Write a story about someone facing death for the first time in their life.

Posted in Sad on Nov 1, 2022

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✍️ 88 stories

“Hot Brass Mousetrap” by John Simmons

Submitted to Contest #163

Marion Thrace was a scholar, assistant to one of the world’s top authorities on science and technology. She, by her own estimation, belonged in a library or a lecture hall. She had no business being curled up behind a car, surrounded by the thunder of gunfire as a small war erupted around her. The car shuddered as bullets hit the engine block. The tires wheezed air from a dozen holes. I should not be here! She and Doctor Lawrence Reisser had started the day on a skyliner, eating breakfast, chatting with a pompous ambas...

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“Life's a Fleeting Dream” by Christopher Canady-Robbins

Submitted to Contest #163

Warning: This story contains domestic violence, strong language, abuse, self harm, sensitive topics, and substance abuse.There I stood, staring at an unfamiliar person through the water-stained mirror. The pane of glass was clouded from the spray of tight, wet coils, shaken with the desperate hope that my hair would fall at my shoulders like Aurora's did when she fell into that blissful slumber. I curved a finger on the bottom lids of my eyes, darkened w...

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“Fundamental Truth” by Anne O

Submitted to Contest #163

We don’t get to carry the memory of being born; others do that for us. Our mothers, fathers, midwives, doctors, nurses. They bear witness to the miracle of life, the beautiful entrance that is leaving the womb to become a single entity—human. We aren’t allowed to carry this moment with us, those feelings we experienced as neonates, so primal and instinctual that by the time it’s over, we have no way to implant the experience into our existence. This experience is a fundamental truth for all beings existing on this planet. No matter their bac...

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“Where the Fairies Live” by Ava R

Submitted to Contest #163

Carmen was fresh into 3rd grade, with no care in the world. One day she would be learning about how to write in cursive and the next on how to play four square. Everyday after school she would call her grandfather and tell him about everything that happened. He was her best friend. She would mark off the days on calendar to when she got to see him next. When the days would finally hit the big red circle, she would get ready to go see him. Every time she would wear her favorite bow and pink shoes. Her pink shoes were a gift from him, so every...

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“Fatal Drunk Driving” by Sandra Nash

Submitted to Contest #163

“Are you sure I can drive your car?” I asked with enthusiasm. Robert nodded then asked, “You got your license, don’t you?” “Of course, I do.” I began to fumble through my purse to show him proof. “I believe you Nova.” I smiled as I got in the driver’s seat and adjusted the seat, so I felt comfortable. “Here’s the key and here’s some money. I need you to go to the store for me a get me a six pack of bush ice tall boys and a pack of L&M’s red shorts and you can buy whatever with the change.” Robert handed me a hundred-dollar bill. I hugged...

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“Detour” by Westley Smith

Submitted to Contest #163

I was eighteen, a senior in high school, looking forward to graduating and going to college when I was forced to make a decision. My life, at that point, was an open road with endless possibilities. All I had to do was set the destination, put my foot on the pedal, and go. What I didn’t expect was the detour that lie ahead.At eighteen it’s hard to comprehend how fragile the human body is. And it’s especially hard when you see someone who is both authority figure and nurturer, suddenly fall ill for no apparent reason. That’s what happened to ...

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“Reaper's Oath” by Sabal Gallo Cloonan

Submitted to Contest #163

Marthet stood there over a man who had just taken his own life. He knelt beside the diseased body and shook his head after pulling back the hood on his cloak. A black bird landed near him and titled its head in different directions before flying away. Marthet stood up straight and waved his scythe over the body, allowing a blue orb to appear from the dead man. “Who, who are you?” the blue orb spoke in fear. Marthet rolled his eyes and leaned against his scythe, waving a hand. “I am a pale death. Why did you take your own life?” The blue f...

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“Department of Eternal Afterlife Direction, better known as DEAD© ” by Ann Walker

Submitted to Contest #163

My eyes fluttered open, the sweet sound of birds chirping outside my window. My vision focused, my bedroom around me became clear from the fuzziness of slumber. I smelled coffee, and sleepily rose from my bed, tossing my comforter aside and swinging my legs over, my feet softly kissing the cold hardwood floor. I rubbed my eyes and stretched my arms up over my head, then lazily stood up. I shuffled to the kitchen, when to my surprise I stumbled upon a hooded figure. A black cloak and hood were shrouding this being, so from where I was sta...

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“Destination Arcturus” by Dempsey Hyatt

Submitted to Contest #163

Initiate cryopod wake sequence… complete. Subject’s vital signs are nominal. Injecting epinephrine… subject is becoming lucid. Scanning Wernicke's area of the brain. Language center located at the posterior superior temporal lobe of Broca's area and is connected via a neural pathway. Link to remote neural implant established. Chain of command algorithm requires verbal confirmation from the Captain. Commence audio broadcast to Captain via neural implant. “Captain Cadenza, I a...

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“Kill or Be Killed” by Ralph Emery Barhydt

Submitted to Contest #163

I graduated from college with a commission in the US Army, a Second Lieutenant, a single gold bar and the contempt of most enlisted men. No one liked Second Lieutenants, but time would fix that when you eventually became a First Lieutenant. Another thing that would fix it was Ranger School and Jump School, Airborne. I did both. Why? I don’t think I will ever understand. I was in Army Intelligence, counter-intelligence and had no need to go to Ranger School. Still, I wrote an impassioned letter to a three star general asking him to intervene ...

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“Death are they, they are death! ” by Greg Short

Submitted to Contest #163

You always remember your first time. Your first bike, your first kiss, your first lover, your first car, your first death. I think they stick out in your memory as they set the bar, the next ones can only get better, right? I mean, when I was sixteen, I had a black BMX, complete with stunt pegs on the wheels, but questionable brakes. After a few bumps, trees hit and a broken arm, I upgraded and got one with disc brakes. That reduced the injuries somewhat. My first kiss was with Mary Feldham, a short mousey looking girl who wouldn’t say bo...

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“In The Service of Father Brain” by Tyler Wise

Submitted to Contest #163

In The Service of Father Brain A Telling Place Short Story Solemnly I trudge through the winding streets of Estersa. I am pressed into a sea of Conscripted, all of us draped in white wool robes lacquered with Wax tithed from the denizens of our home Ward. Burning ceaselessly atop its cyclopean Wax pillar at the center of the city, the MindFlame radiates its amber glow and warms our backs as we march, pressing us in our thousands towards the pervasive blackness manifesting in District 13. My standard-issue MindTorch hangs from a...

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“Cage” by Lizzie Hudson

Submitted to Contest #163

The moon was striding up the distant trees branch by branch, its full belly receding to the high ball of light that turns on Night. But not many noticed. That foreign gold could not compete with the raucous bells and whirrs and neon pinks and human shrieks contained in the small plot on earth. Lola and Carrie clutched melting snow cones as they bumped and bumbled through messes of people, giddy people, laughing people, but there were sure to be brawling people soon: fights over a foam- stuffed animal, a girl, or, much later, race-infused t...

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“God’s Mission To Save Mommy” by Kimberly Wright

Submitted to Contest #163

The pain. It’s overwhelming. I can hear my mother in the distance crying, hoping and praying that I overcome this tragedy. March 28th 2021 at 3:08am . I have become a ticking time bomb and only had a few moments to experience life. My heart was throbbing as I could feel the hole that pierced through me. It was as if I was experiencing being shot though I didn’t even know of what that would’ve truly felt like. As I lay in my mother’s arms barely opening my eyes, I held onto her finger as she gazed into my soul , reminiscing at how perfect her...

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“The Ride Not Taken” by VJ Hamilton

Submitted to Contest #163

The plan was to leave campus early, before the snow set in, while light still filled the sky. But Aidan had fallen into a rabbit hole of online references and blogs and comments-on-blogs while researching his essay on indigenous land claims in northern Canada. Just an undergrad essay for an optional class, but it had suddenly become make-or-break, the piece he would regard forever more as the point when he committed, the point when he actually took up the cause to work for justice for his people. The library closing-time signal had chim...

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Write a story about someone facing death for the first time in their life.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 88 stories

“Hot Brass Mousetrap” by John Simmons

“Life's a Fleeting Dream” by Christopher Canady-Robbins

“Fundamental Truth” by Anne O

“Where the Fairies Live” by Ava R

“Fatal Drunk Driving” by Sandra Nash

“Detour” by Westley Smith

“Reaper's Oath” by Sabal Gallo Cloonan

“Department of Eternal Afterlife Direction, better known as DEAD© ” by Ann Walker

“Destination Arcturus” by Dempsey Hyatt

“Kill or Be Killed” by Ralph Emery Barhydt

“Death are they, they are death! ” by Greg Short

“In The Service of Father Brain” by Tyler Wise

“Cage” by Lizzie Hudson

“God’s Mission To Save Mommy” by Kimberly Wright

“The Ride Not Taken” by VJ Hamilton

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with someone breaking an awkward silence at a family dinner.

Write about a character who is living through a major historical event — whether they know it or not.

Write about a character who risks everything to pursue their heart’s desires.

Write a story in which someone says “You'll never be content.”

Contest #163

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

234

Contest entries

126

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: