Set your story over the course of a few minutes; no flashbacks, no flashforwards.

Posted in Narrative on May 31, 2024

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✍️ 94 stories

“This is the Hardest Part” by Ethan Zimmerman

Submitted to Contest #253

It is bitter at first. Then, the bitterness is replaced by a sudden rush of sweetness. Then there is nothing at all but saliva, and my tongue rolling over my teeth, left and right and then right and left and then… You sit down on the other end of the couch. You aren't looking at me or at the television, which is not on, or at the dog, who is sleeping between us and the table. I can see the reflection in the television of you and the dog sitting next to me. You aren't looking anywhere that I can see. I can't open my mouth to say anything beca...

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“The Coffee Shop Murder?” by Tony Stokes

Submitted to Contest #253

Ted was in the city for a meeting, he hated coming into the city. He was from the suburbs, and that was where he was comfortable. He arrived early to avoid traffic and find parking. He was surprised that that traffic was light, and parking was not hard to find, he was actually early. He decided he would stop at the corner coffee shop, get a cup and read his book; a crime book he picked up at a used bookstore. It was a trendy place but to Ted coffee was coffee, as long as it was hot. He ordered and took a seat in the back corner looking for a...

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“Triumph” by Lady Senie

Submitted to Contest #253

This story contains sexually mature content and adult themes. Also a fair amount of sexual activity. You have been warned. There I was, fresh out of a soothing shower and facing down my arch-nemesis, Marcus, in my dorm room. This would not be unusual if I wasn’t as naked as the day I was born this sweltering Spring day. Shame and Smugness drew knives and eyed each other menacingly as I watched the play of emotion on his normally haughty face. Apparently, Mr. ‘the human body is nothing special’ was having an interesting ...

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“The Eye of the Shit Storm” by Kim Meyers

Submitted to Contest #253

“So let me get this straight”, says Detective Williams as he rubs his temples. “You had a ‘bad feeling’ that something was going to happen to the plane and told all the passengers that if they got on the flight, they would die?” He can’t help but sound incredulous. “You’re good. You get straight to the meat and potatoes of things.” Vera downs the last of her Diet Coke. “Can I get another?” Having been pulled directly from her flight as it landed, a flight she snored through, her hair is in desperate need of a brush. Makeup smudge...

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“G's Nightly Ritual” by Laurel Borzi

Submitted to Contest #253

It’s 7:00pm, and like clockwork, Coco trots up to G, with her gray feather duster tail raised high, and cocks her tiny head expectantly. Coco has never been a patient cat. As she saw it, the world functioned according to her schedule. Who else is there to worry about? G was her entire world, so she assumed she was his too. And she wasn't far off with that assumption. “I know it’s time, baby cat, just one second.” He continues to type furiously with his left hand while reaching down to give Coco a quick scratch between the ears with his right...

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“Birdsong in the Backyard” by David Ward

Submitted to Contest #253

TW: Suicide The weight of the world settles on my shoulders as I fumble with the shoestrings on my Reeboks. Gravity somehow pulls more aggressively today, and the passage of time feels like I'm operating in dog years suddenly — every minute seems like it passes seven times faster somehow. And it all feels profoundly unfair. Looping the laces on my tennis shoes, I can’t help but think it’s time for a new pair. These shoes have seen more steps than they were made for, and probably need to sent to The Great Shoe Retirement Community in the Sky...

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“Uncle Chrissy” by Bep Hayman

Submitted to Contest #253

Uncle Chrissy is calling again. This has got to be the seventh or eighth time now. They must have let him know I was being discharged early, and he's gone into a panic about it. I don't like to picture him this way: slumped in his favourite chair in his little house, still wearing the same clothes from three days ago in case he needs to dash out the door. Maybe right now he's in a cab or on the bus, coming toward me as I move away from him. Fake Uncle Chrissy—that is, the guy I bribed outside the hospital to pretend to be Uncle Chrissy—is wa...

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“In A Sec” by Jake Fordyce

Submitted to Contest #253

As David Horton lay asleep in his bed, wrapped comfortably in his favorite quilt in his house on the north side of Lebanon Tennessee, he dreamed a peculiar dream.In his dream he was in a place somewhere between reality and the infinite swirling dark void that spawned all dreams, and in front of him, just past his reach, was a glowing orange ball the size of a lemon. He had had the same dream many times, and each time he could feel the immense importance of the ball, but could not through any effort get himself any closer to reaching it.On th...

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“Running a marathon” by Hannah Wall

Submitted to Contest #253

Anyone who ever says “You look like you’ve just run a marathon” can go to hell. I am actually running a marathon. A 26.2 mile marathon that is kicking my ass. I say this, but I’m nearly there. I’m nearly at the end. I’ve only got a few minutes to go. That is, if I don’t hit “the wall”. My lovely friends have a bet going on when I’ll hit the wall, not if, when! To be fair, it was only last year that I was doing a couch to 5k. So, what motivated me? The dickhead ex-boyfriend of mine who I’ve finally caught up with. Really, I didn’t think this ...

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“Waltzing to Aretha Franklin” by Pietro Vaccari

Submitted to Contest #253

[TW: HOUSE FIRE] Pietra despises the color gray. It’s.... it's like, the most boring color to ever... to ever even exist. Did it even count as a color? It shouldn’t. It’s so dull. So lame. All she can manage at the moment is to stare up at the gray ceiling in utter disgust. Her brain is... it's fuzzy, really. Cotton balls have been shoved down her ears and in her mouth... An incredibly... an irritating ringing is piercing her skull like a... like something that cuts meat.... cuts meat, cuts bone... In any case, it's causing a throbbing...

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“Speckled Vision” by Louisa Muller

Submitted to Contest #253

The chipped mirror reflected back speckles of anxieties. Beads of sweat formed on Milo's forehead, but it wasn’t alcohol beads. He blinked, the dancing specks remained, multiplying even in the harsh glare of the mirror's lightbulb frame. Not this again, he thought, rubbing his eyes. 'I need a drink,' he opened the mini fridge. 'No, no, no, what's wrong with you, you simple-minded creature? My pills, I need my pills.' "Where the hell are my pills, Lennie?" Lenny's eyebrows rose as he set aside the book he was reading: The Hitchhiker’s Guide ...

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“Next!” by Barbara Nosek

Submitted to Contest #253

I could feel him staring at me from behind. But is the stare friendly, appreciative, leering?The promise of an answer starts with an “Excuse me?” I turn around and come face to face with soulful blue eyes shining forth from a very handsome face. Wavy black hair, tanned face, and toned physique complete a most welcome picture.“I don’t mean to seem forward,” he says, “but I noticed the Big Paul's Resort logo on your jacket and wondered if you’d been there or maybe it was a gift.” Ah geez, add in a deep baritone voice.“...

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“One Morning, Ten Minutes” by Lucy Reece

Submitted to Contest #253

TW/CW: Mental Health, Child Loss, Transgender Issues This last month and 3 days has been all over the place, but I have a really good feeling about things. We just have to go upstairs and fill out the paperwork for Casey’s surgery and then we can head on to school before it gets too late. We cross the parking lot towards this massive hospital building. It is so beautiful and simultaneously intimidating. I am so genuinely excited about taking our baby home soon and finally getting to start our lives, I never expected to have a baby born...

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“A Few Minutes of Chaos” by Stan Konwiser

Submitted to Contest #253

Note: This story depicts a violent encounter and includes a few curse words appropriate to the context.Route 95 in this part of North Carolina is very quiet at 2 am. Aside from the long haul trucks there aren’t many other cars on the two northbound lanes. With many hours before me, it was time to take a toilet break and refill the travel mug. A road side billboard read ‘Marty’s 24 hour gas and food 16 miles ahead’. Sounds good.The exit approached and looked like one of the very rural interchanges with a local road just big enough to warrant...

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“Peach Bellini” by Beth Cohen

Submitted to Contest #253

For the third time in a week, Brit peeked in the window after dark. She couldn’t help herself, really. The glow looked too inviting, too enticing for her to ignore. “Where are you, miss Catherine?” Brit muttered as she peered over the sill. “Your candle is lit, your Netflix is on… but where are you?” Brit shifted on her knees. She built up a little pile of leaves to act as a cushion, but it was getting late in the season, so the leaves had lost their crunchiness and simply gone soggy. The damp seeped through the knees of her jeans, but Bri...

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Set your story over the course of a few minutes; no flashbacks, no flashforwards.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 94 stories

“This is the Hardest Part” by Ethan Zimmerman

“The Coffee Shop Murder?” by Tony Stokes

“Triumph” by Lady Senie

“The Eye of the Shit Storm” by Kim Meyers

“G's Nightly Ritual” by Laurel Borzi

“Birdsong in the Backyard” by David Ward

“Uncle Chrissy” by Bep Hayman

“In A Sec” by Jake Fordyce

“Running a marathon” by Hannah Wall

“Waltzing to Aretha Franklin” by Pietro Vaccari

“Speckled Vision” by Louisa Muller

“Next!” by Barbara Nosek

“One Morning, Ten Minutes” by Lucy Reece

“A Few Minutes of Chaos” by Stan Konwiser

“Peach Bellini” by Beth Cohen

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about a highly-strung character learning to slow down, or someone pursuing a quieter way of life.

Start your story with a character canceling their plans.

Write a story that contains the line, "I wish we could stay here forever."

Write about a character who has the ability to pause the passage of time.

Contest #253

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

335

Contest entries

118

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: