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

“Toxic love” by Alexandra Bilanin

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city – nothing ever truly changes. Crystal-like dew has set on leaves and petals, alike. Shadows passing come creeping over to our open window, slide into the room and leave in a blink. The chilly air of early morning smells like pastries and perfume and plight. The sound of something crashing makes me jump. I reach for the knife I have hidden in the mattress, blade dressed in thick cloth so it doesn’t pierce it through. Jumping lightly over creaking boards, I make my way towards the door. Silence hangs h...

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“ THE FREEDOM AT LAST” by Adebiyi Ayobami

Submitted to Contest #85

SO "THATS THE THING ABOUT THIS CITY" just hope it gets better one day. b....oooo.......ooo.... again gun shot riffles filled the air ooooooooooooooo(humming sound) I don't seem to hear anything again it seems my tympanic membrane has finally bursted. Can you hear me? Can you? What are you saying? I can't hear you Keily, her girlfriend replied. The ambiance of the atmosphere remained like a tv set having a transmitter without a receiver this went on for a while and after some little minutes they regained their cons...

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“Skyline” by Sylvester Savage

Submitted to Contest #85

"That's the thing about this city...""Whad ya mean stranger?"Cyde looked at his bartender in the deep crevasse of his mug. The bartender had a relatively mean and chiseled look, but Clyde was just too drunk to care. His liquid bravery has built up enough that even talking to the kingpin would be like talking to his spoiling mother."Ain't nobody got any damn respect around here!" Clyde said with a scoff half slurring and flailing his arms."Well that may be, but I ain't eva heard a problem a good bourbon n smoke didn't solve."These two men wer...

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“Only In Bangkok!” by Colin Devonshire

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city, you can do anything here,” said Pope. “Why do they call you Pope?” “The simple answer, it’s my name.” “Yeah? I don’t believe you.” “And I’m supposed to believe Gratis is your name?” The two men laughed and drained their beers. “You were saying about the city?” asked Gratis. “You can get away with a lot more here. We have a similar problem.” “You don’t know me, how can you know about my problems, if I have any?” “Because I can read,” said Pope. “What do you mean?” “You are on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, ...

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“Too Sweet to be True” by Ali Anthony Bell

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city…” Alex was thinking to himself as Lena walked towards him “…so many beautiful women”. They had crossed paths several times recently, so they’d both realized that they were neighbors. Roy Orbison was singing in Alexander’s head ‘I don't believe you. You're not the truth. No one could look as good as you. Mercy!’ Flowing from under a black fedora, her blond curls fell freely over her black wool trench coat. A fuzzy white turtleneck softened her allure, and her cerulean eyes were gleaming with a look of appreci...

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“Paved with Blood and Tears” by Kathleen M.

Submitted to Contest #85

TW: hallucinations, panic attacks, and depictions of burning to death Dedicated to the friend who helped me build this world. *** “That’s the thing about this city…” I muttered into my glass. "It keeps you prisoner. There's always a job and a room for you, but at the cost of your freedom." The man next to me gave me a strange look, and the bartender topped him off. "It's not all bad here." She reassured him. He wasn't upset by my statement, he was confused because that was the start of our conversation. I continued, "You're new in town...

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“Downtown Survey” by Fatuma Abdullah

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city is its intensity. Downtown is not a place for claustrophobics. In the streets you drown in the noise of the bustling minibuses - ‘the matatus’, the hawkers haggle you to buy something or anything, the pace is quick, and you need to watch your step, the potholes are ankle twisters. You have to channel your inner Jason Borne, stay focused, notice everything and be adaptable.” said Mr. Liberman over the microphone. “Talk about drama., that’s just pure exaggeration.” Zoma whispered to Suzie standing next to her ...

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“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 ...

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“That’s the thing about this city” by Adeusi Pelumi

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city with brown roofs,untarred roads, incomplete buildings,so dusty that you sneeze from time to time,beggars to the north,the homeless to the south,the elites to the east and the middlemen to the west,everyone moves about with no iota of care in the world. There is a passage with strange people,it feels like a path for a strange meeting and you want to run,mats by your right, beds to the left,blood stains everywhere, it looks like a work of art,cries here and there and it feels like you will go deaf.There is this...

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“A living, breathing entity.” by Joey Olivier

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city: it sucks you in. You become a part of this city, like a streetlight, a length of pavement or a building. I always wanted to be part of the buildings – standing tall, everyone noticing me, taking pictures with me – but buildings are demolished. They are torn down and renovated, rebuilt. I did not want to change to fit into the trends of the time. If I had an imposing gothic-inspired exterior, I would not want to change to a modern, contemporary façade. Did I want to be a streetlight? Yes. I wanted to shine ...

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“Rooftop And Starlight's” by Alison Bolden

Submitted to Contest #85

"That's the thing about this city" said Thomas, "yes it never sleeps" replied Henry, feeling quite drained at this point. "listen, do you hear that? said Thomas, "hear what! responded Henry, gritting his teeth as the pain shot up his right arm, he was trying not scream out in agony, he didn't want to give Thomas the satisfactory. "you see, Henry the world is a small place, nowhere to run, nowhere to hide" Thomas turned and locked eyes with Henry, as he was slumped on the cold concrete roof top balcony, "Thomas listen man, we can work this ou...

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“The thing about this city” by Rebel Holly

Submitted to Contest #85

That's the thing about this city, cars are always honking, sirens blaring, people yelling and cursing. It's just another day in the city. Never is there a second of peace. Apartments cost twice the amount of houses in the country yet twice as cramped. That's just life I guess. Never as relaxing as they say. Even though there are many different negatives to focus on there's experience gained from it. Throughout my time I have learned to study, study people. People are an interesting group. The more you think you know about t...

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“The Bloodstained City (part 2)” by Ashlyn Anderson

Submitted to Contest #85

That’s the thing about this city, the green-eyed girl thought sourly as she looked down at her chess game, blood has been spilled and no one cares. Well, now that will change. The girl reached for her pawn to move it forward but stopped. Her left arm burned and moments of time coursed through her veins. Images of the brown-eyed girl filled her mind. The brown-eyed girl sat in a completely white room, in front of a chessboard exactly like hers. The brown-eyed girl moved her pawn forward with a blank expression on her face. The green-eyed girl...

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“THE CITY WHERE THE TRAVELLERE DECEDIED TO SETTLE ” by Maryam Farooq

Submitted to Contest #85

28 November 1770 That's the thing about this city,it doesn't leave me.It stays with me ,no matter where I go and what I do .It will stay at the back of my mind .It never let's me go.It haunts me .I keep thinking about it even when I don't want to . I'm trying to have a good time ,relaxing talking to Anis and then all of a sudden I start getting flashbacks,I am reminded of the misery ,the pain ,the hurt .I remember how my heartbroke and I can feel it all over again ,the agony .The pain so unbearable that I can't take it anymore .It hurt...

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“Grime” by Eric Bell

Submitted to Contest #85

“That’s the thing about this city…” he thought to himself. “There’s never any doubt whether you’re the hunted or the hunter, the taken or the taker.” Every night, Jerry walked this same street, and every night, he would see something that maintained his utter lack of faith in humanity. “It’s a good thing there’s no bridge on this route,” he would often think. He had actually changed his path home from work to specifically exclude one tall bridge already. Some days it was just too hard not to ...

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 283 stories

“Toxic love” by Alexandra Bilanin

“ THE FREEDOM AT LAST” by Adebiyi Ayobami

“Skyline” by Sylvester Savage

“Only In Bangkok!” by Colin Devonshire

“Too Sweet to be True” by Ali Anthony Bell

“Paved with Blood and Tears” by Kathleen M.

“Downtown Survey” by Fatuma Abdullah

“Mistake On The Lake” by Debra Sue Brice

“That’s the thing about this city” by Adeusi Pelumi

“A living, breathing entity.” by Joey Olivier

“Rooftop And Starlight's” by Alison Bolden

“The thing about this city” by Rebel Holly

“The Bloodstained City (part 2)” by Ashlyn Anderson

“THE CITY WHERE THE TRAVELLERE DECEDIED TO SETTLE ” by Maryam Farooq

“Grime” by Eric Bell

🌟 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: