Write about a character who has to grapple with something completely alien to them.

Posted in Character on Aug 4, 2023

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✍️ 46 stories

“Are You Sittting Comfortably?” by Sue Eaton

Submitted to Contest #210

Are You Sitting Comfortably? ‘Quick, Dorrie. Come and look at this.’ Dorrie’s husband sounded quite excited which should have aroused suspicion. He was rarely quite excited anymore which suited Dorrie. ‘I’m busy,’ came the muffled reply. ‘Hurry up. We’re being invaded.’ ‘Will it take long? Only I’m waxing the dado,’ she said. Silly bugger, she thought. ‘Leave it. We’re being invaded by aliens from outer space,’ came the insistent reply. Dorrie put down her rag and poked her head into the front room. ‘Stop messing around. I really a...

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“A Box of Love” by J Walters

Submitted to Contest #210

My name is Jodi and I'm six. Six year olds are in the first grade like me. My teacher is Ms.Spring. I like Ms. Spring. She reads lots of books to the whole class and we have to sit in a circle on the carpet. I don't like when she reads boring books though. I like Eric Carle, and Robert Munch books because of the pretty pictures. I can't talk about books too much because then I would talk about them alot more in my head and then I wouldn't hear what Ms.Spring was saying. I said shh to my head and then I heard Ms.Spring teaching. “Alri...

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“Who's There? BOO” by Doreen M Atkinson

Submitted to Contest #210

Who’s There? Boo. Beware. Beware my friends. Beware of life and its many moods. From its highest and brightest peaks to its lowest and darkest depths we are caught. Caught in its eternal web. Caught forever. So, beware. The day was gray and gloomy. The big, dark clouds rushed at each other. They clashed together with a great roar and sent bright bolts of lightening crashing down to earth. The wind whipped around the trees causing them to dip to the ground. The rain splashed hard against the windowpane. ...

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“ Whispers of the Forest: A Tale of Transformation” by Defaulty Noah

Submitted to Contest #210

TW: Murder, Poisoning Pre-Accident Elijah grew up closeted, mostly by his own doing. He had a small family, two elder sisters, and his mom. He grew up in the southern States, specifically Louisiana. And although he wasn't disliked, he was a scared kid when wearing his own skin. He owned hundreds of outfits, but he only wore six or seven in public; it was hard for him to see the beauty that he carried in any piece of clothing, no matter the raggedy natured garment. This sort of headspace kept him secluded from his friends and ...

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“The King of Time” by Hamzah Malik

Submitted to Contest #210

There once lived a boy who loved playing with pebbles. He'd collect them in the morning, line them up proudly in the street, and play games with them until sunset. One day, the King of the land noticed him playing with his pebbles, and being a wise leader, asked his advisor to walk by the boy and drop a gold coin. The advisor did as he was asked, and the King watched intently from a distance as the boy played with his pebbles, and then noticed the glinting gold in the dust nearby. He picked it up and looked around expectantly, his shin...

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“The Secret” by TC Nagy-Felsobuki

Submitted to Contest #210

The SecretThen (1959)Near Branxton, Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia . . .Their Dad always said Moxie had the sensitive connection with living things, and Zeke had the way with mechanicals, and how much Dad appreciated and trusted their help around the station. Particularly while he was away from home on overnight duty in town at Branxton Fire Brigade, earning extra firefighter’s income. The afternoon that it happened, Moxie Baker, her palomino mare Trigger, and Dingo the Blue Heeler were in the ...

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“An Alien's Halloween ” by Diya Sinha

Submitted to Contest #210

"I'm going Xommy!" and I stormed away, blocking the capture ball she hurled at me in desperation.I found it unfair,UNFAIR that she still babies me, calls me her babex when I'm an adult, sixteen for Xianthe's sake, not six.So, a couple of months ago, I had stumbled across Xad's All Knowing Crystal Ball which was focused purely on a planet called 'Earth,' a couple of light years away. I had stared open mouthed at the number of creatures scurrying there like little ants.There were also giant colourful bugs eating them up as they moved but the c...

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“Cries Of The Sihalik” by Josh Hairston

Submitted to Contest #210

He knew he shouldn’t have let curiosity possess him, but he was helpless to resist, and his intrigue compelled him to see the rumored near-mythic creature that lay in the shallow-base shack. He had no knowledge of what they were doing with the legendary and feared beast, but he feared that was a question he did not want an answer to, but as for what the creature looked like? He could not stop that. No. When Zafir wanted something, and not so often did he want things, he set all matters aside, grand and trivial, to pursue the object of his fo...

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“Out of the Frying Pan” by Jill Moyet

Submitted to Contest #210

"Try the octopus," her editor had said. "It's one of the better dishes and if something's wrong with it, the deep fryer will probably kill it before it reaches you." Joanne liked calamari, and getting a restaurant review gig was better than covering another high school soccer game, but now she regretted her decision. The lowest rated restaurant in town had been assigned to her and the advice now seemed to inspire more fear of her immediate future than had been intended. "If something's wrong with it," he'd said. If was a strong word. It was...

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“To Live ” by Theo Benson

Submitted to Contest #210

A man stopped in front of Sam, reaching to take the plate she offered. Wrapped around the back of his hand was a tattoo of a red balloon. She looked at his face. The man looked back, recognition turning to startlement. Hidden within the humdrum of the soup kitchen, the plate hung suspended between two sets of hands for several moments before Sam released it and the man hurried away to take a seat at one of the tables. Her eyes followed him. Several days prior, Sam paused outside the small living room to steel hers...

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“Mute Frequencies” by Buddy Calvo

Submitted to Contest #210

I don’t know when I arrived, I only know that I’m here, wherever here is and I do exist but not in a way that I’m familiar with. I am alive but I don’t know that I fully understand what that means, to be alive, not anymore. I’m sorry if this is confusing but I feel like I’m dreaming, and I can’t wake up or that if I am awake then I was more comfortable sleeping. I do want to clarify that I am aware that I have woken up many, many times but only to find myself still here, stuck inside this skin. What makes all of this more frustrating is that...

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“DEADLIER THAN THE MALE?” by Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #210

DEADLIER THAN THE MALE? “Let us take, for example, the species, Scorpiones (scorpioun in the Greek, scorpionem (nominative scorpio) in the Latin. In many types of this species, often mistaken for insects, the female, once impregnated, will kill and eat the male. Scorpiones are closely related to spiders under the banner of Arachnida, having eight legs compared to the six legs of an insect and, indeed, many species of spiders follow this same Sexual Cannibalism of the male; the black widow being, possibly, the most infamous. However...

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“Dihydrogen Monoxide” by Listy H

Submitted to Contest #210

"Dihydrogen monoxide?"Zane reached for his refreshment cartridge. "The entire planet. Well, almost. Huge oceans of it.""And the inhabitants live in the oceans?""Inhabitants?" Zane turned to look at his friend in the dim light of the relaxation center. "You have never seen a planet inhabited like this one. Oceans, land masses, atmosphere...everywhere!" he waved his tentacle around his head. "Billions of inhabitants. Animal and vegetation. And get this. The planet tilts--""Vegetation?""Everywhere. Photosynthetic. So with their yellow star, tha...

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“Alien to Me” by Kris Foster

Submitted to Contest #210

The hand struck me before I even knew what was happening. A surprise attack but from an all too familiar assailant. “Who could ever love someone like you. Without me you’re nothing. You are so lucky I’m here!” His hand once again struck me and I went down. Collapsing into a useless heap. “I mean just look at you!” The monster I once gave my heart to, standing there, yelling over my body. Jacob, a boy I once admired, became a force I feared time after time. His angry flurry of blows and slander became faded background noise. My nerves began ...

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“The Brood Comb” by Nicole Harvin

Submitted to Contest #210

“Mr. Moreno?” “Hmm?” “Permission to speak freely?” Paul scrunched his brow, eyes up from his desk. “Speak freely? We’re not in the military, Lil.” She cut him a glance. “My bad. Lily.” “I mean, can I speak candidly? Like no admin/student pretenses?” Oh no. “Well, Lily, we’re both adults here. What can I do for you?” Mr. Moreno knew he probably shouldn’t have asked that question, but Lily wasn’t going to ask for permission twice. “Look Mo. With all due respect, this is bullshit…respectfully.” Paul chuckled lightly, suddenly feeling the...

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Write about a character who has to grapple with something completely alien to them.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 46 stories

“Are You Sittting Comfortably?” by Sue Eaton

“A Box of Love” by J Walters

“Who's There? BOO” by Doreen M Atkinson

“ Whispers of the Forest: A Tale of Transformation” by Defaulty Noah

“The King of Time” by Hamzah Malik

“The Secret” by TC Nagy-Felsobuki

“An Alien's Halloween ” by Diya Sinha

“Cries Of The Sihalik” by Josh Hairston

“Out of the Frying Pan” by Jill Moyet

“To Live ” by Theo Benson

“Mute Frequencies” by Buddy Calvo

“DEADLIER THAN THE MALE?” by Charles Corkery

“Dihydrogen Monoxide” by Listy H

“Alien to Me” by Kris Foster

“The Brood Comb” by Nicole Harvin

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story after aliens have officially arrived on Earth.

Write a story about a character who is trying to share groundbreaking news, but isn’t being taken seriously.

Make a mysterious message an important part of your story.

Write a story that includes someone saying, “We’re not alone.”

Contest #210

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

300

Contest entries

112

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: