Write about a character doing something they’ve done hundreds of times — only this time, it’s taken on a new meaning.

Posted in Character on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 148 stories

“An interrupted journey” by Greg Rigby

Submitted to Contest #101

Joe travels this same road every day and has previously concluded that the distant power station is no longer operational. Today, the clouds hang low over the cooling towers, which causes him to look carefully and to re-examine the system, to check if his previous deduction could have been incorrect. Then his thoughts become excruciatingly slow, and they record every nuance when his attention is yanked to the instant that the child walks out from the roadside bushes, into the road in front of him - red coat, little girl’s face, tarmac, swerv...

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“Sense of Accomplishment” by Jatin Zadoo

Submitted to Contest #101

I am a Twenty-year-old boy with a strong sense of justice. I live in a hostel and spend my time learning about new things, my mornings start at 5'o clock, I don't know why but I have a habit of waking up early. The College in which I am studying right now is a great one but I am more interested in the Martial Arts Academy, which is not too far from my hostel. This martial arts academy is one of the reasons I chose this college. But at the time of choosing this college, I didn't know that I would see them practicing every morning. One...

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“The Hockey Game” by Kieran MacLeod

Submitted to Contest #101

Over his life, Darren had seen no shortage of hockey games (and had played in a fair few himself). As a child, he always dreamed of playing in the NHL. As time went on, different priorities arose, and like most people, he lost sight of his dream. Alas, this was decades ago. His wife, Cynthia, had also always been a big fan of hockey. Through university, she never missed a game where her school’s team (the Broncos) were playing. She even travelled with the team to an out of town tournament at the end of the season. Indeed, during this ...

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“Reedsy Does It” by Bob E

Submitted to Contest #101

There just aren’t the words. They’re nowhere. Which is a problem. I enjoy writing stories. I would say I always have, but that’s not strictly true. As a teenager and through university, I wrote regularly. It was fun. And then it stopped. I never intended to stop writing, but for a number of years I did. Almost completely. There’d be a few jottings here or there, but nothing that could be considered a piece, whether a story or an article or a poem or whatever. I simply stopped writing. &nbsp...

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“Open” by Rett Fay

Submitted to Contest #101

TW: Death of Spouse, Vehicular Manslaughter She opened the bakery as she did every morning, hours before the sun would show itself. Some days she loved it, and some days she regretted ever buying Loaves. For two years, she jockeyed between pure pride and the truest of buyers remorse. Today, she felt as if she were moving through sand. Waist-deep sand. She could not be bothered. Some days this routine was comforting, she doubted that today was one of those days. She turned on the lights and dramatically sighed to an audience ...

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“Care and Feeding of a Time Traveler” by Susan Whitlock

Submitted to Contest #101

Adrien pulled the brush back another stroke through the wispy, gray hair, her hand gliding over the bald, front part of Emily's head. She felt a sigh rising up and swallowed it back before it escaped. Fluff the hair, brush back, fluff the hair, brush back. Emily's bright, blue eyes were closed in bliss, her head tilted back into Adrien's fluffing hand. Her skull felt warm from the blow drying - and so small. Almost like she was holding the head of an infant, instead of an 88 year old woman. Adrien was one of 4 staff that rotated in the b...

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“Poisoned Cucumbers” by Delphine Hintz

Submitted to Contest #101

The tomatoes cut themselves. At least, that’s what it seemed like to her. With a final snap and practiced twist of the wrist, her mother diced the last of them and picked up the scarred wooden board with her free hand. The knife scraped loudly upon the cutting board. The runny, red mess slid into the bowl. Her nose wrinkled. “You know-” her mother rolled a cucumber towards herself, cut one end, twisted it and cut the other- “you could help by cutting the carrots. You’re really the best carrot-cutter I’ve-“ “You just want help.” She rolled...

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“Ars Longa, Vita Brevis” by Adam Kassner

Submitted to Contest #101

“It’s an honor to be here with you today, Dr. Schilling.” “We’re sure going to miss you, Dr. Schilling.” “Don’t be a stranger after you go, Doc.” Dr. Thomas Schilling found the entourage of well-wishers moving, but now wasn’t the time for socializing. Nonetheless, his surgical mask could not obscure the smile in his eyes as he said, “There’ll be time for all that later, right now we have a patient to attend to.” Dr. Schilling had been an attending surgeon for nearly 30 years of his 35-year career here at Mercy Hospital, and in tha...

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“Gift of the Forest” by J.L. Anderson

Submitted to Contest #101

"I'm back, Miss Myrtle!" Wisteria calls cheerfully as she pushes open the wooden door of Myrtle's cottage, mindful of the overflowing basket on her arm. She's spent the afternoon in the forest that surrounds the cottage, foraging for supplies for Myrtle, as she has done every day since her parents gave her to Myrtle as an apprentice, many moons ago. Myrtle, the nearby town's herbalist and apothecary, comes out of her smoky kitchen to greet Wisteria, wiping her hands on her apron. She is well advanced in years, but her step is sprightly and h...

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“The Stars from the Stairs” by Justin Womack

Submitted to Contest #101

Sarah stood on the stairs, trash bag in hand, staring at the stars again. Another day ground down to the nub. A black bag filled to the brim. An evening blossoming into full dark. Another day turned to could-haves and maybe-should-haves. But here she stops. It’s different tonight. The orange glow on the horizon is no metaphor. Bags are packed, the car gassed-up and ready in the driveway, nose out to a street buzzing with the noise of neighbors’ generators. Each one a helicopter idling in the yard. She doesn’t have one. An...

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“Mall Walking Club” by Andrea Kepple

Submitted to Contest #101

I smile and nod to Mrs. Kitty Cat as we pass. She is heading to where Sears used to be while I’m heading towards Macy’s. Mrs. Kitty Cat isn’t her real name, just the name I gave her, a label to distinguish her from the other regular walkers. She is as we like to say, a mature woman though more mature than most. Whenever she is at the mall for her walk, she wears a t-shirt with a picture or a cartoon of a cat on it. Mrs. Kitty Cat is just one of us regulars who come to the mall when it opens so we can walk laps. There is Mrs. Neon who has an...

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“A Copy of a Copy of a Poorly Copied Copy” by Jon Meadow

Submitted to Contest #101

The comptroller at the Union's Plans office was raised Christian, had graduated from Maryland State, and had the faith of a child in all things American. His accounting expertise landed him a job in Ann Arundel county, across the water from Easton: his most favorite town on the Western shore. He was all set up to live a good life, and had begun to do so. Accountability is the responsibility of accounting, but counting on accountants to be accountable bore upon him a contradiction in terms, both in law and fact. The union was required by la...

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“Different Kind of Intimacy” by Kir Fowler

Submitted to Contest #101

I groaned and slid off of him as we both laid there breathing heavily. “That was....” The man next to me began. I knew what he was gonna say. 'It was amazing. Your amazing' I'd take it but it stopped meaning anything to me more than 6 months ago. “Amazing.” he continued, “You were amazing.” “Thanks” I sighed. He rolled onto his side and wrapped his arms around me, “Lets-” “Actually I should get going.” I said sitting up. “Do you have to?” He asked as I grabbed my dress and underwear from the floor. “Yes.” They always did this. They either wa...

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“A Thousand Times” by Mickalia Kington

Submitted to Contest #101

I had to get it right this time. I have been towing the line for too long. I remember my initiation as if it were just yesterday. I had been only eleven, skinny, mal-nourished and burning with hatred. I had watched him gunned down before day in the streets of Shady Oak– the gang wanted a change of leader. I swore on his blood that I would let them pay. I didn’t wait for him to go cold. I crossed the fence and found their camp and told them I wanted to join them. &n...

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“Our Street” by Nidhi Garg

Submitted to Contest #101

OUR STREET... 15-year-old Kale had been down this road a countless number of times. Well, actually she had been through the street 257 times who's counting. Then again, why wouldn't she go through that street, it was her favorite one in town. Ever since she moved to Texas with her father two years back, this tiny little street has been her favorite. She couldn't quite explain her reason behind it. Maybe, it is because the houses on that street had the best architecture in town or maybe it's the peals of laughter of families she always hear...

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Write about a character doing something they’ve done hundreds of times — only this time, it’s taken on a new meaning.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 148 stories

“An interrupted journey” by Greg Rigby

“Sense of Accomplishment” by Jatin Zadoo

“The Hockey Game” by Kieran MacLeod

“Reedsy Does It” by Bob E

“Open” by Rett Fay

“Care and Feeding of a Time Traveler” by Susan Whitlock

“Poisoned Cucumbers” by Delphine Hintz

“Ars Longa, Vita Brevis” by Adam Kassner

“Gift of the Forest” by J.L. Anderson

“The Stars from the Stairs” by Justin Womack

“Mall Walking Club” by Andrea Kepple

“A Copy of a Copy of a Poorly Copied Copy” by Jon Meadow

“Different Kind of Intimacy” by Kir Fowler

“A Thousand Times” by Mickalia Kington

“Our Street” by Nidhi Garg

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about a character who fails to understand something until they have the full context.

Write a story in which the same line recurs three times.

Write a story about a character who always repeats themselves.

Write a story that involves a reflection in a mirror.

Contest #101

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

728

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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