Write a story using the most clichéd twist of all; it was all a dream.

Posted in Narrative on Jul 19, 2024

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✍️ 105 stories

“In Dreams” by Cassin Villa-Lobos

Submitted to Contest #260

(Content Warning: Violence, Crude Language) Henry always chides me when I make a crude joke. He seems to forget that crude jokes are what drew him to me. Of course, he’s not really mad, it’s true, sometimes they are too much for the company we keep. “Sophie!” He says through laughter. “You-you can’t” Henry covers his eyes, losing himself in the double entendre. I know I’ve really got him when he lets out just one, long “AAAAHHH” It’s like he’s screaming, but there’s no trouble to be found. The rest of the dinner table lets out low cho...

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“Daymare” by Connor Lindsay

Submitted to Contest #260

Sensitivity Warning: Mental Health, Physical Violence, Abuse, Self-Harm, Suicide, Substance Abuse. “Hapi!” He banged on the front door, it’s wood groaning from his weight, “I’m done playing with you, get out here now!” He screamed, he wouldn’t stop screaming. I couldn’t move. My butt was set to the top steps as if I’d sat in a fly trap. I couldn’t see him anymore. I wouldn’t. And then I couldn’t see myself. Just my father, the smell of stale beer, the sound of sticky stomps. Hapi! My father yelled, slurring the a and i into an unrecogn...

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“i had a dream (i got everything i wanted)” by Solstice Polaris

Submitted to Contest #260

Kat drummed her fingers against the counter as she waited for the water to finish boiling. The moment the kettle clicked she poured the water over the coffee grounds and gave it a quick stir. “Hey, Siri,” she called as she rinsed the wooden chopstick off in the sink. Her phone, sitting on the kitchen table, lit up and chimed. “Set a four-minute timer.” “Okay, four minutes and counting.” &nbs...

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“Thanks-taking” by Kng. Zay

Submitted to Contest #260

Tony wipes back the sweat in his eyes and runs after his wife. Samantha, he hollers, come back. She doesn’t turn around and continues Beep down the street. Beep she finally stops, and Beep turns around BEEP and says in a beep cold voice to her husband BEEP BEEP BEEP. Michael’s eyes burst open as he slams the off button on his alarm clock and rolls over to see his wife, but the other side was empty and cold. He then proceeds to stubbornly get...

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“Rude Awakening” by Daniel R. Mangru

Submitted to Contest #260

Gary Pinkerton reaches across the passenger side to shield Laura Tate from impact as his sporty sedan launches high into the air in an arc towards a large oak tree rooted at the bottom of a ravine. The guardrail does little to keep the car on the road as an oncoming distracted driver causes Gary to swerve and lose control.Laura covers her face and screams out just as a thick branch, full of large wet leaves, pierce the windshield like a lance, and jams itself into her chest. There are tiny water droplets scattered all about the inside and Ga...

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“It Was All a Dream” by Simona Sordoni

Submitted to Contest #260

Brooke sat with her brown hair tucked behind her ears, her green eyes watched her friend’s text, and her fingers flew across the keyboard just as fast. She wasn’t even listening to her idiotic teacher, Mrs. Myers. Brooke was texting her friends under her desk because later that day, she, Logan (her boyfriend), Cassie (her best friend), Liam (Cassie’s boyfriend), Sarah, Lyla, Athena, Finn, Mason, and Ryan were going to the beach house in Casco Bay. It was about an hour's drive from Portland, ME. “Everyone, you know what to do, get behind my d...

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“Pay Day” by Nicole N

Submitted to Contest #260

I had spent the last 6 months working at the local hospital as an aide. I could've worked kitchen or maintenance duty, but not only did I need access to most of the hospital, I needed to see how it ran, the ins and outs and response time. I learned the various ways entrances and exits, which ones needed badge access, which ones didn't. I learned where the cameras were inside and out. I would walk the neighborhood on my lunch to learn local routes and security cameras. On rainy days, I would spend my lunch in different areas of the hospital, ...

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“Devil's Game” by Grayson Chilcote

Submitted to Contest #260

“Hey.” David awoke with a start. He furiously looked around the room as he shot up from the place he was laying down in. And what he saw when looking around could be described as nothing short of the dream of any man above the age of forty. It was a room made of the smoothest wood you could imagine, coated and sanded to the point it felt like it was already paper. The walls were lined with glass shelves housing aged wines and the finest whiskeys from all over the world, and there were plenty of cabinets on the bottom of the shelves with the ...

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“Nocturne” by Parimmaphatra W.S.

Submitted to Contest #260

I experienced a bizarre event that no one would believe unless they had seen it themselves. And even I find it hard to believe.When I stumbled out of that building, instead of feeling the brutal heat of Thailand, the air suddenly turned icy cold, and every breath felt like a knife cutting through my throat. The sky was gray, as if shrouded in a low-lying mist.It was a city I didn't recognize. The buildings, all red rectangular boxes with window slits like silent eyes, lined the streets. The signs were in a language resembling English, but I ...

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“My Mind is the Axe” by Sofia Lin

Submitted to Contest #260

My shoes squeaked on the wood floor, and the repeated whispered mantra, "hurry hurry hurry shit," bounced around in my brain. I nearly tripped over the door way as it slammed shut behind, and in one smooth rhythm, jammed the key into the hole and ran down the stairs. I could hear the rumble of the car, parked at the edge of the sidewalk and waiting for me."Sorry, I know, I'm late," I gasped, tossing my bags into the backseat. I threw open the passenger door and slid in, sighing as the cool air blew into my neck."What took you so long?" My da...

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“Deep Red Relief” by Nevada Gay

Submitted to Contest #260

Sensitive content; substance abuse, physical violence, gore. "They'll call you in soon," said the receptionist. "You can have a seat wherever you'd like until then." "Thanks," I mumbled. The waiting room was empty, except for one young woman who sat in the center. She was a brunette with clear skin and didn't look older than nineteen or twenty. I remembered when I was that beautiful. Before my eyelids got puffy and my hair began to shed. I made my way to the seat in the corner, the least visible in the room. My eyelids were heavy. My head ...

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“The League of United Planets” by Lonnie Larson

Submitted to Contest #260

… The League of United Planets received more requests for memberships than it could comfortably handle, but it still took the time to review each request. Eventually, it developed the technology to create stable Wormholes between the several Sectors of its Quadrant, which allowed it to travel to them almost instantly. It had been nearly four hundred fifty years since Bob’s chance meeting with Gheron on his farm and the subsequent creation of the League Charter, and things were going great. Bob had called Gheron and Bill and asked to se...

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“A Tip” by Kirk Nelson

Submitted to Contest #260

She opened the door slowly, coming home late. The house was dark and she was sure that Devin had already turned in for the night, needing to get up early for work. She removed her shoes and her feet felt cool against the tile, a nice reprieve from the 12 hours she spent racing about at the restaurant. But she smiled as her hand dipped into her purse to replace her keys and felt the $100 bill still slipped next to her wallet. A hundred dollars. She was so happy she had stayed at Mr. Grey’s request. As she padded across the floor to the kitche...

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“The Great Baby Bust: Operation Newborn” by Josephine Damm

Submitted to Contest #260

Sergeant Milford stood on the sidewalk, staring into nothing. The site was bustling with officers; diverging oncoming traffic, making calls, and – like Milford – just standing there, scratching their heads, throwing careful glances at the bus parked on the street. When the call first came in he’d had to check his calendar but, as it turns out, April Fools Day had come and gone three weeks ago. "I’m just repeating to you what the woman calling in said to me," the operator had said, irritation glazing every word. "She’s likely a code 43. ...

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“Filling Empty Shoes” by Cedric Herman

Submitted to Contest #260

Lucid dreaming: a type of dream wherein the person realizes they are dreaming. During a lucid dream, the dreamer may gain some amount of control over the dream’s characters, narrative, or environment.One night, I had a dream in which I stood on the edge of a building, a skyscraper, overlooking the sights of an endless, silver metropolis. I had this vivid fear of slipping and falling off, but at the same time, I couldn’t step away from the edge as if my feet were glued to the concrete. Then I looked down and saw a bear walking on its hind leg...

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Write a story using the most clichéd twist of all; it was all a dream.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 105 stories

“In Dreams” by Cassin Villa-Lobos

“Daymare” by Connor Lindsay

“i had a dream (i got everything i wanted)” by Solstice Polaris

“Thanks-taking” by Kng. Zay

“Rude Awakening” by Daniel R. Mangru

“It Was All a Dream” by Simona Sordoni

“Pay Day” by Nicole N

“Devil's Game” by Grayson Chilcote

“Nocturne” by Parimmaphatra W.S.

“My Mind is the Axe” by Sofia Lin

“Deep Red Relief” by Nevada Gay

“The League of United Planets” by Lonnie Larson

“A Tip” by Kirk Nelson

“The Great Baby Bust: Operation Newborn” by Josephine Damm

“Filling Empty Shoes” by Cedric Herman

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story with a big twist.

Write a story in which a character learns something unexpected about someone they thought they knew well.

Write a story about someone who realises the story of their life has been pre-determined — until they decide to divert from the expected path.

Write a story that includes the line, "I didn't see that one coming."

Contest #260

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

429

Contest entries

131

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: