Write a story set in the dark recesses of space where the two main characters are often at odds with each other in humorous and comedic ways.

Posted in Science Fiction on Aug 24, 2020

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✍️ 70 stories

“Grapefruit” by Sierra Tkacik

Submitted to Contest #24

“Jane!” A voice bellowed from the recesses of the ship. “Where is my grapefruit?”“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” A voice echoed from the opposite direction.“My grapefruit, Jane! The one I specifically had my name on! The one you stole!”“First of all, why would you print your name on a freaking grapefruit? Second of all, if you didn’t want me to take it, you shouldn’t have put it in a community fridge.”“So you did take it!”“Why is this grapefruit so important, anyway?”“Do you know, Jane, how many people have died in ships due to scu...

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“As Boring as Martian Maize” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #24

The thinking behind it had been simple. Take two people who don’t get on, and force them to be dependent on each other for company and possibly for care. Not such a crazy idea. It has worked many a time, and no doubt will work many times more, but it didn’t appear to be working for Connor and Cameron. Rumours had spread that they had been close once, and there had been a massive fall-out (over a woman or over money or over both, depending on which version you listened to) but the one thing that mig...

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“The Gunfighter Theory” by Rudy Uribe

Submitted to Contest #24

I thought when I died, I would instantly know the answers to all the mysteries of the universe. Was Darwin, right? Does life exist on other planets? How did they build the pyramids? The reality is I didn’t learn a darn thing. The mysteries of life did not present themselves as I had expected. Once my soul left the body, and I passed through those pearly gates, I didn’t care if I knew those answers or not.Even though I’m poo-pooing solving the world’s greatest mysteries, the one mystery that kept gnawing at me was how the universe began....

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“The Human Condition” by Megan DeRouin

Submitted to Contest #24

I woke up disoriented, but they told me that would happen. The air felt different, my lungs ached as I drew it into my body and feeling slowly returned to my extremities.I guess it was my turn.I sat up and all the blood rushed to my head, I put my hand on the edge of the stasis pod.Steady Jewel, steady.I flipped my legs out so they dangled about an inch or so above the floor. I scooted forward and tried to stand up. It took a moment for my muscles to remember and for my knees ...

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“Crewless” by Matthew Boyd

Submitted to Contest #24

“Did we take a wrong turn somewhere?” “We’re on auto-pilot, Eric.” “I know,” replied Eric, studying the course they had charted. “This just doesn’t look anything like the map.” “I’m sorry,” his companion rebuffed, “I didn’t realise you had a degree in intergalactic cartography.” “I mean, it’s not rocket science, is it?” Eric waited for his companion to laugh, or at least smile, but when she instead crossed her arms and avoided even looking at him, he continued. “Angela, look,” he implored, now pointing at the giant space map that presum...

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“The Farthest Reaches of Space” by Lucille Greye

Submitted to Contest #24

“Who would believe that I, the great Lish Ryn, would be brought to my knees by the little Nadyr?” Telen Fogg, the tall android sighed. “Lish. How many times have you said that exact same thing? Look. So what if Nadyr got the Zarkot first? My friend,” Telen smiled, “this can only be good. We can easily steal the Zarkot back from him. It’s most likely in his ship, the Angyl, and it probably isn’t even protected.” Lish spun her pilot’s chair away from the cockpit’s window and faced Telen. Her long, golden hair framed her face. With the co...

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“Colleagues” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #24

My God she is being such a bitch.“So” Ryka said, "The man died and on the third day walked out of the tomb. Another zombie story is what this sounds li “It isn’t a zombie story! He was living. Zombies don’t live.” “They walk-“ “They’re dead!” Why couldn’t she understand? “They rot. It’s an evil spirit that animates them. He was alive, as you and me are.” “And he said this is my body and my blood, eat and drink it. You have to admit that is very strange.” “It’s symbolic,...

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“The Infinite Cold of Space; Speaking” by Sophie Sharek

Submitted to Contest #24

The infinite cold of space can seem to stretch out forever and ever to the untrained eye. To the trained eye, it still goes on forever, but it’s just slightly less scary, and it’s not as cold because trained eyes bring jackets and hot chocolate so they aren’t as chilly. Many interstellar interlopers describe the infinite cold of space as rather sentient, as a result of a dozen incidents where a perhaps-future-settlement has simply coughed up the intruders; or they’ll describe it as too dark, because honestly, can the infinite cold of space p...

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“Biscuits” by Roisin O’Riordan

Submitted to Contest #24

She was going to kill him. She was actually going to murder him. Yes, she has said it plenty of times before but this time she meant it. This time she would drag him by his stupid hair to an airlock and shove him out to space where he can suffocate.Seven months. She lasted seven months stuck in this shuttle with him, but now she was finally going to crack.It started off with the computer. He programmed it to call him "Hot Stuff." She changed it back. Then, he programmed it to call him "King of the Bandages." Once again, she changed it back. ...

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“CryoSleep” by Fletcher Cobb

Submitted to Contest #24

Well it turns out that when you are traveling for several months through space, cryopods are pretty nice. If you are traveling through a self driven spacecraft there isn’t really much to do, hence the cryosleep. Not only does it prevent you from getting bored, it also slows your aging and metabolism. For the Newmans who were flying on the The Sparkler Flight No. 174, the cryo pods had a small problem: they didn’t freeze up. “Hey, Jim, when will this pod freeze us?” asked Emma Newman “I don’t know, how about you ask the pilot? Oh, wait there ...

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“Dear Eva, Space Girlfriend” by Karen Quick

Submitted to Contest #24

The sirens blare all throughout the ship as the emergency lights flare up crimson red and flash so brilliantly it could give even the blind a headache. I grumble to myself, not for the first time, that perhaps rather than focusing on building such an elaborate panic system, the amare ships could focus on maybe making a design that wasn’t infiltratable? The amare to my right moves his humanoid figure to glance in my direction, and I can tell without looking that he’s got his eyebrows raised at me, probably wondering what I dared mutter ...

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“Caffeine Machine ” by Mary Lombardi

Submitted to Contest #24

To whom it may concern, When I signed up for this assignment, I was looking forward to spending four years of my life with someone who shared my disdain for obnoxiously loud, self idolizing, undereducated people. I believed (foolheartedly) that only respectful scientists would sign up for this mission. That only those who truly valued the exploration of the last great frontier would spend three years training, four years locked in a shuttle with little to no contact with Earth, and a year reconditioning to Earth. Through all the vetti...

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“Elephant In The Room Shaped Like A Monkey” by Perry Terrell

Submitted to Contest #24

Elephant In The Room Shaped Like A MonkeyBy Perry Terrell “You suck.” “Lauren!” yelled Jared. “For lack of a better term?” He thought she was joking. “There is no better term. You just plain suck.” “Why?” Jared asked. “Why? Why? Why, you ask? I see that monkey. I know it’s dark in this ...

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“Space Burns” by Stevie Aldrich

Submitted to Contest #24

“CONKLIN!” Havaderr wailed. His face was the brightest red and steaming with heat. The veins in his neck throbbed noticeably, but he waited as still as he could for Conklin to answer. A buzz came in over the intercom above Havaderr’s head. “Hey, was that you shouting, Havaderr?” Conklin’s voice crackled with static and attitude. Havaderr shut his eyes and repeated his Zen mantra in his head. “Havaderr? What’s your problem?” Havaderr’s eyes opened, and in ...

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“Oops” by Dale Lehman

Submitted to Contest #24

The explosion blasted a million obols worth of cometary material into the oblivion of space, a disaster even without their ship being parked at ground zero, but what really rattled Jacey Komarov was the destruction of her entire set of Space Kitchen Deluxe™ radiant cookware, which had been safely stowed on board. She’d bought the set on Callisto twenty-three years before and cared for it like a child ever since. To her, it was more precious than platinum. You couldn’t find gear like that here in the Oort Territories. Standing beside her in h...

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Write a story set in the dark recesses of space where the two main characters are often at odds with each other in humorous and comedic ways.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 70 stories

“Grapefruit” by Sierra Tkacik

“As Boring as Martian Maize” by Deborah Mercer

“The Gunfighter Theory” by Rudy Uribe

“The Human Condition” by Megan DeRouin

“Crewless” by Matthew Boyd

“The Farthest Reaches of Space” by Lucille Greye

“Colleagues” by Michele Duess

“The Infinite Cold of Space; Speaking” by Sophie Sharek

“Biscuits” by Roisin O’Riordan

“CryoSleep” by Fletcher Cobb

“Dear Eva, Space Girlfriend” by Karen Quick

“Caffeine Machine ” by Mary Lombardi

“Elephant In The Room Shaped Like A Monkey” by Perry Terrell

“Space Burns” by Stevie Aldrich

“Oops” by Dale Lehman

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a sweeping romantic tale of two lovers who must overcome the horror of being hunted by an unseen foe.

Write a murder mystery with an amateur sleuth who must navigate a fantastical world in a quest to discover the truth.

Write a thrilling adventure of a special agent who is harboring a paranormal secret.

Write a magical realism story that takes place in the Wild West.

Contest #24

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

293

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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