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

“Join or Die” by Delphine Hintz

Submitted to Contest #85

“Mister Hoban, I couldn’t find a thing wrong with it.” Mr. Hoban pursed his lips. Daniel shifted only slightly. “The arch here is off center.” “Yes, sir,” Daniel agreed of course, “but that’s a stone arch, sir. There’s nothing Peter or I can do about it.” “Yes,” Mr. Hoban still stared at the marble. “Your work is fine as usual. Who did this?” “I don’t know, but I can check, sir.” “Don’t bother. It will burn soon anyway.” Mr. Hoban looked sourly upon the glossy floors. He rolled his shoulders back. “More work for us then, yes? We shoul...

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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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“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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“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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“Lanchester and Benson ” by Ashley Shi

Submitted to Contest #85

Diane Lanchester stands at the foot of an imposing, red brick building, observing the details of the structure while she waits for a fellow employee to show her where she will work. It’s a sunny day and she is not on edge, and so she stands there waiting, raven-black tresses floating amongst the light breeze of an early April afternoon. It’s 2024. There’s a strange familiarity in the building, though she’s never been here in her life- deja vu, she would call it, though she has never felt it before. It’s almost tinged with dread, but ...

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“A Crack in the Mirror” by Julie Roten

Submitted to Contest #85

1921 She unbuttoned her coat and removed her gloves about the fourth-floor stairway. This morning when she left for work the air had a bitter chill with a few snowflakes falling around her as she walked the four blocks to her job as a sales lady at Franklin Simon’s Department store on Fifth Avenue. This afternoon as she walked home the winter air had lifted a little and the sunshine had made it way through all the buildings and gave the sidewalks just a little warmth for a few short hours. She still caught herself looking up at those t...

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“Memories” by Katie Nowak

Submitted to Contest #85

There’s something about pulling into the driveway of a place you love. It’s a brief moment of joy, not for what is about to happen, but for what has happened. Memories. The smell of cedar and earth, fish and freshness. And the sounds of crickets and frogs. They aren’t just the memories of things that have happened—it’s so much deeper than that. If I lived a hundred years without this place, I could recognize it in an instant. It is everything that is home. It had been an exhilarating drive. Mile after mile over country road...

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“Magical Menagerie ” by Azalea Young

Submitted to Contest #85

Liz 2019 Liz casts her eyes around the place, a once over of everything as she steps into the building. She doesn’t know exactly why she does it--she’s never been here before so why should she look around as if she’s looking for differences? But she had studied the address outside, and it matches the one on the slip of paper in her hand. This is it. This is where Nana had wanted her to come. The only question is why. Nana was always a little off, one of those eccentric old ladies who owned lots of cool things and would tell you the stori...

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“The House That Made Us” by CJ K

Submitted to Contest #85

TW: drug abuse The House That Made Us 1970 It hurt. Everything hurt. When we were kids, it was easy. We fell in love and life was simple. Now we are grown and everything is complicated. I wanted to stop her from leaving this house that we made a home. Stop her from walking away from the memories we shared together, but the words could not come out of my mouth. Sherrie had left, she was gone and all I had left of her was the smell of her hair on her pillow that she laid her head on every night next to me. We talked about the fut...

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“A Family Secret” by LM Konkel-Dixon

Submitted to Contest #85

Present Day If someone had asked Neri a week ago that she would be in North Rim City, STATE to clear an ancestral estate she inherited, she would have told them they were crazy. Yet here she is, riding in the back of a taxi cab with her best friend Iki on the way to the grand North Dale Estate, once home to the wealthiest family in all of North Rim in 1920. She had no idea she had any relation to the family under her grandfather, who she never met, passed away leaving the entire estate in her name. "I still feel as if I'm dreaming." "Inherit...

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“Elsewhere” by Shemn C

Submitted to Contest #85

Dear Resident, I really do not know how to start this. It’s an absurd idea really. But I thought it would be a rather, interesting sort of thing for whoever stumbles upon my letters. I’m writing to you, from the past. I sincerely hope this works and these letters are found only when I am long gone and unreachable. Please forgive me for my messiness, it is a stressful time for everyone. It’s winter currently. I’ve always liked the winter season. Many of my comrades disagree, as they dislike the need for...

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“Haunting Of Verdica” by Jerome Burch

Submitted to Contest #85

It wasn’t supposed to happen- but it did. Marie threw her duffle in the car trunk and bellowed for the two children to enter. Tears decorated her face, make-up by drowsiness. Her heart was full yet empty. She hastily forced herself in, strapping the seatbelt on. She took a deep breath, then another one. Marie was on the verge of bawling. She didn’t expect it. It all happened as fast as time itself. She took a glance at the children- her children. “Anna,” she took a deep breath, “Anna, what’s… what’s, that in your hand?” Anna had been d...

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“To Frame Her Own Death” by Emma Rose

Submitted to Contest #85

- December 16, 1832 - It would be a poetic thing, to die under the stars, gazing up at the infinite abyss as I faded away into eternal darkness. The gentle snowflakes caressed my cheeks, cold and soothing, a welcome antidote to the incessant burning of my broken body, all my pain receptors screaming in protest. I idly wondered how long it would take someone to find my body, or if the wolves would get to me before anyone realized something had gone terribly wrong. I sat up, cautiously, avoiding putting pressure...

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“The Tour” by Chris Culpepper

Submitted to Contest #85

Welcome, welcome! Hope you've been enjoying your New York tour. I'm sure everything’s been great so far, but in the words of Al Jolson, "You ain't heard nothing yet!" Join me as we take a bite out of this big old apple by examining one of its hallmarks, the Empire State bldg. I know, it's not the tallest in town anymore. But since it opened in 1931, the Empire State Building has remained a beloved New York City landmark. And it's a favorite setting for storytellers. Why, this Art Deco skyscraper is a symbol of romance, danger, and the city...

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“Two Times an Inn and Tavern” by Chris Rohe

Submitted to Contest #85

It was early spring in the heart of the Kentucky countryside and the year was 1779. A stone structure had just been finished near the crossroads of two dirt wagon trails. The structure was two stories with the first floor being entirely built from limestone while the second story was a mixture of lighter sandstone and wood. The first floor contained a great hearth and a large open area with two long wooden tables with parallel benches that could seat up to five diners at each side. A few smaller tables were also scat...

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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

“Join or Die” by Delphine Hintz

“Same Place, Same Time ” by Ella Kinnett

“Roses” by David Antoine

“The ghost in room 506” by Khloe Crawshaw

“Lanchester and Benson ” by Ashley Shi

“A Crack in the Mirror” by Julie Roten

“Memories” by Katie Nowak

“Magical Menagerie ” by Azalea Young

“The House That Made Us” by CJ K

“A Family Secret” by LM Konkel-Dixon

“Elsewhere” by Shemn C

“Haunting Of Verdica” by Jerome Burch

“To Frame Her Own Death” by Emma Rose

“The Tour” by Chris Culpepper

“Two Times an Inn and Tavern” by Chris Rohe

🌟 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: