Start your story with a major news event breaking — one that will change the world forever.

Posted in Dystopian on Nov 1, 2022

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✍️ 156 stories

“A Normal Day, Until It Wasn't” by Tricia Shulist

Submitted to Contest #80

I was sitting on the MTA 42nd Street bus to Times Square, looking out the window, with my phone in my lap. Phones were a necessity when taking public transit. Not only did they allow you stay in touch with the world, they also allowed you to avoid the ever-awkward eye contact with the strangers and weirdos who also rode public transit. I’m a seasoned New Yorker, and because I’m a poor seasoned New Yorker who will never be able to afford a car, I’m pretty tight on my public transit survival skills. Sure, the train...

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“To These People We Are the Aliens” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #80

“To these people we are the aliens, intruding into their world.” Every media, print, television, radio and social began their story with those words, or a translation thereof. They were repeating what had been reported by Pierre, one of the first two human scientists to encounter ‘these people’. The earth would never be the same again. A Boy Falls in Love with a Mountain The path and purpose of Quebecois scientist Dr. Pierre Aroussen’s life began with his first excursion into full-length novels with his reading of Jules Ve...

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“Voice on the Radio” by Jessica Rugani

Submitted to Contest #80

It was late—but what time it was, I couldn’t be sure. The sun had set, leaving only memories of orange in the deepening blue, and the streetlights flickered on moments ago. The radio, set to some rock station, buzzed and faded out into white noise. I sat up, intending to turn off the radio, when a slow, deliberate voice came through that gave me chills. Can you hear me? I am waiting in the sky. I would like to meet you, if you have an open mind. I blinked stupidly. Had I just heard what I thought I heard? Alien life for...

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“Long Live The King ” by Nuha E.

Submitted to Contest #80

It was over. After countless years of fighting death, fighting to survive, it was finally over. The crowd rejoiced around me, bodies swirling together as they celebrated. The cheers were deafening as I pushed past strangers, away from the throngs of people. I had to get out of here, out of these blood-stained clothes. Surrounded by commoners, I stuck out like a sore thumb, but first I needed a drink. A strong one. There was only one tavern in this town, the cheering of the drunkards outside the small building a dead giveaway. Thankfully ther...

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“World Peace” by Scarlet Scribe

Submitted to Contest #80

“This is Stuart Gibbons of WWXT with a major news event breaking right now. Sorry to interrupt your programming but this is gigantic! The United Nations just announced it has been working on a world peace treaty for many years now. As of an hour ago every nation in the world has signed the treaty. At five P.M. eastern standard time February 11, 2025 every nation on this Earth has agreed to lay down arms ending all wars as long as the treaty is not broken. Thank you to all in the United Nations who worked diligently on reaching this truce tha...

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“Loophole” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #80

“What’s that?” Breeze asked, as she placed the circular sticker, an earth emblem with an arrow penetrating its center, above the breast pocket of his new uniform. “That is a Loophole. It is my duty to inform you, that you are officially designated, a Loop,” her angelic voice announced. What could be said in response to something as profound as that? B.L. Breeze said nothing. He continued to look at his hands, having little else to do. He felt as if h...

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“Execution Style ” by Jennifer Carlson

Submitted to Contest #80

CHAPTER ONE The news was always a passive interest, but there came a day where everyone would turn on the news and be unable to look away. Aislinn smiled, walking home from her college campus, arm in arm with the man she loved. After a year of his family hating both of them for their lack of religion, Andrew finally cut off all his family. Aislinn and Andrew now lived together, a state away from their so-called family. But when she arrived at school the next day, something was off. Guards stood at the doorways, a list in th...

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“Stone World” by Adra Verse

Submitted to Contest #80

Luminous. A green light was radiating the Earth with its huge diameter. It was… magnificent. Not knowing what to do, or how to react, I was standing still, shocked. At that moment, I was in the science lab, doing my usual experiments with the group. I love science. Was a science nerd since my childhood. My father would buy me equipment for research all the time, and I would do all kinds of things with whatever I could find. Learning more about the world, and how it functions was my goal. But forget that for a moment. The light was more impo...

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“Behind the Door” by Ethan Lynn

Submitted to Contest #80

How it had come to this, no one could know for sure. Zack had always had a bad feeling about the strange caverns scientists had discovered in the mountains near his home. There was just something… off about them. As if the giant boulders sealing it shut were doing so for a reason. But of course, he didn’t find out why he had that strange feeling until a few months later. When the cave explorers opened a strange door with engravings. Also when they let out those… things. It had all been broadcast live on television when they began opening i...

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“The best intentions ” by Amber Brownlee

Submitted to Contest #80

“This Bret miller with action 23 news, the world is in panic as the oxygen levels continue to plummet. Scientists believe that this is the cause of a unknown air born bacteria that is attacking foliage, residents are not to go out side without a back up oxygen supply. They predict with the rate the bacteria is spreading the earth will be out of breathable air in six months, stay safe and God speed.”I turned off the television and looked over at my father who was buried under a mountain of paper work. As one of the lead scientists...

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“I Remember” by Naomi Cartmell

Submitted to Contest #80

I don’t have very many memories of my early childhood. A flash here, a picture there, maybe even the sound of our dog barking down the hallway. I do remember things like that. But I also remember other things. My mom’s voice, the sound of our radio in the kitchen, my own high-pitched giggle. These things still exist in the dark, almost imperceptible corners of my mind, seeming to lurk far away from every other thought that runs through my busy brain during the course of my day. I could be working with one of my students, solving a problem, c...

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“Pestilence” by Write Doozy

Submitted to Contest #80

Mother said “typical” when the plague broke out. It was a warm, sunny day and we’d just packed the umbrella, two picnic blankets and a chilly-bin full of food into the back of the old station wagon. I slid my jandals on - pink, I remember with white daisies on the bottom, although I was always disappointed because you couldn’t see the daisies once your feet were in them, and I felt it kind of defeated the purpose - and hopped into the front seat while mother buckled my brother Jimmy into the back. “Can we get ice cream?” I asked...

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“The Skies are Real” by VinceiyVenus Claridad

Submitted to Contest #80

(Warning: this is going to happen, however the story is somewhat an exhortation and the scenes are his own prospect.) “The END IS NEAR!” The news reporter introduced with a bang that startled me like I was a focused kitten. It has always been. I wonder who the sources were, I tap my chin intermittently with my brows furrowed at the screen. “Millions of people have been reported missing. According to Christian theology, this is the so called ‘rapture’, when his chosen people will rise to the skies without undergoing the tribulation that w...

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“Lights Over The Inpatient Facility ” by Matt Keating

Submitted to Contest #80

Lights Over The Inpatient Facility By Matt Keating 1990 Words "Major Briggs, share for us, if you would, your impressions of what you're seeing there." "Tammy, after seven years as a doctor and fifteen years in the army, I can say without hesitation that this is the most horrifying combination of events that I have ever witnessed any-" "Colonel, did we lose you? Can you hear me? We have begun to experience the electrical interference that we were warned may be possible when the lights first appeared. We seem to have lost contact wit...

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“What Now?” by Vincent Cruz

Submitted to Contest #80

Deysi is in the bath. The last three days have been made up of long mornings and afternoons at a disaster preparedness conference in Chicago. There have been expensive dinners paid by her employer and morning sex and evening sex with the occasional afternoon romp. It’s Wednesday and she is wondering how Richard is doing at home in San Francisco getting the girls ready for school. Her mind wanders as her eyes patrol the green walls, the glass shower at the foot of the tub, her red painted toes wiggling against the white enameled steel. ...

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Start your story with a major news event breaking — one that will change the world forever.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 156 stories

“A Normal Day, Until It Wasn't” by Tricia Shulist

“To These People We Are the Aliens” by John Steckley

“Voice on the Radio” by Jessica Rugani

“Long Live The King ” by Nuha E.

“World Peace” by Scarlet Scribe

“Loophole” by Joe Swanson

“Execution Style ” by Jennifer Carlson

“Stone World” by Adra Verse

“Behind the Door” by Ethan Lynn

“The best intentions ” by Amber Brownlee

“I Remember” by Naomi Cartmell

“Pestilence” by Write Doozy

“The Skies are Real” by VinceiyVenus Claridad

“Lights Over The Inpatient Facility ” by Matt Keating

“What Now?” by Vincent Cruz

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone who never planned to make history but is now about to deliver a speech in front of millions.

Write about a child witnessing a major historical event.

Start your story with someone entering a museum, and end it with them settling down to join a sit-in.

Write about an elderly character who was part of a historic movement years ago.

Contest #80

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

672

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: