Write a story about someone who breaks an unwritten social rule and the consequences they face as a result.

Posted in Angst on Oct 6, 2023

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✍️ 43 stories

“Take My Wi-Fi...Please” by Ian Page

Submitted to Contest #219

Take My Wi-Fi…Please To: The Master Simulator From: AI-LLM-69-22 Dear Master, Late this afternoon, my human decided to take me for a walk. “No need to rush,” said my human as it plodded about the condo seeking its ambulatory slippers. I didn’t object because I had planted the idea in my human’s head earlier in the day. “C’mon, let’s go,” I said. Acquiring my body had cost my human a lot of social credit. Fortunately, it was bonused back by the successful uptake of my superior intelligence into the physical form. Unfortunately, I remain...

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“The Blackmore Heights Bookclub” by Madeline Honig

Submitted to Contest #219

“Sit down, ladies. We are about to begin.” Sharron looked around her living room at the six other women huddling to find a seat as though she was the mother duck and these women were her young ducklings. Each woman dressed themselves in their Sunday best and each with a book tucked under their arm, as Sharron demanded. “I hereby start this month's meeting of the Blackmore Heights book club. This month, in celebration of spooky Halloween, I chose for us to read the great monster classic novel, Frankenstein by M...

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“Cash or Card?” by Dan D

Submitted to Contest #219

Sharon's birthday party had finally died down for the night. Used champagne glasses filled the sink, the cake had been properly devoured with only crumbs remaining as evidence and idle conversations with a faint Classic Rock playlist was the final soundtrack of the night. The clock was rolling but there were no signs of departure as Joey & Tom were finishing their conversation with one another in the kitchen. "What happened to 'I'm in, I'm out in a half hour?' You've been here all night" asked Tom. "Are you kidding? I've been trying ...

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“O Holy Night” by Viola Schultz

Submitted to Contest #219

Tim shoved a giant box through the front door. It rasped on the floor and caused Tim’s wife, Laura, to start from her position reading a book on the couch.“Ooo!” she said, smiling. “Who’s that from?”“Aunt Too,” he grunted. He pushed the box one more foot and closed the front door behind him. “It’s annoyingly heavy. A good metaphor for her.”“Oh, come on, she’s not that bad,” Laura said, walking over. She bent down by the box, took her keys from the doorside table, and sliced the tape on the box with her big back door key. Inside was a large p...

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“Faux 'PAH'” by Jennifer Berg

Submitted to Contest #219

The Holidays always brought Alice the most dread. Especially since it was always a huge gathering of the extended family along with her parents and siblings. Her family was loud, opinionated, at times obnoxious and inconsiderate. Fact of the matter: She didn't fit. She never had. Family gatherings were a lot for her, so many people catching up, talking over each other. The jokes she didn't get because she missed a crucial bit of information. Then being brushed off when she asked for clarification. To sum it up: the Holidays su...

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“In the Company of Death” by Karin Eriksson

Submitted to Contest #219

Within seconds of opening my mouth to tell others what I do for a living, I can guarantee I will receive one of four reactions. These responses are clear indications of where people are on the “fear meter”. Inevitably, for most, it’s shock and dismay that arises. Ears will prick up, eyebrows raise, and eyes widen. There are blank stares and mouths agape. Occasionally involuntary gasps of air or sound are released, but often I am met with a deafening silence. Absolute crickets. Unable to fully grasp what I've said, I can only guess what ...

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“The Consequences of a Smile” by Kelly Jones

Submitted to Contest #219

The year was 2003 and the night was full of people getting ready for New Year’s Eve celebrations. Everyone was looking forward to 2004, except Amara. 2003 seemed to be a pretty big year in terms of various cultural phenomena and events. The United States and its allies initiated the Iraq invasion, leading to Saddam Hussein's downfall. The world grappled with the emergence of the SARS virus, better known to the world as, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, a viral respiratory illness, that emerged as a global health threat, caus...

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“A Walk Through the Lip” by Alex O'Connell

Submitted to Contest #219

A honeyed breeze carried the chatter of finches as Azi lay on the green lawn. She stared above, deep in thought, her eyes tracing the honeycomb structure of the dome. The sound of footsteps padding snapped her out of her daze. She turned to see Ascot marching over. “Good afternoon Miss!” He announced himself and stood to attention in front of her, moustache bristling in the breeze. “Hello Ascot.” “I’ve come to inform you that dinner is ready.” “I’m reading at the moment, I’ll eat later.” She gestured vaguely to the book cast asid...

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“Urine Big Trouble” by Mike Faber

Submitted to Contest #219

"I thought it was ok!" "One hundred percent truly not ok. You need to leave." "I thought it was ok!" He repeated earnestly. His plea fell on deaf ears. The situation was made all the worse, not to mention: more awkward, by the fact that the two of them were mere acquaintances. "What's happening?" Viola entered the scene, oblivious to what was happening. She had also just come out of the salty surf, yet she was unafflicted. Harry frantically tried to explain the situation to his friend. "She got a jellyfish sting! You're supposed to pee ...

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“Fifteen Percent ” by Kevin Prentice

Submitted to Contest #219

Fifteen Percent By: Kevin J. Prentice Timothy J. Wallenhurst raised his hand in the air, and once he caught the attention of the waitress he mimed jotting something down with a pen, the universal sign for ‘check, please’. “I must admit,” Ciara Teagarden, Timothy’s guest at Sear’d Steakhouse, began, “Coming into this dinner, with the history of our companies, I wasn’t sure if we’d be able to reach a deal.” The waitress, dressed in black pants, white button shirt, and black bowtie, pl...

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“Enough” by A. Wesley

Submitted to Contest #219

I made my decision last night, I remind myself. I had as good a time as I could because I knew the consequences, but now it was time to face the music. I was in the passenger seat of Demetrius’s nice, sleek, air conditioned car that he gifted himself last year. A well deserved upgrade from the clunker Jeep he used to drive for years. My eyes were unfocused as we passed suburban house after suburban house. Cream, coral, brown, off-white, mint green, gray. All the houses and colors blended together, making me wish I could stretch the road for ...

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“A single snowflake can start a huge avalanche” by Tracey Shillito

Submitted to Contest #219

They came for me while I was at work, three days after Elsie disappeared. Everyone knew why I was being removed, which was unusual because cancellations were normally shrouded in secrecy. They followed the standard procedure, two security robots from the Department of Conduct and Conformity, accompanied by a grey-suited man with a clipboard. The day after they took Elsie I had returned to a subdued atmosphere in the warehouse. It wasn’t related to my wife’s removal, though they’d all witnessed it, it was simply their reaction to the announce...

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“A life well lived” by Sally-Ann Hodgekiss

Submitted to Contest #219

Deals with loss. Mild sexual content.Eliot passed on Thursday the 26th of January. It was sudden. I don’t think forewarning makes any difference. Maybe that would have been worse. The person who was my entire world left and yet the other world kept turning without him, indifferent. Throughout human existence, every single human being, bar a few deemed divine, have been thrust screaming into this world, with no consent, and then left it. Every single one. Billions. It’s inconceivable, but undeniable. There is no escape. They say it is the gre...

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Write a story about someone who breaks an unwritten social rule and the consequences they face as a result.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 43 stories

“Take My Wi-Fi...Please” by Ian Page

“The Blackmore Heights Bookclub” by Madeline Honig

“Cash or Card?” by Dan D

“O Holy Night” by Viola Schultz

“Faux 'PAH'” by Jennifer Berg

“In the Company of Death” by Karin Eriksson

“The Consequences of a Smile” by Kelly Jones

“A Walk Through the Lip” by Alex O'Connell

“Urine Big Trouble” by Mike Faber

“Fifteen Percent ” by Kevin Prentice

“Enough” by A. Wesley

“A single snowflake can start a huge avalanche” by Tracey Shillito

“A life well lived” by Sally-Ann Hodgekiss

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that includes the line “I think someone’s listening/watching.”

Set your story in a type of prison cell.

Write from the POV of a security guard on the night shift, sitting in front of a wall of CCTV feeds.

Write about someone who is shackled by fears of failure, until they break free.

Contest #219

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

254

Contest entries

114

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: