Write a story about someone losing faith in an institution.

Posted in Angst on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 120 stories

“Digging Holes” by Alun Williams

Submitted to Contest #102

You’re through to Summit Finance, my name is Dave. How can I help you today?”Another call. How can I help? Jesus Christ, I can’t help these poor bastards at all. I’m just digging the hole they’re in a little deeper. My computer screen flickers and a name appears. I’ve seen it before. One of our regulars. She wants more money. I check out what she has as collateral. This will be the last time I can help her out, otherwise, my boss will kick my ass. “Hi, Candy. It’s Dave.” Candy tries to tell me her problems. She doesn’t want to borrow any...

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“Numbers gone wrong” by Taira Wynde

Submitted to Contest #102

Zarah input the numbers into the computer like she did every day. She closed the paper files on her desk and put them in the filing cabinet connected to her desk, locking it shut. She put all her scrap paper in the shredder before gathering her things. She was done for the day. One file she'd tucked into her bag. It was a copy of the one she'd been handed this morning and wouldn't be missed. There was data in this file that she needed to memorize. There was nothing on it that would alert security on her way out. She entered the elevator ...

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“A Subtle Shift of Shadow” by Teresa Renton

Submitted to Contest #102

The last time I saw a face was about a month ago. Before that for twenty-two years I don’t remember seeing a real face. I was six months old - too young to remember anything- when they sealed our eyes over with a veil and virtual perfection became our reality. We lived in a curated world from before we were able to form memories; the Custodian Congress allocated experiences, physical attributes, and education. Everyone lived a blissful existence devoid of crime, pain, and anxiety. Life was a film set of beautiful Stepford people and lush lan...

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“Take Me To Church” by Sydney O Bryant

Submitted to Contest #102

But the heel of my shoe raps against the politely polished tile, tap…tap…tap…it is incessant, a wave crashing time and time again against a shore, a bell striking three over and over…a bejewelled hand touches my knee so I stop. Mother knows best, if she thinks me a distraction then a distraction I am. So my gaze turns upwards, to the man in the black robes with the white-collar. The fat of his double chin erupts from its constraints, jiggling up and down as he moves his mouth. I tune into his words, they are colourful and burs...

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“Draw Me In” by Emma Kelleher

Submitted to Contest #102

“Hi daddy!” the little three-year-old says, her pigtails swaying as she runs into her fathers comforting arms. He picks her up and swings her around in a wide circle, causing her to squeal with delight. “Hey peanut,” he says, putting her down. They both share wide smiles as the little girl looks up at her father, her hero. “I’ve missed you, peanut.” “I’ve missed you too, daddy.” He takes her on an adventure into the woods. They are fairies flying in the forest leaving trails of golden pixie dust behind them. They pick flowers and the f...

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“Racism ” by Kristine Ventura

Submitted to Contest #102

Racism Her comely is unique. She is a star that shines in the dark indeed. Samantha, born in Malaysia. A country on which three ethnic groups were raised, named Malay, Chinese and Indian. She's a good mother of three and wife as well. She belongs to the Indian group to be exactly. Her parents taught her how to be independent, on how worst is the world outside. They raised her with love and respect. They show her how to do humanitarian things. They don't...

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“Broken Hope” by Darling Javier

Submitted to Contest #102

I really love it whenever I see people taking care of other people, without expecting something in return. It’s like a vitamin to my eye when I see them making people happy for their small efforts. But sometimes life isn’t as shiny as you imagined. Some are taking it as an opportunity to brag, or cover their real deal of why they are helping. “Hey, Nami!” I turn around to see who’s calling. It was Louie, my friend, who’s been busy for weeks in their institution. He’s always this loud whenever we meet in the most unexpected place. I’m cur...

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“Marriage Story” by A Mehendale

Submitted to Contest #102

For as long as she can recall, Ada has been fascinated by the dusty wardrobe that stands in the corner of a forgotten bedroom on the second floor..More specifically, she has been fascinated by what hides inside it.A dress hangs there, abandoned, all trailing veils and petticoats and lace. The bodice looks satin smooth from where it towers above her, reflecting flickering candlelight, and when she reaches out the layers of soft fabric wash over her cautious hand.She can sit there for hours, cross legged on the cold floor, keeping the heavy wo...

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“The Arsonists” by Rachel <3

Submitted to Contest #102

Diana couldn't recall when she first learned she was not alone. It had been some time during her eighth year of life, probably in the spring or summer, because her memory of joining the Guild was crisp as a page of a seldom-opened scrapbook, and she knew it had been in the fall. It was fall right now. This was her seventh year in the Arsonists' Guild, and she was fifteen this year, old enough to move from childish campfire-lighting to real fires. If only she could convince the Guild leaders of that! After so many years, it was no surprise ...

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“I lost my faith” by Fathia Awonuga

Submitted to Contest #102

once upon a time I work in a company as an accountant and the company is so big and go to work from Monday to Friday because I have my wife and three kids and my wife work with career giver so she take care of clients and she work from Monday to Friday and we will both stay with our kid in the weekend and I was know as Mr. Smith in my company so one day I was sick and I don't know I will not go to work and I did not know my boss is going to be i n the company and my boss discover I did not come to work and he give a called him and I send I w...

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“Rotten to the Core” by Penny Polendina

Submitted to Contest #102

Seasky College, located in southern New York, was a traditional, promising college with an unique curriculum. With its revolutionary teaching ideas, Seasky kept up a steady population of intrigued parents and students throughout the years that it had been operating. With two daughters, ages 15 and 12, Elizabeth Johnson was no different. Unlike any school before it, Seasky College had close to no actual schedule at all. Every day, different tea...

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“Brotherly love” by NK Hatendi

Submitted to Contest #102

The church community's social worker Shungu walked into her office after a weekend when she could have done without all the family drama in preparation for her brother Frank's wedding. She loved him, but there was a limit to her filial concern as she hosted relatives waiting to play their part and rescue the family name from yet more shame. Frank, the only son, had been indulged from day one by his parents, who were oblivious to his immaturity and sense of entitlement. He always knew someone would bail him out even when he was forced to marr...

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“Farewell, Father Felix” by W. R. Barker

Submitted to Contest #102

Content warning: homophobia, child sexual abuse I understand that I will never see Father Felix again. I will never again hear the gaiety in his laugh, see the brilliance of his smile, hear the great charisms in his sermons, or eat any of the bread that he has turned into God. We have loads of bread at the church. That is where we go to think about God. God is the one who made our mothers give birth to us. He did the same thing to their mothers. Father Felix’s job is to turn the bread into God so that we and all our mothe...

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“They'll Never Accept Me” by Alex Popa

Submitted to Contest #102

Danny- he was a shy boy with glasses and braces, he wore ties and suits to class. People judged him for it. Being a new exchange student from Ethiopia didn't help his case. People would shove their food in his face talk about how much better they are then him, people would call him dirty because of the color of his skin. Nobody saw him for what he really was: An intelligent boy with a variety of stories to share. Danny was a high school student who lived in the poor side of New York with his mother. Amazing stories were shared between the ...

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“Til Death Do Us Part” by Jess A. Smith

Submitted to Contest #102

“Til death do us part.” I sit in my lukewarm Epsom salted bath. I push rewind on my mind’s eye. “Til death do us part.” I see his shaky left hand, fingers slightly blue under the nails. It was cold in that great stone cathedral. You know the big Catholic families we both came from wouldn’t have it any other way. Stained glass, robes, communion and an atmosphere designed to be frigid so you didn’t fall asleep on “the word of our Lord.” I see his boutonniere, God, the money we spent on those damn orchids. They were lovely though. “Til death do...

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Write a story about someone losing faith in an institution.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 120 stories

“Digging Holes” by Alun Williams

“Numbers gone wrong” by Taira Wynde

“A Subtle Shift of Shadow” by Teresa Renton

“Take Me To Church” by Sydney O Bryant

“Draw Me In” by Emma Kelleher

“Racism ” by Kristine Ventura

“Broken Hope” by Darling Javier

“Marriage Story” by A Mehendale

“The Arsonists” by Rachel <3

“I lost my faith” by Fathia Awonuga

“Rotten to the Core” by Penny Polendina

“Brotherly love” by NK Hatendi

“Farewell, Father Felix” by W. R. Barker

“They'll Never Accept Me” by Alex Popa

“Til Death Do Us Part” by Jess A. Smith

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with a metaphor about human nature.

Frame your story as an adult recalling the events of their childhood.

Write about a character with an unassailable moral compass.

Write about a mysterious figure in one’s neighborhood.

Contest #102

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

712

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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