Set your story during the coldest day of the year.

Posted in Short Story on Dec 13, 2024

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✍️ 52 stories

“The Saskatchewan Winter Wind” by Maxx Randell

Submitted to Contest #281

Laying there in the dark, he listens to the wind howl. Laying there, he listens to the wind howl through the open crack of his window. Laying there under his wool blanket, he tries desperately to block out the cold. With his brother kicking him in the back, trying to force him out from under the covers so they don’t have to share, the winds on the farm do nothing but howl. If not through some split in the wood or break in the house boards, they find it in the barn and project their echo. Even as the winds bring the Christmas snow, they howl ...

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“4 Hours of Sunlight” by Octavio Bolívar

Submitted to Contest #281

My mother’s features were contorted, as if expressing some eternal confusion. Her body, almost childlike in its frailty, wore only blue and white striped pajamas, with slippers to cover her feet. That’s how they found her, just lying there. It was the coldest day of the year so far. I took a slug from a thermos of coffee as the paramedics covered her and loaded her into the back of the ambulance, feeling its warmth travel to my stomach. Bran, my staffordshire terrier, sat loyally by my feet, steam coming from his mouth as he panted. “Even fo...

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“A Winter Tale with Hats” by Seraphim Art

Submitted to Contest #281

- Dinner is ready, my darling!Edith entered the room with alacrity. It was dinner time, 5:50 P.M. sharp. Old handsome Rupert bent his elbows and stretched his fingertips from the inked horizons of his new letter to their daughter, Marjorie. Dear Marjorie,It’s -7 degrees Celsius tonight, and you wouldn’t say it’s the coldest day of the year so far. I would say it’s the oldest day of the year, taking in consideration how I, you old father, feels. But alas, Marjorie, I write to you, for I love thee...

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“The Unexpected Help” by Lee Kendrick

Submitted to Contest #281

The Unexpected HelpLee Kendrick “Yes, Yorkshire does look beautiful covered in snow, Marian, it's just a shame it is so cold; it hasn't been this cold since records began in England!” “Jeffrey, how long do you think it will be until we get to your parents? It's just that Todd and Jenny are rubbing their hands so vigorously because they are so cold -even with their thick gloves on. “Not long now, kids, maybe over an hour,” Jeffrey replied, glimpsing down at his watch, it was 12.30p.m. They had planned on arriving at Jeffrey's parents for...

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“Shadows on Christmas Eve” by Joy Kace

Submitted to Contest #281

Joanna sat alone on the 20th floor of her apartment, staring into the frosted void beyond the window. The storm outside was feral—snowflakes clawed against the glass, and wind howled like a wolf circling its prey. The power had been out for hours, leaving the apartment as cold and lifeless as the memories Joanna spent years trying to escape.It was Christmas Eve, but that no longer meant anything.She had lied to everyone who asked. She wasn’t busy. She wasn’t celebrating. She was hiding—from questions, expectations, and the suffocating weight...

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“Shades of a cold winter day.” by Fahmida Rahman

Submitted to Contest #281

A cold, frosty day carries a unique meaning for each person, touching lives in myriad ways. To some, it is the epitome of beauty and coziness, a season of stillness and introspection. To others, it is a dreary, monotonous trial, an oppressive reminder of harsh realities and enduring struggles. This variance in perception intrigued Nafa as she sat by her frosted window, sipping on a steaming mug of tea. As she gazed out at the quiet, snow-covered world, she pondered the different shades of a cold winter day, realizing how deeply it resonated ...

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“Happy Horror Days” by Jerry Thomas

Submitted to Contest #281

It only took Brian a short while to jump over the fence—or, in more adequate terms, to slide over it. The snow had fallen for three straight weeks, a little here, a little there, but the cold temperatures—the coldest of the year so far—did not allow any of the white stuff to melt, and the accumulation was now over thirteen inches. to this date, nearly eight of the twenty-one days broke a low-temperature record. This unusual cold for the early part of December kept many inside their dwellings with the thermostat on high, a few logs in th...

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“The Day they Grew Cold” by Salma Deen

Submitted to Contest #281

An old man trudged up the hill, his grandson beside him, their breaths visible in the cold. The boy reached up, his small hands brushing the folds of the old man’s keffiyeh, its warmth a stark contrast to the chill around them.The man paused, his finger trembling as he pointed to a house perched on the hill, its walls scarred and silent, its windows hollowed by years of abandonment. “That was ours,” he said, his voice a low tremor that carried the weight of generations.The boy tilted his head, his eyes wide with curiosity. “What happened?” h...

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“The Coldest Day of the Year” by Lara Sgouridis

Submitted to Contest #281

“I’ve never wished to be sweating more than today.” I mumbled to my darling child, Bartholomew, my tabby cat. I trudged my way into my kitchen, checking the thermometer on the wall. -10°C. I don’t think I’d ever seen it so cold. I made my way over to the coffee maker, turning it on. If I was going to make it through the coldest day of the year, I knew I would need some coffee to keep me warm. While the coffee brewed, I leaned on the counter, flinching away once I feel how cold the marble is. I stood in the kitchen, half asle...

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“The Umbrella Brigade” by Sonia So

Submitted to Contest #281

The Umbrella Brigade Picture this: Mei Mei and Leslie step out of their tent, and suddenly, the world bursts into a riot of color. Rain falls gently, hinting at the chaos that’s about to unfold. They raise their umbrellas high, determined guardians against the encroaching silence that surrounds them. That day, September 28, 2014—how vividly it remains in their minds! The movement erupted like a living, breathing thing, fueled by the dreams of countless souls. Students emerged, fierce and resolute, their faces aglow with urgency, ready to cha...

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“What's on my mind when I toss in my sleep. ” by Joseph Lucero

Submitted to Contest #281

The night was freezing, it was the coldest it’s ever been in the desert. There was me, and there was Julian. On this night, Julian killed someone, the clerk it was. And he was killed when he failed on his promise to give us everything. Julian shot him twice in the chest and the radio an hour later was shouting that he had been killed. The clerk’s name was Sam and he was our age. A mere twenty-two. I remember when we left, SoCo was dripping off my lip like spit after a sloppy wet kiss–I thought– what a damn shame, that boy was kinda cute. But...

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“Poor Shirley has a Very Bad Christmas” by Ethan Zimmerman

Submitted to Contest #281

I was walking home from the playground at school when it happened. My friends and I had stayed late to play tag. I was ten years old. It was mid-January and the coldest day of the year. A recent snowfall and a sunny morning left a sheet of black ice on all the sidewalks. Darkness began to fall. Eager to make it home before my mother got mad, I ran down the stairs next to the playground, hit a patch of ice and fell to the ground with all the force of a falling tree. I lay there for a few moments, unable to move and attempting to assess my sit...

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“The Flip” by E.M. O'Hair

Submitted to Contest #281

“I heard the high is 94. They say it’ll be the coldest day all year.” “94? Do you want to try going outside?” I peek through the blinds covering the only window on our dome. “They sky is blue today.” “The pink haze is gone?” “For now, anyway. I haven’t been outside in, well, do you remember the last time?” “I think it was thirty years ago. When the boys were little. We took one last trip to the playground on the west side of town. You remember, the one with the slide shaped like a car.” “Oh, yeah. They loved playing there. I’ll get my sho...

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“Snowed In Lovers” by Fray Crowett

Submitted to Contest #281

Beverly was awoken by the scent of hot chocolate wafting through the room. Followed shortly by an Angel moving the bed sheets out of her face. Or at least someone who looked just as divine. Her girlfriend spoke in a soft voice, “Good morning my love, did you sleep well?” Beverly couldn't help the dopey grin that appeared on her face, “Why yes, yes I did. It also got a whole lot better when my gorgeous girlfriend joined me and I could sleep cuddled against her.” A cute blush crept up Livvy’s face,“Well just so you know, you’re gor...

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“Snow Days” by Dory Nicolas

Submitted to Contest #281

Snow Days by Dor’y Nicolas Minnesota kids grow up ...

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Set your story during the coldest day of the year.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 52 stories

“The Saskatchewan Winter Wind” by Maxx Randell

“4 Hours of Sunlight” by Octavio Bolívar

“A Winter Tale with Hats” by Seraphim Art

“The Unexpected Help” by Lee Kendrick

“Shadows on Christmas Eve” by Joy Kace

“Shades of a cold winter day.” by Fahmida Rahman

“Happy Horror Days” by Jerry Thomas

“The Day they Grew Cold” by Salma Deen

“The Coldest Day of the Year” by Lara Sgouridis

“The Umbrella Brigade” by Sonia So

“What's on my mind when I toss in my sleep. ” by Joseph Lucero

“Poor Shirley has a Very Bad Christmas” by Ethan Zimmerman

“The Flip” by E.M. O'Hair

“Snowed In Lovers” by Fray Crowett

“Snow Days” by Dory Nicolas

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about a mysterious guest who arrives at a party — but no one knows who they are.

Start or end your story with someone receiving a strange — and possibly sinister — gift.

Write a story from the POV of a non-human character.

Write a story that includes the line “Be careful what you wish for.”

Contest #281

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

309

Contest entries

154

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: