Write a story that takes place in the same building but in two very different time periods.

Posted in Historical Fiction on Jun 10, 2021

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✍️ 154 stories

“Cajamarca” by Martin Mendoza

Submitted to Contest #85

TW: violence, warfare, colonialism It had been a long night for Jim Calloway. He had trouble sleeping on buses in general, but the television above him playing movies late into the night didn't help. The constant turns and twists of the road also made his stomach a bit queasy and he barely managed to keep down his dinner. As soon as he got off the bus, his head began to hurt, his eyes felt dry, and he was a little short of breath, despite his general athleticism. In contrast to him, his travel partner and new friend, Alim, seemed completely ...

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“Meeting myself ” by Djeneba Toure

Submitted to Contest #85

Title ; meeting myself Angeline!” The guards heeled as they chased me around the castle. I ran as fast as I could in high heels and Avery tight corset, jumping the stairs as it would take too much time to run them. You're probably wondering why I’m running. Well let’s just say that the queen, my dearest mother, didn’t like that I tried to blow up her dinner party. See the princess life was never for me, I was always in trouble but this time “was the last straw”, like she hasn’t said that forty times. Whatever back to running. &...

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“The ghost in room 506” by Khloe Crawshaw

Submitted to Contest #85

August 21, 1863- 5:17 a.m. Something about the stars that night looked surreal. Struggling to keep up with her peers, Elizabeth heaved the bucket of water she was carrying along, finally setting it down outside the back door to give her arms a break. She stopped again for a moment to watch those twinkling stars on the clear night, and the moon settling itself on the horizon. The August heat was dying down with the sun setting, and the cool night air was blowing through her hair. For a moment, everything felt completely at peace. ...

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“On Edward's Hill at Tilstow” by Mike Burgess

Submitted to Contest #85

The security guard ran through the corridors towards the Foster Gallery, his footsteps echoing among the statuary. In their control room on the other side of town, Charlie and Sam watched. “There are two of them. One’s huge”. Ted only picked out one word in three. Reception was poor in the museum. The walls were two-feet thick in places, with plenty of metalwork to break up the signal. It was once the town prison and, before that, a monastery, probably founded during the sixth-century. Though it twice fell prey to rai...

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“Soul's Pizza” by Alison Lu

Submitted to Contest #85

Apartment Building J has stood in New York for at least twenty years, tall, dark, and strong. A generation of bright eyed individuals have filtered into the place, with all the dreams of youth, and have filtered out again, luster gone from their gazes—which, at that point, were generally directly fixated on whatever happened to be on the ground in front of them. When one leaves the structure known only as Apartment Building J, one would find it very hard to lift their eyes any higher than thirty-five degrees above the horizontal. Smith John ...

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“Murder! Madness!” by Nakshatra Raj

Submitted to Contest #85

I still remember that case, as clear as my heart; it was my best one after all.GREETINGS! I’m Paul Harris, a former detective and now, a writer. I know, I know what’re saying: but Paul you label every case as your best.I KNOW! But trust me this … is the absolute pinnacle. Let’s start from the beginning.***1947. I was still a young detective owning a staggering 43 cases solved to my respected name. The most handsome department about me, excluding my looks, was my case solving streak. 43 cases given to me, 43 solved; unsolved: none.I thought I...

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“What Lies Buried Must Always be Found ” by Elliot G

Submitted to Contest #85

1949:The sky was completely dark due to the large and menacing clouds that had rolled in, blocking the sun and refusing to let even the slightest ray of light seep through. Every so often, a sudden and distant flash would illuminate the solemn obscurity, emitting a thrilling crackling noise, sometimes accompanied by a loud and thunderous grumble that emerged from below. Though the storm was not yet near, a strong wind swayed the trees back and forth as a fierce and heavy rain beat down from above, drenching everything within the small rural ...

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“Apartment #14B” by Arah Shumway

Submitted to Contest #85

August 14th, 2014 6:15 am Wayne Jergins woke up early on what would be his last day working for Hammond Construction Co. After several rejection letters, he finally received the letter informing him of his acceptance into Queens College. Fall semester began the following week and he was more than ready to leave behind the daily doldrums of construction. He had saved enough to pay for the first year. If needed, he supposed he could return to constr...

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“Roses” by David Antoine

Submitted to Contest #85

There was something about Gérard’s eyes that Marie-Claude didn’t like, but she had never brought herself to look at them long enough to figure out what it was. As she stood at the altar, though, with the slightly-too-squeaky voice of the priest grating her ear, and the eyes of a hundred relatives and complete strangers searing into her, it occurred to Marie-Claude what it was: Gérard’s right eyeball, and only his right eyeball, had a single, spidery vein that ran from the inside corner of his eye to his iris. This was the first time s...

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“Double Answer” by Adra Verse

Submitted to Contest #85

I just walked through the entrance. The door closed itself, but very tightly. I don’t think there is an exit anymore. Still, I have to move on. I have to keep walking. This is the place, I’m sure. I kept on walking, and walking, and I quickly came to realize: this building is changing. The corridor I was walking two minutes ago, isn’t a corridor anymore. It’s constantly shifting, and it feels like a labyrinth. Maybe I should’ve stayed outside, but I have to find the answer. This building is very tall, has 300 floors, and each floor is a maze...

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“Once” by Scarlett Gardiner

Submitted to Contest #85

I was once nine and ran though empty corridors, wooden sword clutched in my hand, sprinting after a girl with long brown hair who moved like the air. The castle filled with our laugher and screams of fright. My days were spent in the sun and my evenings on my fathers lap, attempting to get a word of praise or the promise of a new sparring lesson. Life was simple and sweet.I was once thirteen and loud, my arms thrown over the shoulders of friends as we strutted to the dining hall after practise, we talked of new books and lessons and the thou...

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“The Move” by Scarlet Scribe

Submitted to Contest #85

“Mom. I can’t believe the bargain I got on my new apartment. The movers are due any minute then I’ll be out of this rat infested hole in the wall I have lived in for the last three months. It was all I could find when I came to Philadelphia but my new apartment is on the best side of town. I was able to take a life-time lease on it at almost the same as I paid for this old one. Tonight I sleep in luxury, well, I will when the furniture is delivered. Tonight I sleep on an air mattress on the floor but at least I won’t worry the rats will atta...

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“Same Place, Same Time ” by Ella Kinnett

Submitted to Contest #85

“ Rory, did you hear that?” I ask, hearing glass shatter. She nods and we both rush to the kitchen hoping to see what happened. All we find is a broken plate shattered in pieces on the ground.. “It was the wind,” Rory said, sounding kind of disappointed. I feel like she’s always looking to save the world sometimes she just has to accept that she can’t. “Rory, do you ever think that…” I hesitate because I can’t find a way to phrase what I’m trying to say. “Think what?” she says slightly annoyed in my hesitation. She always want...

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“Ashes to ashes” by Georgette Ball

Submitted to Contest #85

A fine layer of dust sat upon the angel’s shoulders and halo. The tiny pink flower held between her praying hands was nearly indistinguishable under that same gray, but her cheeky smile and playful shrugging shoulders made him grin. She didn’t get here by accident. This area of the library was not often visited as it held aged children’s books, which had been donated by a local author, and as every lover a books knows, you can’t just throw a book in the garbage when no one wants to read it anymore. You must love and care for it as you woul...

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“The Bloody Tower” by T.H. Sherlock

Submitted to Contest #85

August 1483The Tower of London has always cast a dark shadow over the city. William the Conqueror, the invading Norman king, had originally ordered the Tower to be built as a symbol of his strength and majesty. He intended for the castle to forever be a looming presence on city skyline, so that the king’s power would never be forgotten in the hearts and minds of the English people.The white walls and turrets gleamed innocently in the early morning sunshine, belying the blood and sweat of the labourers who built the thick, stone walls with th...

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Write a story that takes place in the same building but in two very different time periods.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 154 stories

“Cajamarca” by Martin Mendoza

“Meeting myself ” by Djeneba Toure

“The ghost in room 506” by Khloe Crawshaw

“On Edward's Hill at Tilstow” by Mike Burgess

“Soul's Pizza” by Alison Lu

“Murder! Madness!” by Nakshatra Raj

“What Lies Buried Must Always be Found ” by Elliot G

“Apartment #14B” by Arah Shumway

“Roses” by David Antoine

“Double Answer” by Adra Verse

“Once” by Scarlett Gardiner

“The Move” by Scarlet Scribe

“Same Place, Same Time ” by Ella Kinnett

“Ashes to ashes” by Georgette Ball

“The Bloody Tower” by T.H. Sherlock

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story in a major city that your character has a love-hate relationship with.

Start your story with the line, “That’s the thing about this city…”

Write about someone fighting to change their city neighborhood for the better.

Write about someone fighting to keep their city neighborhood the same.

Contest #85

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

671

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: