Write about someone facing their greatest fear.

Posted in Dramatic on Sep 16, 2024

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✍️ 109 stories

“Samshoblo” by Sophia Gavasheli

Submitted to Contest #206

TW: death. I learned of my father’s death on a Sunday morning, while building a Lego pirate ship with my daughter. The house felt as sterile as a hospital that morning, sickly white light filtering through the windows, Cecilia’s giggling echoing around the freshly painted walls. We were sprawled on the cool tiled floor, bright Legos scattered all around us. I smiled at my daughter as I read the instructions and she grabbed plastic bricks, clicking them into place with a grin. Cici was putting the finishing touches on the hull of...

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“The Social Phantom” by Shahzad Ahmad

Submitted to Contest #206

It was a war zone in abstraction. The only difference being the absence of the spectre of brute force exchanging infinite rounds of artillery fire. Its place was taken up instead by frightening images that blurred reality and transported me to the confines of an imagined world where fear was firmly saddled and dwarfed any countervailing forces that were even faintly suspected of raising a revolt. It was overpowering; it was intense; it held both my body and brain in a state of suspension with no prospects of an early release. The accelerati...

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“FEAR-NO FEAR” by Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #206

FEAR-NO FEAR “The life that I have Is all that I have And the life that I have is yours The love that I have Of the life that I have Is yours and yours and yours…” The above formed part of a an encrypted call signal, known as a fist. It was used to identify the wireless operator, calling England from Occupied France during World War Two. Previously, phrases from well known poems had been utilised but the Germans were easily able to copy them so new phrases were created instead. This particular phrase was provided to a woma...

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“From Caterpilly to Butterflight” by Sarah Martyn

Submitted to Contest #206

From Caterpilly to Butterflight Metathesiophobia: The fear of change. “God sure did make you a caterpillar, but don’t you think He created you to also become a butterfly?” Those were the words that little Caterpilly echoed in her mind over and over again as she sat at breakfast with Momma, Daddy, and her little brother Zip. Her Grandma Flutter said those words to her not just once, but a few times, months ago. Her grandma always seemed to know what to say, but Caterpilly almost never liked hearing it right then. The first time ...

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“Embrace Your Fear” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #206

Logan awoke alone in the forest. He felt at peace. A few stars still winked through branches. Abandoned but not afraid, he’d expected it. Planned for it. ‘For his own good. That’s how it works,’ he thought. Ever resourceful, he’d find his way. Untamed but not threatening, to Logan this was mere wilderness. Not sure why he came, fear held little sway in his life. He was not destined to die of exposure. Logan knew his fate lay within, a more interesting place to explore than this trackless expanse. That’s what Sal, the shaman, told them. Loga...

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“Defenestraphobia Moves in Next Door” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #206

Defenestraphobia Moves in Next Door(Satirical references to certain phobias; indelicate treatment of the subject of "plus- size" people.) The day after the “For Sale” sign came down, a crew was at the two-story colonial boarding up all the windows. Kenny, the keen-eyed neighbor next door, couldn’t help but notice.“Margie, take a look-see on what’s going on next door. The new owner is having all the windows boarded up.”“What? Oh, my God, that is strange. Maybe they just want their privacy, or they worry about peeping toms hiding in the bushes...

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“The Bake Sale” by Marty B

Submitted to Contest #206

“I think they should have a card, or a sign, you know.” Lois said. “A brooch maybe, those men might even like it, a dash of color!”Jane giggled nervously along with the other woman working in the back kitchen of River Oaks Baptist church.“We need to know, to keep ourselves safe.” Lois continued.“It's God's hand, punishing that immoral behavior. It's as plain as day.” Barbara said, unwrapping a large chocolate sheet cake. “Don’t you agree Jane?”“Did you wash your hands Barbara?” Jane said as she focused on removing the saran wrap on...

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“Coupled.” by Lara Deppe

Submitted to Contest #206

There is fear. And then there’s the moment when you are standing and he’s kneeling and he has a ring and he is asking and you are wondering how to answer him and you know the answer is one quick word with three letters and somehow you still don’t know what to say because you never really thought this day would ever really come because there are so many girls who are so much more beautiful and articulate and flirty and worthy and giggly; girls who eat salad and go to the gym with their mixing bottle full of protein power and their lulu lemon ...

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“Saved by the Bra” by Krystal Brown

Submitted to Contest #206

I stepped out of the sunroom to the back patio and momentarily felt weightless, like I’d misjudged the last step on a staircase. As my stomach tumbled to my throat, I quickly looked down - but a sudden fog overtook my sense of sight. I squeezed my eyes shut during the brief moment of panic, followed by relief as the world steadied itself and I felt hard ground beneath my feet. A quick glance around caused a lump to form in my throat; nothing in front of me made sense. Where there should have been 2 acres of the well-kept garden composing m...

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“King Cotton (and Fear)” by Bruce Friedman

Submitted to Contest #206

Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States, was sitting quietly in his office in the Custom House in Richmond. It was February, 1862, and he had taken the oath of office a year earlier in Montgomery. The capital had previously been located there but the decision had been made to move to Richmond the previous May. It was a vital city for the manufacture of weapons and other war supplies and also served as the terminus for five railroads. Richmond would thus have been defended to the last man so it was deemed to be a logical place fo...

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“Stepping onto the Skywalk” by Paul Besancon

Submitted to Contest #206

The taste of vinegar soiled the roof of Jade’s dry mouth. No amount of tongue smacking would moisten her cracked lips. The harsh, Arizona desert heat wafted in from the open doors ahead of them, flooding over the throng of people standing in line. “All cellphones, purses, cameras and any other loose personal items go in the lockers!” one of the Hualapai tribe members yelled out over the loud crowd. Jade and her husband arrived at the row of cabinets, and the fear was growing ever deeper within her chest. Heart pumping and hands shaking, sh...

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“Windy, With A Chance Of Rain” by Jed Cope

Submitted to Contest #206

How did he know?Howdid he know?How did he bloody well know!?“You bastard! Let me go! You can’t do this to me!”For what must have been at least the tenth time, Jonathan rattled the chains and tried to break free. The gesture was futile and robbed him of precious energy, but he had to do something. Something.Anything.Anything at all to escape this dire eventuality.In a wicked twist of events, he cried.His tears of anguish and humiliation wet his cheeks and as he felt them, the crying transitioned into laughter.You bastard! ...

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“Mother and Child” by Shannon C.

Submitted to Contest #206

I saw her gently laid to rest on one of the hottest days in June that year. The year she would’ve turned 59. An orchestra of locusts and their songs filling the cloudless southern sky.I imagined it was a farewell to her, that they were wishing her all the best and letting me know she was okay. She always loved the Summer season the most. Scanning everyone’s faces, I noticed parts of their expressions missing now. As if, she took pieces of them with her. Tears rolled out of their swollen eyes and down their red tissue battered chee...

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“Tanis, Genius” by R.L. Lamm

Submitted to Contest #206

I gave myself brilliance, but not the strength to give it up. After sitting here for hours, I finally noticed that the room was filled with clocks. All were set differently; all were counting down like alarms and timers. But none of them foretold a real doomsday. Fifty-eight hours, eight minutes, 23 seconds- 24- 25 read the digital face of one timer in bloody red digital letters. One-thousand days, oh-nine hours, displayed another countdown with flaps like a calendar that click like typewriter keys when changing. From the chrome and wi...

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“The Way I See It ” by Melanie Page

Submitted to Contest #206

Thalassophobia is an intense fear of large bodies of water. More specifically, the depth of the water. Although, I think people are more frightened of what may lurk in its vastness than the water itself. The same could be said for nyctophobia I guess - an extreme fear of the dark. I don’t believe that it is the darkness itself, but the idea of what could be concealed within it that others fear. Now I’ve sat and pondered, I guess that could be said for all types of phobias. Agoraphobia isn’t the fear of the fresh air and earth’s natural eleme...

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Write about someone facing their greatest fear.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 109 stories

“Samshoblo” by Sophia Gavasheli

“The Social Phantom” by Shahzad Ahmad

“FEAR-NO FEAR” by Charles Corkery

“From Caterpilly to Butterflight” by Sarah Martyn

“Embrace Your Fear” by John K Adams

“Defenestraphobia Moves in Next Door” by Murray Burns

“The Bake Sale” by Marty B

“Coupled.” by Lara Deppe

“Saved by the Bra” by Krystal Brown

“King Cotton (and Fear)” by Bruce Friedman

“Stepping onto the Skywalk” by Paul Besancon

“Windy, With A Chance Of Rain” by Jed Cope

“Mother and Child” by Shannon C.

“Tanis, Genius” by R.L. Lamm

“The Way I See It ” by Melanie Page

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that contains a flashback of a nightmare.

Start your story with a character seeing something terrifying.

Write about a character in a situation where they have to be brave for someone else’s sake.

Set your story in an eerie, surreal setting.

Contest #206

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

373

Contest entries

130

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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