to get a job, earn a living and survive so she finished her bachelor degree with a First Honour. But they didn’t tell her that her academic record card is never handy to win bread from...

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“Where Am I?” by Hugh Russel

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city, everything is perfect, it’s so fabulous that foreigners fill the streets, the restaurants and the shops. I know it sounds ungrateful and selfish, but there are times when I think we’d just like to have the place to ourselves. My city is for my people. Wherever I go there are strangers in the way, prattling on in languages I don’t understand. What’s really irritating is that a lot of them expect me, or us, to be fluent in whatever it is they’re speaking. Time for a confession. I’m not from here either, but I’...

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“Transplanted Grass” by Rebecca Nestor

Submitted to Contest #85

I could remember stepping out of the airport for the first time and sheilding my eyes from the sun, like a lazy salute to the blue Virginia sky. This land had long been tamed and industrialized. That's the thing about this city, it's rich history, dusty buildings, and bumper to bumper traffic seem to be all it has to offer and I could see right away that what I had feared wasn't too far off from reality. Unfortuntly, there weren't any small drive-thru coffee shops, There wasn't anyone on the side of the road selling hand-knitted blankets and...

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“City Surprises” by Jonathan Shephard

Submitted to Contest #85

The thing about this city is that it never stops to amaze people. Skyscrapers with shining metal bounce the bright sun down into people-packed street sidewalks, and the sun’s rays give the people of Mark City a smile however small. Mike stepped out of his apartment building and started walking up the sidewalk, passing the barely leafy trees that refused to be taken by the city concrete. A chilly wind ruffled his messy black hair, and he pulled the black coat collar up his neck. The cold nibbled at it, and his peach-pale skin wouldn’t suffer ...

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“Better” by J.C. Martin

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing ‘bout this city, everyone thinks issa land of opportunity, gold, ‘n riches. They listen to the stories and eat up the lies. They think whatever they gonna find here will make their life better. Then they arrive and all they wanna do is leave. Talk ‘bout leavin’, plan on leavin’, save up supplies for leavin’. But, that’s the thing about this city. No one leaves. Ever.” A loud, wet burp followed the proclamation and Arnen looked up at the sailor - more likely pirate - as he spoke to her. His neck was shadowed with coarse hair...

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 283 stories

“Wiggling” by Chris D

“Moving On ” by Cora Barlow

“City Of Dreams” by David Zasloff

“BRAIN FREEZE” by Ronja Wang

“Dancer's Fight Club” by Franchesca Patino

“THE CITY CALLED HOME” by Claire Tennant

“Why...” by Sophia Selby

“Style and profile are what matters” by Greg Ford

“City Of Feels” by Adesola Toluhi

“The City” by Scott Chadwick

“The City of Meat and Bones” by Astrid Harper

“Where Am I?” by Hugh Russel

“Transplanted Grass” by Rebecca Nestor

“City Surprises” by Jonathan Shephard

“Better” by J.C. Martin

🌟 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: