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

“The Average Getaway - Vacation” by Artur Kondratyev

Submitted to Contest #253

“Come on, come one!” Jonas was mumbling, digging into his luggage bag vigorously. He didn’t need to glance at his phone to know that they were late. “It’s got to be here somewhere,” he utters under his breath.“Few minutes!” Minna, his wife, shouted from the living room.“I know, I know!” Jonas flips the luggage upside down, and digs through the pile of t-shirts, jeans, and other articles of clothes, scampering and pulling out each one, until he finds it; the treasure trove of his childhood, his old Mariner’s baseball cap. “I got it!”Minna wal...

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“Last Orders” by Karen McDermott

Submitted to Contest #253

Char paid the taxi driver and turned towards the pub. The sign, marked ‘LINES END’ on a painting of the facing cliffs of Arrowick Cliffs, creaked in the cool breeze of the night air. She listened as the car crawled over gravel, sped up. She watched as it disappeared into the evening. The last journey. The pub door then slammed open, a mixed and messed up group in their twenties crashing out, comparing who was drunkest, where they ought to move onto next. The glow from the crackling fire of LINES END pulled Char in. She stopped pondering w...

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“My Unseen Miracle” by Manu Wachter

Submitted to Contest #253

As I neared the remaining five minutes, I sought shelter in the shadow of the central column. While her head swivelled above it, she looked around and down at the ocean of pilgrims surrounding us. To me, she gave nothing but her back. To the multitudes of gazes converging towards the sun, she sprinkled the level of respect that only cocktail sticks in a pineapple hedgehog would command. On closer look, what initially appeared as a stone-cold pillar was the tense muscle protruding from the side of her neck when she ran her inspections. That w...

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“A Few Minutes” by Soar Emerson

Submitted to Contest #253

She walked into the house calling out, “Hey Zach, I am home.” She was struggling to get into the small hallway with her two bags. The cab, still the easiest way to get home from the airport, drove off. She was exhausted, having been traveling all day to get back for work in the morning. She had spent a week in the town she grew up in and had raised her kids in. The last few days of which had been spent sharing a bed with her daughter in a studio apartment with two cats. They had gone to a cousin's wedding the night before. She had stayed up ...

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“Aurora's Dive” by Marlen Schoenig

Submitted to Contest #253

The sunshine warms my back as our small rowing boat comes to a halt. After glancing skyward one last time to ensure the weather holds, I lift the rock tethered to the boat. It is heavy, cool and smooth in my hand. Carefully, I inspect every knot, running my fingers along the length of the rope, ensuring its strength. Not only my success but also my survival depends on it. With only a touch of hesitation, I release the rock overboard and watch its descent, my stomach a tight knot. All preparations are complete. It is up to me now to prove my ...

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“White Highlights” by Shelly Desjarlais

Submitted to Contest #253

These bloodshot eyes grow tired, but I’m afraid of what they might miss if I were to blink. I want to gaze at her profile, to memorize every inch of her face. Those long lashes, the ones she so deftly curled this morning. Her button nose, a replica of her mother’s. Those puffy lips, which used to taste of vanilla and brown sugar. That curved chin—how I want to cradle it in my trembling palm, guiding her mouth to mine… We rest upon the bed, side by side, saying nothing. The silence between us is louder than sirens. She scrolls through her pho...

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“Clash of rivals ” by Drew Taylor

Submitted to Contest #253

The poison was starting to take its toll. I thought if I had rested a few days before seeking out Talon, my brother on the verge of suicide, it should’ve settled down. But that couldn't be further from the truth. My body randomly went numb. Sharp pains happened sporadically. Sometimes it looked like I had turrets with how much I would jerk either my arm or my leg from the pain. Asen, my boss, informed me that there was no known antidote. Still, I couldn't let that stop me. Asen gave me the syringe, holding the rest of the dreaded serum....

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“Fourteen” by Eli Peyton

Submitted to Contest #253

“Mom!” I screamed from across the kitchen, “ I don’t understand why you can’t just get me a phone already!” “Because you're too young,” she said, her voice icy cold. “Im freaking 14 years old and I am about to go into high school! It’s like at this point you are just trying to make me get made fun of!” I said as I got up from my chair. I was getting really heated now. I just don't understand why she can’t get me a dang phone. “We feed you and send you to school and have tried to raise you like a decent human being, but clearly ...

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“The Search ” by Savannah Wagner

Submitted to Contest #253

“I have a gut feeling about it. It has to be a routing issue. I’ll swing by to check it out. Oh, you have a meeting? Alright, is 4:30 good? Trust me, it’s just a routing issue. I’m a pro at solving mysteries. It’s my job, remember? Alright, take care.” Gautam sighed, clicking off his headset. He pushed his shirt sleeve up. His tattoo was still blush red and stinging.“New tattoo?” His co-worker, Jaclyn asked, sipping coffee from her styrofoam cup. She rested her elbows on his cubicle ledge.“Yeah, just got it actually.” He pulled his slee...

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“Tick, Tock” by Matt Craig

Submitted to Contest #253

"Tick, tick, tick," I count down the moments, my hands unyielding in their circuit. Angry words slice through the air. I can feel the tension rising between the two figures below me. One is pacing back and forth, his voice growing louder with each step. "Goddammit, you should have known better!" he yells, his fists clenched at his sides. "How could you be so stupid?" The other figure stands still, his fingers nervously fidgeting with the brim of his cap. He remains silent as the first continues to berate him. "I trusted you," he says, his vo...

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“Fingernail” by Ali Rose

Submitted to Contest #253

I sat alone at sticky diner table beneath the flickering florescents, scanning the smudgy roadside window for the man I was meeting. I didn't know what he looked like, only that he was a he, presumably a well dressed he with a briefcase containing my application and the potential to change my entire life. I drummed my too-short fingernails against the tabletop, ordered a coffee and waited. Amidst the overwhelming stench of grease and bacon and burnt coffee, I could smell myself. I really should have made sure to shower this morning. Now ...

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“The Waiting” by Brian Meade

Submitted to Contest #253

Nobody ever gets my name right, I should be used to that. Choose your battles, Sam. Just choose your battles. You have more important things to worry about right now!This job can really get me ahead in life for once. No more always being behind the eight ball. For once I can get ahead and move on. I mean, damn, that’s a lot of money! Think of what I’d be able to do with this salary!Emma won’t have to worry about working that second job. Our kids can finally have a real Christmas that doesn’t come from the discount bin. Kyle can finally have ...

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“Five Minutes of Thought” by Peter Wallace

Submitted to Contest #253

They said the winner will be announced in only five minutes. Only five minutes? Only? An interminable five minutes! I don’t know how much more of this my heart can take. Waiting to hear the most important news of my life – so far, at least. Will I be the winner, or just another loser?Not that people who don’t win are losers, in a bigger sense. They may be, of course, but just because you lose at something doesn’t make you a loser. Or I guess it does, but just for that one thing you lost at. Not all things forever. I guess a person could actu...

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“Watching Chickens” by Cherry Blossom

Submitted to Contest #253

People take the life of a chicken for granted. Watching their daily routines I have grown an appreciation for them. Cookie is my special chicken, black and white just like my favorite cookies. I watch her lay in the tall green grass, she looks at her rooster beside her before locking eyes with me then back to her gentleman. She spreads her black wing out as she rolls to one side, effectively sun bathing on this warm April day. The wind blows gently rustling her tail feathers. The rooster beside her stands up and immediately start...

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“Too Late” by Benjamin Feig

Submitted to Contest #253

Arthur Barrow walked into Frost Bank wearing a hoodless sweater, although now that he felt everyone else’s eyes burning into his face, he wished he had a shield to hide him from their stares. Of course, nobody was looking at the young man yet. He was fumbling around with the bubble-wrapped object in his pocket, trying to find an opening where he could tear it off when the time came. He decided he couldn’t stand to know how many people were looking at him, so he fixed his attention on his feet as he waited in line behind other customers. When...

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 94 stories

“The Average Getaway - Vacation” by Artur Kondratyev

“Last Orders” by Karen McDermott

“My Unseen Miracle” by Manu Wachter

“A Few Minutes” by Soar Emerson

“Aurora's Dive” by Marlen Schoenig

“White Highlights” by Shelly Desjarlais

“Clash of rivals ” by Drew Taylor

“Fourteen” by Eli Peyton

“The Search ” by Savannah Wagner

“Tick, Tock” by Matt Craig

“Fingernail” by Ali Rose

“The Waiting” by Brian Meade

“Five Minutes of Thought” by Peter Wallace

“Watching Chickens” by Cherry Blossom

“Too Late” by Benjamin Feig

🌟 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 🏆

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