Write about a character who’s stuck in a shopping mall.

Posted in Christmas on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 27 stories

“Twelve Hours” by Hannah Foust

Submitted to Contest #122

It all started because of his promotion and bonus pay, he wanted to surprise her with a shopping trip in the city, little did Carter know it would take the entire day, and he was beginning to regret his generous idea, however his wife Becca was ecstatic, living in a small town neither had seen anything grander than the drug store, and she was wild with delight, dragging him from store to store, at first he couldn’t get her to leave the baby in her mothers watchful care, but now they were here, he was pretty sure she had forgotten she even ha...

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“A Christmas Wish Come True” by Tanya Smith

Submitted to Contest #122

Christmas is my favorite time of the year! I love shopping for my loved ones! Jessie Jones, JJ to her friends, was at the mall shopping on Christmas Eve lights marking the last few gifts off of her list and admiring all of the lights and decorations. As she walked through the halls admiring the lights, the laughter of kids, and those yelling at their parents what they wanted, she couldn’t help but think about one-day finding love and having kids of her own. She loved shopping for her parents, siblings, their spouses, and their kids, but she...

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“Confined” by Hannah C. Anderson

Submitted to Contest #122

"Everyone has a fear. No not everyone. Every living thing on this planet. Not just on this planet. Billions of galaxies away from Earth there is a creature alive and breathing that fears as we do. It's amazing to marvel at and analyze, it is also one of the few instances where everybody in this world or universe has something in common. We are limited. We are confined. Our potential is shortened by our fears. I used to wish for a world with no fear. Where everyone was free from their shortcomings and we could truly set our mind to do anythin...

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“Dreams of Mechanical Butterflies” by Elliot Altin

Submitted to Contest #122

Malls weren’t designed with escapee-androids in mind. At least, this one wasn’t. There’s a metal-detector blocking every exit, and the exits are all being watched by guards with grim expressions that don’t quite match the cheerful, holiday songs echoing through the mall. I duck into a random store and pretend to be interested in their array of holiday-themed soaps. The sharp, spicy scent of gingerbread is overpowering. Glancing over my shoulder, I watch as two technicians f...

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“I Am the Unseen” by Anne Ryan

Submitted to Contest #122

***Note: This story contains graphic content for the purpose of reflecting true life events. May include trigger words such as "rape," "blood" and "death".***I was stuck in the shopping mall in my dream.All the doors opened to everybody but me.I tried the exit but it was locked.There was a girl going into the Teen Queen store, so I quickened my pace but the door swung shut and I couldn't open it.The elevator wouldn't even open when I waited 10 whole minutes to get to the next level.Why was I stuck in the mall?What kind of a lesson was I supp...

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“Mall Mystery” by Luke McDermott

Submitted to Contest #122

The music is too much. We see the lights on the walls, the garland and tinsel on every ledge, the wreaths on every storefront sign. We see Santa with elves at the North Pole for Christ's sake. We’re already at the mall. We’re already surrendering our money and our Thursday evening. Do you have to rub it in by blasting the most cloying versions of these tunes that we've heard ad nauseam every December of our lives? I was in the Christmas spirit on the way here. I was singing along with Sinatra. I couldn’t believe how bad Ella and Emma want...

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“Trapped” by Lexi Duckett

Submitted to Contest #122

My name is Rachel Smith. I am going to tell you the story of when my family and I got stuck in the local mall. This happened six years ago, but I remember everything as if it happened yesterday. I was only fourteen when this happened. My family and I were in the car listening to Christmas music. When we got to the mall mom found a parking place in the front. She turned off the car and we all got out of the car. For a moment, as we walked through the parking lot I had a weird feeling. Until my little brother threw himself at me and disturbed ...

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“Love Compensates Tragedy” by Sheila Sarrett

Submitted to Contest #122

As people were entering the Mall they heard something that sounded like gunshots coming from inside the Mall. Evan and his fiance Carol had just come inside the main door, The gunshots started up again and two more shots were heard. It was 10 AM and the Mall had just opened. As people followed into the main entrance the sounds of gunshots throughout the west side of the mall were strong. The east side of the Mall seemed to be quieter. People were running and screaming and holding on to their children not knowing where to run to be safe. ...

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“Stuck” by Ashley Cullen

Submitted to Contest #122

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she says in disgust. Against her better judgment, she turns to face the mirror and sees it, magnified from all three sides. Her torso, a busted can of biscuits, her midsection gone awry. The overpriced black pleather pant legs are stuck, curled over just below her waist, her thighs blocking any attempt at an exit. She curses lightly and laughs at the absurdity, then shakes her head at the inevitability. Sweat pools inside her navel and starts to slide down her back into her underwear. She hopes it’ll act as som...

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“A trip to the mall” by Hanna Eriksson

Submitted to Contest #122

I always try to get my Christmas shopping done as early in the year as possible. It works perfectly with adults since they often still need that thing they wished for but didn’t get last Christmas. Unfortunately I got a nephew a couple of years ago. Don’t get me wrong, I love my nephew. Like me he likes doing jigsaw puzzles so everytime I come over to visit my sister and her family we do a puzzle together. But the thing with kids is that they are unpredictable and they seldom wish for the same thing one christmas after another. And that’s th...

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“Glowing Golden, Beaming Blue” by Dmitriy Galashin

Submitted to Contest #122

Of course, of all the workaholics employed by the Mall’s cinema, I was the only person who volunteered. Boss brought those giant paper snowflakes and cheerfully announced that the decoration had to be done after hours. Perhaps too cheerfully. And “after hours” means “deep night” if you work at a movie theater. No wonder I was the only one eager to embellish the place. I proudly adjusted my Cinematrix badge and grasped the broom, waiting for the last person to leave the auditorium. There is always someone with the obligation to sit thro...

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“Monument of Consumerism” by Don Tucker

Submitted to Contest #122

It was my own fault to even be in this situation in the first place. Every year I do this to myself and every year I always promise that I will never do it again. Every year I promise that I will change, turn over a new leaf, call my Mom more, read a book, something. This year proved itself to be no different. I stood where I have stood for as long as I can remember, the mall on Christmas Eve. I have an uncanny ability to end up here, some sort of gravitational pull that lures me every 24th of December like a moth to a flame. &nbs...

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Write about a character who’s stuck in a shopping mall.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 27 stories

“Twelve Hours” by Hannah Foust

“A Christmas Wish Come True” by Tanya Smith

“Confined” by Hannah C. Anderson

“Dreams of Mechanical Butterflies” by Elliot Altin

“I Am the Unseen” by Anne Ryan

“Mall Mystery” by Luke McDermott

“Trapped” by Lexi Duckett

“Love Compensates Tragedy” by Sheila Sarrett

“Stuck” by Ashley Cullen

“A trip to the mall” by Hanna Eriksson

“Glowing Golden, Beaming Blue” by Dmitriy Galashin

“Monument of Consumerism” by Don Tucker

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story in the middle of a traffic jam.

Write a story about a limited edition item going on sale.

A package arrives at your character’s house, but they didn’t order anything. Write about what happens next.

Write about a character who won’t (or can’t) shop for the holidays.

Contest #122

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

149

Contest entries

104

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: