Write a short story about people stuck in traffic during a blizzard. There's nothing much to do but wait, and talk...

Posted in Dialogue on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 67 stories

“Inside a snow globe” by Manel Tairi

Submitted to Contest #23

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to be inside a snow globe ? You know the ones children love to shake up and down to watch the flakes swirl in unseen currents.Well, first, it’s freazing cold. Second, it feels as if you are trapped, stuck in a tornado of snow flakes. It doesn’t feel like you’re been shaken up and down, but as if the world around you is turning around so fast, it is shaping a barrier from which youn can’t escape. Third, you wonder. There must be a whole world out there. Beyond the barrier and bey...

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“Love's Heat ” by Christian Monee

Submitted to Contest #23

'You're listening to Hyper Drive with DJ Doe! Drive safely everyone!' The radio show host's voice rang in Chelsea's ears as she stared out of the window. She shifted her petite frame in the heated leather seat of her girlfriend’s Jeep and tried to settle in. It was going to be a long ride home in the traffic; all she wanted to do was climb into bed. Kelly sang along to the radio and tapped her steering wheel. They were playing It Never Rains by Tony! Toni! Tone! and Kelly was into it. She had taken out the bun she'd worn to work tha...

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“The Being Dead Thing” by Sophie Sharek

Submitted to Contest #23

The hearse was a stark black line against the snowy white of the horizon and surroundings. A man with a curling mustache and brown, stained loafers sat in the driver's seat, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel. He particularly hated the cold, and the heater was on full blast, purring like a kitten in the dim atmosphere of the hearse. The snow was falling in thick sheets and the man had to fight to keep his line of sight intact; the windshield wipers moved lackadaisically on their path across the glass. There were three bodies in t...

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“Gear Change” by Pauline Breatnach

Submitted to Contest #23

Being late February there was an extra sliver of light in the evening. An intense orange glow lit up the western sky as the sun sank beneath the horizon.Sally and her mum, Anna, took one last look at what was left among the remnants of Christmas bargains.Ever since Sally had begun to attend St Nicholas's Girls School six months earlier, she had looked longingly across the street at the 'Cool Dude' shopping centre. With some money left over from her Christmas presents she wanted to have a peek.On Wednesday afternoons, Mum came by to pick up S...

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“Yukionna” by Rose Buckingham

Submitted to Contest #23

Howard drummed his fingers against the steering wheel, a rhythmic patter that didn’t quite fit with the music on the radio. He sighed and straightened his arms, locking his elbows out in an attempt to ease the tension in his neck and shoulders, although nothing ever really dispelled the aches and pains anymore, and the cold was settling into his joints as though they themselves were turning slowly to ice. The windscreen wipers swept begrudgingly across in front of him, affording him a brief view of the back end of the same car he’d been sat ...

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“Coming home” by Sam Kirk

Submitted to Contest #23

“You’re driving like a maniac! Slow down and stop changing lanes every other second” – Paula said to her husband.“Do you want to take over?” – Mark asked his wife.“We just switched. I drove for the past five hours” – Paula replied.“Longest five hours of my life. If it were up to me, you would not be driving at all” – Mark said, changing yet to a different lane.“Do you have to be an ass?” – Paula asked.“I don’t, but you insist on making me out to be one way too often” – Mark said and honked at the car that suddenly slowed down.“Plus, it was y...

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“The Corundum Conundrum” by Tori Routsong

Submitted to Contest #23

Aminta watched her boyfriend drum his fingers on the steering wheel, impatient as ever. As far as she was concerned, however, the blizzard was a godsend. She’d promised herself she’d confront him as soon as they got to the restaurant; if they never got to the restaurant, there’d be no confrontation. She and Fideo could sit in this car for the rest of their lives and Aminta would be perfectly happy. Fideo clearly felt otherwise, and he flicked on and off the windshield wipers as if that would make any difference. “We’re going to miss our res...

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“Small Talk” by Zoe Berger

Submitted to Contest #23

This guy is driving what looks like a 70’s model Ford, so bright red it's like an eyesore in the snow, with those huge all-terrain tires and one of the side mirrors duct taped on. Not a typical asshole kind of car, I think - it’s the cool stepdad type, someone with kind eyes and a low voice - but this guy is shaping up to be anything but. “I’m telling you,” the girl sighs, “this blizzard on the interstate’s backed everything up like crazy. We just have to wait it out.” “Oh, like hell!” Leaning out into the cold, his nose is the same ug...

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“One. Two. Three.” by Cassidy Caldwell

Submitted to Contest #23

Five thousand possible scenarios had played through my head. 1. He hates you.2. He hates you and walks out.3. He hates you and you lose your job.4. He hates you and walks out and you lose your job.Somehow, this was not one of them.As the cold air of my broken heater hit my face, my eyes wandered in his direction while my head stayed forward. I didn’t want to look too suspicious, but I was making sure he hadn’t jumped out of my car and started walking. He was just on his phone, and I wanted nothing more than to have that type of escape – to s...

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“Florida, Interrupted” by Laura Roberts

Submitted to Contest #23

It just figures. As soon as we get on the road headed south, there's a big mess on the freeway. A couple of tractor trailers managed to jackknife on the highway, causing a huge crash and blocking off traffic on the only route out of this frozen wasteland of a city. Awesome. Great work, truckers. How does someone jackknife a semi, anyway? What, exactly, does it take to qualify as "jackknifing"?I ask Dr. Google, and he informs me that many accidents such as this one occur because of improper brake maintenance or adjustment. To "jackknife" a tr...

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“The Look” by Cody Ell

Submitted to Contest #23

It’s a bad feeling, being stuck in a confined space with a stranger, knowing that you literally can’t leave or you’ll probably die. Sure, I could get out of the car and try to walk the rest of the way, but it was 7 degrees outside, and we were in the middle of the highway, granted all the cars were stopped, but I wouldn’t be able to see more than three feet in front of me. With my luck, I’d probably walk off an overpass.I’d spent the first hour of the drive with my earbuds in listening to music, but it had died a few minutes ago, and I didn’...

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“Dead People Don't Talk” by Kaitlynn Flint

Submitted to Contest #23

Dead People Don't Talk 1/7/20Dead people don't talk. Or, at least that's what Robert McVan thought. He's worked for a funeral home, driving around the hearse, for more than three years- and not once has a dead person spoken to him. They're dead! They aren't supposed to talk. Did a dead person ever talk to you before? Exactly, dead people don't talk! But boy, was he proven wrong. It all happened during the worst blizzard in New York City traffic. He was driving to a funeral, coffin in the back, millions of family and friends fol...

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““CHANGE OF PLANS”” by Dawn Mandzik

Submitted to Contest #23

The snow started to fall. Large white flakes swirled and danced in the air. It was the end of the day, the end of a great day at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort. Mom had hung out at the Judah Lodge enjoying the scenery and holding the extra gear while the boys and Dad spent the day snowboarding. Carving the mountain in soft fresh powder that had fallen the night before.What a great way to start the year. And what a great way to end their winter break, Dad thought happily as ...

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“One Winter's Day in the Pig on Wheels” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #23

It’s fair to say that when you’re stuck in a traffic jam, and realise that you’re likely to be stuck there for quite a while, realising that your former neighbour (whom you were glad to see leave!) is in the car in front of you doesn’t make your mood any better. I’d have known that car anywhere. An old VW Beetle and sprayed a shade of pink that no car was ever meant to be, even though I’m not a follower of the Ford “as long as it’s black” doctrine. We nicknamed it the Pig on Wheels – and quite apart fro...

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“M25” by Pamela Saunders

Submitted to Contest #23

“Bye then” waved Nikki and John as they left the home of their friends, Julie and Chris. John drove away down the road towards the M25. For the last hour or so before they left, it had been snowing, and they wanted to get back before dark, and before it had a chance to settle and freeze over.Actually, it was beginning to blow a gale and the snow got thicker so that visibility was terrible. The wipers were working full time and John had to drive at only 20mph to be safe. Everyone needed their lights on but those really didn't seem to make a l...

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Write a short story about people stuck in traffic during a blizzard. There's nothing much to do but wait, and talk...

Submissions are closed

✍️ 67 stories

“Inside a snow globe” by Manel Tairi

“Love's Heat ” by Christian Monee

“The Being Dead Thing” by Sophie Sharek

“Gear Change” by Pauline Breatnach

“Yukionna” by Rose Buckingham

“Coming home” by Sam Kirk

“The Corundum Conundrum” by Tori Routsong

“Small Talk” by Zoe Berger

“One. Two. Three.” by Cassidy Caldwell

“Florida, Interrupted” by Laura Roberts

“The Look” by Cody Ell

“Dead People Don't Talk” by Kaitlynn Flint

““CHANGE OF PLANS”” by Dawn Mandzik

“One Winter's Day in the Pig on Wheels” by Deborah Mercer

“M25” by Pamela Saunders

🌟 Similar prompts

You go for a walk in fresh snow. Suddenly you realize you're not leaving any footprints.

Write a short story that takes place in a winter cabin.

A busy city is quieted by a big blanketing of snow. Write from the perspective of two (or more) characters who live there.

Write a short story about someone experiencing their first winter.

Contest #23

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

353

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: