Write a story about a character who is experiencing glitches in their reality.

Posted in Mystery on Feb 3, 2023

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✍️ 81 stories

“A Day at the Golf Course” by Marty B

Submitted to Contest #184

“My reality is my video feed! Going outside, that is just another display, another screen…” Ahn mulled the thought over in her mind. Her client Julie said those words earlier during their therapy session to deal with her unhealthy video game addiction.Ahn quickly forgot Julie. She was absorbed, her eyes unfocused, staring off into space. She was sitting indoors, in her office, but was watching the small display just to the left of her vision, a video overlaid against what she saw, of a man golfing at a course next to the ocean.&nbs...

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“The Pop-Tart Proof” by Caroline Steel

Submitted to Contest #184

The Pop-Tart Proof By C. E. Steel “Pop-Tarts.” “Yes! Pop-Tarts! It was the Pop-Tarts!” I look at Sarah over my mug of coffee. “Sarah,” I say. “That’s ridiculous.” It is a rainy Thursday in Manchester. Tomorrow it will be a rainy Friday in Manchester. “No,” she says, “It’s improbable.” Her eyebrows do a little dance as she stares me down, as if trying to transmit her belief telekinetically. I sip my coffee and pretend it’s something stronger. Sarah is an old friend from school, and I’ve known her for most...

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“Only Fools are Positive, My Mother Used to Say” by Suzanne Seely

Submitted to Contest #184

“Good morning, sisters!” I texted. Please, your honest opinion on a little matter. What do you think about my 77-year-old-friend, Tina, romancing our 45-year-old tennis instructor? Our sons would never, ever go for that, even if her last name were Midas and she were Venus de Milo, which she certainly is not! Maybe I’m just not hip enough?”As I wrote, I smiled to myself and chuckled. I could hear Beth’s sarcastic voice return, “Let me guess, he’s moved in with her, right? “Of course, he has!” I would reply. Then, Jackie, losing her usual mode...

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“Don't Be A Hero” by My Trip Around The World

Submitted to Contest #184

Don't Be A Hero Chapter One 1 “Keep your fucking cool and everything will be all right! Fuck around and find out!” The Man shouted as he pistol whipped the bus driver across the face. He grabbed the driver by the collar and yanked him from the seat, shoving him to the floor. “Move your ass.” The Man kicked out. “Back!” he barked. “Back! Back!” Another kick. The bus driver, blood flowing from his cheek to coat the floor, was trying ineffectively to crawl to safety. The Man turned his focus to the passengers. Five...

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“Sweet Dreams ” by Hinky Punk

Submitted to Contest #184

Have you ever felt like you're losing your mind? Actually worried about going insane? I have. Recently, at least.For the last two weeks I've been having these dreams. Nightmares, really. I think. They always start the same. Or do they?I'm on my way to work, running late but stopping by my favorite café on the corner, regardless. There is a long line - there always is. They have the best coffee in town so of course it's immensely popular among the nine to five zombies in the morning. Like me.As I stand in line, a little anxious because of the...

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“Long Ride Home” by Jesse Upchurch

Submitted to Contest #184

The telephone rang. I pulled it from my pocket to see who was calling. The woman in the seat next to me glanced to my screen.UNAVAILABLEI rejected the call and the woman shifted back to her hunched position, closing her eyes to the view of the city out the train window. I waited a few seconds to see if I would receive a voicemail, then slid my phone back into the inside pocket of my denim jacket. I opened the book I had been reading and tried to find the line I had left off on. Just as I got back into the story, my p...

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“Red Scarf” by Jessie Lewis

Submitted to Contest #184

Mrs. Newberry cleared her throat in front of 40 sparkling eyes. She took a deep breath—sometimes it felt like she forgot how to breathe. The dizziness subsided. With her eyes closed, she fumbled with the tightly screwed cap of her stainless-steel water bottle until it squeaked open. The ice-cold water brought her back to the classroom. Not a sound came from the nervous children. Feeling the pressure to speak, “Whew! Sometimes I just need a nice cold drink of water. Don’t you?” This seemed to lighten the mood and a light buzz of excited conve...

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“Double Whammy” by Kathy Trevelyan

Submitted to Contest #184

Double Whammy I’m so tired. The last few weeks have been exhausting, and I need to just stop for a bit. But I can’t, can I? Not if I want to keep my job. Actually, I hate the bloody job, and I’d love to walk away into the sunset, holding two fingers up to the lot of them. How delicious would it be to tell Mr Simon Gibbons-Smyth where to stick his reports and his messages and his smug, oily face? But I need the money; don’t we all? So I’ll set the alarm for six, drag myself out of bed, shower, get dressed, eat some toast and drink two cups ...

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“Burp” by Greg Lambert

Submitted to Contest #184

Burp “Number 58.” I can hear the words but there is a thin piece of white cloth in front of me, dulling the sound. “Number 58.” I feel like I should do something but I’m stuck deep inside my head. “Number 58.” Pause. “That’s you.” The woman, beside me, nudges me aggressively, more of a shove. “You’re ticket,” she points at a piece of paper in my hand, “it’s your number.” My brain begins to surface, and I can see the room I’m in. “They don’t like to be kept waiting.” She says. I want to ask who, but it feels like I’m the only one who doesn’...

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“Glitch, or Reality I Stitch” by Samantha Maposa

Submitted to Contest #184

cw: mentions of incest. When I was five, I saw a hole in the sky. Sitting behind one of my grandfather’s silos, it looked like someone took the back of a pencil and rubbed out a part of the sky. Where the sky was, a grey fuzz replaced it, exactly like the TV when it goes out of service. It was about the size of my hand. The sky is a large and all-encompassing being, so someone else must’ve seen it. Mom was baking in the kitchen while grandpa lay asleep behind me in his rocking chair. My shriek shook him awake, but he nodded back into sleep...

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“Fractions” by Morgan Pletcher

Submitted to Contest #184

“I don’t know, everything just seems so perfect.” Glenn says, laying down on his back. His hands cupped under his head as he looks at the sky. Not that there’s anything special about the sky today, just plain gray. It couldn’t even bother to be blue, just dreary and cloudy. “Really?” I ask, not sure where this new philosophy came from. “I just feel,” He pauses, “Happy, for once, Lyra.” “I mean everythings just going well for me at the moment,” Glenn continues as he sits up, his once white shirt now stained with green patches. “Glen...

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“Insufficient RAM” by David Wright

Submitted to Contest #184

“That was weird.”Dani looked around at me but didn’t stop, so I picked up my step to keep pace with her. “I - uh… You ever see the Matrix?”“That old movie with John Wick in it?” Jesus, I always forget how young she is.“Yeah,” I said sarcastically, “that old movie with John Wick in it.” Taking a look over my shoulder I added, “Did you see it?”“Yeah,” she said. “We watched in your birthday.”“Right. You said Switch looked like your ex girlfriend.” There it is again. This time I stop and point it out to her. “I think the Agents must’ve changed s...

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“Deus In Machina / Deus Per Machina” by Emanuel Diaz

Submitted to Contest #184

Aesus Rides, a 30-year-old computer engineer of Nigerian-Greek descent, lived a seemingly normal life in the city of Eleusis, Greece. However, one day he woke up to a reality unlike any he had ever known. The world around him was twisted and distorted, breaking the laws of physics and nature in every way. Trees grew from steel, the fruit was filled with tar, and everything was a far cry from the world he knew. As Aesus struggled to make sense of the world around him, he began to notice that reality was becoming increasingly unstable. The s...

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“Space ” by Eric Tarr

Submitted to Contest #184

Old man- "Don't you remember?" Young man- "No, I don't." The old man walked closer to the young man. Two of his extremists were gone, an arm and a leg, he was supporting himself with a cane. Old guy-" Oh Tom! It's been so long! Do you remember me? Please tell me you remember me." Tom- "I'm trying, it feels like my memory has been wiped out..." Old guy-" That's because it is." Tom- "Where am I? And Who are you?" Old guy- "Jacob.. We were lab partners at OFS, we were working on a machine to understand the process of dimensions. W...

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“Flying” by J K

Submitted to Contest #184

Glitch. I’m standing on my balcony railing in the dark wearing my decade-old prom dress, its silky red fabric wetly adhering to my skin. I’m surprisingly steady as I balance in the cold November rain. Normally I'd be freezing and shivering, but I don't even notice. What’s your secret, Wonder Woman? Lots of Liquid Courage! I'm not suicidal, just self-destructive: in the end, I need another drink and some attention – which I’m not getting out here – so I stumble down from the ledge and back inside. I pour another. My fourth or fifth,...

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Write a story about a character who is experiencing glitches in their reality.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 81 stories

“A Day at the Golf Course” by Marty B

“The Pop-Tart Proof” by Caroline Steel

“Only Fools are Positive, My Mother Used to Say” by Suzanne Seely

“Don't Be A Hero” by My Trip Around The World

“Sweet Dreams ” by Hinky Punk

“Long Ride Home” by Jesse Upchurch

“Red Scarf” by Jessie Lewis

“Double Whammy” by Kathy Trevelyan

“Burp” by Greg Lambert

“Glitch, or Reality I Stitch” by Samantha Maposa

“Fractions” by Morgan Pletcher

“Insufficient RAM” by David Wright

“Deus In Machina / Deus Per Machina” by Emanuel Diaz

“Space ” by Eric Tarr

“Flying” by J K

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with someone saying “Houston, we have a problem.”

Set your story during a complete city or nation-wide blackout.

Write about someone who has chosen to disconnect and live an analog life.

Write a story where a character has to decide whether to press the button or not.

Contest #184

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

280

Contest entries

121

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: