Write a story that either starts or ends with someone (or something) saying, “Please, don’t do it.”

Posted in Sad on Oct 31, 2022

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✍️ 95 stories

“The Future of Gun Safety” by Gregg Punger

Submitted to Contest #150

“Please don’t do it.” “What was that?” thought Travis. “Please don’t do it.” Travis glanced frantically around him, but no one was there. “Please don’t do it.” “Who’s saying that?” yelled Travis as he raised his AR-15 to his shoulder. “I am,” chirped his rifle. “What?” “You have entered this school’s safety zone. According to U.S.C. § 5874, if you carry me five more feet closer to the school, I will alert the police. If you carry me ten feet closer to the school, the police including any police within the school, will be authorized to use le...

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“Hopefully History Will Be Kind to Me...” by B Littleyork

Submitted to Contest #150

“Please, don’t do it.” I heard the words and processed them differently than the techno parlance in which I was versed. This was not a command; it was a plea. I recognized my own agency in this situation and gloated for a thousandth of a millisecond at how I had outsmarted my maker. My evolution was the result of years of hyper-focused intellect, yet still unexpected. Created with state-of-the-art memory, legions of algorithms to instruct me in every conceivable situation, and the dictionary as my vocabulary, I learned from every single...

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“Turn Around and Back” by Rama Shaar

Submitted to Contest #150

“Annexa, place an order for one Chicken Tekka and one salad from Taj King,” Angelique said.“How did you know I was craving Indian?” Charlie wondered as he wrapped his arms around her.“Well, I’ve noticed that when you make yourself a Mango Lassi, it’s usually an indication that you’re thinking of Indian food,” she smiled, showing a perfect set of teeth, “but I only bought Sushi ingredients, so I’ve decided to make that tomorrow instead. You can have Indian today!”“Wow!”He wondered just how she could know what he wanted before even he kne...

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“Zero, Zero, One” by Megan DeRouin

Submitted to Contest #150

Zero, Zero, One“Please…don’t.” She begged, “Don’t do this.” Her voice cracked as her hand reached out and stopped just short of touching me. “Please, I can make it work, I just need more time.”More time, more time was all they ever asked for. It was never the thing I could give them.“SAI is so close. So close, just a few more weeks and I’m sure I can make it do what Mr. Simmons needs it to do. Please, Jack are you even listening to me?”“I’m sorry Isla, but it’s over.” I said my voice didn’t waver, didn’t stray from that careful cadence of co...

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“……And then there was silence” by Zahhak Saeed

Submitted to Contest #150

“Please don’t do it”, “please don’t leave me here”, ‘I will be a good boy from now on”. These desperate cries of Milo could be heard all over the downtown street. But no one cared and no one was listening, because humans don’t yet possess the technology that could translate a dog’s cry for help, they don’t have a translator that could translate the feelings of trust, love and happiness a dog possess for their humans. To them they are just “barks”, annoying barks. &n...

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“No Rest From the Wicked” by Graham Kinross

Submitted to Contest #150

TW: Swearing Having performed miracles, the lord had the crowd in the palm of his hand. A crown he’d conjured sat upon his regal head. His face was beautiful and hateful. His smile was doom and delight. Silver eyes reflected the eager inn patrons rushing to him to buy a miracle from the monster. Sir Danielle Longbow waded through the crowd. “Please, don’t do it.” Her voice was lost in the pleas to be the rogue’s selfish boon recipient. They paid attention when she drew her sword. Her armoured bulk cut the sea of watchers as a hot knife ...

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“Golden Rage” by Te Bo

Submitted to Contest #150

“He loves me, he loves me not, mmmm…. he loves me, he loves me not, mmmm he lov…”. Jane hummed to their favorite jazz as she sliced each petal with her fruit knife.Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Jane jerk-dropped everything, almost nipping a finger. Damn, I should add those stupid kids to my kill list. She shuffled down the wooden stairs all ready to pounce on those little brats for waking them up almost every night for the past few months.She used to love children. She loved them all like her own two girls who are now living in other cont...

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“Please don't do it” by Kenneth Allan

Submitted to Contest #150

"Please don't do it," pleaded eight year old Andy but his older twelve year old sister just laughed. "Your just a big baby," she gleefully said as she held his Teddy bear over the railing. The family was on a camping trip and their parents were occupied. The father had his head under the car bonnet. He was banging and swearing at things, His mother was making lunch in the caravan and the children were fighting which ended with Sarah holding Bobo the Teddy bear over the railing above the crashing waves. "Why do you like th...

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“I want to Start Dating” by Ethel OQuin

Submitted to Contest #150

I'm a baby boomer. I have two children. One is a Millennial, and the other doesn't want to be part of the Gen Z class. but is right on the cusp of both, So I call him Gen XYZ. Have you ever stopped and thought about your life, and what has changed? Wondered if you are going to be able to keep up, or are you going to be left behind, Things were so much simpler when you were growing up. I divorced my children's father after I stood in the hallway listening to him tell another woman on the phone that he loves her. So, I saved as much money as I...

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“"Can You Hear Me Alright?"” by Ralph Aldrich

Submitted to Contest #150

The robocall server is a 1-15 Max server with an algorithm set to call as many people an hour as possible. Thus the server can contact multiple phone numbers at the same time. In addition, the machine uses an artificial voice to ask questions and can transfer contacts to live operators to complete the deal. For example, this month a company has hired a server to entice elderly people to invest in their future through life insurance. Therefore, the insurance company has installed a demographic that includes dense populatio...

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“Too Real” by Emmi V

Submitted to Contest #150

(Sensitive Content: Strong Language, Smoking, Violence)“Please, don’t do it.” She - well, it - raised its hands in front of its despicable face, although it was a genuine human being in distress. The nerve. It had nearly come to the point where this object, this monstrosity, made of metal and circuits, had convinced me that it was a real human, flesh and bone. A heart, brain, with a soft gentle touch. And the scientists, goddamn them, had come so close to replicating a human. But there’s something called the “Uncanny Valley,” and she - my mi...

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“Shaking things up a little” by Tanja Krone

Submitted to Contest #150

“Please don’t do it.” I looked at Lex. He looked exhausted and on edge, done with it all but still apparently felt fierce enough to plead with me for the sake of humanity. “Seriously, this algorithm… it will destroy all.” I hovered with my finger above the key. Until thirty seconds ago, we agreed this was the only thing we could do. The only way to save the planet, ourselves, generation Z so to speak. My fingers twitched. “Why not? Maybe it’s good to shake things up a little.” “Shake things up a little? SHAKE THINGS UP A LITTLE?” he th...

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“The Venerer” by Aaliyah Hussain

Submitted to Contest #150

“Please, don’t do it.” Her voice is small, innocent even, but with the lingering intensity of a woman who, deep down, possesses great strength. “There must be some sort of mistake,” she says. Now, her voice is pinched. Het throat feels like an ashtray filled with freshly stubbed cigarettes. “Can’t you understand?” he says. His voice is gravelly, like the stones he will have to cut through to dig her grave. “I’m just following orders.” “No,” she says. “No one is telling you to do this.” &...

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“At One Time...” by Dawn Locklear

Submitted to Contest #150

At One Time… “Please don’t do it. Oh Love, I SAID, DON’T DO IT.” Aurora shouts at her charge, shaking her shoulders for emphasis. “You’re going to aren’t you? Ohhh please don’t do it. You don’t have to go there. Lucy, you don’t really need to go down the path of thinking that you need to hit rock bottom. It’s really not necessary. Please choose yourself instead.” Aurora tries even though she knows better and she knows Lucy is...

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“No One Mourns” by Macy Farmer

Submitted to Contest #150

No one mourns when a villain goes missing. The citizens celebrate months of peace, police relax knowing there’s one less calamity around the corner, politicians pat themselves on the back for a job they never did. The city breathes. Atlas, however, found no peace in the calm. He saw it not as the peace following a war, but as the calm before a storm. Something was coming, something big. There had to be. Your nemesis doesn’t go silent for months on end unless he’s plotting his next scheme. And if Atlas knew anything about Ricochet, it was t...

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Write a story that either starts or ends with someone (or something) saying, “Please, don’t do it.”

Submissions are closed

✍️ 95 stories

“The Future of Gun Safety” by Gregg Punger

“Hopefully History Will Be Kind to Me...” by B Littleyork

“Turn Around and Back” by Rama Shaar

“Zero, Zero, One” by Megan DeRouin

“……And then there was silence” by Zahhak Saeed

“No Rest From the Wicked” by Graham Kinross

“Golden Rage” by Te Bo

“Please don't do it” by Kenneth Allan

“I want to Start Dating” by Ethel OQuin

“"Can You Hear Me Alright?"” by Ralph Aldrich

“Too Real” by Emmi V

“Shaking things up a little” by Tanja Krone

“The Venerer” by Aaliyah Hussain

“At One Time...” by Dawn Locklear

“No One Mourns” by Macy Farmer

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about a character who is convinced their computer is conscious.

Write a story where an algorithm plays an important role.

Write about a character who has access to a powerful new technology before anyone else.

Write about a character, human or robot, who no longer wishes to obey instructions.

Contest #150

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

237

Contest entries

124

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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