Write a story about someone trying to resist their darker impulses. Whether they succeed or fail is up to you.

Posted in Dark on Sep 8, 2023

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✍️ 100 stories

“Monster” by Jesper Jee

Submitted to Contest #215

”That's why I stop myself from doing the things I want to do. Because it’s not right. What’s wrong is that I don’t want to.”The floorboards croaked beneath him as Richard Farraday walked from one side of the vestry to the other. There was a small sink in the corner and he needed to wash his face again. Not only because his skin felt clammy and beads of sweat were starting to form on his forehead, but because he felt dirty. Something not even holy water could fix.Cupping his hands under the cold tap, he gazed at his reflection in the mir...

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“Nine Steps to Jeeves” by Suma Jayachandar

Submitted to Contest #215

When my gait freezes, I gently kick the trash can. What wouldn’t I give to trash all these dementors hovering around my foggy brain. But now, that is not important. Kicking the empty plastic trash can is. Whatever little tension my frayed nerves can conjure must be directed at it. It is my only hope against falling on the floor and breaking my teeth. Or bones. Again. The trash can is my shining Patronus. I try to summon the warmth of the morning sun on my back. And the squirrels that roll around the trees on the campus as I walk on crisp w...

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“The Monster” by Amy B

Submitted to Contest #215

warning:this story has physical violence, self harm and inappropriate words The Monster I can’t believe I came here again. Every night for a month, driven by my soul to return to this spot. Like a flame I cannot resist. Even though I know it is wrong. ********** A young man peeks out of the blinds, drawn closed an hour ago. He knows where she is. He has watched her pull up every day and stare through her window. Some nights she has her phone light on, aimlessly flicking through her apps. Some nights she opens a book and turns on ...

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“The Many Perks of Air Travel” by Cade Holter

Submitted to Contest #215

One of the many perks of air travel is the in flight service. Even in coach, even when the flight is near empty like this one, there are the stewardesses, whose job is to provide some in flight drinks and snacks. I personally have taken to their drinks quite well, the wine is doing wonders to dull the wailing infant to my right. I look over at and I see it, still in its booster seat, facing the plane seat it’s been plopped into by the inattentive bitch sleeping beside it. Neck pillow, ear muffs, blindfold. What a jackass. How dare she leave ...

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“What to Do” by John Xavier

Submitted to Contest #215

She woke to the familiar sound of crying. Slowly she rose from the hospital bed, dragged herself across the room, and lifted a baby from its crib. She cooed an apology, “I’m sorry, there is no more.” The other babies began to fuss. They were getting hungry. She had locked the door four days ago, to find the three infants in their cribs, sleeping peacefully, unaware of the horrors that were happening in the world outside. Five days ago she was a doctor. Four days ago she became the infant’s only caregiver. Th...

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“Moving Into Together” by J.W. Kimmel

Submitted to Contest #215

TW: Suicidal Ideation, Physical ViolenceAfter a brief and increasingly common battle with the sliding glass door he steps out onto the small balcony and breathes in the morning air. He leans over the railing and looks three stories down to the concrete sidewalk below. Probably not high enough, he thinks. Swinging his leg over the railing his heart rate quickens. I guess I’ll just have to go head first. He swings his other leg over the railing and starts taking deep breaths. The loud hiss of a truck’s brakes diverts his attention and he peers...

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“I Make My Own Waves” by Melissa Van Rensburg

Submitted to Contest #215

What lengths would you go to make your dreams a reality? I had grappled with this question for some time. But not anymore, because I now know the answer: I would do whatever it takes. I had done what was required so that tonight, I can bask in a surge of pride, my fingers tracing the glimmering award next to me, tangible evidence of my hard-won achievement. As I was listening to the speeches ramble on, I thought back to how different my state of mind had been just a few months prior… Every time I received an email from my publisher, a ...

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“It Had to Be” by Joe Smallwood

Submitted to Contest #215

You’d think I would know better. Really. It was a simple thing: just be normal, like everyone else. Enter a crowded room and not wonder about everything.Oh, how I would try! Let’s see. Work hard at not working hard! Absurd enough? Absurdism had nothing on me. Master of Dissembling that I was! Or am, whatever!You wonder if there will ever be enough of me to go around. There wasn’t enough of me for myself. What a thought. Where was me for myself? Going gone done! Sold to the gentleman who had better things to do than think about these things!B...

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“We rented a killer cabin....” by Tricia King

Submitted to Contest #215

The heavy knife clattered to the tile floor. Rochelle’s hands and clothes were covered in thick, dark blood. The once yellow cardigan began dripping the surplus of blood from its sleeve onto the kitchen floor with a low dull slopping sound. Rochelle’s pink and white floral dress was in ruins, and her kitten heels left little triangles and dot shapes in blood as she crossed the kitchen floor. Without even rinsing her hands, she grabbed a rocksglass from the drainboard of the old country sink. She plinked a few cubes of ice into the glass fro...

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“Smiling Turmoil. ” by Emanuel Diaz

Submitted to Contest #215

In the shadowed depths of a grim and eerie city, there dwelled a man named Eddie Harris, a soul tormented by the relentless pull of his darker impulses. His existence was a tenebrous tapestry, woven with threads of both virtue and vice, and it was in the subterranean labyrinth of the subway where the sinister symphony of his inner turmoil played out. One fateful night, as Eddie descended into the bowels of the metropolis, the haunting voices inside his mind seemed to materialize in the desolate tunnels, as if whispered by the very specters...

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“Muse” by Andy Darby

Submitted to Contest #215

I can feel the wind blowing down the tunnel. That warm breeze that announces the arrival of a train. The smell of metal and grease mixing with the scent of humanity. The train slides noisily out of the darkness and stops at the eastbound platform opposite. She is there on my platform. She always stands in the same place every day, just in front of the Tube map and about halfway towards the track. I have watched her every morning and the longing has grown day by day, week by we...

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“Burning Desire” by Dora Bona

Submitted to Contest #215

Smoke, my faithful assistant and constant ally, has enveloped the apartment. Acrid black plumes roll and swirl around you like unbroken stallions, but they can't be tamed. Even with your breathing apparatus you will need to get out of here fast, or you’ll be overcome. *** Growing up, I was considered good looking, in a pretty-boy sort of way. I didn’t like the term at first; it sounded almost demeaning. But I soon realized that some labels can be useful, and should not be taken for granted. Socially, I learned fast by studying th...

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“The Stranger in the Coffee Shop” by Mary Richards

Submitted to Contest #215

The urge to kill, to harm, to maim, had always been there. As long as he could remember, Jake wanted to hurt things. When he was younger, it had been birds and unsuspecting cats. His mother had been horrified by his behavior and she sent him away, to a place that could pray the evil out of him. It worked for awhile, but the desire to harm was creeping in again. Only this time, he wanted more. *** Carissa hauled her bag, containing her computer and notebooks everywhere she went. Today the plan was to work on her novel at the little coffee sho...

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“Finders Keepers” by Randolph Pierce

Submitted to Contest #215

Being a good, loyal member of the parish served by the local Catholic church, Spencer Wood again found himself coming forward to help when needed. In his late 50s, while life was presenting more challenges related to the inevitability of growing older, Spencer felt he was capable enough in regard to his mind and body to make a meaningful contribution of his time and energy. The tray full of bills, sorted by denomination, each stack held secure with a triangular metal clip, stared up at ...

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“The House on Elmendorf” by Buddy Calvo

Submitted to Contest #215

Jack Klee had been a friend of the family for as far back as I can remember. He wandered in and out of our lives ever since I was a child, usually around the holidays and summers. Jack would drift across the state and beyond, but he always seemed to make it back to us and we were always happy when he did. He would say his time with us was therapeutic and just what he needed after a season of traveling. He was a white man, tall, light brown almost blonde hair. He always wore the same outfit, a large, brimmed Panama hat, blue denim type button...

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Write a story about someone trying to resist their darker impulses. Whether they succeed or fail is up to you.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 100 stories

“Monster” by Jesper Jee

“Nine Steps to Jeeves” by Suma Jayachandar

“The Monster” by Amy B

“The Many Perks of Air Travel” by Cade Holter

“What to Do” by John Xavier

“Moving Into Together” by J.W. Kimmel

“I Make My Own Waves” by Melissa Van Rensburg

“It Had to Be” by Joe Smallwood

“We rented a killer cabin....” by Tricia King

“Smiling Turmoil. ” by Emanuel Diaz

“Muse” by Andy Darby

“Burning Desire” by Dora Bona

“The Stranger in the Coffee Shop” by Mary Richards

“Finders Keepers” by Randolph Pierce

“The House on Elmendorf” by Buddy Calvo

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story in a haunted house.

Write a story about a monster trying to become more human. Or about a human trying to become more monstrous.

You confront the monster you’ve spent many long years hunting. Except they’re not exactly what you thought they’d be…

Write a story about someone making a deal with the devil.

Contest #215

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

388

Contest entries

135

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: