Start your story with the line “We have plenty of time,” and/or end it with the line “We were never going to make it.”

Posted in Angst on Oct 25, 2022

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✍️ 47 stories

“The road to the end of the aisle” by Kerry Williams

Submitted to Contest #110

9 months to go “We have plenty of time” you tell me, eyes fixed on the TV whilst mine gaze down at sleek pages adorned with delicate white lace, pastel floral arrangements, and multi-layer cakes. “I’m just excited” I reply “and we have plenty to do - dress, rings, cake, music, venue. Will we do it here in Melbourne, or go elsewhere? Maybe somewhere tropical – I’d love a beach wedding!” “We’re not made of money” comes your response, and I try to hold back my annoyance at the fact that you don’t share my view that we shouldn’t be stingy...

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“Love Out There” by Princy K. Writes

Submitted to Contest #110

We have plenty of time.You and me.I, navigating us over winding trails, you silent by my side.My love.Today, I shattered open our memory trunk and overshared with the owl-shaped urn trapping in your free spirit. I spoke about your zealous eagerness to travel on new roads for discovering the unknowns. Burdening our pillows and cushions with tears, I massaged my collapsing chest, eclipsed by the pain of losing you.I read to it the love poem you penned for me:Fall in love soyour fingers caresseyelashes flickercheeks flush red.Fall in love soyou...

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“Frozen Dreams” by Bran Ram

Submitted to Contest #110

“We have plenty of time,” Caroline told me as we were arriving at her remote cabin on the banks of the Fort Liard river in the Northwest Territories. Caroline is a 39-year-old indie filmmaker living part-time on a homestead founded by an 82-year-old woman whose name escapes me now. A gracious woman (the octogenarian, not Caroline) who lives in a roughly hewn, hand-made log cabin at the centre of the property. Caroline wants me to believe that her cozy cabin is located in a lively environment. “Maybe before the farm clos...

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“Honesty” by Rachel Deeming

Submitted to Contest #110

“We’ve got plenty of time! Isn’t that what you always say? And yet, here we are again, scrambling around, attempting to get out the door to get there just before the hors d’oeuvres are served! Why does it always have to be like this, Simon?” Emma couldn’t stop herself. Her invective had been stored like water behind a cracking dam for so long, waiting for the chink to widen to allow it to come surging through. She knew that it would only take one more misdemeanour on the part of Simon to propel her into a rant. And here it was. He was such...

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“We Ran Out Of TIme” by Hosue Rodriguez

Submitted to Contest #110

“We have plenty of time.” Those words left a bitter taste in my mouth. I said that with a wide smile with a lot of hope for the future. I can gladly say it was years ago when I said them. I had years with them and that was a privilege that I had but the brilliant little boy holding my hands as we waited. It was a cold, sterile waiting room. It was a nightmare, but as real as it could be. If it was a dream, I would wake up from it in an instant and hold him in my arms. I would cry tears of joy and hate him for the ridiculous reason of getting...

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“Grasping the Sun” by Ethan Wagner

Submitted to Contest #110

I remember those days. Sitting out on that hill. Finding some tree to perch ourselves on. Sun setting on the horizon. Bringing with it complexes in the sky of varying hues and intensity. With colors that changed as it set, from vibrant oranges to deep indigos or even a bronze-like color that stretched across those thick white clouds. I’ll always remember your face as we watched them. How content you were. Seeing the relief on those deep brown eyes. They’d glow like bronze in that sun, just like the bronze that colored the clouds. A polish...

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“Windward” by Nora Sheppard

Submitted to Contest #110

"We have plenty of time." It had become our mantra. My husband, Bill, and I, Sally, met when we were both 40; we married at 41. Neither of us had children and were unsure if we could achieve pregnancy at our age. I knew the stats; on average, a woman my age had only 3 percent of viable eggs remaining. In any case, we wanted children and hoped it would just happen. In vitro could be difficult and expensive. My doctor said we needed to relax and discard the ovulation kits. Babies happen when you don’t try so hard. I was a sociology professo...

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“It's always the quiet ones. ” by Shivali Anand

Submitted to Contest #110

"We have plenty of time, love. Don't worry." Mr. Macintosh yelled from his room to his now impatient wife. Peter Macintosh had stared at himself in the mirror, looking at the white suit jacket and black vest on him. Looking every bit the CEO of the most notorious insurance company that Texas had to offer. "You're not going to say that when your brother scolds us for turning up late to his party.” the woman yelled back, igniting a chuckle from him. His wife Lilah always kept him on his toes, always sensing whenever a sense of danger ...

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“I Believed...” by Mariah Messimer

Submitted to Contest #110

We have plenty of time. We have the rest of our lives. That’s what you told me anyway and like the love struck fool I was I believed it each and every time. I knew that I had met you at a difficult time. The beautiful blue skies and radiant sunshine brought about a lot of work for you. I knew it was the busiest time of year for you when I chose to commit to loving you. I told myself that if I could just make it through the warm months I would get you all to myself as soon as the chilling winds rolled in and that first blanket of snow caresse...

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“Time Flies, But Sometimes It Crashes.” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #110

There was no conceivable way that either of Angie or I could say with any truth, “We have plenty of time” because we certainly did not on this occasion. But neither of us likes to rush through getting ready. It makes our minds forget some of the things that we should either do or bring with us. We did surely want to get to the airport on time so that we could meet up with and say ‘goodbye’ to our daughter Vivian before she left for her vacation in Paris. She had been busy on the weekend with her preparations for the trip, so...

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“Sunday Drive ” by Sabrina Rose

Submitted to Contest #110

"There’s always enough time to stop and smell the roses.” I said to myself smelling a fat sherbet color rose. I was watering my rose garden on another Sunny Sunday in Silicone Valley Suburbia (of course this isn’t the real name but due to the high volume of people equipped with silicone parts it seemed fitting to me). Although I can’t make too much fun, I have my own pal made of silicone, his name ADAM, that I built with my own two hands and one big brain coming by years of inspiration from too many sci-fi movies and ...

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“Among the Trees” by Aner Tal

Submitted to Contest #110

Among the Trees “We have plenty of time.” Your voice is warm, an almost palpable touch of heat gently caressing my ear. I smile. I can tell you are too, sitting beside me. My leg is cramping. Ten hours on the road is a long time, and the road still lies long ahead, stretching to an endless dark horizon. “That’s, yeah, that’s what I’m worried about.” I laugh. I try stretching my leg without removing it from the gas pedal. I think of how nice it would be if the old Chevrolet was of the self driving sort, the sort that takes you to where...

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“Time Makes Children” by Mike Rhodes

Submitted to Contest #110

Just from looking at the back of her head, Nell knew what her sister was thinking. 'You wanna go explore, don't you?' Amy pulled her head back from the diner window and turned around. 'Don't you?' Nell looked out at a drab main street and the glimpse of some woods behind it. 'It's just another small town.' 'I'm not interested in the town, I want to see the woods.' 'It's just another wood,' Nell said. The leather squeaked as she sat on the opposite bench. Amy rolled her eyes. 'If we want to make it for the morning we can't stay long,' Nell re...

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“Robado Canyon, 2021” by J. Wilson Davis

Submitted to Contest #110

We have plenty of time, she yelled, slow down! as Todd threw bags into the back of the SUV. The gray air stank of old campfire and heat. Don’t panic. We can’t panic. She waddled to him with a load of photo albums bouncing against her 29-week belly. Why oh why hadn’t she had the damn things digitized last winter when they were just sitting around? If the house was going to burn, so be it. They had more than enough to replace it. But her babies were going to be able to hold a picture of their grand...

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“Self-defeating Prophecy” by Mari Swindley

Submitted to Contest #110

'We have plenty of time' is one of those phrases that really should not be uttered. For in the uttering it becomes a self-defeating prophecy. In this case, young Daniel spoke the thought out as his mother banged on his bedroom door for the third time that morning. "We will have plenty of time, if we are on the road in the next five minutes, young man." Sheila sighed. "It's not like you didn't know this was happening. Now come on! Even your dad is ready before you!" "Alright, alright. Keep your hair on Mum. I'll be down in a sec." They ...

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Start your story with the line “We have plenty of time,” and/or end it with the line “We were never going to make it.”

Submissions are closed

✍️ 47 stories

“The road to the end of the aisle” by Kerry Williams

“Love Out There” by Princy K. Writes

“Frozen Dreams” by Bran Ram

“Honesty” by Rachel Deeming

“We Ran Out Of TIme” by Hosue Rodriguez

“Grasping the Sun” by Ethan Wagner

“Windward” by Nora Sheppard

“It's always the quiet ones. ” by Shivali Anand

“I Believed...” by Mariah Messimer

“Time Flies, But Sometimes It Crashes.” by John Steckley

“Sunday Drive ” by Sabrina Rose

“Among the Trees” by Aner Tal

“Time Makes Children” by Mike Rhodes

“Robado Canyon, 2021” by J. Wilson Davis

“Self-defeating Prophecy” by Mari Swindley

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story in a roadside diner.

Write about a couple who fall out on the road.

Start your story with a vehicle pulling over for a hitchhiker.

Write about a character on the road — and on the run.

Contest #110

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

209

Contest entries

144

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: