Write about a character who is living through a major historical event — whether they know it or not.

Posted in Historical Fiction on Sep 9, 2022

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✍️ 40 stories

“The Thief and The Fighter” by L Key

Submitted to Contest #163

Content warning: mild swearing, mention of deathThe Thief and The FighterWednesday 4th June, 1913Anyone with sense and an empty stomach knows the races aren't for watching horses. They’re for watching pockets - bulging ones, specifically. And there’s no better place in the world for wallet-spotting than here, the Epsom Derby, where the crowd is bloated with booze, and purses are bloated with coins. Well, at least that’s what Benny says.My older brother was born for thieving; he boasts his fingers are like smoke, his reactions faster than lig...

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“Yesterday” by Mary Lehnert

Submitted to Contest #163

The fourth Beatle had deep brown eyes, pale complexion, and immaculately groomed long hair. The youngest of the four, known as the quiet Beatle, with crooked teeth, appealing and shy, his spiritual quality was evident from the start. If my grandmother(Mary) could re -live any few moments of her life, it would be her interview with George Harrison. What she would tell him is in the rest of this story. Vaulted into celebrity stratosphere overnight after one appearance on the famous Ed Sullivan show, this was their...

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“Oppy: A Mars Rover Story” by A. L. Cranston

Submitted to Contest #163

“Next I saw Leda (in the underworld); Mother of the twins, Castor and Pollux; Life-giving earth contains them, yet they are alive. Zeus honors them even in the underworld Half the days they stay below with Hades, And half within the golden citadels of heaven.” -The Odyssey, Homer January 25, 2004: A not insignificant spacecraft plummets from the vacuum of space and lands on the dusty surface of Mars. After a long time, Opportunity, the MER-B (Mars Exploration Rover – B) also known as OPPY, descends gently from the l...

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“Dear Diary” by Ela Mikh

Submitted to Contest #163

March 20, 1986. I don’t know what to say. I guess maybe my name… So, here goes. My name is Rima Schwartz. I’m ten years old and I live in Odesa in the USSR. I don’t know how to talk to the diary. I mean, after all, it’s a piece of paper. It’s like I’m talking to my reflection in the mirror. Anyway… March 25, 1986. I was a little embarrassed last time. Didn’t know what to say but that was so silly. I mean, no one ever is going to read it so what am I afraid of? So, Dear Diary, I decided to start talking to you because my friend at school to...

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“Plane Ride 101” by Kim Walker

Submitted to Contest #163

How can I convince my friend, that she will be alright; when I too am terrified of flying? Our foolish husbands jump on and off flights like it is second nature. If I had a dollar for every time I heard “tis safer up there than driving on 295!”. Maybe but, I saw a plane crash in a field on 9/11/01. I quiver, when I think of the first-time flyers on that flight. Although I was just driving up the road towards the crash site, when the aircraft narrowly missed my roof. I immediately dialed 911. The line was busy for over three hours. I tried ev...

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“Get Packing” by Cindy Strube

Submitted to Contest #163

Get Packing“It’s twenty-eight dollars a month, Pap!” Beulah reminded Silas. “We need that money!” She firmed her lips, and he could see the muscles twitch in her jaw. Times like this, there was no reasoning with her. He tried anyway.“Whur you goin’ to get a horse?”She jerked her thumb eastward.“Wyatts.”Silas frowned. “Wyatts? Eugene uses that horse ever’ day! He cain’t spare —” He stopped, racked by a wheezing cough.“Not that horse. Bess.”“Bess?”“That all you can do, Pap? Repeat me? Yes — Bess. I’ll offer him fifty cents a week.”“For a ...

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“The Coldest Season in London” by Maddie Culwell

Submitted to Contest #163

Mommy always says not to worry whenever I hear the radio talking about bombings in London. “There’s another London on the other side of the world, my darling. Far, far away from this London,” she always tells me. I really want to see this other London. I wonder if it’s just like my London but upside down! Every night, she leads my sister and me to the Tube with the pillows and blankets that we are able to carry. I always beg her to let us sleep in our own beds; it’s cold at night and though we wear our jackets under our blankets, I can neve...

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“Man in The Mourning” by Zoë Page

Submitted to Contest #163

Disclaimer: sorry if any facts are not historically accurate. I tried by best to research to support the story and apologize if anything is incorrect! Joan let a sigh escape her lips, swiping the brush gently across the door with a soft swishing sound. A dominant red “X” now glared back at her – the symbol that implied her father’s sickness. She placed the bucket of paint down that horribly resembled watery blood, and ducked swiftly inside, pulling the heavyweight door closed behind her. She knew quite well that she may have just been out...

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“Asher's unnormal, normal day ” by Scott Dutkus

Submitted to Contest #163

Asher tugged on the reins of his donkey, giving his animal the needed encouragement to continue the descent through the loose stones, broken twigs, and other debris on the floor of the Mount as he headed to the southern gates of the city. He understood his donkey’s reluctance; normally they traveled this during daylight hours, but the urgency of his errand and the necessity of his cargo drove him to travel through the night. A messenger arrived after dinner from the city’s shops he supplied, their stock of pigeons was dangerously l...

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“Can't Miss This Flight” by Zach Martz

Submitted to Contest #163

Michael Lambert immediately regretted that his flight back to San Francisco had been booked for departure out of Newark. The cab he was in was moving very slowly westbound on I-78, and his flight was due to depart in less than an hour. He looked wistfully to the east in the direction of La Guardia, wishing that he needed only to go there, as the traffic seemed much thinner in that direction. “Dammit!” He fumed to himself. “If I don’t make this plane, I’m finished!” He didn’t care about the fare slowly climbing as the cab creeped along th...

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“Blissful Ignorance” by Tahire Güneş

Submitted to Contest #163

In a dilapidated historic, tiny, dark house in Baku's ancient inner city, Asghar Quliyev was busy eating dinner with his mother and children. At the same time, his wife pulled up a chair after serving the meal. Everyone was eating in silence. Today's meal consisted of Dolma (rice, minced filled capsicum) and a drink of Feijoa for the week's revelry. Feijoa used to cost 20 manats which were very expensive. There was a mysterious silence at the dining table. Nigar Quliyeva, Asghar's wife, looked before her while taking small sips. This s...

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“pompeii” by Agris Engelis

Submitted to Contest #163

I am… was a simple farmer. I lived in a small house with my wife Helpis Afra, our daughter Pomaria and me, Lucius. My wife and I have lived here for all our life, and we never saw this coming. It was still morning when the great mountain first rumbled. Its voice could be heard echoing from far far away. The Great Mountains anger could be seen, as its anger fumed up into the realm of gods. We awoke to our little Pomaria crying, as the God of the mountains grumble had scared her. “Shhh… don’t worry sweetie, everything will be alright”. My wife...

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“I Was There” by Tod Moran

Submitted to Contest #163

I don’t know why I went. I had never been there. It was not my kind of town. Not my kind of people, bunch of loud mouth rednecks. Not likely to buy any life insurance from me. I suppose, like most of the country, I was fascinated by them. They were drawing crowds everywhere, especially since that Paris trip. That day was no different. I suppose, it was because he was young, handsome, had that self-effacing humor. And that wife.I was surprised by the lack of traffic but then I realized most everybody in town was watching them. I drove around ...

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“Because it's boring” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #163

The old man is long-winded. That’s why I don’t ask him anything. Sure, I guess it was my fault. But in my defense the assignment was boring. Write about World War II. What did I know about something that happened seventy years ago and why did I care? So yeah, I kept putting it off. Until Mom found out and freaked out. I told her I didn’t know what to write. “Oh my God, James,” she said. “Why don’t you ask your grandfather for help? He was alive at that time. Or ask anyone, you crazy child?” Like she’s one to talk. Th...

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“One Day” by Melinda Madrigal

Submitted to Contest #163

September 11th 2001 Three weeks of university life has been amazing. I love everything about college life from living in the dorms, to meeting new people, to my classes, even the food has been great. NYU is the best, the city is so wonderful. I was born and raised in New York and I never imagined city life would be this great. My parents were happy I chose a school near home. My father Lincoln is a firefighter who works a couple blocks from NYU and my mother Morgan is a doctor who works at Mount Sinai Beth Israel which is also close to me....

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Write about a character who is living through a major historical event — whether they know it or not.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 40 stories

“The Thief and The Fighter” by L Key

“Yesterday” by Mary Lehnert

“Oppy: A Mars Rover Story” by A. L. Cranston

“Dear Diary” by Ela Mikh

“Plane Ride 101” by Kim Walker

“Get Packing” by Cindy Strube

“The Coldest Season in London” by Maddie Culwell

“Man in The Mourning” by Zoë Page

“Asher's unnormal, normal day ” by Scott Dutkus

“Can't Miss This Flight” by Zach Martz

“Blissful Ignorance” by Tahire Güneş

“pompeii” by Agris Engelis

“I Was There” by Tod Moran

“Because it's boring” by Michele Duess

“One Day” by Melinda Madrigal

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with someone breaking an awkward silence at a family dinner.

Write about a character who risks everything to pursue their heart’s desires.

Write a story about someone facing death for the first time in their life.

Write a story in which someone says “You'll never be content.”

Contest #163

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

234

Contest entries

126

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: