Set your story in a type of prison cell.

Posted in Dark on Oct 6, 2023

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✍️ 82 stories

“Presto Chango” by Michael Jefferson

Submitted to Contest #219

“Let me take a body scan for your I.D. card and you’ll be all set,” Rock Reynolds, Captain of Security says. “Hmm. You have a tattoo on your left wrist.” “The Ace of Spades,” Brandon McCarthy answers. “It’s from my days as a Ranger. Our company was known as ‘the Smokin’ Aces.’” Reynolds takes stock of his newest guard. At 6’ 5” with a contoured frame and gym-honed muscles, Brandon resembles a fierce linebacker ready to blitz a quarterback. Just as important are his soft, trustworthy, almost boyish looks, and his capacity for compassion mix...

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“Prisoner 45CW” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #219

“Here to see Prisoner 45CW.” A man in a tailored suit handed the guard a business card, “I have been appointed as his lawyer.” “Lawyer? Are you kidding me Mr. Skinner?” The guard laughed as he held the business card. “Everyone here needs a lawyer.” Skinner could not hide his annoyance with the guard. In his experience he found most of the guards in these facilities were rude and blunt. “Not Prisoner 45CW. He’s just a cyborg.” The guard tossed the business card into a trash can near his desk. “Yeah, yea...

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“Spider and Glass” by Jennifer Jones

Submitted to Contest #219

It's nauseating. Looking up through the endless floors and ceilings of glass above and below, the walls on either side. The exterior of the building has a dark tint on all of the glass surfaces, but they can see through it as if it weren't even there. Even with the tint, it's still warm. The central air not quite able to keep up with the beating sun.Throngs of men fill the space. It's impossible to tell how many stories above and below. Pete is lucky enough to have a corner cell. Towering above the trees, the forest seems to stretch endlessl...

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“PRIMAL INSTINCT” by Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #219

PRIMAL INSTINCT ‘All clear’, growled Rex, from the doorway.The other attendees left their normal stations and re-grouped round the dusty floor.Angus, the self-styled elder of the gathering, cleared his throat before speaking.‘Right, where were we?’‘Methane; you had started to talk about methane, Angus’.‘Ah, yes. Thank you, Daisy. Yes, methane. It seems to be all we hear about at the moment; methane this, methane that. It’s all getting blown out of proportion...’‘What is it, exactly?’‘Larry, perhaps you can explain it to Daisy and the others ...

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“The Birdcage” by Marty B

Submitted to Contest #219

****discussion of domestic abuse****The formica table stood tight on thin chrome legs in the small space under the window overlooking the 18th Arrondissement of Paris. The rain beat against the window, while the cold air leaking through battled the heat from the wall furnace. I paused in the middle of the kitchen, the spot where the two temperatures balanced out, before continuing to the table. My boy Amir, just six months old, began to cry and squirm in my arms reaching for his grandfather, Nasir.“No, stay with me Amir. Your Grand...

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“Sleeping Awake” by Kyle Winter

Submitted to Contest #219

I heard my mom’s footsteps enter the cold, stuffy room and my heart fluttered with joy. She sat down in the chair next to my bed and it creaked under her weight. It creaked under any weight. It wasn’t a very good chair. Her foot tapped over and over on the floor. She cleared her throat.“Good morning, bubba. Ready to finish the story?” she asked. Something in her voice sounded off. Like maybe her nose was stuffed or her throat was sore. I hoped she wasn’t getting sick. Her legendary chicken noodle soup was a universal cure-all, so if she was ...

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“The Urge To Go” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #219

How long had I been there? Shaking, staring down at what I suppose is an elegant Persian carpet, just like the officer demanded. Waiting for what I didn’t know. It would be bad, of course, but how bad? The two who took me in had punched in my back, thrown me to the sidewalk. In the van I’d brushed away dirt from the street – I’m fastidious that way – and comported myself to be presentable. As if that would help. That damn officer. If he just yelled and slapped me more, that would be fine. When he slapped me, I put my hand to my face, I coul...

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“Exchange Program” by Beatrice Gomes

Submitted to Contest #219

Part I. The Village Welcome to the Village, home to a steady population of 15,000 people within the Tower walls. Everything here was perfect: the food and water was always perfectly rationed, the labor was always guaranteed, and the access to information was kept scarce to allow villagers to focus on their life’s purpose, productivity. According to the state’s calculations, there had been no starvation or workplace incidents in hundreds of years thanks to careful planning and good citizens coming together to act as one unit in service of t...

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“Beyond the Bars ” by Ellie Jay Moore

Submitted to Contest #219

Harold held his hat while he wiped the sweat from his brow. He hated this time of day. He’d asked if he could clean this area at the beginning of his shift, but they said no. Dipping the mop into the bucket, he took a long, deep breath. “Evening Harold. Unnerved today, aren’t they?” shouted his colleague, who was mopping at the other end. “Yes, very”, Harold replied, tipping his cap. Bit more than unnerved, Harold thought to himself. He could see them all, huddled together, and the hairs stood up on the back of his neck. ...

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“If I Could Break These Bars” by Ty Warmbrodt

Submitted to Contest #219

If I could break these bars, there wouldn’t be a soul to tell the tale of what happened. Seven days they’ve been pulling me behind these flagellant beasts who aren’t smelling any better as the days pass; wet dirty horses dropping their feces where they see fit, always right in front of my nose. If their stench wasn’t enough, my captors don’t let me out for nothing and my own defecations slosh all over this cage like porridge in a pot. You would think all the rain we’ve encountered would keep the smell down, but it makes it worse and creates ...

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“Cell Thirteen” by Paul Littler

Submitted to Contest #219

Cell thirteen Bob blew out his cheeks as he climbed the prison stairs for what felt like the hundredth time that day. There was that noise again! Like something heavy was being rolled around. He’d only been volunteering for a week (mornings Tuesday and Wednesday, afternoons Friday as he had bowls that morning and liked to keep his hand in). “This’ll keep me fit at least”, he grumbled to himself, stopping on Landing B for a breather, wondering where the noise was coming from? The community...

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“Palimpsest” by Humble Sparrow

Submitted to Contest #219

The first thing she noticed when she tried to move was pains all over. The next thing she noticed when her eyes opened was . . . she had no idea where she was. She sprang from the strange bed in a strange room, and a strange man approached from somewhere in her peripheral vision. He was between her and the door, so she ran for the window. Pushing up one of those old wooden sashes, she thrust her head into scorching heat. Below was nothing but tawny browns and dull greyish greens, wobbling with heat shimmer. She felt...

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“The Last Part of Me” by Bethany Lobberecht

Submitted to Contest #219

It’s strange what comes back to you while you walk that final mile. It’s odd what you remember, and what you long for. I thought I’d cry for the ones I didn’t hold long enough. I thought my heart would crack for the smiles I’d never again see. I thought my bones would ache for all the roads I’d never driven, all the places I’d never seen, all the chances I never took. Instead I watch dark figures lurking in the shadows, and all I find myself missing is the light. They seeped from the walls day by day, forms appearing like a mirage from th...

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“Moros and the Demon Fields” by Vivacity Rex

Submitted to Contest #219

Brushing his hands over the grass before him, Alvin makes his way deeper into the pitch-black prison cell. The smell of seasoned meat and the yeast of bread are getting stronger. His knees burn from being constantly dragged along the ground. “Where is the food?” I sniff again, and the scent of herb-roasted meat floods my mouth with saliva as my stomach contracts in anticipation. It’s close, really close. Inch by scrabbling inch, I reach out in every direction, waiting for my hand to brush up against something. This prison is a mind game. ...

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“The Prison Cell Called Loneliness” by Jasmine Trivett

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #219

Garry Norman Garfield lll was lonely. Though his warm smile and eyes brimming with kindness might hint otherwise, they were as fake as his cheap brown toupee. Garry used to have a family. He used to live a life full of merry Christmases and suburban bliss. He used to have a loving wife, a child who radiated bubbly boyhood, a full head of luscious hair. But now he only had the empty friend called lonely. That, and his hermit crabs.Garry rubbed his eyes, reaching for his glasses with a heavy sigh that echoed in the hollow space. His spectacles...

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Set your story in a type of prison cell.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 82 stories

“Presto Chango” by Michael Jefferson

“Prisoner 45CW” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

“Spider and Glass” by Jennifer Jones

“PRIMAL INSTINCT” by Charles Corkery

“The Birdcage” by Marty B

“Sleeping Awake” by Kyle Winter

“The Urge To Go” by David Ader

“Exchange Program” by Beatrice Gomes

“Beyond the Bars ” by Ellie Jay Moore

“If I Could Break These Bars” by Ty Warmbrodt

“Cell Thirteen” by Paul Littler

“Palimpsest” by Humble Sparrow

“The Last Part of Me” by Bethany Lobberecht

“Moros and the Demon Fields” by Vivacity Rex

“The Prison Cell Called Loneliness” by Jasmine Trivett

🌟 Similar prompts

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

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.

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

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: