Start or end your story with someone saying, “We have all the time in the world.”

Posted in Dialogue on Jan 19, 2024

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 71 stories

“My Dad's Best Friend” by Nicholas Thomas

Submitted to Contest #234

It’s been a long drive so far. I was pretty excited when I was told my dad was taking me on a trip to see my Aunt Lindsey; I hadn’t seen her in a few years. My dad was excited too at first, but as we get closer to Aunt Lindsey’s I can see that he’s getting more and more… I don’t know, sad? I don’t think that’s the right word for it, but there’s definitely something there that’s growing with every passing mile. &...

4 comments 4

Read story

“The Death of Appearances” by Cindy Calder

Submitted to Contest #234

“We have all the time in the world,” Zelda said, reaching across the space betwixt herself and her fiancé. She lovingly caressed his forearm in an attempt to assure that his despondency was due to nothing more than the gloomy weather that filled the streets of Paris that rainy day.“We have all the time in the world to go all the places and see all the things your heart desires, Jacques. In a month we’ll be married and living together right here in this lovely Parisian apartment. Life is young. We are on the precipice of so many possibilities...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Purple Fringed Purse” by David Winfield

Submitted to Contest #234

"Mom! I'm a grown man," I said, strangling my cell phone. "I don't need any help scheduling my life.""I know, son. I'm just trying to suggest maybe you don't have enough time to go fishing today. You're flying out to visit your sister in three hours. She'll be very disappointed if you miss your flight.""I'm not going fishing. I’m just going to go down to the river and test out this new lure I bought to make sure it works like it should. It will only take me fifteen minutes, thirty tops.""Son, you live fifteen minutes from the river. It'll ta...

4 comments 4

Read story

“Clear Sky, Dark Clouds” by Cecilia Baker

Submitted to Contest #234

“We have all the time in the world.” Emma looked at the screen, Earth spinning helplessly, months fleeting by like seconds. Its beautiful blues and rolling greens were no match for the small, rocky planet on the screen beside it. The sunlight reflected meetly off the ashen surface. Its small hills traded colors from brown to black. It was a stark difference from inside the outpost, where the fluorescent lights were blinding and bounced harshly off the plastic white walls. The constant tug of the black hole nearby was deep in her chest.&nbsp...

1 comment 1

Read story

“First Time” by Shawn Putnam

Submitted to Contest #234

I turned sixteen today, and Mom and Dad woke me up for a special surprise. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting a whole lot. I’ve never been one to care about gifts. Well, maybe I did when I was a kid, but since I got into high school, I stopped worrying so much about what kind of things my parents would buy me. Mandy says I’m nuts, considering how much money Mom brings in, but Judy disagrees. She says I should be happy Mom and Dad are still happily married after all these years. She’s right, I think –...

4 comments 4

Read story

“Kindle” by Kelita Sim

Submitted to Contest #234

“We have all the time in the world.” Without a word, she revolves in place with hands on hips, elbows jutting and lips puckering. As her eyes glare down at our bodies adorned with lingerie and filigree, I imagine her brain firing up all over again. The blasé comment is a fatal mistake, offered up by the trust fund teenager, in a moment far from optimistic. If the teenager had taken a second to read the room, she would understand that the fire - her cousin - is already smoking and doesn’t need any more poking. The careless comment is anothe...

0 comments 0

Read story

“TIMED OUT” by Bruce Woodloe

Submitted to Contest #234

This is it then. This is how it ends. Id always thought tat the stories of life passing before one’s eyes were just that. Stories. Now mine was flashing in surprising detail. My eighth birthday party, my first kiss at nine. My best friend for the first twelve years of my life, my dog Champ. Losing my virginity at fourteen. Getting my driver’s license at sixteen. My high school prom, summers down the shore, my mom’s passing, seeing my dad cry for the first time at her funeral, my proposal to my now fiancé. Yeah, the stories are true. I’m...

5 comments 5

Read story

“Love has no bounds but the bounds of time ” by Mercy Cooper

Submitted to Contest #234

Love has no bounds but the bounds of time By Mercy Cooper There absolutely cannot be enough time in a night. Who said that a day should be 24 hours? Who decided that a ball should only last till morning? He looks absolutely stunning tonight and what do I look like? The man I’m here with says I look beautiful but I doubt my real love would think that. He cares more about what’s inside..at least I hear that he does. The prince smiles and I want very badly to run up to him and kiss him–of course I restrain myself. Yes my dear, m...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Glass Half Frozen” by Lauren Overall

Submitted to Contest #234

Day 46 Aboard the Aurora Borealis II My nose is cold, my hands and feet are cold, and I’m pretty sure my core body temperature is below freezing. When I signed up to “save the polar bears”, freezing my butt off for 15 hours a day is not what I meant. I am much more comfortable in my heated laboratory with all my samples in neat, labeled containers in front of me. Instead, I got roped into this “immersive” research experience by my co-scientist and husband, Oliver. He’s always been the more adventurous and audacious of the two of us. Al...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Press pause, please ” by Aisiri A

Submitted to Contest #234

“More coffee?,” the lady with bright blue hair asks, interrupting the rush of thoughts that had wrapped me so tightly that I had started to give into their quagmire. I nod, and she smiles. Did I smile back? You spend too much time wondering if you are polite enough, Lekha had said when I asked her if I had apologized properly when a stranger bumped into me and his bag fell on the ground. Did he apologise? She had asked, looking straight ahead at the big banner of a clothing brand advertisement. Lekha never looked at ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Chipped Tooth” by Leah Hearne

Submitted to Contest #234

“We have all the time in the world,” Sal said as he wiped the sweat off his forehead with a dinner napkin he stole from some restaurant. He drove only with his left hand, knuckles white around the wheel as he swerved around a scarecrow. Ears of rotten corn knocked against the windshield. The sound was indistinguishable from a rain of fists. “I mean, it’s not like anyone’s on our tail,” he continued. His voice was overly jubilant as if he were trying to convince himself of his own words. “No one saw a thing. No one heard a thing. Hell, i...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Time Sink ” by Mary Lynne Schuster

Submitted to Contest #234

“We have all the time in the world,” Sam said. Jerry looked up. His hands were deep in the guts of a irregular black box, one side off and wires poking everywhere. Multicolored lights were blinking in a quick pattern across the top. “It still might not be enough,” he said. He carefully pulled one hand out, slowly releasing a blue wire as he did, and wiped his forehead. His hand was shaking. “Take your time,” Sam said. He sorted through the jars on the metal shelf, glancing at the labels, and sco...

2 comments 2

Read story

“One Last Strike” by Ansley Scott

Submitted to Contest #234

“We have all the time in the world,” Harris says. He looks down at his hands, at how his fingers still tremble and pulse, as if he still sees the power he unleashed only moments ago from those very palms. His mouth is slightly gaped and his bottom lip shimmers with the redness of a split lip. Besides that small cut, he’s completely untouched. Even his hair remains styled and pushed back, the gel only giving way to a few strands of hair that curl just above his right eye. Kinser watches him. Her stomach turns. There are bodies s...

0 comments 0

Read story

“New Friend” by James Seamone

Submitted to Contest #234

“We have all the time in the world.” The large scruffy man said as he tightened the knots around the terrified woman’s wrists. “All the time in the world.” Tina wanted to scream but the balled-up rag in her mouth and the duct tape prevented that. Snot clogged her nostrils making it hard to breathe. Wide eyed, she looked around the room for a way to escape or some other help. The walls were made from logs that had no bark and were heavily varnished. The sparce furniture was rustic cabin furniture, hand made with care and skill. One big ope...

0 comments 0

Read story

“In the Hall of Two Truths” by Christopher Kooker

Submitted to Contest #234

“We have all the time in the world,” she said. I think that was supposed to be reassuring, but her expression was hard to read. The Assessors sat silently, heads bowed in fealty. I tried my best to emulate their formal demeanor, but I desperately wanted to ask about the turquoise feathers sprouting from her arms. After an excruciating wait, I was finally at the head of a massive line that wound its way through the dimly-lit hall. Throngs of people bunched together just enough that you felt obligated to ask each one if they were in line ...

0 comments 0

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about someone whose time is running out.

Angst – 112 stories

Write a story about someone who wishes they could turn back time.

Character – 70 stories

Write about someone taking advantage of some unexpected free time.

Fluff – 31 stories

Set your story in a place that’s frozen in time — literally or metaphorically.

Narrative – 56 stories

Contest #234

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Time Out

$250

Prize money

340

Contest entries

132

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jan 26, 2024 EST

Won by David Pampu 🏆

Title: 6:47 PST

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

Start or end your story with someone saying, “We have all the time in the world.”

Submissions are closed

✍️ 71 stories

“My Dad's Best Friend” by Nicholas Thomas

“The Death of Appearances” by Cindy Calder

“Purple Fringed Purse” by David Winfield

“Clear Sky, Dark Clouds” by Cecilia Baker

“First Time” by Shawn Putnam

“Kindle” by Kelita Sim

“TIMED OUT” by Bruce Woodloe

“Love has no bounds but the bounds of time ” by Mercy Cooper

“Glass Half Frozen” by Lauren Overall

“Press pause, please ” by Aisiri A

“Chipped Tooth” by Leah Hearne

“Time Sink ” by Mary Lynne Schuster

“One Last Strike” by Ansley Scott

“New Friend” by James Seamone

“In the Hall of Two Truths” by Christopher Kooker

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about someone whose time is running out.

Write a story about someone who wishes they could turn back time.

Write about someone taking advantage of some unexpected free time.

Set your story in a place that’s frozen in time — literally or metaphorically.

Contest #234

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

340

Contest entries

132

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: