Start your story with a character looking out of a window in the middle of the night.

Posted in Horror on Oct 25, 2022

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✍️ 340 stories

“Man on the Moon” by David Brown

Submitted to Contest #97

“I could put my thumb up to a window and completely hide the Earth. I thought, everything I’ve ever known is behind my thumb.”Jim Lovell, Apollo 8, 1968Jimmy Nixon looked out the viewing portal of his private quarters at Waypoint Tranquility on Luna. The rising Earth was a waxing crescent on the moon’s midnight horizon. He remembered an old quote by one of the Apollo astronauts, and like that captivated spaceman of old, Jimmy held his own thumb up to cover the planet entirely from his view. Unlike that other “James,” this James had lived his...

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“What Is This?” by Michael Martin

Submitted to Contest #97

What is this? It must be strange, seeing something for the very first time. Stranger still when you consider that the little girl should have seen it countless times before that day. What went through her young mind when she first gazed upon the night sky, unable to name the bright circle or the thousands of sparkling lights but fascinated nonetheless by their beauty? What is this, she thought to herself. She reached out with her tiny fingers, eager to touch the bright circle. Her longest finger was ...

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“Call Me Icarus and Let Me Fly” by Kathleen M.

Submitted to Contest #97

Warning: Mention of torture *** His cell is at the top of the tallest tower. The single window provides him with a full view of the stars. Up there, he isn’t the hero the public once declared him. He isn’t anyone, in fact. When people come to deliver food, when the princess comes to beg him for answers in regards to why he murdered her father, and even when knights come to threaten the worst punishments they can imagine, he sits and stares out that single window. The bars are rusty, and it would only take one shove to dislodge them, but t...

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“In the Middle of the Night” by Ash W

Submitted to Contest #97

Serenity knew that she wasn’t supposed to, but she enjoyed staying up late. She loved the feeling of being the last person awake. It felt like she was awake while the rest of the world was asleep. It was a strange feeling. Her family went to sleep pretty early. Usually, they were all in bed by ten. So after ten, Serenity had free roam of the house. She tried to stay quiet. She knew which floor boards creaked, how to open her door so it wasn’t squeaky, and which stairs to skip. She slid out of her bed near midnight, pe...

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“HOPE IS THE MORE DIFFICULT EXAM.” by Reshma S

Submitted to Contest #97

Sometimes he suddenly awakens at midnight. Yet that day.... he keeps no justification for wakefulness. Crying the birds, the humming of the owls and mosquitoes, and the pretty flashing cover of the super moon, and the long twinkling expectations putting on stars, flat the rigid hug of ventilating feeling tip to momma's taste and his all-time favorite facet of the plant. He imagined he catches sight of these for the first time in his entity. He spoke to theirs on that overdue dark of 12.30 and they have to retort him. He l...

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“The Sixth Window” by Tommie Michele

Submitted to Contest #97

This is the first time I’ve looked out of a window, instead of looking in.It’s the only thought that crosses my mind as I stare out at the midnight road. Cold drafts, hard pavers, dark alleys. The three things I’ve had the most experience with. But let me backtrack. Every week, I make the same nighttime journey. Six windows to visit, six memories to relive. It makes sense, and even if it’s a waste, it’s an escape from the freezing streets I call home.The first window is one of my favorites. Although it’s grown dirty over the past y...

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“Philip And Victoria” by Barry Smith

Submitted to Contest #97

Philip And Victoria Philip was restless. It was a hot summer night in the south of Spain and he couldn't sleep. Nothing new there. He switched off the air-con - he knew he shouldn't sleep with it on, but hey, life's not perfect. And as if he didn't have enough to deal with. He opened the window, and, to his surprise, he smelt rain on the air, the wind whipping up with the promise of respite, albeit temporary. Since the accident had left him dependent on his helper and his stick, his other senses had become heightened. Movement around him, ...

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“Landscaping ” by Scott Skinner

Submitted to Contest #97

“I’m telling you, something’s wrong. How long are you willing to wait before we call the cops?” “We’re not calling the cops.” “She’s my daughter, babe. Don’t you understand that?” “Greg, she’s our daughter.” “You’re acting like she’s not. You’re acting like you don’t even care!” “She’s on a date.”“She was! She was on a date. One that was supposed to end at 11 pm! But look where we are now,” Greg takes two steps away from the window towards his marble-topped nightstand. He taps his iPhone, then continues, “11:22 pm! A...

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“The Woman at the Window” by Samadhee Ismail

Submitted to Contest #97

I stare hard at the house next door through my window. It was almost midnight and a single light is shining in one of the windows of the house next door. Ordinarily, it would have been normal...if that house was not abandoned, the roof and windows broken, weeds growing out in the garden. No one has occupied in that house for a long time--more than a decade. And yet, at midnight, a single light is shining from the window of that house. Now wide awake, I grab the binoculars from the bedside table and and stare outside. I could hear the cri...

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“Looking Outside” by Writers Block

Submitted to Contest #97

Night time fell to the ground like a blanket. The sounds of the previous day came to a screeching halt. I awaken from my slumber and meander into the kitchen. I flip on the light over the range. I turn around slightly and notice the soft light highlighting the silhouettes of the nearby tree branches, grazing the window. I browse for an early morning treat. Not wanting to cook anything at the precise moment, I debate on either a hot beverage or a snack bar. I fill up the coffee pot with water, measure the appropriate amount, and press the sta...

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“Talking to the MOON” by M Sahithya

Submitted to Contest #97

Talking to the moon The curtains hanging on the window are swaying back and forth because of the cool wind outside. They are having the time of their lives and feeling themselves as the most beautiful things on their planet. She is watching out of the window on which the curtains are dancing to the beautiful weather outside, like nobody's watching them. How confident of them?! At Least more than her. Alas!! If only she realizes that she is more than just a beautiful and confident soul in an elegant body. Her eyes ...

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“Coup d'état” by Daniel Roueche

Submitted to Contest #97

It’s late. Or early, depending on whether you’ve slept or not. Zander feels like he hasn’t slept at all. Of course, that’s an exaggeration. He’s slept at least 7 hours, fell into REM multiple times, and now lies in bed semi-conscious.His alarm will go off soon and he’ll have to get to work.This could be the start to a long day.But his stomach churns. He wants to pass out, but he had a dream about a donut mansion and now his mind runs in circles imagining creeping down to the kitchen to get a taste. A taste of those moist, sugary, cream-fille...

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“Waiting.” by Marsha Webb

Submitted to Contest #97

The sound of gravel crunching under foot startled Alicia. She threw the covers off the bed and slowly, stealthily got to her feet. She mustn't make any noise, she couldn't wake them. Alicia moved the curtains quickly and looked out into the dark night. It was still and calm, no sign of any movement. Alicia inhaled deeply to steady herself. The contradiction of her racing heart and shaking body against the serene and tranquil night was not lost on her. She glanced at her watch, ten to midnight. She was hot and uncomfortable, ...

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“A Prologue ” by Julie Lingle

Submitted to Contest #97

When my vision adjusts to the dark, I glare at the digital clock on my nightstand. 3:06 a.m. - The second time this week. While sweating, I turn to face Alan. He looks so peaceful with his collar-long, brunet hair spread across the pillow; how I envy you right now, Ali. I peck his cheek, then shift over to stare at the ceiling and focus on the rainfall’s sound, slamming on the building’s roof and gutters. The constant banging is tranquilizing. Although, I hear it as a timer, waiting for it to end to finally doze off. I prop myself up enough...

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“Face in the Window” by Richard Risemberg

Submitted to Contest #97

I don't believe in a populated heaven—at least not the pearly one, populated with dead relatives and their floating immortal orderlies who sing a lot. I suppose I ought to believe in the concept in a literal, astronomical sense, since there are more stars than we can count, and some of them must have planets with some sort of thinking, feeling creatures on them. But then, to those creatures, we would be heaven, whirling round our little point of light in one of the suburbs of the galaxy. And nothing could refute the idea of a benev...

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Start your story with a character looking out of a window in the middle of the night.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 340 stories

“Man on the Moon” by David Brown

“What Is This?” by Michael Martin

“Call Me Icarus and Let Me Fly” by Kathleen M.

“In the Middle of the Night” by Ash W

“HOPE IS THE MORE DIFFICULT EXAM.” by Reshma S

“The Sixth Window” by Tommie Michele

“Philip And Victoria” by Barry Smith

“Landscaping ” by Scott Skinner

“The Woman at the Window” by Samadhee Ismail

“Looking Outside” by Writers Block

“Talking to the MOON” by M Sahithya

“Coup d'état” by Daniel Roueche

“Waiting.” by Marsha Webb

“A Prologue ” by Julie Lingle

“Face in the Window” by Richard Risemberg

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story in which a window is broken or found broken.

Write a story that involves a magic window — or a window like no other.

Start your story with an unexpected knock on a window.

Set your story within a window of opportunity, when a character finally has the chance to do something.

Contest #97

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

921

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: