Write about someone who receives a gift or message that changes their life forever.

Posted in Dramatic on Jan 3, 2025

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✍️ 94 stories

“Cracked” by Anika Lotti

Submitted to Contest #284

The stage is set and for the ballet, that’s relatively easy. The large windows and doors of the living room backdrop are set against the far wall. A huge, and brightly lit, Christmas tree with a mountain or presents it tucked into a corner of the stage. There is a small table with a couple of chairs and a chaise lounge also pushed to the side of the stage. Claire runs through her checklist again. Everything is where it should be, except for the ballerinas. Loud boisterous laughter sounds backstage. The director comes through from the o...

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“Phone Rings Messages Left” by Mark Madama

Submitted to Contest #284

It’s 4:00pm. My fourteen-year-old appetite and are home from school. The house is quiet. My parents will return from work at approximately 4:45, which gives me around forty-five minutes at home alone. It is my favorite part of each day, and I relish being alone and nestled in a place of security and familiarity. I begin my daily afterschool routine of making a sandwich before dinner. I take the Wonder Bread from the cupboard and lay one slice next to the other. I grab the mustard and the cold cuts from the refrigerator. I place the fir...

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“The Gift That Scared Me” by Michael Palmieri

Submitted to Contest #284

They say people change every day. It’s such a gradual shift that you don’t notice it happening, but if you were to look back a decade, you’d barely recognize the person you once were. I know I wouldn’t. In fact, I’m not even the same person I was two years ago. Two years ago, I was married. I never questioned anything, never wondered if the life I was living was really mine or just a script someone else handed me. I thought I was happy—or at least, I convinced myself I was. Back then, I worked as an accountant for a small company where no...

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“The visitor.” by Africa Rodriguez

Submitted to Contest #284

Luis closed his eyes and thought of the last day he felt human.That day, he was taking some blood samples from two rats when the phone rang, it was his secretary:-“Dr. Robles?”--“Yes Lucy, what’s up?”--“There's someone here looking for you, he says he has an appointment”-Luis tightened his grasp on the phone and dropped the syringe he had on his other hand that shattered on the floor, he cursed and covered his face with his now free hand.-“Lucy, I’m not on the speaker, am I?” --“No doctor, you’re not- she sighted- I ´ll tell him to wait...

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Write about someone who receives a gift or message that changes their life forever.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 94 stories

“Cracked” by Anika Lotti

“Phone Rings Messages Left” by Mark Madama

“The Gift That Scared Me” by Michael Palmieri

“The visitor.” by Africa Rodriguez

🌟 Similar prompts

Center your story around a character spending their first holiday alone.

Write a story that includes the line “I should’ve known better.”

Center your story around an unexpected guest who changes a traditional get-together.

Set your story in a place where everything should be familiar to your character(s), but isn’t.

Contest #284

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

347

Contest entries

145

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: