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.

Posted in Fiction on Feb 17, 2023

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✍️ 54 stories

“The Machine” by Ty Young

Submitted to Contest #186

No damn way.Oh, yes.I never said—I never thought—What? What did you never think? …Please, don’t sigh like that.I didn’t mean to. I didn’t know.I told you what would happen, though. I did.A DOCUMENTATION OF SOME OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE WORLD[The Swords] Great, towering shards of glass and titanium were thrust through the earth and into the sky. Their layers had molted off a long time ago, and an intricate, scarlet patterning had half-emerged—sometimes it was scarlet. Other times it was carmine, or a watery olive color, or dried blood. I only e...

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“Rose Fantasy” by Gosia Smelcerz

Submitted to Contest #186

Rose FantasyAttention music lovers! Get ready to experience the electrifying sounds of the rock band Rose Fantasy! Featuring the mesmerizing vocals of our lead singer, this band is set to take the stage and leave you wanting more.Join us as we rock out to some of our classic hits and unveil a brand new, never-before-heard song that will have you on your feet. With a blend of powerful guitar riffs, pounding drums, and soulful lyrics, Rose Fantasy is sure to deliver a performance that you won't soon forget.Tickets are available now, so don't w...

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“The Lure” by Hope Linter

Submitted to Contest #186

Sun, between noon and sunset and sky a dusky blue. Children, in action, under the water sprinkler in park, shouts of laughter, squeals of excitement. Droplets of water on warm flesh, on hair, on tongues, in eyes. Jillianne, happy, open wide smile, flashing white teeth, sandles off, barefeet on grass, cartwheels through the sprinkler rain, unaware of the woman, lonely and alone on the wooden bench under the maple tree with sun shriveled leaves. Happy that Lauren, her best friend, not in mind of her problem of yesterday, a...

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“Sweet Dreams” by David B Fraser

Submitted to Contest #186

Mom. Light. “…. dressed.” Tag. Itch. Itch. Itch. Tear, worry, tear, worry, tear, worry. “…don’t…” Tear, worry, tear, worry, tear, worry. “Okay… ruined… this one.” Have you looked at the programs available? Have you considered what your long-term strategy will be? There’s a number of entry level programs that are very important as they allow us to establish a baseline we can measure progress against. Chair....

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“Strand ” by Corrie McCue

Submitted to Contest #186

Content warning: adult themes HerHer black woolen coat. Silver skull buttons. Bobbed brunette hair pinned to cheekbones by the beanie she’d crocheted. Along the railroad tracks, our sneakers catch on jagged rocks–scraping, clinking. Laughter. Hazy moonlight. Spritz of spray paint. Intoxicating sweet scent mingling with her violet perfume. Feeling airy inside. Her hand. Slender fingers, nails tipped in ribbons of red. Her waist. As I pull her to me, her can rattles a cacophony of surprise to find itself tumbling over rocks. I muffle her giggl...

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“Feeding Time” by Phillip Norman

Submitted to Contest #186

April 4, 2023, 11:13 PM Empty empty empty empty. Same word repeated for page after tear-stained page. Journal tucked beneath loose floorboard, begging to be found. Caked with dust. Covered in rodent bones. 1121 Lexington Avenue, Boise. Corner property. Quiet part of town. Five houses each side of block. Right side neighbors hear screams. Twice monthly, like clockwork. The 7th and the 17th. Place abandoned 20 years, maybe more. Ask Old Man Hubbard. Really? How quaint. Local cops stumped. Said screams always correspond with disappear...

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“LOVE MATTERS” by Julia Corliss

Submitted to Contest #186

I have kept journals for over fifty years. In these journals I have returned again and again to thinking and writing about love because what matters to me in life is love in all its many manifestations. I read through my journals seeking to find writings that illustrate why love matters to me as part of the never-ending story of life on Earth. I begin here with my understanding of what it means to live life as a human being. Life is a wonder and a challenge As each day proceeds With all its tumult, thunder, Corners of quiet, and fleeting g...

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“Samia and I Go For Lunch” by Lauren Bird

Submitted to Contest #186

“I like her shirt!” Oh shut up Samia, why no substance? Fuck a shirt. Look at me like I’m a real person beside you cause I’m a real person beside you. Sigh, I wanna say to the penny, on the counter, that I’m jealous. I wanna say Samia take another sip of coffee! We both know there’s nothing even left in that mug you phony baloney! Blameless is the penny. I bet the penny’s never had a deadline creep up on him like the slimy hand of a great uncle at his mother’s wake. Never had to reflect on his behavior at lunch. Never had to channel the devi...

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“Speedwalk” by Noah Aylward

Submitted to Contest #186

I step out of my apartment, moving at a speedwalk. I try to hurry while locking the door behind me and in doing so fumble with the keys, costing me more time than I'd like. I know my commute like the back of my hand. I know at the rate I'm going, I'll be about one minute late to work. I also know if I drive like a crazy person, I can shorten my commute by about three minutes. I've got to try. It's not that I think anything bad will happen if I walk in a minute late, but I've already been late once this week and I know if it happens again eve...

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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.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 54 stories

“The Machine” by Ty Young

“Rose Fantasy” by Gosia Smelcerz

“The Lure” by Hope Linter

“Sweet Dreams” by David B Fraser

“Strand ” by Corrie McCue

“Feeding Time” by Phillip Norman

“LOVE MATTERS” by Julia Corliss

“Samia and I Go For Lunch” by Lauren Bird

“Speedwalk” by Noah Aylward

🌟 Similar prompts

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

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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