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

Posted in Middle School on Nov 1, 2022

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✍️ 77 stories

“Blood Red Reticle” by K Cao Xai

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #154

“We’re running out of time.” Danni looked at her wristwatch to confirm what she suspected. It was two minutes passed nine o’clock at night and their target—known for her excessive punctuality—was late. “Relax,” Sloan said. “If Central said she’ll be in her office tonight, she’ll be there.” Sloan peered into the telescopic sight of her sniper rifle. She laid prone on the rooftop of a fifty-floor building with the bipod of her weapon resting on a raised roof edge. Danni laid next to her, tapping the side of a bi-optics binocular. This wa...

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“Mistaken Names and Mistaken Faces” by Pranav Nalam

Submitted to Contest #154

This story is set in India. We are running out of time, yelled out Ajmal as he peered up at the balcony of his friend's apartment. If Kamal’s tardiness was one headache, the more painful matter was his contemplation on whether to turn the engine off or not. Chances are Kamal will walk down the stairs as soon as he turns the engine off, but if he doesn’t shut it down now it might just give up for good. The poor thing was thirty years old and it was very common for someone to mistake the old engine for someone coughing intensely. “You a...

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“Six Little Words” by Anne-Marie Buscio

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #154

"We are running out of time," Albert said in a soft, quivering voice as he sat in his favorite chair right in front of me. I didn't want to hear that or accept it. My eyes tried their best not to look directly at him and instead fell upon the table where the warm morning breeze made the white lace curtains billow and the sunlight dance. Albert let his arm slowly extend towards me, quietly falling on the table; his hand lay motionless, facing up in surrender. Merely a foot away, it was pointing towards my heart, waiting. I was afraid to t...

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“Out Of Time” by Jeannette Miller

Submitted to Contest #154

“We’re running out of time. Are you sure you want to do this?”Was I sure? No. I mean, what is certainty when you have no idea what is actually going to happen once you say yes to something? The idea always sounds good at the time. All pumped up with frills and thrills and testimonials from random people, who may or may not be actors, claiming it was the best thing ever!One thing I did know, having someone remind me every five freaking minutes time was running out followed up with are you sure didn’t help. I was already anxious once I said ye...

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“The Chosen One” by Amanda Fox

Submitted to Contest #154

“We’re running out of time. You gotta help me, Hallie.” Gary has me cornered in my kitchen, his eyes wild. For the first time since I can remember, Gary isn’t drunk. This concerns me more than anything else at the moment. “Help you how?” I step backwards so I’m closer to my knife rack. Just in case he gets closer. I don’t like to be touched. “Everyone expects me to fix the world.” He sits heavily in one of my kitchen chairs, his stupid starred jacket catching on the rattan. “I don’t know what t...

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“The Value Of Time / El Valor Del Tiempo” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #154

Later on it was the whole family shouting, “We’re running out of time!” but at the beginning it was simply Uncle Julian not coming home one night. The next morning at 10am, the phone rang. “We have your Uncle. If you want him alive, don’t contact the police. We will call again in a few days.” And then just like in the TV shows they hung up. The caller had an accent from the Amazon provinces south of the capital, where the FARC has their strongholds.Many sleepless nights later, the phone rang again.“Your Uncle misses his wife, and Martic...

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“Mars Before Us” by Mike Panasitti

Submitted to Contest #154

“We’re running out of time,” said Tanika Abe, recombinantly engineered descendant of Shinzo and Akie Abe, and general commander of the Oceania League on Japan.Tanika and her techno-rationalist colleagues could hear the rhythmic drumming, ritualistic singing and blood-curdling war cries of the tribal hordes encamped outside the walls of the citadel. The Oceania League islands of the former United Kingdom and New Zealand had already been overtaken by similar sieges. The continental tribalists of Asia had grown bold over the course o...

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“A Very Short Story” by Kendall Defoe

Submitted to Contest #154

“We’re running out of time.”Why did he say that out loud on the sidewalk? He wanted to read a book. Not a big deal, but he had not enjoyed a good book since university when he had taken an elective to go with his business administration courses. That was a time when he enjoyed talking about and reading Russian literature; when they had talked about and discussed Chekhov and Tolstoy. That was on the list, right? Some Dostoevsky, too… He had liked it. So, there was the bookstore… And he kept walking.No girlfriend at 25? It must have made him a...

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“Becoming Nameless Knights” by Graham Kinross

Submitted to Contest #154

Wading in the mud of the melee, Danielle Longbow yelled encouragement to her troops. “Don’t stop now. We’re running out of time. It’s almost sunset. Make it through this and you’re on your way to a knighthood.” “Can’t we just call it a day just a little early?” Anne Hyland asked, she raised her wooden sword to face Sir Danielle and parried slashes, taking a stab to the centre of her gambeson. Miss Hyland fell heavily into the muck and wheezed. Her brown eyes w...

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“Dream Falls” by Nicole H.

Submitted to Contest #154

“We’re running out of time” cried Watson to June from across the raging river. June was standing on a boulder that was just barely unsubmerged on the river’s edge as the rapid waters splashed all around her. She looked upstream and gasped as the image of giant fallen tree logs came into view around the river’s bend. The logs carried such force and momentum, June knew they would take out anyone and anything in their path. June and Watson were on opposite sides of the fast-moving river and they both knew they only had moments before the logs w...

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“The Road Trip” by Donna X

Submitted to Contest #154

Mild foul languageIn a rare moment of reflection, the young woman occupying the passenger seat of my Toyota sedan turned to me, smiled wistfully, and said, “We’re running out of time.”It was the fourth of July holiday weekend, and all the nation’s fireworks exploded inside my head throughout my rollercoaster ride from Durham, North Carolina to Long Island, New York. I was en route to my hometown to visit relatives who I hadn’t seen in a decade.My trip began peacefully at 6pm on Thursday. I planned to drive three hours and seek refuge in Virg...

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“Running Out Of Time” by T.M. Kehoe

Submitted to Contest #154

“We’re running out of time.” He spoke softly, calming my panic. “They are going to medicate you, then probably give you shock treatments. After that, your life will never be the same. You will never see me or talk to me again. Is that what you really want?” I’m unable to speak. To never see or speak with my friends, ever again? How could they do that to me? “Of course that’s not what I want! How could you even think that? You know how much you mean to me. You and the rest of my friends. Before you, I had nothing. Now, I belong. I know you gu...

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“Time to Breathe” by Terra Wertz

Submitted to Contest #154

*contains a scene with self-harm and centers around a family facing a cancer diagnosis.“We’re running out of time,” Mom says, and deep down, I worry she’s right. Her face, eerie blue tinged, is oddly but unmistakably happy. Her weighted blanket keeps her restlessness at bay. “Wow, these deals are just too good. Disney World seems like the obvious choice, but a cruise could be fun, too, huh?” she asks, beaming.“Mom, I’m not interested in being stuck at sea with strangers, and you know I hate Mickey Mouse. Plus, wasn’t Walt Disney b...

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“Pizza Box Message” by Deborah Kay

Submitted to Contest #154

PIZZA BOX MESSAGE “We’re running out of time.” Same man in the same clothes in the same locations shouting the same words holding the same pizza box message echoing the same sentiment: “We’re running out of time.” Martin is on his way to work. His palms are sweating and he’s gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly. Martin will admit to himself only that he is angry, not that he is nervous, maybe even scared. He is grinding his teeth. This will be the fourth morning since Martin first encountered the hom...

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“Dinner On Tuesday At 5:30” by Amanda Lieser

Submitted to Contest #154

CW: Alzheimer’s Carter Olson’s fingers tremble as they grip the silver handle of the door. The cab driver tips his hat as Carter says to no one in particular, “We’re running out of time. Annie and me…we’re running out of time.” He doesn’t notice the string of Christmas lights adorning the shopping complex's many windows filled with the latest video games and displays of the hot new toy for Christmas 2021. He simply wraps himself in a bear hug and remarks, “It’s rather nippy for September.” His breath dissipates into the cold air. He leave...

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 77 stories

“Blood Red Reticle” by K Cao Xai

“Mistaken Names and Mistaken Faces” by Pranav Nalam

“Six Little Words” by Anne-Marie Buscio

“Out Of Time” by Jeannette Miller

“The Chosen One” by Amanda Fox

“The Value Of Time / El Valor Del Tiempo” by Scott Christenson

“Mars Before Us” by Mike Panasitti

“A Very Short Story” by Kendall Defoe

“Becoming Nameless Knights” by Graham Kinross

“Dream Falls” by Nicole H.

“The Road Trip” by Donna X

“Running Out Of Time” by T.M. Kehoe

“Time to Breathe” by Terra Wertz

“Pizza Box Message” by Deborah Kay

“Dinner On Tuesday At 5:30” by Amanda Lieser

🌟 Similar prompts

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

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

Contest #154

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

281

Contest entries

112

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: