Start your story in a coffee shop without using obvious words to describe it (e.g. barista, coffee cup.)

Posted in Narrative on Sep 15, 2023

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✍️ 69 stories

“The Fix” by Derrick M Domican

Submitted to Contest #216

The shorts and t-shirt clad exercisers of various shapes and fitness levels, sipping their beverages while panting, stretching, beads of sweat on their foreheads drying in the cool evening air, dark patches on their backs and stomachs glaring like mournful, weeping eyes, making you feel guilty about unused gym membership that's about to expire.The tap-tap-tapping keyboard pounders, lost in worlds of their own creation, focused, on the words appearing on their screens, working or creating, for themselves or others, lidded containers over-seei...

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“The Aquarium” by Chris Miller

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #216

Oh God, it was her. The copper curls. Unmistakeable. Oh God. From the pavement the people inside had been nothing more than unthreatening blurs. It had reminded Eric of the time when the council had fitted one way glass in the large front window of a social services office he had worked in. In an act of miraculous incompetence they had fitted the glass the wrong way round meaning that the vulnerable people waiting for help on the horrible plastic chairs were clearly visible to anyone who happened to be passing, while the identities of ju...

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“The Tin Man” by Michelle Oliver

Submitted to Contest #216

The green vinyl creaks as I adjust my position. I’ve had more comfortable seats on a bus, or in a doctor’s waiting room. This was no exaggeration. Over the last eighteen months, I have had plenty of experience with doctors’ waiting rooms.My whole body is aching and I’m unable to keep my eyes open, but I’m afraid to close them. The young girl who took my order an hour ago walks past, cloth in hand, to clear the table beside me and she glances my way with curiosity. I smile wanly and continue to pretend to sip a brew long gone cold. I don’t ca...

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“Waiting Up” by Jonathan Page

Submitted to Contest #216

Norm had waited out in the drizzling rain before the slightly hungover young woman opened the shop late—a full eight minutes after the advertised six o’clock open time. In Norm’s line of work as a pastor, waiting was his stock-in-trade and he had grown quite used to the fact that things like opening times and scheduled meetings were more suggestions than anything you could rely on. Standing under the awning, huddled under his umbrella, the morning rain had come sideways and caught in his gray beard and wet his face. He panted ...

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“First Sip” by Anthony Carello

Submitted to Contest #216

The rotten, putrid smells of roasted arabica beans invade my nose without my consent. Attitude-laden customers pay for their over-priced cups of brown liquid, clinging desperately to that first sip feeling. Others sit and pound on keyboards while dressed in the latest designer fashions. Everything about the place hurts my head, almost like someone smashes it with a sledgehammer. Every day, I am forced to trudge to work past the establishment. Before I even see the massive glass windows adorned with that smiling bean-shaped insignia, the smel...

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“Butterscotch and Rum with a Cold Breeze” by Terri Sanders

Submitted to Contest #216

Cinnamon and pumpkin. Bella took in the smells as she crossed her legs and opened her computer. The spicy-sweet aroma woke up her stomach while she waited for her laptop to power up. Ribbons of steam escaped from her drink as she sipped it. Butterscotch and rum, my favorite. The heat... just right. It took the edge off of her grumbling belly. She peered at the screen, the tempo of the crowd was at the right level for concentration. Low conversations with undertones of cackling. Perfect. Bella stretched her long fingers and be...

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“It Is Today” by Sol Caine

Submitted to Contest #216

I sit at my foggy window seat, looking out onto the rapid pace of the city, as people go about their daily business. You can always tell the ones who are running late. They’ll suddenly burst into a small trot for several meters, then resume their fast-walking pace, while trying to navigate between the slow walkers and the early morning tourists - stopping to look up at every shop sign, while snapping selfies, as the mad crowd rushes past them. It's early for some, late for others, and just, now - for people like me. I come in here to get o...

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“BITTER ABANDONMENT” by Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #216

BITTER ABANDONMENT What the hell am I doing here? I must be insane. When I say here, I mean in this situation but, come to think of it, I also mean this place. I never normally come to locations like this. In fact, I can’t, for the life of me, get what attracts people. I mean, as a place to meet and talk it hardly qualifies with all those background noises: hissing, grinding, banging, humming, gurgling and whistling going on. As for the smell and the bitter taste. Yuck! Just not for me. And I bet, if they were really honest, a lot of so call...

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“Common Scents” by Hannah Lynn

Submitted to Contest #216

“Move along, buddy.” “Hey, man, I’m not doing anything wrong.” “Yeah, I’ve heard it all before. Come on, give someone else the spot.” The cop stood there unmoving while the younger man gathered his belongings into a backpack scowling. Ushering him out the door into the masses the officer nodded his head to the empty seat, looking at me. “Ma’am?” As relieved as I was to get off my feet, I hardly wanted the attention, nor the title of “Ma’am”. I smiled as I took a seat on the newly empty stool, opting to hold ...

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“Knight Night” by Sue Schroeder

Submitted to Contest #216

She closed her eyes.Gently, as if enveloped in a sweet melody, she breathed the heady, earthy aroma rising from her mug. The quiet rustle of newspapers and the soft burble of voices formed a backdrop to the occasional clatter of ceramic against a metal countertop. Bright morning sunlight filtered through the shop window, casting crystal rainbows across the patterned floor.Martha took a sip, then languidly opened her eyes. She smiled at the man sitting across from her. His bemused smile telegraphed his delight."I'm always surprised at how com...

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“The Art of Life and Brew” by Myranda Marie

Submitted to Contest #216

Livvie slipped out of her overly crowded, and exceptionally loud house unnoticed in search of a few hours of peace; timing her stealthy exit perfectly. She would be missed when one of their weekend guests needed clean towels, or desired something from the grocery store that her mother hadn’t already thought to stock, but they would have to fend for themselves now, wouldn’t they? As she hurried out the front door and down the driveway, Livvie imagined the off-key bellowing chorus, singing out her name in unison. She sighed and adjusted her sa...

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“Odin’s Morning with Mom ” by Chelsey B

Submitted to Contest #216

Odin’s mom stopped in front of the big glass door. Squatting down next to him, she placed a hand on his shoulder. “When we get inside, I will buy you a treat. You are going to sit next to me at a table and eat while I talk with a friend. I brought some play dough for you to play with when you are finished eating,” she explained. “Okay, Mommy,” Odin said. She took his hand in hers and pulled the door open. Odin followed her inside and immediately noticed a pungent smell. He sniffed the air, trying to place the familiar aroma. His mom gu...

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“Whispers from the Stoop” by Maddy Shilts

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #216

We used to call it the “Homework Stoop.” No homework would ever get done, of course. We were kids who saw too little of each other despite being in the same building all day. All we’d ever do is gossip, trash-talk, and place bets on whose order would be called first. It used to be a place where sweet memories in the making were accented by the sweet aftertaste of our far too bougie drinks. Now it leaves a taste in my mouth as bitter as the scent that fills the air. The fairy lights no longer change color. They just hang there like dying sta...

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“Motherland ” by Dena Linn

Submitted to Contest #216

Have you ever noticed the strange things people do with their hands? Some grip tiny porcelain cups between thumb and forefinger, sticking out their pinky. Others have the mug between their palms like a chunk of gold. Some stare down and let the warmth hit their faces while their hands caress their phones. This is what I see when I push through the glass door and hear a shot of expressed steam. My ankles and wrists itch, my mind and heart are in separate bumper cars going 90mph. I find an empty table, and sit, trying to catch my breath, keepi...

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“Loyalty Points” by Damien Exton

Submitted to Contest #216

“The fuck are we meeting in here for?”“Sit your arse down. Act normal. And cut the swearing”.“Hate these places though. Why here. Seriously?”“If you mean: what are two hard-nut hitmen doing in a calm respectable place like this first thing Tuesday morning? Well, there’s a few reasons. For now though, just sit down. Shake my hand, and smile like a good 'un. That’s it. Look; we’re two guys on business, talking a project over. Something like that. So watch the language. Got it?”“Hnnn-Kay”.“Good. So, you don’t like it in here? Rather meet up in ...

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Start your story in a coffee shop without using obvious words to describe it (e.g. barista, coffee cup.)

Submissions are closed

✍️ 69 stories

“The Fix” by Derrick M Domican

“The Aquarium” by Chris Miller

“The Tin Man” by Michelle Oliver

“Waiting Up” by Jonathan Page

“First Sip” by Anthony Carello

“Butterscotch and Rum with a Cold Breeze” by Terri Sanders

“It Is Today” by Sol Caine

“BITTER ABANDONMENT” by Charles Corkery

“Common Scents” by Hannah Lynn

“Knight Night” by Sue Schroeder

“The Art of Life and Brew” by Myranda Marie

“Odin’s Morning with Mom ” by Chelsey B

“Whispers from the Stoop” by Maddy Shilts

“Motherland ” by Dena Linn

“Loyalty Points” by Damien Exton

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a scene in which a character’s behavior or reaction to something is affected by a past experience — without saying what that experience was.

Include dialogue that shows that a character is socially awkward.

Include a scene in your story in which a character's body language conveys their hidden emotions.

Write a story with an open ending that gives readers just enough details to draw their own conclusions.

Contest #216

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

284

Contest entries

114

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: