Write a story about an object that has been around for centuries or passed down generations.

Posted in Kids on Oct 31, 2022

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✍️ 46 stories

“The Cursed Cuckoo Clock” by Meredith Gifford

Submitted to Contest #154

Junie just turned eighteen. She has decided to move out of her family home and into her first apartment. As she’s packing up her bedroom, her mother knocks on the door, opens it a crack and peeks her head inside. “Need some help packing Junie?” “No thanks, I’m just about done!” “You haven’t forgotten about the most important thing, have you?” “What? I didn’t forget anything?” “The Cuckoo clock that is downstairs in the foyer. You have to bring it with you. Junie stomps her foot. “But I don’t want to bring great, great grandfather’s Cuckoo Cl...

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“The Prophets (Abridged)” by Bad CatZ

Submitted to Contest #154

The Prophets The bane of mankind is curiosity, for every splitting of the atom, and antimatter reactions are many curious human beings who died desperately clawing their way towards knowledge and the betterment of mankind, all in the name of science. ACT.I Somewhere on the moon, a path is revealed by the clearing of dust, and glimmering through in magnificent pulses of light, a golden obelisk set in a valley jealousy enclosed in the bosom of a crater. Thoughts race through the astronauts’ minds, thoughts of all the speculation that hum...

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“The Grandfather Clock” by Krynn McGinty

Submitted to Contest #154

The Grandfather Clock Grandma Arlene’s house screamed of old lady. The wallpaper was an ugly shade of yellow, and the carpet was a dingy shade of brown. Instead of a tv hanging on the wall, Grandma had a fireplace with all our pictures on it and a small tin full of mints. Instead of a computer, she had multiple bookshelves full of books I’d never seen before, and puzzles that were always missing pieces. Grandma’s table always had crossword puzzles on it too. Unfortunately, they were either finished or asked questions I didn’t know th...

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“Cycles” by Jermaine Packer

Submitted to Contest #154

“David! David!” That bellowing voice you hear echoing through the hallway is my dad. I don’t know what he wants. He probably wants me to get something for him. You know how fathers do. I think it’s a power thing. For instance, ‘ come in here and get the remote.’ Or ‘ hand me my phone that is sitting across the table from me. Or the ultimate power move, ‘bring me the toilet paper while I have this bathroom door open so you can smell all my scent.’ Oh my goodness, it is the absolute worst. But, we still love them.I especially love my dad....

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“Seeing the Future ” by John Casey

Submitted to Contest #154

I come from a long line of fortune tellers. Diviners was the word my grandmother preferred to use. I can still hear her voice in my head: “What I do is divine the future for those who lack the ability to see it.” She didn’t help people connect with the dead, and she wasn’t there to help people understand events from their past. The future was her specialty. She actually married someone whose last name – no joke – was Devine, and The Deviners was the name they went by when they traveled about the country. They put on stage shows where...

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“The Old Clock Stopped” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #154

The old clock stopped. Facing it was its chronological counterpart; a mirror suffering age spots that distorted the clock’s image stuck at 6:32. It was like the final date on a gravestone. Its brass pendulum dangled dormant below the face. It was new on their wedding day. The groom’s father called it a “Regulator,” an accurate wall clock that would ring out the hours 24 times a day. &nbsp...

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“THE SHIRT FROM 1800s” by Mara Masolini

Submitted to Contest #154

THE SHIRT FROM 1800s It was so long that she not only hadn’t worn it, but she hadn’t even picked it up when, one night she dreamed of wearing just that shirt. In the ( her) dream she opened a door halfway ____maybe the door was that of the living room, maybe that of her parents’ bedroom____and, while she stood in the open half of the door, she could see herself , as if in a mirror, with that shirt on. Her mother too, who(m) she didn’t see, had to see her, because( since) she said to her : “NO, that shirt is no g...

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“A History Lesson” by Marty B

Submitted to Contest #154

“You have to admit, it is a great story! Proof of a personal connection of a freed slave to US president!” “Rumblings of an old man with dementia-” “These books are over 150 years old, and first editions of President Grant’s memoirs!” Kiara said, trying to pass her optimism over to her boyfriend Terrence. “I looked them up on the internet. The dark leather editions can bring $5 to $6,000 depending on condition. And- with what I showed you, and the story Grandpa told me, I think we can get 10 times that.” Kiara said. “...

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“Micah's Copper Scroll” by Scott Dutkus

Submitted to Contest #154

Micah rushed up the hills following the two sheep that escaped this morning, almost losing his left sandal several times. He tried avoiding loose light-orange sand while he jumped over larger rocks, baked beige by the sweltering sun and ragged enough to take chunks of skin and muscles should he fall on them. Almost no green shrubbery grew among these cliffs and, even while chasing the sheep, he wondered how the people living in the failed outpost of Qumran ever survived before the Roman Army swarmed the region, eventually leading t...

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“"Quiet Hustle"” by ♧Evella The Caramella♧ .

Submitted to Contest #154

In hindsight, I realized how foolish I was, and my calm became a noise that could not be heard at all. When you went and left me in a noisy calm, I don't know whether you will break it or not.Rosalia began preparing divorce papers from her husband, Victor, despite their love that lasted for 5 years, which they sealed in marriage.Rosalia was sitting beside her mother in the living room in front of the TV, sipping tea.Rosalia's mother spoke tenderly admonishing her daughter: "Rose, dear, you should think first. You've only been married for a y...

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“Dragon Lamp” by Debra Koffski

Submitted to Contest #154

Trying to furnish a house after getting married was a pain! And my new husband was No help at all! He just said go with whatever you want, I don’t care. I Don’t Care!! What?! What if I wanted to decorate the house in all cat merchandise, knowing that he didn’t like cats? Men! I called my friend, Tami for a shopping and lunch date. She could help me sort my thoughts. We met later that day; we had just finished our lunch when I picked her brain. She did know a lot about me, considering we had been best friends for 10 years. “Okay, why are you ...

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“The silver rattle” by Kirthana S

Submitted to Contest #154

Nobody remembered who had brought the rattle home. They all came with platters of sweets and fruits, a tradition in their Indian hometown, to welcome the new arrival. A chubby face they said. A good sign for the family. They only remembered that it was unusual, a gift for a baby wrapped in shining blue paper. Who brought gifts for a baby? What did a baby need? When they had opened the gift, the children had run around with the blue paper that sparkled in the sun. The rattle was silver with three bells, set in a triangle. Made by someone wh...

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“Admission” by Kimberly Espeland

Submitted to Contest #154

Admission By Kimberly Espeland Eric stuffed the open envelope into his parka and trudged back to the farmhouse, slip-sliding on some black ice. Maybe they got it wrong. They probably mixed him up with someone else. The frigid air made him cough. No one was watching, so he used the doorframe to kick snow off his boots. Freya was in the kitchen, pouring oats into a sauce pot. Eric took off his scratchy hat, fluffed out his blond hair with his fingers, and blinked the morning mist out of his long eyelashes. “Mom, what if I apply to U-Dub?”...

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“The Porcelain Baby” by Riley H

Submitted to Contest #154

The chiming of the clock of my wall filled the silence. My eyes were too focused on the little figure I front of me to look at the time. I already knew it was late in the night. Stories and urban legends passed down from ancestor to ancestor swirled through my head, as I stared at the porcelain baby doll. It had an energy around it that could be explained, it almost felt as if it’s energy or soul was reaching out across the room, searching for something. My Grandmothers words flooded through mg head. Weird and crazy experiences that everyo...

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“Delphinium, the Bold” by Xiomatli Diaz

Submitted to Contest #154

(Trigger warning: This story contains themes based around loss and death of a loved one. Please read with caution.) “Aren’t most heirlooms supposed to be like a necklace or something? I can’t show this off.” Dahlia had been ranting about her supposed inheritance for the better part of the last hour. She was absolutely furious with the lamp she’d received. Delphi, on the other hand, couldn’t stop thinking about the funeral they had just attended. Her older sister was cruel, and selfish but she’d never imagine it to be this severe. To be la...

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Write a story about an object that has been around for centuries or passed down generations.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 46 stories

“The Cursed Cuckoo Clock” by Meredith Gifford

“The Prophets (Abridged)” by Bad CatZ

“The Grandfather Clock” by Krynn McGinty

“Cycles” by Jermaine Packer

“Seeing the Future ” by John Casey

“The Old Clock Stopped” by David Ader

“THE SHIRT FROM 1800s” by Mara Masolini

“A History Lesson” by Marty B

“Micah's Copper Scroll” by Scott Dutkus

“"Quiet Hustle"” by ♧Evella The Caramella♧ .

“Dragon Lamp” by Debra Koffski

“The silver rattle” by Kirthana S

“Admission” by Kimberly Espeland

“The Porcelain Baby” by Riley H

“Delphinium, the Bold” by Xiomatli Diaz

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with someone saying, “We’re running out of time.”

Write a story about someone who feels increasingly irrelevant.

Write a story — romantic or not — about two characters who can’t find the right timing.

Write a story featuring an element of time-travel or anachronism.

Contest #154

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

280

Contest entries

112

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: