Write a story in which each paragraph begins or ends (or both!) with the same sentence.

Posted in Fiction on Feb 17, 2023

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✍️ 77 stories

“The Piper's Due” by Megan DeRouin

Submitted to Contest #186

Today I feel. Like my heart is a bird and my chest is a cage of bone. I feel like my heart is beating itself bloody against the wall of ribs and I’m gasping from the pain of it, but I cannot stop. Trapped. The word is trapped. I’m trapped as the world spins around and around, around me. Everything is too bright, too loud, too much. Don’t be stupid, you can’t write something like that. Someone is going to think you’re crazy…or at least more insane that they already think you are. Mom was right, you have to keep yourself to yourself, don’t bit...

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“Take Me - Shopping” by Sharon Walker

Submitted to Contest #186

He won't get off his phone. I'm starting to get irritated. Following behind me like he's not with me. I'm sure he's trying to make out like he's the hired help or something, pushing the trolley. Okay. Okay. I paid him. But it's not because he's black. I just need him to lift the furniture and drive the car. But it's not because he's black.He won't get off his phone. It's not easy to speak to him while he's reading messages. I ask him if he wants breakfast. He seems annoyed. He's already eaten. He accepts a cup of coffee while I eat my cake. ...

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“What will happen when the shit hits the fan? ” by Sarah Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #186

What will happen to us as a society when shit hits the fan? Are we prepared for a cataclysmic natural disaster or nuclear war? Is anyone really? What happens to us as priveleged Americans respectively, when this moment of upheaval and shock rocks what we have only ever known? The history of every dominant civilization is that it will statistically fall, either by the overturn of fellow man or the cycles of the earth. Regardless, our turn is inevitable. Will we devolve or evolve? Are they mutually exclusive? What will happ...

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“Cold Hands, Warm Heart?” by Jane Anderson

Submitted to Contest #186

Harry walked into the room, a gray portfolio under his arm. Leave it to him to try and look important, I thought. He sat across the wood-grain conference table and glared at me. Soon, a bubbly, curly-haired woman bounced into the room. “I’m Agatha, your mediator,” she said. As she lowered herself into a seat at the head of the table, her demeanor calmed. “I know this isn’t easy,” she assured. “Let’s begin.” _______ Let’s begin: Ok, I guess I’d romanticized the whole club idea. My dad had been a member for God knows how many years, and I reca...

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“The Way the Bees Live” by Izzy Baker

Submitted to Contest #186

In the afternoon shade, the flowers wilted. The sun could not reach them here underneath the long limbs of the great oak tree. To what ends, I wondered, did one have to go to be safe from the world? Was it enough that the sun was trying? Some of its warmth struck through gaps between the leaves above. I reached for the flowers amidst the mossy roots. Like the purple petals, my fingers fell and curled. They were dry and cracked, feeling akin to my sandpaper throat. When had I last drank water? I couldn’t remember, but I couldn’t find the will...

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“Her eyes opened ” by Brooke Coleman

Submitted to Contest #186

Her eyes opened. "EEE rrr EEE rrr" her alarm clock rang. She rolled over and turned it off and hopped out of bed. She was nervous but a little excited. It was her first day at a new school. She had her outfit already laid out. Bell bottom blue jeans and a baby blue hoodie with a blue scrunchy to match. She hated having her hair down for too long. At the end of the bed were her new fresh white air forces she got for her birthday recently. At the corner of the dresser was her mascara and lip gloss. It was 8th grade and the year was 2005 but fo...

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“Man of My Dreams” by Naina P

Submitted to Contest #186

He’s not the man of my dreams. Far from it, he’s not really like any person I could have ever conjured up. He seemed so quiet when we met, but I know now that is not the case. He can speak for hours on politics, on history, on the current state of the world. He doesn’t judge me when I cry over earthquakes, famines or children left without their families. He doesn’t hold me either. He learns about the things that hurt me, he does his best to find ways to help. Sometimes, that just means listening as I choke out the same “it’s just not fair”s ...

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“Me VS Reality” by Vanessa Chan

Submitted to Contest #186

As a young child, I was not aware I had the option to go against your wishes. I blindly obeyed your every command. I believed every single word you uttered. If you told me to do something, I did so immediately. If you told me no, I would banish the thought from my mind instantly. No matter what, I was your loyal soldier. Maybe too loyal. Loyal to a fault, one might say. One day I realized I had a voice, my own individual thoughts that seem to gradually stray further and further from yours. I started to get scared, as if having these opposing...

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“The Predator House” by Ashley Smith

Submitted to Contest #186

I vividly recall how the rain smelled as it beat against the dirt outside of that house. The way it slowly trickled down the half-opened window colliding with another drop just before racing to the bottom screen. I kept my head against the wall wishing I could imagine what it must be like to be a raindrop. To feel that adrenaline rush as I plummeted from the enormous fluffy white clouds that draped across the sky. I recall the silence of the room around me, only hearing the steady drip of rainwater knocking ever so gently on the ...

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“Tomorrow Is Waiting” by Arden K

Submitted to Contest #186

Every day begins and ends the same. The aroma of brewing coffee and the sunrise only just peeking over the horizon are the first things to greet her senses when she heads downstairs. Horses in the pasture are freshly awoken, nickering good morning to each other and eagerly awaiting their breakfast, while the rooster crows and the jays and sparrows begin their day in song. Her husband shoves his feet into his boots by the front door, giving her a grin and a kiss to her cheek before fixing his hat on his head and making his way out to feed the...

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“Augmentation” by Kevin V

Submitted to Contest #186

In our living room I held up my arms, concentrating on my wife Lisa and slowly, melodically, spoke the incantation. The air around her shimmered, and with a thunderous boom all returned to normal. I looked at my wife, topless and examining herself, to see if it worked. Her pet canary, Popcorn, also regarded her from his cage. Then I heard her say that it didn't work, that her breasts did not augment as I promised, and that she thought me to be an idiot. I told her to wait a moment and see. Magic doesn't always happen right away. Then I heard...

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“Is That The Time?” by Liesha Northover

Submitted to Contest #186

Note to reviewers: This story was written with specific formatting that unfortunately can't be translated into this text field. Given that this week's story prompt called for a focus on form and structure, it would have been good to be able to upload a file to actually show that form and structure. I would like at least an opportunity to upload a pdf to show how this story is meant to be formatted. Thank you.07Tick TockI look at the clock…and realise I’m going to be late. Mummy says I have to be home before dark. I’m not scared of the dark o...

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“Danger Keep Out” by Patricia Merewether

Submitted to Contest #186

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.T. S. EliotI stumbled upon the area while photographing and cataloging wild mushrooms of Michigan for MSU, a job I believe is the best in the world, at least for me. I love the forests, the deeper and the least amount of people, the better. I must confess that I’ve ignored a lot of signs saying ‘Private property’ because I know the owners and they’re happy to have someone checking on their places ‘up north ’I’m. I’m also used to forcing my way through thickets of...

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“Elysian Solitude” by Hailey Rose

Submitted to Contest #186

She loved to run. As a little girl her favorite part of school was recess when she could chase the other girls and boys around the playground, the wind playing with her pigtails. Blows and kisses of the sweet air at the heels of her feet but, it was the adrenaline rushing in her chest that kept her going. Calming deep breaths of air as she slowed down, her mind overwhelmed with this feeling of tranquility. Dust covered her clothes but it was no matter to her. Even the biting comments of classmates didn’t stop her from running laps, the way t...

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“The Flat Line” by Samsara Lind

Submitted to Contest #186

TW // death “Two minutes! Stop compression, check rhythm and pulse!” I was awoken from a calm and peaceful dream. Bright lights, strange noises, and figures moving around my body in a rapid but well-rehearsed commotion. Soon a tall figure hovered over my chest and his large hands started pressing down deeply and quickly at the centre of my chest, again and again. I wanted to yell at him, bugger off!!! But I could not find my voice. I tried to move my limbs or turn my head to the side but again I could not move them. What’s going on? Where ...

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Write a story in which each paragraph begins or ends (or both!) with the same sentence.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 77 stories

“The Piper's Due” by Megan DeRouin

“Take Me - Shopping” by Sharon Walker

“What will happen when the shit hits the fan? ” by Sarah Gilbert

“Cold Hands, Warm Heart?” by Jane Anderson

“The Way the Bees Live” by Izzy Baker

“Her eyes opened ” by Brooke Coleman

“Man of My Dreams” by Naina P

“Me VS Reality” by Vanessa Chan

“The Predator House” by Ashley Smith

“Tomorrow Is Waiting” by Arden K

“Augmentation” by Kevin V

“Is That The Time?” by Liesha Northover

“Danger Keep Out” by Patricia Merewether

“Elysian Solitude” by Hailey Rose

“The Flat Line” by Samsara Lind

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story of fragments. Many options here: no verbs, sentence fragments, short sections, nothing but objects, etc. The fragments should relate to one another obliquely, hesitantly, subtly, ambiguously, preposterously, marvelously.

Write a story within a story within a story within a ...

Write a story that formally utilizes a mathematical sequence; e.g., the Fibonacci sequence could determine the number of words in each paragraph, or start with a number and work backwards. Make sure the formula is made clear, either within the story, or before or after it.

Write a story entirely of dialogue. Nothing but dialogue. No attributives (he said, she said, etc.). No descriptions of scenes or gestures or movements (unless these things are presented in the dialogue). Just words between quotation marks. Pure, beautiful, untainted dialogue.

Contest #186

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

481

Contest entries

142

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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