Write a story about a character who can’t tell what’s real and what’s not.

Posted in Horror on Oct 31, 2022

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✍️ 80 stories

“Acorns” by Brett B

Submitted to Contest #167

Kate Spencer felt odd behind the steering wheel of a stranger’s car. With everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours, this was the culmination of her transformation––she was now as much a stranger to herself as she was to this car.The feeling lasted for only a moment as the tsunami of her real troubles rose back up to their towering heights, before crashing down and obliterating her capacity to hold any other thought. The black Acura TL wasn’t stolen; but if she were to get pulled over and the cop did even a little digging, g...

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“Zombro” by Seth Keown

Submitted to Contest #167

Nice day, isn’t it? Was what I meant to say, but it came out as, “angranhooo.” My neighbors replied in dull groans. I think they were saying hello back, but we can’t really understand each other. At the very least, their replies were groans like mine, not wails or jaw snapping that made their teeth clack. Being part of this crowd isn’t all that bad though. Everyone sways with each other, shuffling through the streets without a care in the world. Most of the time we like to stick to our own little areas. Unless something interesting, like mus...

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“Sweet Dreams” by Kaya Monn

Submitted to Contest #167

Sweet DreamsbyKaya MonnI jolt awake. What a crazy dream. Rubbing my bleary eyes, I pull myself out of bed and lurch like a zombie to the bathroom.Locked.“Come onnn, hurry up! I’ve gotta pee!”“Urgghhggh!”“Rebecca!” My mom yells from another room. “Hurry up and give your brother a chance to use the bathroom!”I decide to give the door a couple strong slams with my fist for good measure before flopping against it when, to my surprise, it swings open, and I fall face first into a patch of grass.I must’ve tripped getting off the bus. Pushing mysel...

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“Oddball” by Dani Sheehan

Submitted to Contest #167

I once met this real oddball, can’t remember her name for the life of me, but man was she odd, really. She said her dreams come true, but these weren’t any ordinary dreams, like running into an old friend and then bam, the next day you’re walking down the street and there they are buying a cup of coffee at one of those breakfast food trucks. No nothing like that. She said the clouds spoke to her, not in any sort of language, but that they told her the future in the way they moved. She was such a weird one that one. I haven’t heard from...

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“Nadine's reality or make believe ” by Nancy Lyon

Submitted to Contest #167

I'll confess I do talk to myself in my head. I like to consider it thinking out loud to me, myself, and I. Well, it does give me sort of an audience. I also like to bring this to your attention. Baby Boomers were not born into this technology lifestyle. Watching my youngest grandchild flip and swipe a phone or tablet like nobody's business is amazing. I guess they have an advantage, and I'm glad for our future. I realize the way we word ourselves on social media may not be the same in person. I know there's exceptions for every situation. So...

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“What We Want to be Real” by Madison Eccleton

Submitted to Contest #167

One day, the Angel–named Emil–is left alone in the cage that he spends all of his time in. The metal bars dig into his knees and the chains around his wrists and ankles rattle with each movement, catching on his skin and scraping it raw. There’s dried blood on his back, infected wounds all over his skin and Emil thinks there is nothing worse than this. Even Hell itself is a better fate. At one point he thinks he can see the figure of a tall, slender man leaned up against the corner of the room. He has a familiar way about him; the way he...

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“The Setting Sun” by Ralph Aldrich

Submitted to Contest #167

I’m sitting in my rocking chair on the porch of my log cabin. I’m taking in the view of a magnificent sunset over the forest and mountains of New Hampshire. Good God, it is so beautiful! The clouds are tinged with light orange and red as the rays of gold stream through the branches of the pines, dappling the front of my cabin. The birds are all roosting for the night, calling out to one another with one last song. Not far from my place is a babbling brook. Its soft murmur could easily put someone to sleep....

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“The Unreality of Jonas” by Ross Dyter

Submitted to Contest #167

The cat purred loudly as it wrapped itself around Jonas’ feet. He bent down and scratched it behind the ears, the cat purred louder and jumped up onto the crisp white sheets of his bed. The springs squeaked as he shifted to give the cat room. “Is this your cat, Simon?” he said. Simon stood across the stark, white, room from where Jonas sat. He stared impassively at the cat; his face devoid of any expression. “Oh, okay. Do you know its name?” Simon continued to stare at the cat, arms folded across his chest. He blew out a breath and looked up...

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“The Unseen.” by Mel Dingwall

Submitted to Contest #167

Paola’s cane danced lightly on the stairs.‘Two steps,’ her mother directed.The wood eased beneath Paola’s feet as she climbed. ‘They’re old,’ she said.‘Very.’A door squeaked open.‘Here we go. Home for the next week!’ Her mother’s voice echoed down a hallway. ‘Great!’ said Paola, a little too enthusiastically.Spending an entire week at a cottage in the middle of nowhere hadn’t sounded like fun to her, but she knew how much her mother had been looking forward to it.‘You’ll love it, kiddo.’ Her mother took her by the shoulders and gui...

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“Bathtub” by Chloe Meyer

Submitted to Contest #167

The house is lonely without my sister here. I don’t like being left alone with my thoughts, but she will be home soon. Sometimes, even when she is here, I see things, hear things. Earlier today I saw a flash of a car in a parking lot. The driver’s door was open and there was a woman sleeping in the passenger seat. But then I was in my bedroom and knew I had had another one of the visions I talked to Dr Turner about. I decide to take a bath while I wait for her to get home. I run the water and strip down before getting in. The tub is awkwa...

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“Tainted Love” by Natasha Dickerson

Submitted to Contest #167

“Honey, I just wanted to let you know that I'm working late, again. I love you. I’ll see you tonight.” I ended the voice-mail and sighed. I couldn’t help but wonder if my job would ruin my relationship with Tom. No, these intrusive thoughts had to end. “Girl your man is proud of you! Why wouldn’t he be Judith? You two are making moves towards your future.” Sarah always knew what to say to bring me back to reality. Even though we have only been friends for the past two months; Sarah and I are inseparably close. “May I come in?” Robert, m...

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“Déjà vu” by Francis Dagmar

Submitted to Contest #167

Mick gripped the console like he was bracing against an earthquake, then stretched in his chair, reaching up and to both sides, and winced as his back cracked. He was tired, physically, but also mentally. He’d been working for the Disciplinary Department for three years and this was his first assignment as project lead. He had celebrated for two days when Candice told him that he was to take the next subject. He was now almost finished session twenty-one of the second set of twenty-five, and he never wanted to see this place again. He had un...

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“The Snowstorm” by Avo Reid

Submitted to Contest #167

The snow started at 7:20 in the morning, when the nine-to-fivers were just waking up and the joggers who had gone early to beat the midday heat were coming home. People in the streets stopped and looked up at the sky, first at the clouds which came from nowhere and covered the sun in a great hurry and then at the snowflakes which floated down on the breeze, big fat ones you could catch on your tongue and chew with your molars. The storm accumulated quickly and by 10:00 had covered some twenty-five blocks, from Bleeker to Twenty-Third. ...

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“Lights, Camera, Action” by Stevie Burges

Submitted to Contest #167

Lights, Camera, Action She fell into the pub, her pub. She loved this pub, her second home. But tonight, standing behind the bar, was a new staff member. She hated it when it was someone new, and a scowl immediately appeared on her face. At the best of times, new staff never seemed to know where things were and, much more importantly, often failed to recognise the important customers. But tonight, this was unreservedly the wrong bar staff; they’d hired a woman! Who the hell would employ a female to work b...

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“Flight 257” by Douglas Maxson

Submitted to Contest #167

Flight 257 It wasn’t unusual for a dense fog to linger at this airstrip. The location provided the right seasonal atmosphere for such a haze. What was strange it positioned above Lindsay’s flight without moving. Lindsay Monarch, an aspiring author, landed a major book deal with Vanning Publishing in New York City promising a five- figure advance. Her eight years of hard work was a flight away from stardom. The thick fog might cause a delay. As she walked to the plane for boarding, a hoodie covered her sandy-colored hair hiding h...

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Write a story about a character who can’t tell what’s real and what’s not.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 80 stories

“Acorns” by Brett B

“Zombro” by Seth Keown

“Sweet Dreams” by Kaya Monn

“Oddball” by Dani Sheehan

“Nadine's reality or make believe ” by Nancy Lyon

“What We Want to be Real” by Madison Eccleton

“The Setting Sun” by Ralph Aldrich

“The Unreality of Jonas” by Ross Dyter

“The Unseen.” by Mel Dingwall

“Bathtub” by Chloe Meyer

“Tainted Love” by Natasha Dickerson

“Déjà vu” by Francis Dagmar

“The Snowstorm” by Avo Reid

“Lights, Camera, Action” by Stevie Burges

“Flight 257” by Douglas Maxson

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with a daydream sequence, before snapping back to reality.

Write a story about someone who overthinks every single thing, blowing the tiniest incidents out of proportion.

Set your story inside a character’s mind, literally.

Write a story about someone who thinks their life is a romcom and they’re the protagonist.

Contest #167

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

232

Contest entries

97

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: