Set your story in a society where everyone is constantly aware of unwanted surveillance.

Posted in Dystopian on Jan 20, 2023

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✍️ 27 stories

“Don't Look” by Taylor Castellon

On days like these I liked to focus more on what I was feeling than what I could see. What I was physically feeling, touching, on days when it was so hard not to look. On days like these I fought my every instinct to contemplate the images entering my eyes, and instead created new ones that came from every inch of my body. The wind was slow and winding and it held only the smallest chill when it brushed...

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“The Follicle Chronicles - Pt 2: A Fistful of Follicles” by Jim Firth

Apparently, the best spot for a clandestine wig-slinging operation is the basement of a laundromat whose opening hours are zero. Well, zero for everyone except those clutching a fistful of follicles, like myself. I’m fresh off of my first job with Mace, laden with more hair than I dare carry in the streets, and I’m wondering how much the wigmaker pays for a spectacular haul like ours. There’s 15 grams of my own hair, 42 grams of my wife’s, and a sheaf of blonde lifted from the elite madam whom Mace and I robbed like the highwaymen of old....

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“Government Stew” by Kirsten Curcio

“Sometimes I think, when the scheduled clean comes on, the little vacuum wakes up and says ‘Aw, do I have to work today?’ because his job is to vacuum, and it sucks.” “Yeah. Maybe he wants to roll away to a better life.” “Yeah. He just slides out of the house and rolls down the street.” “… With a little blue baseball cap on.” “Aw.” “Poor guy....

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“EYES IN THE SKY” by Melinda Madrigal

Run Morgan run, don't let them see you. The drone is over my head watching me, watching my every move. I don't let them see what I have or else I will get arrested. Look up at the sky Morgan wait until they leave, keep looking Morgan. Don't let them get you nervous. Don't give them any reason to arrest you. You are doing good Morgan. They will leave soon and move on to their next target. T...

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“ParalleLife” by Katharine Johns

The Richards family--William, Teresa, and Jenny-- just moved to Verdant Valley. The neighborhood is just what they all wanted, a bustling small town of friendly people full of big opportunities where one could be anything they put their mind to: a breakout star, a superhero or supervillain, a high-ranking politician or businessperson, a master of many skills, a master money maker or even just a well-read, well-traveled or a faithful family person. After a couple of quick meals and refreshing themselves in their fully-furnished abode, The ...

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“Blind Spot” by Lauren Rice

4:02 am and my alarm goes off. I reach over lazily and hit aimlessly, hoping one of the attempts will be successful in shutting the beeping up.4:11 am and I have made it out of my bed, by some miracle unbeknownst to me.I am brushing my teeth, the little red light I have grown so used to blaring at me from the corner of the bathroom. I look away. 4:16 am and I have just popped a slice of bread into the toaster.A quick spread of avocado, a light sprinkle of sea salt and pepp...

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“Tyranny By Any Other Name” by Hans Kiessling

The walls have eyes. Everyone knew it, it wasn’t some big secret. Most didn’t think much of it, surrounded by eyes all their lives, most didn’t realize the importance of it. They saw them at the street corners, they saw them in the corners of rooms, they saw them on their computers and laptops. For just like the walls, the streets had eyes, the tables had eyes, eyes were held in everyone's hands every day and none though...

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“Everything Is Superlative!!!” by J K

Explicit: sex, substance abuseBy Visit #3 you realize that, all your life, everyone's been judging you for your actions, which stem from an illness that you didn't even know that you had. They're watching you, just like they're all watching each other, too; suddenly the world seems entirely too judgmental about one another. It's just that you've never cared before. You still won't care, unless the medicine works.You're 40 and confused. This initial mental health appoi...

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“Dinner Party” by I. 25

“Kate, could you pass me the salad please?” “Of course! Let me just… Sorry, I can’t quite… Thomas, could you scoot back?” “Huh? What?” “Scoot back please.” “I can’t. No room.” “Are you sure?” “Yes, look!” “I just need to reach-” “Are you guys trying to get the salad? Here you g...

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“The Watchful Eye” by Jessica Reese

Tevia took a deep gulp of air that filled her lungs and quieted her mind. She eased the breath out of her lips and then parted them so a gust of “negative air”, as her yoga instructor called it, filled the room. How is that supposed to make a difference? She thought. She pushed her bedsheets from her sweaty body and walked to the bathroom to take care of her daily business before starting another long, l...

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“The Wall” by Matt Jackson

Two streets forward then turn left. Avoid the camera, high on the wall of the opposite corner. Three hundred steps down the street, left turn into the alley. One minute to catch my breath and steady my nerves. Four seconds inhale, seven seconds hold it, eight seconds exhale. Repeat, concentrate on the breathing and nothing else. And again. There’s no time to waste but controlling my breathing means I control my a...

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“Ersksts'thulan” by Noah Aylward

I am old, oh my master. Older than perhaps even you would believe. Of the lost continent on which I was born, or of the life I lived there, I can remember nothing. But I can remember when I remembered, and I know I was a mighty necromancer in my day. For seventy-five thousand years I lay dormant in the buried ruins of Herud Hiti, master-less and motionless until you found me. But it was two hundred thousand years ago wh...

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Set your story in a society where everyone is constantly aware of unwanted surveillance.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 27 stories

“Don't Look” by Taylor Castellon

“The Follicle Chronicles - Pt 2: A Fistful of Follicles” by Jim Firth

“Government Stew” by Kirsten Curcio

“EYES IN THE SKY” by Melinda Madrigal

“ParalleLife” by Katharine Johns

“Blind Spot” by Lauren Rice

“Tyranny By Any Other Name” by Hans Kiessling

“Everything Is Superlative!!!” by J K

“Dinner Party” by I. 25

“The Watchful Eye” by Jessica Reese

“The Wall” by Matt Jackson

“Ersksts'thulan” by Noah Aylward

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with a home alarm system going off.

Write a story where someone’s paranoia is justified.

Write about a character who wishes they could just disappear — and then they do.

Start your story with someone entering a taxi and saying ‘follow that car.’

Contest #182

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

241

Contest entries

159

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Tired of MS Word?

Explore more writing prompt ideas: