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

Posted in Dystopian on Jan 20, 2023

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 27 stories

“Don't Look” by Taylor Castellon

Submitted to Contest #182

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 against my cheek. It was the only interruption from the beating sunlight that tingled against the right side of my body, I coul...

1 comment 1

Read story

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

Submitted to Contest #182

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. Or...

14 comments 14

Read story

“Government Stew” by Kirsten Curcio

Submitted to Contest #182

“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. Something good will come of him. I can feel it.” Announcer: Give a vacuum a good life. Adopt and convert a robot vacuum of the past, to take into the futur...

4 comments 4

Read story

“EYES IN THE SKY” by Melinda Madrigal

Submitted to Contest #182

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. There they go, now quickly get inside before the next drone comes. Thank God the drone left me alone. I run into my building, up the stairs and into m...

1 comment 1

Read story

“ParalleLife” by Katharine Johns

Submitted to Contest #182

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 Ric...

3 comments 3

Read story

“Tyranny By Any Other Name” by Hans Kiessling

Submitted to Contest #182

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 thought anything of it. None realized the simple truth that naturally followed that fact. Eyes capture information and relay it. ...

3 comments 3

Read story

“Blind Spot” by Lauren Rice

Submitted to Contest #182

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 pepper, and voila, breakfast.I shove it in my mouth as I crouch ...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Everything Is Superlative!!!” by J K

Submitted to Contest #182

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 appointment was supposed to be helpful, but things are even more bewildering now...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Dinner Party” by I. 25

Submitted to Contest #182

“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 go.” “Thank you John. Here you are Alice.” “Thanks Kate.” Ding ding ding Everyone turned to the front of the table. Mark set down his spoon and raised his glass. “I thought it was high time for a toast in honor of our lovely couple’s engage...

2 comments 2

Read story

“The Watchful Eye” by Jessica Reese

Submitted to Contest #182

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, long day. When she stared at herself in the mirror, she could see the tiny lines growing thicker around her eyelids, and her warm, almo...

3 comments 3

Read story

“The Wall” by Matt Jackson

Submitted to Contest #182

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 anxiety. My heart rate’s dropping, the tingling in my extremities dying down. The next step is the most difficult and I need to be ...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Ersksts'thulan” by Noah Aylward

Submitted to Contest #182

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 when I perished in some nameless land which time has obscured from all memory, even my own. I have passed through many masters...

2 comments 2

Read story

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with a home alarm system going off.

Dramatic – 49 stories

Write a story where someone’s paranoia is justified.

Mystery – 78 stories

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

Mystery – 50 stories

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

Dramatic – 33 stories

Contest #182

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Feeling Watched

$250

Prize money

237

Contest entries

154

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jan 27, 2023 EST

Won by Liv Chocolate 🏆

Title: Careful—You’ll Slip, Fall, and Die on Those Slippery Slopes

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

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

“Tyranny By Any Other Name” by Hans Kiessling

“Blind Spot” by Lauren Rice

“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

237

Contest entries

154

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: