Write about someone who’s trying to accomplish a task that used to be easy but is now made complicated by a pandemic.

Posted in Narrative on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 80 stories

“Pandemic Life” by Callie Ann

Submitted to Contest #84

I awoke with a startle. I was three minutes early to my alarm waking me up with it's normal, yet awfully loud ring. Looking at my calendar across the room I noticed it was the day I got to go out. Every third Monday of each month is the designated day. I used to be excited every time I got up in the morning and knew that at 10:15 A.M. I could open my door and see the sun. But that feeling soon faltered. After 12 years of a pandemic, and living on the same schedule each day, I practically forgot what it felt like to live. I hadn't seen friend...

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“Hospital bed corners” by Jackie Silvers

Submitted to Contest #84

His cornflower blue eyes smiled at me as he reached for the lamp. “I love you. Good night,” he said. “Why do you always look at me?” I inquired, burrowing deeper under the duvet. “I want your face to be the last thing I see before I sleep.” He leaned into me and kiss me softly and shut the light. I had just fallen asleep when I felt the restless kicking, struggle at the foot of the full sized bed. “What? “ my voice thick with sleep. “You did it again” a final kick and then a sigh “You and those hospital corners”, he murmure...

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“Lights, Camera, Action” by Cali Moore

Submitted to Contest #84

Thirteen days, twelve hours, and sixteen minutes. Not much longer, a little less than two weeks. Counting down the days, and soon there is less than one week left. Everything is in a rush, tech week upon us. Lights, camera, action: everyone dressed in ridiculous costumes, everyone wearing overdone stage makeup painted like a mask over their faces, and stage crew running everywhere to adjust mics and props. I had been dreaming for this chance for so long now, I had lost count o...

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“Life's Canvas” by Priyosmita Banerjee

Submitted to Contest #84

It was the sort of a day, where you could not decide whether you prefer the sunshine over the blowing wind or the other way round. The doves, sparrows, pigeons and robins all sang in unison. The keen dandelions, roses, chrysanthemums and hydrangeas peeked through the casements to catch a glimpse of their beautiful master and mistress, who have tended to them so long. The charm of the day was such, as could make even old and dejected hearts alive again and it's charm on young and elated people was better unspoken. "Now, Rebecca stop fidgeting...

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“Little Ina” by Emily Dertien

Submitted to Contest #84

Little Ina Little Ina has been in an orphanage trying to get adopted for over 25 fortnights. She was finally going to get adopted before the pandemic struck. No one was allowed to leave their houses and there was unrest in society during the pandemic. Ina was devastated because she just wanted someone to love her, to make her feel like she belonged, unlike how she felt for so long. Ina was for so long neglected at the orphanage after her parents died. She was short with warm skin, and chocolate eyes, and hair braided down her back. She had a...

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“Changes” by Odile Alexis Pal

Submitted to Contest #84

I'm Josh and I'm just a normal highschool student.My mom and dad had a divorce when I was still 4 years old so i don't really remember what he was like.After they divorced my mom worked at a mansion owned by a businessman.Our life then were hard but was bearable it was until i turned 16 when my mom collapse and was hospitalized.My mom then was said to have a Chronic fatigue syndrome(CFS) it is a disorder characterized by extreme fatigue and tiredness that doesn't go away with rest and can't be explained by underlying medical condition.My aun...

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“Life Commissions ” by Miss Tine

Submitted to Contest #84

The sun was peeking over the horizon as its yellowish rays scattered across the raven skies. Birds spread their wings and soared in the black canvas of the sky along with their chirping music. Eyelids blinked upon hearing the wake-up calls from the roosters in the backyard. Mothers get up to prepare for breakfast while Fathers prepare for the day. In the City Capital of Davao in the country of the Philppines, the day starts the moment the sun rises above their horizons, enough for them to see its glistening beauty. Elders are traditi...

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“It isn't Friday, again. Is it?” by Kelli Davis

Submitted to Contest #84

Is it just me? Or, do most people try keeping up with what day it is and at the beginning of the week have, at least, a semi-schedule of what needs to get done each day? In a way, setting a schedule for the week as to what day to go to the grocery store, what time limits may exist on completing other tasks like getting prescriptions refilled or picked up, and running other errands. Do they plan those activities around not only the day of the week, but even the time of day? I don't know. Maybe I'm weird, but I plan my excursions, litera...

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“A Wife's Whim” by Sara DeGonia

Submitted to Contest #84

“Alan, wake up.” Alan’s wife, Sophie, prodded him in the ribs, trying to find his lone ticklish spot. “Grrrbhgrrr,” Alan said in response. “Sweetheart, I want to tell you something.” Sophie whispered, not wanting to wake the baby on the other side of the wall. “What time is it?” he asked, rubbing one eye. “It’s 6:47. But can I just tell you something really quick?” “6:47 in the morning? Are you actually out of your mind, woman? That’s like three hours before the alarm.” “It’s only an hour until the alarm goes off.” Alan rolled ba...

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“Is it essential?” by Hayley Muirhead

Submitted to Contest #84

If you were ever unsure of the difference between a “supply run” and “grocery shopping” then just assess the outing in a pandemic environment when every move you make has far reaching consequences, including but not limited to judgement …. I can imagine Max Rockatansky only did “supply runs” … In the "old days" grocery shopping for me was one of the perfect pass times – not The Big Monthly Stock Up – tbmst – but the “pop in” for fresh produce / forgotten essentials. I must spend the money on groceries, feed the family and therefore fe...

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“The Tourist” by Lisa Wentworth

Submitted to Contest #84

Write about someone who’s trying to accomplish a task that used to be easy but is now made complicated by a pandemic. Now, getting a visa to another country is not exactly ‘easy’ at best, but it is usually pretty straight forward. Fill out some forms, pay a chunk of money, wait an eternity, and...voila! Over the years, Claire had filed for dozens of them, paid thousands of dollars, and had a fair share of rejections as well. She was pretty savvy at it. Things had changed over the years; papers had been replaced with online in only the la...

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“Bell Pepper” by Christina Coltau

Submitted to Contest #84

I am standing in the first aisle of the grocery store. I stare at the wide range of vegetables that I could buy. Normally I would buy a bag of carrots and make something simple for dinner. This time I don’t feel like making the same kind of dinner like I have for the past two days, so my eyes graze the zucchini and the bell peppers. I stand for a moment longer, feeling lazy to move. Eventually I go closer to the box with the bell papers and grab a red one. I decide to take a yellow one as well. I proceed to put them in my cart but after a se...

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“A Place Called Malatapay” by Darwin Fil Deloria

Submitted to Contest #84

A PLACE CALLED MALATAPAY By DF Deloria IT WAS ANOTHER ORDINARY WEDNESDAY, a market day at a small place called “Malatapay” for most Filipinos particularly the ones residing in the town of Zamboanguita and other neighboring municipalities in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. Malatapay is a famous and favorite tourist destination of both local and foreign. It is situated in the town of Zamboanguita 28 kilometers south of Dumaguete City. Malatapay’s wharf is also the nearest point to one of the country’s ...

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“Victor's Topknot” by David Zasloff

Submitted to Contest #84

When Victor set out to get water, he had to do it without his gun – he had put it down someplace other than its usual spot and now it was nowhere to be seen. That'll teach me, he snarled to himself. Shit. First he'd been in this village for months without getting a single plague victim, let alone a single plague victim's scalp – what they called a “topknot” - and now he was going for water without his gun. Brilliant. But he had to have the water. He put on his armor and facemask walked out into the cold air. His neighbors took care of thei...

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“Days After Marseille” by Evangeline Richards

Submitted to Contest #84

Joseph always used to do the shopping, when we were younger. ‘When we were younger''. Seems like I’m talking about a faraway country where I used to live, but I can’t remember how to get there anymore. I look down at my thighs sometimes after I wash, and I can’t believe they’re mine. Hardly ever look in the mirror anymore because the face looking back always takes me by surprise. The hoods around the eyes and the lips, thin now. Even when I put lipstick on it just seems to disappear into the folds. Can’t see the lipstick anyway behind these ...

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Write about someone who’s trying to accomplish a task that used to be easy but is now made complicated by a pandemic.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 80 stories

“Pandemic Life” by Callie Ann

“Hospital bed corners” by Jackie Silvers

“Lights, Camera, Action” by Cali Moore

“Life's Canvas” by Priyosmita Banerjee

“Little Ina” by Emily Dertien

“Changes” by Odile Alexis Pal

“Life Commissions ” by Miss Tine

“It isn't Friday, again. Is it?” by Kelli Davis

“A Wife's Whim” by Sara DeGonia

“Is it essential?” by Hayley Muirhead

“The Tourist” by Lisa Wentworth

“Bell Pepper” by Christina Coltau

“A Place Called Malatapay” by Darwin Fil Deloria

“Victor's Topknot” by David Zasloff

“Days After Marseille” by Evangeline Richards

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that spans exactly a year and takes place in a single room.

Write about someone who grew up in a bunker, and lockdown life is all they’ve ever known.

Set your story in a post-pandemic world, where the effects are still felt even as your character attempts to move on.

Start your story with a character struggling to remember the date, because every day is like the last one.

Contest #84

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

664

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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