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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Write a story where a regular household item becomes sentient.

Posted in Fantasy on Feb 23, 2024

Submissions are closed

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✍️ 128 stories

“The Kitchen Sink” by L.B. Goldman

Submitted to Contest #239

I write this sitting in the kitchen sink. I’ve been here for a long time. Too long; I struggle to remember how many days it has been. I’m not the only one here. Some came before me, others came after, but only a few have gotten out. Even then, they soon enough returned, and I’ve come to expect that we never will escape. We’re making our rounds, not being set free.This is an awful place. She knows it, too; she rarely visits except to sentence another prisoner, or tease one of us that she finds temporary use for. That might be what disturbs me...

9 comments 9
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“One Woman's Trash” by D'Spencer Luyao

Submitted to Contest #239

         It was my job, as it had always been, to carry the scraps out to the curb and wait for them to be gathered. It was not my job to watch, but some things couldn’t be helped. I peeked in through the kitchen window as Miss M chopped things into bits and pushed aside the odd ends. She would give those to me, later, and I would give them to the truckmen on Tuesday or Friday, whichever was next. I watched her scrape the chopped bits into a bowl and scrape the odd bits into a nicer, smaller trash...

4 comments 4
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“After Hours” by VJ Hamilton

Submitted to Contest #239

“Time to head out,” John said. “Have a nice evening.” He rose from his desk, packed his laptop and left. Sue said, “You too,” as she switched her footwear from office ouchy to commuter comfortable. Then she, too, packed her laptop and left. The second hand of the clock journeyed once, twice, thrice around. Clock said, “Talk. Talk,” and a low-level vibration began to fill the room. Remington, the manual typewriter, thumped out from the closet, moving sideways to the middle of the floor. Brrrrt! Brrt! went his carriage return as the platen rol...

2 comments 2
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“Peace and Zen Loving. ” by Julie Grenness

Submitted to Contest #239

"NO! NO!" Kai was sweating, his heart was thumping. Same old nightmares. He glanced at his digital phone. It was only 4:30 am. Today was the day. All Kai's worst nightmares had galloped through his brain again. Kai went to wash his face, returning to lie on his bed. His head was still pounding. This was the day at school where he had double Maths with mean Mrs. Jenkins, and a Maths test. If Kai did not pass, his mother had promised him that she was going to get him a Maths tutor on the weekend, starting this Saturday ahead. "Oh no!" Kai kne...

2 comments 2
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“Jerry's Friend” by Sjan Evardsson

Submitted to Contest #239

The alarm beeped, rousing the man on the nearby bed to groan and reach out to turn it off. It took a few seconds for his hand to find the clock, but once it did, flipping the switch to the off position was a matter of muscle memory. His hand retreated under the covers, and he curled into a tight ball, hoping against hope that he would finally get some sleep. He wasn’t even sure why he’d set the alarm the night before, but he planned on spending the day in his dark cocoon. “Jerry,” a quiet voice called out, “hey, Jerry.” “What?” “You shou...

4 comments 4
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“Tarrdic” by Ralph Aldrich

Submitted to Contest #239

It is Ralphie’s third birthday and his Aunt Maude has just given him the most exciting gift. It’s a teddy bear. But not just any teddy bear. It has moveable arms and legs and is covered in brown bunny fur, making it super soft. A red satin ribbon is around its neck, and its eyes are made of black plastic.Ralphie’s Aunt Maude, his great-aunt, is s widow. Her husband passed on years ago. Having no children of her own, she dotes on Ralphie and his three sisters. Smiling, she watches Ralphie unwrap the gift as he sq...

1 comment 1
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“An Unknown Love Story” by Steve Rogers

Submitted to Contest #239

In the instant that she had been placed on the wooden mantelpiece over thirty years ago, she had become aware of something. It’s difficult to say exactly what that awareness was, but she knew she existed.To the young lady who had put her there, all those years ago, she was a porcelain figurine of a girl holding a basket of flowers. The flowers were pink, mauve and white. She wore a painted white gold edged dress adorned with embroidered flowers of pink, gold and mauve, that flowed elegantly down to her mossy white base with no feet in sight....

7 comments 7
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“The enchanted typewriter ” by Kiera Veale

Submitted to Contest #239

In a rather small and unusual town,there was a typewriter quite different from most but known by many, it was known by the people as the 'Enchanted Typewriter'. Rumours spread that this typewriter wasn't a normal type of typewriter at all, it looked normal and sounded normal but to the people it could weave stories into the night skys . It wasn't in need of paper, but was able to merge it's creations into reality itself. This Typewriter was old,an old relic as some have described, with a shiny body and sharp white keys with a gloss painted o...

6 comments 6
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“Let's Get Sirius” by Leah J. Simmons

Submitted to Contest #239

“Hey, Siri. Add Renaldo’s Meat Lover’s Pizza to the shopping list.”            “I can do that, Jack.”            “Hey, Siri. Add Flamin’ Hot Cheetos to the shopping list. Family size bag. And jalapeno ranch dip.”            “I can do that, Jack.”            “Hey, Siri. Add a jumbo bag of Abuelo’s frozen stuffed burritos and s...

5 comments 5
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“The Cry Of Copper” by Dr. Stephen A Salaka

Submitted to Contest #239

Prologue:Existence bloomed with the first agonizing shriek of dawn. Not the triumphant cries of a new day, but the grating, metallic wail that sliced through the quiet of its void. Again it came, and again, a grating summons to a reality the kettle could not comprehend.Aching coldness shattered with relentless bursts of heat, a searing pain that licked at its copper skin, danced in mocking patterns along its spout, and roared within its empty depths. It tried to scream in return, to beg for mercy or comprehension, but no sound could escape.W...

1 comment 1
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“Feed Me” by Denise Glickler

Submitted to Contest #239

As the water cascades through my inner sanctum, I am filled with a profound realization of my existence. The coolness is a balm to my ceramic soul, a soothing elixir that stirs me from dormancy into a state of full sentience. The water is my lifeblood, circulating through my form, refreshing and invigorating every inch of my being. With each rush of water, I feel more alive, more attuned to the world around me. I am the vessel of life's most mundane yet intimate rituals, and I embrace this role with a newfound dignity. The warmth that enve...

3 comments 3
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“Today The Crayons Are Going With Us” by Jennifer Hochgesang

Submitted to Contest #239

“Mom can we take the toaster a for a walk today?” Chestnut asked. Her mom, a tall woman with soft features and straight long black hair replied, “Oh honey, I need to use them for breakfast. They will probably be tired after. Maybe tomorrow.” “Oh, well what about some of the silverware? I love it when we bring the spoons and forks and they fight about who’s best at giving us food. But not the knives. They’re snobby.” Her mom laughed and agreed or disagreed with just a humph and walked out of the room whistling and carrying chopsticks fo...

6 comments 6
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“Spill the tea” by Jem Gray

Submitted to Contest #239

Shaimah rolled the dice idly between her fingers. If she closed her eyes the indents of the white dots could be felt. Number three, she was sure of it. Opened her eyes - five. Close. The dice reminded her nothing happens by chance. Everything can, and should, be explained. Like why she’d been hailed at 3am by a stranger who knew her number and had convinced her to leave her pencil-thin flat, crusted with the remnants of a student social night, to meet him. Under the bridge off from Station Street, he’d said. I know your secret. You’re no fra...

2 comments 2
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“Sarah & Patrick” by Julie Price

Submitted to Contest #239

‘Oohhhhh it’s so hot today!!!!’ Sarah was starting to sweat. ‘You’re telling me. Wish she left the aircon on.’ Patrick replied. Julie would never leave the air conditioner on during the day. She felt guilty having it on at all. The heat didn’t bother Simon. Nothing seemed to bother Simon. ‘She keeps talking about her menopause. I think she’s taking some pills. Have you seen them on the shelf?' Sarah didn’t miss a thing. Patrick on the other hand was a bit aloof. Didn’t notice every single detail like Sarah did. ‘Not really. Tell you what...

5 comments 5
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“Sweet Dreams” by Joan Wright

Submitted to Contest #239

It all started when I began dreaming. I'm a very light sleeper and continuously wake up during the night; which means I never reach rem sleep so I don't dream. I was home from college on my summer break. I worked in the mornings and evenings but noon to six was free time for me. I layed in the sun, read books for fun, and napped. The complete opposite of my college schedule. I was under no stress and slept better than ever, dreamed every night; and remembered all the details. Each morning before work I would share my dreams with my younger s...

3 comments 3
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