Set your story during a total eclipse — either natural, or man-made.

Posted in Fiction on Apr 5, 2024

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✍️ 73 stories

“Living Lightning” by UMESH THUNDERER

Submitted to Contest #245

I am Viktor. King of Yarathvi. Husband of Azarel. Son of no one. Savior of Yarathaans.I ride on a horse, amid a forest that is deadly silent. I ride beside my wife, amid our wisest ministers and strongest soldiers. We ride on, for a peace treaty with a king, rumored to be a god. Rumors that have led to our hearty laughs in the past couple of months.I woke up to the sound of a screaming laughter today. A laughter I sought, in the middle of the night, only to find an old stranger. He asked me a question. Do I live for myself or others? Does my...

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“Two Choices” by JQ Miller

Submitted to Contest #245

“You are coming with me, and we’re going to forget all about our life problems for a while.” I let my best friend grab my hand and hoist me out of my chair. I drag my feet trying to deter her, but I should know better by now that Lilly is not easily deterred. “I don’t care. There will be another eclipse 20 years from now. I’ll look at it then,” I whine. Lilly pulls harder on my hand. “There are no guarantees. You could be dead by then. Live for the moment. Now come on.” I let her drag me out of the classroom and out into the hallway when she...

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“They Danced in the Long Eclipse” by Dr. Stephen A Salaka

Submitted to Contest #245

Chapter 1: Dust and Omens Shadows clung to the empire of Ant-opolis, a labyrinth of tunnels worming beneath a forgotten cookie. Here, amidst the stolen sweetness and the ceaseless hum of a thousand tiny legs, Nostrantdamus toiled. Others hurried on paths of purpose; he lurked, drawn to whispers echoing from the world beyond. The granules of sugar he gathered weren't mere sustenance, but omens etched in crystalline code by unknowable forces. His nest, a grotesque shrine of singed maps and cryptic symbols, crackled with a disquieting energy. F...

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“Miss Purdy Sees” by Tanya Humphreys

Submitted to Contest #245

Though her coat was black, Miss Purdy was predominantly Siamese. When she stretched in the patch of early morning sun, her body was a long, sleek, torpedo, her glossy fur shone like rich satin. Miss Purdy was taking it a bit easy, catering to the needs of eight three-week-old kittens was exhausting.The kittens were safely sheltered in a box tucked into a closet. The closet was in an office high on one of the top floors of a building. Miss Purdy did not know exactly how tall the building was, but from the woman’s desk she could see nothing bu...

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“Eclipse Beginnings” by Victoria Wolfe

Submitted to Contest #245

**trigger warning: vulgar language, mention of death of family members by drunk driver** I adjusted the box of solar eclipse glasses one more time, switching it with the display of individually wrapped biscotti. The impending solar eclipse was taking our city by storm for the past four days since we were located on the path of totality, with a 100% solar eclipse late this afternoon. “Callie, didn’t you already switch those twice already?” Monroe asked. Mo had been with me the longest. She was the first person I hired when I decided to...

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“Shadow” by Jonathan Todd

Submitted to Contest #245

‘There’s someone else in the flat!’ she whispered with an urgency that suggested terror, anger or both.I had told John to stay out of sight. I really liked Lucy and people didn’t tend to take well to John being there. I felt bad about wanting to keep him hidden and I knew it upset him as well but what choice did I have? I had a good feeling about where my relationship with Lucy might be headed and, to my shame, knew that introducing John to her too early would, as had happened too many times before, scare her off.‘It’s just us,’ I soothed he...

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“Evil under the Moon” by Paul Simpkin

Submitted to Contest #245

It was the 29th of June 1927. Deep in the Devon countryside the Harcourt family were making the most of a pleasant sunny afternoon in the beautiful gardens of their ancestral home, Harcourt Manor. Suddenly everything went dark.“What’s happening?”“What is this? I can’t see anything.”“It must be the solar eclipse!”“No, that’s not due to happen for another hour.”“I don’t understand what is going on. They said on the wireless that the solar eclipse wasn’t due to happen till 4pm.”“But it is only just after 3. Those scientist chappies must have ma...

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“Bittersweet” by Amanda Stogsdill

Submitted to Contest #245

Warning: This story contains themes of childbirth.BittersweetBy Amanda StogsdillToday's the day! Scrambling out of bed, I rushed to the window. Not a cloud in sight! In my open kitchen with its wide windows, I prepared my Sunrise breakfast—eggs (sunny-side up), orange marmalade toast, and orange juice. Not one to rush, I nibbled; smiling at my good fortune, the eclipse would happen on my day off.Ring, ring. My peaceful meal was interrupted by that unwelcome sound. "Hello.""Sorry to ruin your day off but ..." Dr. Wilson's voice was urgent but...

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“Power Play” by John Markestad

Submitted to Contest #245

this story contains the vulgar word "fuck" Power Playby John Markestad “I’ve set the day,” Pharaoh says. “How long do I have?” she asks. From the darkened alcove where she sits with her legs drawn up to her chin. Her arms are wrapped around them and her voice is barely above a whisper. She’s wearing only a few layers of fine silk, emerald green and blue the color of the winter sky, for this spring has been a warm...

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“Pillars of Creation” by Liam Cochran

Submitted to Contest #245

I looked through the cockpit window to my left. Far off in the distance, the great glimmering panels of the Dyson sphere began to cross into the path of the sun. Its godlike depiction of humankind only mocked Icarus, for it touched the sun and took it too. Every eighteen hours or so, a few minutes of total darkness swept through the fleet, great freighters transporting for the Government. When the darkness would overtake the fleet in a few minutes, I could finally make my escape to find the great Pillars of Creation I had always dreamt of. I...

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“The tomb of the eclipsed” by Gavin Clifton

Submitted to Contest #245

(Trigger warning: this story contains brief implications of negative mental health as well as physical violence and implications of death) What you shall read is the account of the last conciseness known to man, it is a single tale of many that we warn reading this page is a danger to you, as it could affect more than just your mere mind but the outer world as well. Please recite this passage shall things unravel, as it will be your own common foothold to our plane. Anything that you see is but its perception forming in your mind, if this co...

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“She’s Right” by Jonathan Baldie

Submitted to Contest #245

“So what?” Vijay said. “It’s an eclipse. It gets dark. What’s the big deal?” Robin took a sip from her drink, trying to look anywhere but at Vijay. The taste of strawberries from her daiquiri was a welcome reprieve from this loser. “People like it,” Robin said as politely as she could. “It brings people together, don’t you think?” Vijay shoved another handful of peanuts into his mouth. Robin watched him munch on them. She imagined kissing that salty mouth, and winced. “I guess,” Vijay said with a shrug. “So how many of these thin...

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“Once in a Lifetime” by Tom Whyte

Submitted to Contest #245

“This is just another of your fads, Jamie.” Alice wasn't happy. “Just like the rest. And expensive too. Two hundred for a telescope you never use. I’d hoped that was it, but now this. Five hundred miles for five minutes of darkness.” “Four. Totality takes four minutes.” Jamie corrected. “Call me a liar for a minute. You are so damn pernickety!” It was important to get facts correct, but he reckoned you can’t argue about everything. Even when you know you are right. ‘The story of my life,’ he thought. “You’ll enjoy it, Alice.” “Hmph...

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“Sunrise has Gone” by Russ Fitzgeorge

Submitted to Contest #245

I am Alos the Diarist, one of the Elders of the tribe. A tribe that will, this morning, experience our celestial Moon God moving through the sky to perfectly align with our Sun God. I am tasked with recording this.Much of the tribe are worried, they pose many questions as to what will happen, what it all means, if there is danger. It is our role as Elders to soothe them. We have spoken at length to them of this occurrence; I myself was present on the pedestal by the golden Temple, when old Ubiaran and fair huntress Zukida made their speeches...

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“Project Selene” by Cheyenne Raley

Submitted to Contest #245

“I have no intention of this being used as a weapon.” Dr. Campos’ body curled protectively over the machine. “I know that, Campos,” I said, rubbing a hand across my jaw. The feel of rough stubble reminded me it had been days since I’d shaved, and nearly as long since I’d slept. “But we have precious few options, and time is running out.” Soon, the asteroid would be too far from Earth for even the Unified Scientific Division’s technology to influence its path. Campos stared at me, his tightly knit brows darkening his expression. “Then I will ...

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Set your story during a total eclipse — either natural, or man-made.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 73 stories

“Living Lightning” by UMESH THUNDERER

“Two Choices” by JQ Miller

“They Danced in the Long Eclipse” by Dr. Stephen A Salaka

“Miss Purdy Sees” by Tanya Humphreys

“Eclipse Beginnings” by Victoria Wolfe

“Shadow” by Jonathan Todd

“Evil under the Moon” by Paul Simpkin

“Bittersweet” by Amanda Stogsdill

“Power Play” by John Markestad

“Pillars of Creation” by Liam Cochran

“The tomb of the eclipsed” by Gavin Clifton

“She’s Right” by Jonathan Baldie

“Once in a Lifetime” by Tom Whyte

“Sunrise has Gone” by Russ Fitzgeorge

“Project Selene” by Cheyenne Raley

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story in which a character navigates using the stars.

Imagine an origin myth that somebody might use to explain an eclipse, or some other celestial event.

People have gathered to witness a once-in-a-lifetime natural phenomenon, but what happens next is not what they expected.

Set your story in a world where astrology and the movements of celestial bodies deeply impact the lives of inhabitants.

Contest #245

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

227

Contest entries

90

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: