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

Posted in Adults on Oct 25, 2022

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 283 stories

“Club Harmony” by Miles Swanson

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city, it either steals your soul or you leave it before it can.” Wise words of sisterly advice run through Veronica’s mind as she contemplates what to do. Or at least her sister Reece thought it was advice as she made her once a year visit back to her younger sister in an attempt to pretend that she cares. That’s a lie, Veronica knew she cared but she needed help, needed something to go right for her for once and she was very annoyed how true those words were ringing lately.Life was a mess for her. Not like cheer...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Alex and Cassidy” by Anil Smith

Submitted to Contest #85

"That's the thing about this city... Alex... you love it but you hate it at the same time," Cassidy said. He and Alex were holding each other and crying. You might not understand right now, so let me rewind. Alex and Cassidy had been going strong for a year and 4 months, and they were already moving in together. But one day, Cassidy received a call. He got an internship at a law firm, the law firm he has wanted to work at forever. Alex was staying in New York, working at the famous sushi restaurant called Le Sushi Palais. Cassidy decided ...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Monsters” by Caroline Burkey

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city,” I tell the young girl. “You don’t want to go out at night. Monsters lurk in the shadows, and who knows what they will do to you.” She looks up at me with fear in her eyes, and I know she’ll take my words to heart. “I just wish we didn’t have to go out and get her medicine,” I say, nodding toward the bundled up figure on the couch. “Me too,” she whispers, glancing at the motionless figure. “We’ll be back,” I call out to the figure. “We’ll be careful. Take care until we’re back.” The ...

2 comments 2

Read story

“The Magic of Moldavite” by Bree Kokiri

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city…the magic is hiding all around you, you just have to know how to find it.” Her grandmother’s words echoed in her ears the entire walk over. The young witch’s eyes lit up with the brightly glowing “open” sign of the metaphysical shop. Mandy’s Magical Curios opened at 10 am on the dot, and she was ready to go in and start her journey into the world of crystals, candles, and spells. She barely noticed the woman behind the door, still unlocking it as she tried to shove her way in. “Hey squirt, watch it...

2 comments 2

Read story

“City Of Veilers” by Kaysie Davis

Submitted to Contest #85

That's the thing about this city; it was built in a spot where the veil between dimensions was thin. It was commonplace for people or things to pass through a temporary hole in the veil and land into our city. You would think that living in a town like this that I would have already seen it all. It's my job to find, catalog, and determine what to do with our city's new residents. The newly minted Rican City occupants, or veilers, as most people call them, are usually relatively easy to find homes and jobs for. For the most part, they are m...

5 comments 5

Read story

“My City” by D. Owen

Submitted to Contest #85

In the hushed hours between night and day, I leave without disturbing my peacefully sleeping family. Years ago there was a funny Dunkin Donut commercial in which the baker passes himself as he is coming and going. He mutters to himself. “It’s time to make the donuts.” There are times I have felt like that baker. Aware that local bar patrons may also be on the roads during these early hours, I stay keenly alert during my drive to the bakery especially approaching intersections. The Mrs. Shaw’s Bakery loading doc...

10 comments 10

Read story

“Moths to A Flame” by Erica Fransisca

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city; it attracts writers like moths to a flame.Legend has it that moths are drawn towards flames because they mistake its light for the moon. They say if you aim for the moon, at least you’ll land among the stars. Except, of course, when you crash into blazing hot light bulbs or burst into flames.As for me, I have known the city since it was a town, and the town since it was a village. It’s never intended to lure writers in, let alone trap them. Those poor souls, like the moths, always think they’ll find somethin...

4 comments 4

Read story

“These Streets Are Hard on a Girl ” by Dylan Harrison

Submitted to Contest #85

THESE STREETS Are Hard on a girl That’s the thing about this city: these streets are hard on a girl. You've known this for a while, but when you hold her head in your lap n watch her broken eyes stare up at you for the eleven minutes before the ambulance takes her away, you begin to know it in a different way. Two pink lines -- pale blood -- leak from her nose to where her lips peaked. They are still damp to the touch, but they are already cold. You'd met Mike at the old Drop-in the summer before, n when you’d bumped into him a...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Iris” by Katlin Shuherk

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city...nothing about it has been the same since that night. The night - twenty years ago - that my life was forever changed; the night that I watched the man who was supposed to be my father walk out on my mom and me after beating her until her face was unrecognizable. He stumbled out of the doorway and into the street leaving the woman he had vowed to love and protect in a pile of blood and tears. He threw us away that night. Moments before, I lay on top of her - shielding her from his blows. I was convinced he w...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Of Apartments, Boutiques, and Bars” by Aubrey Berry

Submitted to Contest #85

And that’s the thing about this city. No one really looks beyond the clubs, casinos, bars, and all that other crap. No one cares about the rest of the city. No one cares about the people on the street. No one cares about the people struggling to get a single scrap of food. Every. Single. Day. I mean, who would? A loud knocking suddenly erupted on the other side of the door leading to the crummy apartment Jessalyn lived in. She glanced up, the color dripping from her face like a popsicle on a hot summer day. She started shaking, but she didn...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Oz” by Esteban Fernandes

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city It only appears every 99 years during the seventh full moon of the year like magic at the top of the valley, overlooking this gentle river.” The old hag pointed in the direction of the hill with a flat area on top. “The clouds come overnight and in the morning at sunrise the city appears like gold for 24 hours till the next daylight and vanishes again for 99 years, it’s the Emerald City from the land of Oz. I met Dorothy once but that was so long ago I don’t at all remember when. She had th...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Celebration of commotion in the city.” by Saumya Dubey

Submitted to Contest #85

That's the thing about this city...You will come here all alone as a ignorant being but this city will give you gifts of realities that will urge you to live a life of soulfulness. Varanasi is a vibrant city of India blessed with river ganga and lost in it's own mysteries. This land has witnessed so many things in so many different ways and to avoid confrontations among different lifestyles among different mentalities different believes this city blends all of them into one. And that's makes this place mysterious. It's really very ...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Benny” by J. Shire

Submitted to Contest #85

*Warning: This story contains violence based on the true story of the countless victims of the “War on Drugs” regime in the Philippines. https://time.com/philippines-rodrigo-duterte-drug-war-local-photographers/ ---That’s the thing about this city, it never changes. Empty lots turn into subdivisions, old buildings get torn down to put up even bigger ones, and the exuberant little kids playing in the streets suddenly become grandparents stuffing their grandchildren with endless supplies of Choc Nut candy. But the chaotic ignorance that dwells...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Nigerian dream” by Esther Onumonu

Submitted to Contest #85

That's the thing about this city, it sucks you in, turning you into a mere flavor, an ingredient, just another addition to the city. You become Mama Kachi, the woman who bakes bean cakes down the road, or Aisha, the girl who braids hair, or simply Big Ben, the man who lives next door. No one wants to know what your favorite color is or what your mama always says or even what your dreams were, what you wanted to be when you grow up. You lose your individuality, that thing that made you unique back when you lived in the countryside; the fact t...

3 comments 3

Read story

“Mistake On The Lake” by Debra Sue Brice

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city. People can’t seem to forget our past, even though what happened here was decades ago. 1969 to be exact. Has everyone forgotten we’ve had three championship teams representing our community?” Julie scowled, taking a considerable bite out of her sandwich. The southwestern spice from her burger burned gently as she washed it down with a Mexican Coke. Julie and fellow coworker, Lucy, sat in the corner table at Wahlburgers restaurant in the heart of downtown on their lunch break. “What do they call you ...

0 comments 0

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

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

Middle School – 153 stories

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

Historical Fiction – 154 stories

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

Teens – 44 stories

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

Teens – 34 stories

Contest #85

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: City Living

$50

Prize money

671

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 19, 2021 EST

A winner will be announced soon.

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 283 stories

“Club Harmony” by Miles Swanson

“Alex and Cassidy” by Anil Smith

“Monsters” by Caroline Burkey

“The Magic of Moldavite” by Bree Kokiri

“City Of Veilers” by Kaysie Davis

“My City” by D. Owen

“Moths to A Flame” by Erica Fransisca

“These Streets Are Hard on a Girl ” by Dylan Harrison

“Iris” by Katlin Shuherk

“Of Apartments, Boutiques, and Bars” by Aubrey Berry

“Oz” by Esteban Fernandes

“Celebration of commotion in the city.” by Saumya Dubey

“Benny” by J. Shire

“The Nigerian dream” by Esther Onumonu

“Mistake On The Lake” by Debra Sue Brice

🌟 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: