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

“Sunkiller” by Tyler Cerka

Submitted to Contest #245

Tendrils writhing from fresh corpses slowly spread from the temple ground. The eyes of the victims seemingly ripped out by either His hand or by their own. Horrors of unimaginable terror must have assailed their minds as the vines burst through every wound. He appeared when the Moon eclipsed the Sun. Uncomfortably tall, the ghoulish apparition wielded blackened daggers as long as swords, almost scraping the ground as he drifted amongst abandoned streets. A hauntingly tall spirit from the dark recess of a nocturnal sky, he moved in absolute s...

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“The Ingdalapet” by Paulo Sayson

Submitted to Contest #245

The monsoon rain had at long last rested at the time when the sun should’ve been at its highest. Liriko searched for the biggest banana leaves he could find. He had the idea of using the underside of the leaves as platform from which he could set up his portable gas stove and get his lunch started. The clouds above were still thick though there were already spots where the blues of the heavens could be seen. Liriko’s face grimaced and his hand went up to his tummy. The grumbling began two hours into the downpour which commenced at 5 AM....

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“The White Cat” by Angie Sherwood

Submitted to Contest #245

The white cat appeared while everyone from the coffee shop was outside, looking heavenwards through cardboard glasses reminiscent of the three-D glasses moviegoers in the ‘50s wore. Everyone was standing on the dark sidewalk except the waitress, who was behind the shop’s counter rummaging through a purse. She continued to rummage under the bar and through order pads and apron pockets until the sunlight returned and the eclipse watchers, chatting amongst themselves, strolled back inside. Merging into the group, the cat slunk through the door ...

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“THE SECOND COMING” by Glenna Agnew

Submitted to Contest #245

THE SECOND COMING The morning was crisp and cool but the sun was shining brightly as Celeste walked down the hill to the creek below. In her hand, she carried a small wooden bucket lined with pitch to make it waterproof. She clambered onto the flat rocks of the riverbed until she finally reached the spot that she was looking for. The rock was flat from countless years of water rushing over it. It jutted out further into the creek than the surrounding rocks which made it the perfect place to fill her bucket. She held the bucket tightly in on...

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“Entomo-Eclipse” by Beth Templeton

Submitted to Contest #245

We stare at the sky as our world becomes dimmer. The constant drone is almost a lullaby. The sun is nearly gone, and as it slowly fades from view, we too fade into darkness. Holding hands, we think back on our lives as our minutes turn into seconds. I can’t hear my mother beside me but can see the tears streaming down her face. Her mouth fills with black as we begin to become one with the flies.It’s hard to imagine a life without constant buzzing and blackouts.My grandmother tells stories of her childhood, running around outside and catching...

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“The end?” by Gloria Parker

Submitted to Contest #245

It has been 42 days since the beginning of the end of the world. Well, that’ s what everyone says. I should really say, it’s been 42 days since the sun disappeared. And 34 days since my parents left. They were supposed to be gone three days. “We’ll be back soon,” they pro...

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“Timeless Dark” by Manny DeAngelis

Submitted to Contest #245

Report to Administration of Control for Possible Zone of AnomalyLocation: Masu Star System, Planet Ankou, 83.74°N 235.73°ETags: time distortion, gravitational disruption, confirmed lethalAbstract: Akuzawa Space Industries has held corporate claim to Planet Ankou for 23 years, during which time they have established only one research facility claiming to study the geological nature of the planet. Ten days ago, this facility went dark. Akuzawa immediately cut all legal ties with the planet and made no attempt for rescue, claiming the pla...

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“Take It With Both Hands” by Season C

Submitted to Contest #245

I wasn’t sure if mom could make it. I know how much she really wanted to and I knew I had no right to tell her no, but damn was I torn over it.I knew her and my dad had some kind of connection during the eclipse in 1979, but she’d only ever told me that it was “pretty amazing” and nothing much else.“I can do this Ronnie, I know I can. Let’s get the rest of this stuff in the truck,” she said a little breathlessly but full of her normal scolding tone I’d known since childhood.I dutifully grabbed two more of her bags and shut the truck–maybe a ...

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“Night Song of the Wild Things” by Lydia Rilea

Submitted to Contest #245

I am an old woman, I can ride still, but I cross Bridges on power bikes just as the young do. It’s safest to travel them between blocks. When I was young, before the world bent against itself, and our land was left in desolation, the Bridges were called Highways. I remember that. I even have a few dim and scattered memories of when things were easy, but life has been hard since the desolation came. If you dare to travel between the blocks by the lower trails, you run the risk of attacks. There aren’t monsters like there always seemed to be ...

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“Who the Hell Is Nadia?” by Lemon Merang

Submitted to Contest #245

It was time to escort Martin "Insanity" Sanz, AKA "The Daybreak Killer" from the visitor's room back to his cell for his last meal before execution. He had been convicted of multiple murders, each occurring around the break of dawn, involving switchblades and baseball bats. He pled self-defense to each one. He worked as a car repossessor and owners did not appreciate losing their cars, and sometimes they would get nasty. So he would have to fight back any way he could. Sometimes, they would lose the fight, he would argue. But the jury didn't...

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“Eclipse of Failure ” by Timothy Motley

Submitted to Contest #245

The smell of burnt rubber burned through Agent Washington’s nostrils. Thousands of shards of broken glass clattered and crackled as she pushed herself up on the asphalt. Her back sent a shockwave of pain so severe that it briefly robbed her of oxygen. She groaned and murmured until she was able to sit herself with her back pressed against the remnants of the black van. Her brain told her it was daytime, but everything around her was shrouded in darkness. For a moment she struggled to understand what was happening. Suddenly there was light ag...

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“The Eclipse and The Ghost” by Lan Nguyen

Submitted to Contest #245

The trail deviated like a worm. It pitched steeply up despite the fact that Little Bald Mount was notoriously known for being a gentle hill rather than a literal mountain. But Adam didn’t mind expending a bit of hard labor to climb up to the top where he could get a vantage point of the entire Tahoe National Forest and most pivotally, witness with peace and quiet the one-of-a-kind solar eclipse that only paid the earth a visit once every 20 years. The weather was impeccable for such an occasion! Neither too hot to leave our skin caramelized ...

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“The Once-in-a-Lifetime Event” by Stanley Bordenave

Submitted to Contest #245

The elevator was out—great timing as usual. It wasn’t encouraging that I had ten flights of stairs to climb. I looked at my phone and saw that it was 3:18 pm, which meant that I had nine minutes to get to the roof. I left work, early for this, but it looked like I was still going to be late anyways. As I started running up the condo building’s metallic stairs, I remembered why I stopped playing basketball after high school: my knees were shot. I glanced at one of the stairwell ...

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 73 stories

“Sunkiller” by Tyler Cerka

“The Ingdalapet” by Paulo Sayson

“The White Cat” by Angie Sherwood

“THE SECOND COMING” by Glenna Agnew

“Entomo-Eclipse” by Beth Templeton

“The end?” by Gloria Parker

“Timeless Dark” by Manny DeAngelis

“Take It With Both Hands” by Season C

“Night Song of the Wild Things” by Lydia Rilea

“Who the Hell Is Nadia?” by Lemon Merang

“Eclipse of Failure ” by Timothy Motley

“The Eclipse and The Ghost” by Lan Nguyen

“The Once-in-a-Lifetime Event” by Stanley Bordenave

🌟 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: