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

Posted in Dialogue on Oct 6, 2023

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✍️ 53 stories

“A Week of Casseroles” by Michał Przywara

Submitted to Contest #219

Casserole Night is what Date Night grew up to be, after Date Night’s dreams were put in a plain brown takeout bag and buried in the backyard. Neither Ben nor Heather remembered exactly what had killed the dreams, nor what the dreams even were anymore since it all happened years ago, but they were content to stew in the welcome boringness of Casserole Night. Which is why Ben was alarmed when the new neighbours at 777 threatened to ruin everything. “Oh my god,” Ben said, his fork clattering to his plate. Heather nodded to herself. This is wher...

47 comments 47

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“Simon’s Gospel” by Martin Ross

Submitted to Contest #219

To Cassie FinchCAUTION; Language, possible religious triggers, discussion of women’s reproductive rights.The table felt funny.That generally went without saying. Simon knew by rote the number of steps from his apartment house to Warshinski’s on Division, how many lights he must chance on the morning pilgrimage (two), and how many coat hooks he must count from the entry step-down to rear booth (Warshinski’s was OG Chicago). He could smell 30 feet before Mrs. Warshinski slid his standing order onto the formica with a mute pat on the shoulder. ...

31 comments 31

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“Happy Anniversary” by Amanda Lieser

Submitted to Contest #219

At exactly 5pm Catherine heads into the restaurant. She sat in her car half an hour, waiting, but refusing to be early. She wasn’t early for Adam anymore. Before long, she is sitting at her booth, knee bobbing gently beneath her table. She stretches out her neck, feeling particularly sore before her meal. Ever since she took that wedding ring off, regular spin classes were back on the schedule. Beside her, a long, red, faux fur lined jacket. It was the first thing she bought after she walked out of divorce court and the perfect pairing for h...

9 comments 9

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“His Wounds Green” by Geir Westrul

Submitted to Contest #219

"It's not your fault." Court put his naked arm around her naked shoulders, kissed the soft skin on her long, naked neck. Really, Windsor thought, watching them through his electronic peephole, not your fault, then who's is it? Not mine, that's for damn sure, looking down at his wife and his best friend, lying there, together, tangled up in his blankets, sweating in his bed, their tanned skin on his white sheets, framed by the dark wood floor in his bedroom, an overhead shot through the hidden camera lens fro...

22 comments 22

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“The Cleanse” by Lucy Joyce

Submitted to Contest #219

The sun-drenched orchestral pit was filled with the noises of instruments being discordantly tuned, and the frantic flipping of sheet music. Musicians murmured in low voices, glancing from time to time at the stage, which rose ominously behind them. The June afternoon was bright, clear, and warm. Walter was First Chair of the violin section. He wiped his sweating brow with a trembling hand. He was sick with nerves, although he was not worried about their set. The stage was in the middle of an amusement park located in the privileged first-...

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“Whispers in the Shadows” by Kristin Satterfield

Submitted to Contest #219

Lilah's heart raced as she darted through the dimly lit streets of Elron, the city that never truly slept. The ancient cobblestones echoed with every step she took, and the cold mist wrapped around her like a cloak. On every corner she passed tales of the past whispered.I need to get out, she thought searching in the darkness for something, anything that could help her escape her would be attacker.The echoing sounds of said attackers feet filled the air not to far away making her heart pound.Amidst the labyrinth of alleyways, she paused, her...

4 comments 4

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“Mute Discussions of Government Intrustion” by Cade Holter

Submitted to Contest #219

The clunky air conditioner churned behind his head as he took in the words he was reading. “I think someone is listening.” Scribbled out in shaky, thin lines, the words on that ragged scrap of paper made Gail quickly bring his gaze up to the man who had handed it to him. He was terrible to look at. He was pale white all over his naked torso and arms, the only article of clothing on his body was a pair of grey sweatpants. His face was skeletal, like some had tried to shrink wrap it. His eyes were sunk so far into his skull that the flickering...

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“No One is Watching” by Kelly L

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #219

I think someone’s watching. I have heard that it’s normal to feel like you’re being watched after you commit a murder. Maybe it is guilt, maybe it is paranoia. Just in case it is intuition, I walk over to the windows quickly. I look around the backyard, I see nothing except night punctuated by a few Christmas lights strung around a privacy fence. Lucky we are on the second floor. I can still hear the muffled noise of the crowd downstairs. Ella, our department chair and her husband Richard always throw the faculty holiday party.&nb...

9 comments 9

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“The Young Writer ” by Peter Gerber

Submitted to Contest #219

Adhering closely to the unwritten social norms of Korean BBQ joints, the small group of four young writers were in the process of opening the third bottle of rice alcohol. “It’s incredible how the more I drink this rice alcohol, the more I want to continue eating!” cried Joseph. Thin and tender pieces of pork and meat were continuously pressed against the main table grill. Side orders of sardines, cucumber salads, steamed rice, hot kimchi and lettuce wraps populated the entirety of the table. After swallowing, Luke said “I can now firmly sta...

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“Tent” by Matthew Bolduc

Submitted to Contest #219

Suddenly I was jolted awake in the dead of night by my pulse pounding in my ears as loudly as if I were beating my head against a wall. I wish my subconscious, having woken me, could clue me in to why I was awake and feeling a keen sense of danger. I opened my eyes, and saw nothing. The weather had been pretty bad for our whole trip, with dense, inky clouds blotting out the sky, and staunchly refusing to rain. Combined with the dense foliage of the trees standing close around our tent, not much light could reach us, even during the day. At n...

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“Your Own Personal Panopticon” by Chaya Steinberg

Submitted to Contest #219

Knowing the future is underrated. You probably already know your future, and you’re not even aware of it. When you were born, likely kicking and screaming, with barely a shred of consciousness in your mind, your parents/guardians had a plan for you. Their plan could have been pretty typical and unspoken, like “I want my child to do well for themselves in this chaotic world.” Or the plan can be detailed and specific, with 613 rules and restrictions which this child is expected to observe from “adulthood” (12 for a girl, 13...

2 comments 2

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“Perfect” by Leigh Johnson

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #219

We had achieved perfection: total equality, immersive community, life sustained; not by death but by living in balance. We left behind our baser instincts: war, reproduction, gluttony and envy. There were no unwanted babies born, no addicts, no starvation, or deaths from preventable disease. There were pleasurable activities: walking, sports, gardening, art, performance. Not for the purpose of winning, or outshining others, but for the collective enjoyment of participating. We had transcended the need for pairing off and spousal ownership. W...

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“Blind Eyes, Four Eyes” by Michael Novak

Submitted to Contest #219

The park was all but deserted. Why shouldn’t it have been? It was midday on a Friday. Everybody who could have potentially been there was at school or work. Besides, the weather was awful. It was hot and humid and the sky was grey, always threatening to open up in a deluge but never actually going through with it. It was a smallish sort of park, divided into four grassy quadrants by a pair of brick walkways that intersected at the park’s middle, where a monument to some hero of some long-ago forgotten war stood, its copper body having long...

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“Cursed/Blessed” by Luciano Cortese

Submitted to Contest #219

tw: gore, non-physical child abuse, body horror, police being terrible, mild transphobiaIn the city where Aisal dreams, there are eyes everywhere. Black towers stretch towards the twin suns, mist rolls off the lake, and floating eyeballs watch the citizens go about their day.Aisal has never minded it. The eyeballs keep a close eye on him as he walks towards a castle so black it looks as if it’s made of shadows, the light not reflecting off it at all.A bunch of kids come running out of the castle to greet him, and Aisal laughs and picks up th...

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“Noah' Male Menopause. ” by Julie Grenness

Submitted to Contest #219

Yes, it was Spring time in the mountain forests. Old Noah was still rocking around, one of the identities and well-respected characters. He lived in the back woods of the rustic small village of Good Blubbering. Old Noah and his family had built their own enclave, way off in the hills. It was all very secluded. To get around, Old Noah had two big motor cycles, always there for his mid-life critical moments. He was now the President of Good Blubbering's garden society. He and his wives convened weekly meetings, to share their propagation stor...

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 53 stories

“A Week of Casseroles” by Michał Przywara

“Simon’s Gospel” by Martin Ross

“Happy Anniversary” by Amanda Lieser

“His Wounds Green” by Geir Westrul

“The Cleanse” by Lucy Joyce

“Whispers in the Shadows” by Kristin Satterfield

“Mute Discussions of Government Intrustion” by Cade Holter

“No One is Watching” by Kelly L

“The Young Writer ” by Peter Gerber

“Tent” by Matthew Bolduc

“Your Own Personal Panopticon” by Chaya Steinberg

“Perfect” by Leigh Johnson

“Blind Eyes, Four Eyes” by Michael Novak

“Cursed/Blessed” by Luciano Cortese

“Noah' Male Menopause. ” by Julie Grenness

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story in a type of prison cell.

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: