Your character, by chance or habit, peers through a telescope. They see something unusual — what is it?

Posted in Dystopian on Oct 26, 2022

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?

✍️ 53 stories

“SEEING IS BELIEVING” by Debbie Curtin

Submitted to Contest #134

My spotting scope or field scope was earning its keep in the number of pennies spent to purchase this treasure. I needed this compact high-powered telescope for my new position in the company, as I took a 180 degree turn from the one, I had just left. Now, instead of sitting back taking notes, I am the one on the front line. The vetting process I had to go through to get to this next level was insane! I'm so loving the change this has brought to my day and to my life. I've always had a sharp eye for images and color and now I can use that to...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Stars And I” by Coby Sullivan

Submitted to Contest #134

I used to like nighttime. The way the colours of a sunset danced their way to dusk, the slow transition to twilight, and the final glow that pervaded the air before everything turned to darkness. Dave and I used to stargaze together through a big telescope I'd gifted to him for his 30th birthday. After dinner, we'd turn out all the lights in our house, head into the backyard and set it up in the middle of the lawn. And just like that, with one peer through the eyepiece, our perspective could be shifted, our thoughts taken to a place of ...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Pluto is a Planet” by Isabelle Lucien

Submitted to Contest #134

It was the 18th of February. The 92nd anniversary of the discovery of Pluto. My mom always argued that Pluto is a planet. She loved space, and every year, on this special day, we would look through the expensive, high-tech telescope that she had bought so long ago to look at Pluto and other things.It was the first day I was looking through the telescope without her. A few months ago, she became fatally ill. A few days later, she died without a diagnosis. Even after an autopsy and multiple scans of her body, nothing was found. I wish I knew w...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Scopaesthesia” by David Scheckel

Submitted to Contest #134

Scopaesthesia: a supposed phenomenon in which humans detect being stared at by extrasensory means. I return the dust cap to its place and collapse the legs of my roommate’s telescope. Nothing to see tonight, or any nights really. It has always confused me why he wanted one while living in Manhattan, mecca of light pollution. On 99.9% of the nights, the skyglow which obscures the stars, the planets, the Milky Way, and whatever else is out there is too pronounced to see anything else...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Don't Look Up” by Olivia Zelazny

Submitted to Contest #134

My name is Estelle Bowen. And I was 16 years old when the world ended. I'm also, or rather, I was an honor student, and my Zodiac was a Virgo. Oh, I almost forgot! I'm the one that discovered that humanity would cease to exist... 11 months ago, I had an incredibly awful day. It began with my alarm not going off and me showing up to advance Chem with my hair unwashed and closed. Mismatched, to find out that I got a C minus on my last Test. I then went to eat at the cafeteria and accidentally dropped my food all over the floor. Come on. A...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Saturn” by Grace Campbell

Submitted to Contest #134

There is a huge difference between the vastness of the ocean and the vastness of space. I believe that that difference lies in the comprehensive abilities of the human mind and the potential for life to exist within a certain environment. The ocean is measurable in the way that it is contained by the gravity holding all things to our planet Earth. We have a general idea of its size because we have a general idea of the size of Earth, regardless of exact numeral measurements on the mass of said ocean. We also know that the ocean is full of li...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Guys In The Sky” by Caleb Fitting

Submitted to Contest #134

“You had the biggest smile.” Dad’s final retelling of the telescope story would be the last time I smiled as a kid. He leaned into the kitchen table, his arms straight and slightly angled to the sides. “It was an open mouth smile.” Dad pressed his chin into his chest so that his eyes almost peered over his glasses at my face which was only a few inches from his. I gave his stern look a grin. “How would you know?” I said. “I was in your lap. Looking through your old telescope.” “It was an expensive piece of equipment back th...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The West Hill” by Madalynn Humphreys

Submitted to Contest #134

“Amber! Amber! You have to come see this!” Fredrick was paralyzed as he peered into his telescope, unable to decipher what it was that he saw. He had hoped that when he opened his present that he would see extraordinary things, but nothing prepared him for this. “Fredrick, you just set it up! Did you really find something?” Amber yelled as she came running through the back door, her strawberry blonde hair already in a bun ready to see what her little brother had found. “Mom said it’s time for cake, so we have to be fast!” Amber ...

0 comments 0

Read story

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story beyond our own world.

Science Fiction – 50 stories

Write about a character who has a ‘hot and cold’ personality — or is affected by someone like this.

Character – 30 stories

End your story with a character looking out on a new horizon.

Narrative – 63 stories

Write from the POV of someone, or something, that experiences gravity differently.

Science Fiction – 27 stories

Contest #134

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Look Up

$250

Prize money

223

Contest entries

128

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 25, 2022 EST

Won by Story Time 🏆

Title: The Hovering Age

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

Your character, by chance or habit, peers through a telescope. They see something unusual — what is it?

Submissions are closed

✍️ 53 stories

“SEEING IS BELIEVING” by Debbie Curtin

“The Stars And I” by Coby Sullivan

“Pluto is a Planet” by Isabelle Lucien

“Scopaesthesia” by David Scheckel

“Don't Look Up” by Olivia Zelazny

“Saturn” by Grace Campbell

“Guys In The Sky” by Caleb Fitting

“The West Hill” by Madalynn Humphreys

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story beyond our own world.

Write about a character who has a ‘hot and cold’ personality — or is affected by someone like this.

End your story with a character looking out on a new horizon.

Write from the POV of someone, or something, that experiences gravity differently.

Contest #134

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

223

Contest entries

128

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: