Start your story with a character looking closely at something, or someone. They can't quite decide if what they're looking at is natural, or man-made.

Posted in Science Fiction on Aug 25, 2023

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✍️ 51 stories

“Exterior Peel Off” by Blessed Chileka

Submitted to Contest #213

Wow, would you just take a look at that? I cannot help but wonder, have you seen how this person's hair flows in a stunning array of colours? It is almost as if there exists an imperceptible breeze generating this effect. I feel a kick of adrenaline. My eyes' pupils are probably dilating. I can feel the light bulbs in my head powering up. It reminds me of that childhood enthusiasm that was piqued when I noticed things out of the ordinary. I would always drag Mama to share the feeling. As if on cue, I hear it vividly in my mind, “Mama, plea...

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“All Isn't As It Seems” by Ryder Blow

Submitted to Contest #213

Walking into the hospital's in-patient ward to meet with my dying ill mother, I walked up to the front desk, with a porcelain-looking woman, with perfectly cut hair, each curl curled to perfection. Not a hair out of place. Her outfit was prim and well-kept. It suctioned to her almost like a body suit or spray-on latex. I couldn’t quite believe what I was looking at. She almost looked so real. A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of a carbon copy of a real human being standing before him. Most hospitals now had AI at their front desks to...

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“Man-Made Morals” by J.B. Redel

Submitted to Contest #213

Blue eyes. Fair skin. Freckled nose. Long, healthy brown locks. When looking at each individual feature, the woman standing before him appeared normal. Pretty, even. However, when taking a step back and observing the young woman as a whole, something just seemed… off. He couldn’t quite place it, and the longer he stared, the more uncanny the woman looked. What truly made the hairs stand on the back of his neck was the unnatural stillness the woman possessed. Garbed in a simple black dress with a white apron, not even her chest moved as one w...

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“Paradise ” by Ruth Ford

Submitted to Contest #213

ParadiseElena Marie Reeves sits at her exquisite vintage 1940 vanity, adorned with delicate perfume bottles, sparkling jewelry, and a collection of her favorite beauty products, all conveniently within reach. One of the major style points of the vanity is the oversized round mirror. She takes a moment to remove the rollers from her hair. Her eyes languish over the vanity admiring the impeccable and meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail that has gone into the creation of the vanity. Despite its age, it still retains ...

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“The Sky's Clotted Blood” by Megan Pierce

Submitted to Contest #213

The colors were screaming at her. They screamed, they floated and blurred and swirled together while all at once being so distinct and separate that her eyes burned from looking at them all at once. Still, she did not look away. She would have stood, transfixed, for longer, but- “Rose Warner.” The women's voice was not angry, simply strict and unsurprised. Rose swallowed dryly, and licked her lips before turning around. She had not noticed how shallow she had been breathing. The tall woman that stood before her now was not nearly ...

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“Sunday With My Uncle” by Deborah Snyder

Submitted to Contest #213

I poured a cup of coffee from the steaming carafe on my mother’s kitchen counter, gathered up the scattered sections of the Sunday Herald, and headed, bikini-clad, to the patio. It was a pool day and the South Florida sun was shining brightly. “Good morning,” my uncle said, his voice rising above the cooing of mourning doves and the drone of a distant lawnmower.“Uncle Dave,” I said, glancing at the sparkling pool, its clear water dancing with sunlight. I dipped my foot in. It was like bath water. I walked...

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“I love you” by Pearl Pastry

Submitted to Contest #213

I look closely into the mirror. My expression was odd - it naturally sprung into shape, but tightened like a man-made screw. My chest and eyes burned. I sigh.My father is a pathetic man. Its not just his appearance - its everything. You can always tell where he's recently been because he leaves behind this permeating, thickening, disgusting concoction of men's shampoo, microwaved chocolate croissants and alcohol. He always dresses like a beggar, some century-old shirt that sags and rips in some parody of minimalism. Yet he is never seen with...

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“Role of a Lifetime” by Audrey Knox

Submitted to Contest #213

“This is a hard one,” Robert said as he peered closely at the polaroid. “Those tits are perfect, but her pout is so lifelike.” His boss Kendra, the casting director, sat back and watched him closely, amused but betraying no hints. “She’s real. I mean look at that pose. What doll could…” but Robert trailed off, suddenly doubting ...

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“Contemporary Companions” by Josef Lemoine

Submitted to Contest #213

Hugh opened the door for Mae and followed her out of a dim wine country restaurant, across a cobblestone street. They strolled beneath a web of string lights that dangled overhead between rows of refurbished warehouses, now homes to wine bars and high-end boutiques. Mae performed a quick little spin on a brick path that cut through the village center. Her blonde hair billowed, backlit by the setting sun. Hugh smiled and led her, briefly, into a waltz. She wrapped her slender arms around his chest and ran a finger over the glowing tattoo th...

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“A Colorful, Colorless Crystal” by Baby Crow

Submitted to Contest #213

Long, almost too long. Yes, it ends somewhere, it is not infinite and it does not go on for all eternity, but Ren would have assumed so if he had not known any better. Seemingly endless strings of white—a bright, blinding, alluring, sparkling white—goes on for ages before disappearing into a liquid glow of periwinkle splashes and cyan ombres. Blinking once, twice, thrice, Ren, with his curiosity and persistence of the truth or what might be the truth or simply something to put an end to his confusion, soaked in what was in front of him wit...

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“Are You Human? Or More Human Than Human?” by Emanuel Diaz

Submitted to Contest #213

Astro Bartleh gazed out of the towering glass windows of his state-of-the-art laboratory. "Oh, Prometheus. Have I snared the flame of the Gods as others preceding me?". So the man asked the universe and the myths of yore when he could not understand what he was seeing before his eyes. What was he perceiving as truly man-made? Or was it always there, as new life comes to this world through the mysteries of the body and soul? It was a crisp evening, and the city below shimmered with artificial lights, creating a stark contrast to the dark...

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“Whispers of Change” by Shannon McPherson

Submitted to Contest #213

I sat on a park bench, the lemon poppy seed muffin I bought on my morning walk turning into crumbles in my palm. Children ran across the expansive green space in front of me, shrieking as they chased each other and played silly little games. Birds chirped in the distance, adding the final touch to what was already a perfect spring day. The weather was mild, just cresting over 60 degrees as the mid-morning sun cast strips of light across the grass and pathways. This was my favorite time of year. My heart would flutter with excitement ...

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“Photograph” by Sigmund Griffith

Submitted to Contest #213

Julian stared intently at the faded photograph; forehead creased in concentration as he examined every detail. The edges were worn, colors muted by time, but the subject's face gazed back vividly - eyes piercing his soul, smile radiating familiar warmth across the years. As Julian's fingers traced the figure's features, he strained to discern if the captured moment was real or artificially fabricated. The perfection of the face unsettled him. Skin smoothed to an almost unnatural uniformity, not a blemish or crease to be found. Even the hai...

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“What for lunch, Amelia Jane?” by Rya Johnson

Submitted to Contest #213

*sensitive content: abuse, death, mental health “What even is that?” Luci groans as she pokes at the strange brown concoction that is nestled in the middle of a white fluffy mound of instant potatoes. Dull smashed green peas adorn the far left corner of the cafeteria tray and the only Minuit amount of color that graces the plate. “Pretty fucking sure that’s meatloaf.” Pat states matter of fact- an unamused sneer on her stern pale face. “No way that's real meat. Definitely man-made...

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“Melting Point” by Alexis Ang

Submitted to Contest #213

The man in front of Marcus didn’t move, nor did he speak or blink or even breathe. Upon closer inspection, Marcus realized the man did not seem capable of doing anything at all, save for pointing over his shoulder with a vacantly happy disposition. He waved his hand in front of the man’s face and snapped his fingers a few times. He weaved in and out of what he thought would be the man’s line of sight to see if the man would track his movements, but his blue eyes remained staring out into the distance and his mouth stayed plastered in a pleas...

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Start your story with a character looking closely at something, or someone. They can't quite decide if what they're looking at is natural, or man-made.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 51 stories

“Exterior Peel Off” by Blessed Chileka

“All Isn't As It Seems” by Ryder Blow

“Man-Made Morals” by J.B. Redel

“Paradise ” by Ruth Ford

“The Sky's Clotted Blood” by Megan Pierce

“Sunday With My Uncle” by Deborah Snyder

“I love you” by Pearl Pastry

“Role of a Lifetime” by Audrey Knox

“Contemporary Companions” by Josef Lemoine

“A Colorful, Colorless Crystal” by Baby Crow

“Are You Human? Or More Human Than Human?” by Emanuel Diaz

“Whispers of Change” by Shannon McPherson

“Photograph” by Sigmund Griffith

“What for lunch, Amelia Jane?” by Rya Johnson

“Melting Point” by Alexis Ang

🌟 Similar prompts

Start or end your story with a character receiving a hug or words of comfort.

Write a story about someone who is losing feeling in their hands and/or fingers.

Write about someone with a Midas touch: everything they touch turns to [fill in the blank].

Write about an AI or person trying to inject a ‘human touch’ into their work.

Contest #213

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

288

Contest entries

124

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: