Set your story in a kitchen, either early in the day or late at night.

Posted in Short Story on Sep 27, 2024

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✍️ 85 stories

“Meaty” by Susan O'REILLY

Submitted to Contest #270

Ah, a brand new slab of fresh meat. It took a lot of time and energy getting it too here and deserves my full attention to make it perfect, or at least tastier than the last time. I’ve gotten myself a hook to hang the meat don’t know exactly what this is for, I’ve heard the term curing being mentioned but for me it's just an easy way to admire my catch. The word reminds me of healing but there ain’t no doctor that can heal this creature. As I place the meat on the hook a pool of blood begins to form and congeal at my feet, this is a messy bu...

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“Making Tortillas with Mom” by Katy Dream

Submitted to Contest #270

Roxy sat in the living room playing with her dolls. She told her dad goodbye as he left to go to work at his night job at his company.Setting her dolls down she ran into the kitchen just as she heard her mom humming in the kitchen to the radio. “There you are!” Her Mom said. “Did you come to help me? Remember that I told you your uncles are coming over tonight for dinner?” Her Mom said. “Oh yay!” Roxy clapped her hands together. She remembered it was Saturday night and it was he...

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“The Recipe” by Jennifer Luckett

Submitted to Contest #270

Love is messy. Some people can’t live without it, the chaos and the confusion, and they will give everything for love. Charlie never understood the fuss, content to work and find fulfillment in her friendships. “You just haven’t met the right person, Char,” Her best friend Mary rinsed a plum in the sink. “Do you want anything else while I'm in here?”She yanked another eggroll from the box. “No thanks Mar, I’m good."“Are you really, though?" Mary sank into the armchair and pried the tag from the wrinkled skin of her fruit. "You need some...

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“Gluten-Free” by Salvatore Amico

Submitted to Contest #270

Amanda and Piero had celebrated the housewarming of their new apartment last night with friends and family. It had been an evening filled with laughter, toasts, and memories they would carry with them into this new chapter of their lives. The music filled the spaces as their guests enjoyed chatting and dancing. The apartment, with its white walls and minimalist decor, was alive with color and vibrancy, reflecting the joy of the moment. Now, as the sun began to rise and rays of light filtered through the curtains, Piero found himself in the k...

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“Farm to Table” by Mindy Reed

Submitted to Contest #270

It was before sunrise when Lucille looked down at the cast iron skillet on top of her range. “Sunny-side up,” she whispered. That is what her grandmother used to call fried eggs. She held the brown shelled egg in the palm of her right hand and thought, I’ve never tasted a fried egg as good as my grandmother made. She sighed. “And I’ve never been able to duplicate her technique,” she muttered. She placed the room temperature egg in the ramakin. She leaned against the counter and thought ab...

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“Taking in the Laundry” by Tempest Phoenix Smith

Submitted to Contest #270

Early one morning from her kitchen window, Grannie Annie studied the storm clouds speeding toward the village. Next door’s clothes danced, pegged out on the line strung over the new family’s back garden. She only had a nodding acquaintance with them so far, but they seemed nice enough. The little boy had not come to Storytime at the library yet on a Saturday morning, but she expected he would in time. She knew she would tell the right story for him when he did. After a moment’s consideration, she realised that nobody would be home in ...

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“In the Kitchen in the Dark” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #270

It was very late at night, and the two of them were standing motionless in the kitchen. She stood in front of the stove, with her back to it. George was a few steps back, facing his wife Gwendolyn, and the stove behind her. It had long been their favourite place in the house, with so many good times there, and so many memories. They had once talked about having sex in the kitchen. A couple they knew had told them about their experience doing that on one occasion. But they had just laughed it off as a joke.&nbsp...

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“Black Coffee” by Sydney Matuska

Submitted to Contest #270

Tink, tink, tink.The dark liquid dripped from the machine into the glass pot. A few splotches already coated the bottom in a thin layer speckled with grounds. The murky liquid bled into the darkness that engulfed the kitchen. “Margie, come to bed.”“What time is it?” She didn’t turn from the pot in front of her.“It’s three in the morning, sweetie. Come to bed.” Creak, creak, creak.He stopped just behind her. Margie turned with a sigh, leaning against the counter. He dipped his chin to look at her, dark brows furrowed, the corners of...

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“Kitchen Confessions” by Jim Parker

Submitted to Contest #270

Kitchen ConfessionsCorrine walked down the hall into the kitchen just as the sun’s morning rays were coming through the front window over the dining room table and striking the kitchen cabinets. Jimmy stood at the counter whipping something in a bowl. He was wearing jeans, hiking boots, and a t-shirt with a picture of Barbara Eden’s Genie on the front and the words “Yes Master” on the back. Corine was surprised to see him armed to the teeth with two hunting knives, a .45 on his belt, and a Samurai sword slung over his shoulder. &n...

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“Cougar in the Kitchen” by Bailey Skater

Submitted to Contest #270

CW: Murder, death, all of that jazz.The clock on the wall struck 11:00 p.m., the hum of the refrigerator the only sound cutting through the silence of the sleek kitchen. Sylvia, blonde and beautiful, the CEO of a mega tech company, stood poised like a queen in her marble palace. She sipped from her glass of Merlot, the wine dark as blood. Her eyes, icy blue, fixated on the vial of cyanide sitting innocently on the counter top, a lethal promise in its tiny glass casing.The world seemed still as she held it in her hand, cold like the winter ni...

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“Restless” by C. Charles

Submitted to Contest #270

I feel my dog rest her head on the edge of the bed at my back. I sigh and look up to check the time. 2:43 A.M. My love is sleeping next to me and facing away, her breath slow and rhythmic like waves rolling gently against the sand. My dog sets her head down again, harder this time, and lets out a soft, airy whimper. “All right, all right,” I whisper to her as I roll over and throw the blankets off. I haven’t really slept yet tonight—I’ve drifted and dozed and my mind has wandered into that strange place where everything and nothing makes se...

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“On The Altar of her Tuscan Farmhouse” by CG Casci

Submitted to Contest #270

I’m in the kitchen cooking when the telephone rings. Onions are sweating, spinach defrosting and the meat is ready to go in. Ignore it. A sales call. Puccini is on at full volume as he often is when I cook, and the family is out. The telephone keeps ringing, Renata Scotto keeps singing and I keep cooking. Someone must win. But it could be family, run out of money, cancelled trains, school problems. ‘What are you doing?’ a woman’s voice on the other end. ‘What?’ I say. ‘Is this double glazing, appliance insurance or full-on scam?’ ‘Don’t...

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“My Journey To Nicasio” by Webb Johnson

Submitted to Contest #270

My Journey to Nicasio The alarm clock jarred me out of a dreamy slumber. I yawned, stretched, and gazed at the lazily spinning ceiling fan before tossing off the quilt and pushing my bony feet into cushy lambswool slippers. Using a cane I walked warily across the carpet to my veranda where I drew a long breath of honeysuckle-scented air and viewed the radiant sunrise. Today, September 2, 2006, is my birthday. I’m one hundred years old. It’s a serene morning, but a century of calms before storms brings a flurry of pins and needles. Later to...

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“Demon Apathy” by Jarrel Jefferson

Submitted to Contest #270

tw: suicide, gore “I don’t know about you, but I’m sick and tired of feeding my kids disgusting vizkus for every meal,” said the TV mother. The first thing I noticed was the black fungi sprouting on top of her head through her hair. “I miss the good ol’ days when we could eat bacon, turkey, and yams. But now, all we got is vizkus. Worse of all, our children can’t get enough of the stuff.” She turned away from the camera. “Oh, Timmy! Shelby! Breakfast is ready.” She set two plates of plain vizkus on the kitchen table. A little boy and his sis...

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“A New Space with a Familiar Face ” by D North

Submitted to Contest #270

We haven’t spoken in nearly a year. We agreed for him to join me at 8am. I am an hour ahead, which is pushing it; but if I time things right, I can actually pull this off. One thing I’m glad about is tidying up last night. The scene of a clean kitchen is an instant motivator to cook a delicious meal. I pulled the seasoned cast iron skillet from the oven, and placed it on the stove. I grabbed my yellow potatoes from the storage bin and went to work at dicing them into one-inch sized pieces. I grabbed my mixing bowl from the l...

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Set your story in a kitchen, either early in the day or late at night.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 85 stories

“Meaty” by Susan O'REILLY

“Making Tortillas with Mom” by Katy Dream

“The Recipe” by Jennifer Luckett

“Gluten-Free” by Salvatore Amico

“Farm to Table” by Mindy Reed

“Taking in the Laundry” by Tempest Phoenix Smith

“In the Kitchen in the Dark” by John Steckley

“Black Coffee” by Sydney Matuska

“Kitchen Confessions” by Jim Parker

“Cougar in the Kitchen” by Bailey Skater

“Restless” by C. Charles

“On The Altar of her Tuscan Farmhouse” by CG Casci

“My Journey To Nicasio” by Webb Johnson

“Demon Apathy” by Jarrel Jefferson

“A New Space with a Familiar Face ” by D North

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story in the form of a recipe.

Start or end your story with two people discussing an important matter over a meal.

Write a story inspired by the saying “Revenge is a dish best served cold.”

Write a story about someone searching for a missing ingredient, literally or metaphorically.

Contest #270

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

341

Contest entries

134

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: