Write a story about a character who is trying to share groundbreaking news, but isn’t being taken seriously.

Posted in Dramatic on Aug 4, 2023

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✍️ 30 stories

“The Visitation” by Howard Halsall

Submitted to Contest #210

Hello, officer, I’m concerned about my neighbour’s safety.I’m Chris McNeill from fifty-two Galley Lane…His name’s James Ratcliffe with an “e”…Jim lives opposite me at fifty-three…I believe strangers have abducted him…They’ve got gold skin and black eyes…No, officer, this isn’t a prank call…Yes, I appreciate you’re busy but…Please, just allow me to explain…#Sherry and I aren’t nosey neighbours, however we couldn’t help noticing Jim’s house guests. They first appeared late one night about a fortnight ago. A series of thunderous blasts rattled ...

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“Returning Home Without Ever Leaving” by Russell Mickler

Submitted to Contest #210

Mars-Moon Transit Corridor. 2291. “Proximity Warning: object on impact trajectory.” “Time?” “Forty-seven minutes, six seconds.” Seated, Carlie Barnes flipped a switch above her head. The flight deck window depolarized to reveal the black of space backdropped by motionless, distant stars. “I don’t see anything.” Charlie Broussard manipulated a three-dimensional model of local space on a flat screen. “Nothing’s in the queue; the schedule’s clear.” “Shit.” Barnes withdrew a pair of glasses from a cargo pocket sewn into her flight suit. Re...

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“Night of the Foo Fighters ” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #210

On September 2, 1945 in the early morning before sunrise,, Lt. Glieb was piloting an F6F Hellcat over the South China Sea from Okinawa to Kagoshima, Japan. This was considered a routine flight. The war would come to an end in a few hours as representatives of Emperor Hirohita would sign the official treaty in front of General MacArthur on the deck of the USS Missouri. Lt. Glieb duty was to make sure the skies over Tokyo Bay would be safe since there were stories about renegade Japanese pilot who would fly kamikaze missions during...

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“The Bearer of Bad News” by Ty Warmbrodt

Submitted to Contest #210

The sun rises over The Big Apple. Light reflects off the glass buildings in blinding radiance to every corner of the city, shadows cowering in the nooks and crannies of urban living where most people dare not tread. The city that never sleeps is rejuvenated as heels hit the pavement in fulfilment of their morning routines as they prepare themselves for another day of the repetitious grind. Newsstands and coffee carts open for business as men and women hail taxis for destinations all over the metropolitan area. Cars begin to honk, and people ...

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“The Crevice” by Lily Finch

Submitted to Contest #210

A Tommy Goround-inspired tale written by Lily Finch.Madeleine, a young skier, slayed the terrain near the Jackson Hole Inclusive Ski Resort. She was not frightened of double black diamonds; rather, she welcomed the challenge. She was the day's last competitor at the Ski Resort, and ice and snow were making for some challenging conditions on the slopes. The competition for the other skiers was over the instant they fell or veered out of bounds. Madeleine was outstanding in her field. She was an expert skier.By the time Madeleine skied towards...

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“Aliens on my desk” by Lyle Closs

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #210

16 January 2024 Dear MI5 I believe you handle external threats to the U.K. I am not sure how much of a existential threat they are, but aliens have arrived. They are on my desk. Let me tell you about them. They really are VERY small. When they stand to attention they look remarkably like half a match-stick. Their legs and arms fold into their tiny little trunks and almost merge into the surface. Their red ‘heads’ grow up from their trunk without necks and I cannot see eyes, nose, mouth or ears. Their bodies are flexible though and they can...

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“CHICKEN LITTLE WAS RIGHT” by Susan Catucci

Submitted to Contest #210

Navigation Coordinates J2000 Right Ascension to Saturn (Per the International Celestial Reference System)On board Spacecraft Module ZK8*11, two of Planet Exo’s top engineers sat together in the Goldilocks Lounge going over the day’s findings.EKK-&#@ and SPEC-%^+ studied a year’s worth of data points spread before them reflected in graphs and pie-charts. The table surface doubled as a computer screen. The two had their internal telepathy enabled so they could communicate without speaking. This had the advantage of blocking ...

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“Phantom Brushstrokes” by Eric D.

Submitted to Contest #210

CW: Some Adult Language.Adriana and I had been in a dry spell all day without selling a single piece of artwork, a disappointing realization for our first time at a comic con. Adriana who had been sitting at her booth next to mine kept reminding me of how much money we could have made working from home. On a good day on commissions, we'd make 20 dollars for a full-body line art, that's about 2 or 3 hours of work within a week's time frame. It's maybe fifteen bucks more for an expedited piece. Adriana had been a little pricier, sometimes she'...

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“One Percent Killer” by Tim Rathz

Submitted to Contest #210

Another dead girl. I tried to warn them. Fuckin’ idiots. When I noticed the ping on my phone, just minutes ago, I didn’t want to look at it. I knew it wouldn’t be good news. It wasn’t. The breaking news clip read, Another woman found stabbed to death on the north side. Possible ties to the One Percent Slasher. Well no shit. I threw my phone down on the kitchen table in disgust. I told them. I told all of them. So here I sit, no badge, no gun. Captain Stein was forced to put me on paid suspension, not that he was complaining about it. I saw t...

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“IGNORANCE IS BLISS” by Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #210

IGNORANCE IS BLISS“And these rockets, Intelligence reports claim, are capable of flying from Peenemunde to London before exploding”“Amazing. Go on”.Admiral George Holtz, from the Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency, making his report on his weekly visit to the White House, continued as instructed by the 32nd President of the United States.“Well, sir, you can only begin to imagine the destruction that would be caused should these reports prove to be accurate”.“Yes, yes, yes, but who is responsible for inventing these marv...

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“The Retreat” by Jessica Hevican

Submitted to Contest #210

“Do you want to try and stand on the paddle board, Deacon?” The plump lady in a wetsuit cooed like I was an infant. I was seventeen and every summer since I was ten years old, my mother would ship me off to what she called ‘the retreat’. She believed that attending this activity packed vacation, getting away from the city smog and spending time with people who faced similar challenges to me, would somehow be beneficial and therapeutic. She couldn’t be more wrong. I hated this place and everyone in it.“Come on Deacon, give it a go,” she becko...

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“It’s Not Who You Think” by David B Fraser

Submitted to Contest #210

Astra sat outside the café with her feet on the bench, and with her knees up against her chest. Glen, Harold, and Leslie hung around like puppies for her attention. The driverless cars provided a summer breeze as they hummed by. Glen sipped his drink straw and commented, “You should go out with me.” Astra shook her head, looking across the street towards the fountained park. “I only go for tall, thin, emancipated men.” Harold laughed and jabbed Glen. “She wants Leo.” &nb...

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“The King of the Sky” by Jack Gorzo

Submitted to Contest #210

Kaelyn had been staring at the image on her computer for so long that she’d forgotten to eat dinner. Trapped within the confines of the screen was a rectangle filled with stars. Kaelyn was an astronomer, so she looked at stars a lot. Normally the images she took with the telescope looked like a black sheet of paper with small holes poked in it revealing the brilliant light shining beneath. This image, however, had a face. A horrible face made of stellar gases with red giants for pupils. Its awful smile stretched for light years. Its eyes loo...

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“Oh, By The Way ” by Ellen Neuborne

Submitted to Contest #210

#_P-C_AllStaff Wow, what to say on my last day of 30 years at the Press-Caller? It has been a wild ride. How else can you describe a career that peaked at “managing editor” and finishes now with “redundant.” And yet I do have something important to tell you before I go.It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with all of you these many years. Well, some of you. Actually, none of you since I’m the last of the pre-merger staff to remain. I remember well the last round of staff cuts. And the one before it. And the one before that. And th...

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“Ultraviolet” by Jennifer Faour

Submitted to Contest #210

Carolina I swear I saw it. I was in my room, near my window, caressing my pet bunny, when that purple light lit up the sky. The night sky turned to a beautiful shade of purple. Then all of a sudden, stairs appeared. I was so fascinated by all of it, like I always am. I tried waking up my roommate, but she sleeps like a log, there’s no waking her once she’s deep in her sleep, but I tried. “Rhea, Rhea, wake up, look at the pretty lights! There are people coming to see us. You have to wake up!” It was as if I was talking to a wall. Logan ...

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Write a story about a character who is trying to share groundbreaking news, but isn’t being taken seriously.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 30 stories

“The Visitation” by Howard Halsall

“Returning Home Without Ever Leaving” by Russell Mickler

“Night of the Foo Fighters ” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

“The Bearer of Bad News” by Ty Warmbrodt

“The Crevice” by Lily Finch

“Aliens on my desk” by Lyle Closs

“CHICKEN LITTLE WAS RIGHT” by Susan Catucci

“Phantom Brushstrokes” by Eric D.

“One Percent Killer” by Tim Rathz

“IGNORANCE IS BLISS” by Charles Corkery

“The Retreat” by Jessica Hevican

“It’s Not Who You Think” by David B Fraser

“The King of the Sky” by Jack Gorzo

“Oh, By The Way ” by Ellen Neuborne

“Ultraviolet” by Jennifer Faour

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story after aliens have officially arrived on Earth.

Write about a character who has to grapple with something completely alien to them.

Make a mysterious message an important part of your story.

Write a story that includes someone saying, “We’re not alone.”

Contest #210

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

300

Contest entries

112

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: