Write a story set in a city where the power suddenly goes out, leaving everyone in darkness.

Posted in Horror on Oct 26, 2022

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 187 stories

“The Power Outage Killer” by Xavier Guzman

Submitted to Contest #92

On a Friday night, I was at my house watching my movie, enjoying the Slurpee I got from 7-ELEVEN and all of a sudden the power went out. I went outside my house and the whole city's power went out. I invited five of my friends in the neighborhood to my backyard to make a campfire and make some S'mores. As we sit down on some chairs we start to talk about the stuff that has happened all over the city. One of my friends started talking about the killer who roams around the city looking for the next person to kill. I told my friends that I woul...

0 comments 0

Read story

“A World in Darkness and Peril” by Cassiopeia .

Submitted to Contest #92

Odorio stood on his balcony gazing at the pointy skyline and chatting away the trivialities of the day over his phone. Next to him was Mushi who meowed into the balmy air of the evening as Odorio stroked his back absently. It was an ordinary night- to the best of everyone's imagination. Odorio hung up his call, scrolled a couple of posts on social media, and as usual, reacted haha over a meme before in the most ordinary fashion, he turned to go back inside. Suddenly, he heard a muffled blast in the distance. A&nbs...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Uproar” by Andrea Kepple

Submitted to Contest #92

“Escaping the city is impossible.” Sara lifts Kelley’s large suitcase out of the trunk, the garage door closes and locks. “People at the barricades blocking the streets and highways are streaming online, others are streaming at the airports, train stations and bus depot.” Kelley nods. Her smaller suitcase feels like it weighs forty pounds. She struggles to extract it from the trunk before grabbing her carryon bag. They didn’t feel this heavy when Kelley left the hotel, exhausted, spent, and relieved. Kelley said a word of thanks to the pers...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Murder on the loose” by Jasmine Vazquez-Reyes

Submitted to Contest #92

Murder on the Loose Caroline and her best friend Mary have just graduated from High School. They have been best friends since elementary school. Ever since they were kids Mary told Caroline that her dream is to take a trip to New York City. When Mary told Caroline her dream, Caroline promised that she would take her there. Many years later Caroline told Mary, “ We should celebrate our graduation by going to New York City for a week. I have been wanting to take you for a very long time now and now’s the perfect time” Mary said, “Yeah w...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Full California Experience” by Samantha Vanpelt

Submitted to Contest #92

TW: gun violence They were headed home when the street lamps cut out. Daniel’s hands stilled. He squeezed the baseball he’d been tossing between them, his head thrown back, eyes on the light above him. It didn’t flicker or anything; just stayed dark and silent. There was a soft flutter as a swarm of moths departed, their source of fascination vanquished. Lowering his gaze, he squinted in the dark. “Ham?” he called. A curse flew out of the nearby bushes, and Daniel stepped back as his cousin shoved his way free of the snares. His ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Dark Nights By Miranda Torres” by Miranda Torres

Submitted to Contest #92

It was a warm summer day in the city of New York. The tall buildings trapped the heat creating heatwaves. I finally came out of my ac and entered the reality of the hot scorching day. I got in my car and went for a snack but on the way over, something felt off. I went on with my day and returned home to something unexpected, my ac was no longer working. The day went on and I noticed that I wasn't the only one. Everybody was outside of their homes talking to each other when all of the sudden it went blank. All of the lights from the buil...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Danger In The Dark” by Kassandra Lopez

Submitted to Contest #92

I was on my couch binge-watching all my favorite tv shows and movies, a typical Friday night. I had my control and popcorn by my side. People would be surprised how long I can sit on the couch. Everybody else sees a typical Friday night as going out but I am not everybody else. I like when I can get a little time to myself, it's mostly stress-free unless my favorite Avenger dies out of nowhere; I would rather not talk about it. My interest lies more in the adventure and comedy side. From the Fast and the Furious movies to the tv show, Brookl...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Seeing The Light” by Sylvia Lucas

Submitted to Contest #92

''Richard !'' ''Yes Margot ?'' '' Fetch my book and glasses from the bedroom...I'm bored with this movie. If this simpering little mouse ducks her head and says ' If you please Sir. ' one more time, I might throw this lamp straight through the T.V. screen ! '' '' Well Margot, it is a period piece....eighteen hundreds or something, and that was how a well brought up young lady would have behaved.'' '' Well, I don't have to watch it. Turn it off. You have the remote on the side table.'' '' O.K. '' '' What happened ? '' '' I don't know. '' '' W...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Christmas Light” by Josh Dempsey

Submitted to Contest #92

Nothing compared to Center City at Christmas.Streetlamps lit up the night all year, but most of the time it was with a ghostly dense yellow as if light could stagnate and solidify. That light made the ugly brick colors of buildings uglier and made those unfortunate enough to sleep on the street look, if possible, even more forlorn. For the month leading up to and two weeks after Christmas, however, the color patterns blazed in youthful energy. The reds, greens, bright yellows, and vibrant blues gave the houses and storefronts the appearance ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Three Shadows ” by Niki Esmaili

Submitted to Contest #92

“Nathalia? Nathalia, open up!” I heard a loud pounding against my door all the way from the bathroom. It echoed through the walls and made a loud rattling noise in my ear. Who could that be at nine o’clock at night? “Yes?” I asked as I opened the door. “Nathalia? Oh, thank goodness you answered!” Oh perfect, the biggest diva in all of New York was knocking on my door on a Friday night. She moved into my apartment building about two months ago. I always love having new neighbors, but I don’t think me and this girl are even the sligh...

0 comments 0

Read story

“What Happens in the Dark” by Rodaina Yasser

Submitted to Contest #92

Darkness. It's all that surrounds us. The only light coming in is the moonlight from the open window. It's not enough, though. I can see the silhouettes of the furniture in our living room. I can see my hands, barely. I can see the shadow of the curtain swaying in the breeze coming through the window. And I can feel the cool air hitting my face and ruffling through my hair. My sister sits down next to me, but I can't see her face. When the power went out, she ran into my chest and refused to let go. I won't let go of that fragile, innocent l...

0 comments 0

Read story

“John Doe ” by Daisy Urbano

Submitted to Contest #92

It was a regular and busy day in the city of Los Angeles. In my building, everyone is rushing everywhere, and they are all moving fast. Every day, I hear pagers go off almost every minute. All you can hear is the beeping monitors and the sound of ambulances racing through the busy streets to get those who seek medical attention into the hospital. The Los Angeles Hospital. It has one of the lowest death rates in all of California and is known to have the best doctors too. I’ve worked here for years, my name is Doctor Ad...

1 comment 1

Read story

“The New Dark Age” by Andrew Moreno

Submitted to Contest #92

“It’s quite a sunny day today in Los Angeles California with temperatures reaching as high as 102 degrees. That’s all for now folks and remember to wear your sunscreen and bring out those sunglasses.”7:58 Am 7 hours before the DarknessMom Hurry I’m gonna be late, Ugh why does she always do this. I opened my backpack to make sure I had my project, I for sure was gonna get an A+ on. It took me weeks and I wasn’t gonna let my mom ruin my perfect score. “I’m coming, sweetie,” she said.Finally, now let’s go. I’m gonna miss my class.&nbs...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Birthday” by Monica Figueroa

Submitted to Contest #92

Beep,beep,beep. Like every other day, Laylah was late to work. She looks at her alarm and sees she is an hour late. “Oh no” yells Laylah in disappointment, No time to make breakfast or get ready, she threw on black wrinkly pants, a stained white shirt and put her hair up in a messy bun.As she put on her mismatched high heels she ran outside and ran into her cab on this rainy day in the city of Los Angeles. Laylah looked awful, she smelled like a sweaty dog,her hair looked like a bird's nest, and she looked like she had just woken up, cause s...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Fire Spitting Bambino” by Jesse Shelton

Submitted to Contest #92

The Fire Spitting Bambino This Thursday, April 18th, 2019 is like any other at the Hudsons’ house, aka Bill’s Villa. Being a security supervisor at Amazon, Benjamin Hudson has woken up earlier than the rest as usual to report to work. His wife, Jean Hudson, has to drop their 11-year-old Jimmy Hudson to school before proceeding to Westston College where she works as a tutor. Jean’s visiting brother, Haman Morgan, is the only one to leave the house late because he has “a few things to do in town,” as he said two days ago when he came calling. ...

0 comments 0

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that begins in the light and ends in darkness, or the other way around.

Horror – 383 stories

End your story with a truth coming to light.

Horror – 184 stories

Set your story in a countryside house that’s filled with shadows.

Horror – 170 stories

Write about a character who thinks they have a sun allergy.

Summer – 117 stories

Contest #92

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Chiaroscuro

$50

Prize money

1051

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - May 07, 2021 EST

Won by Nina Chyll 🏆

Title: On the Origin of Shadows

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

Write a story set in a city where the power suddenly goes out, leaving everyone in darkness.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 187 stories

“The Power Outage Killer” by Xavier Guzman

“A World in Darkness and Peril” by Cassiopeia .

“Uproar” by Andrea Kepple

“Murder on the loose” by Jasmine Vazquez-Reyes

“The Full California Experience” by Samantha Vanpelt

“Dark Nights By Miranda Torres” by Miranda Torres

“Danger In The Dark” by Kassandra Lopez

“Seeing The Light” by Sylvia Lucas

“Christmas Light” by Josh Dempsey

“The Three Shadows ” by Niki Esmaili

“What Happens in the Dark” by Rodaina Yasser

“John Doe ” by Daisy Urbano

“The New Dark Age” by Andrew Moreno

“The Birthday” by Monica Figueroa

“The Fire Spitting Bambino” by Jesse Shelton

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that begins in the light and ends in darkness, or the other way around.

End your story with a truth coming to light.

Set your story in a countryside house that’s filled with shadows.

Write about a character who thinks they have a sun allergy.

Contest #92

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

1051

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: