Start a story with someone receiving a message from their past self, warning them of the consequences of their actions.

Posted in Short Story on Sep 13, 2024

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✍️ 33 stories

“Don't Go” by Kathy Hayes

Submitted to Contest #268

Kitty put toothpaste on her brush and began brushing her teeth. She brushed for a full two minutes, then bent over, filled her mouth with water and spit into the sink. She raised up and saw herself, a much older self, in the mirror.“Don’t go,” the image said.Kitty, age thirty-five, covered her eyes with her hands. “Well, I am losing it. Got to reduce the caffeine and sugar.”Kitty was not diabetic, but she was prediabetic. She pulled a diabetic blood meter from the bathroom drawer and had just pricked her finger and in...

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“Backward Advancements” by Andrea Krist

Submitted to Contest #268

The sun-bleached envelope was no longer crisp but textured with a layer of age. John slid his gnarled fingers along the dried-out seal so he could wheedle out its contents. A folded piece of paper dropped to his lap followed by a second. His name was written on the top of each: one with the notation "age 20" written beneath and one tagged "age 25." The familiar handwriting on them was the same script as on the front of the envelope. It was his handwriting. He lowered the envelope to his lap with trembling hands and opened the page labeled "a...

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“Breaking Free” by Liliana Tricks

Submitted to Contest #268

Isabella overhears Jameson boasting about his infidelities with his new lover Molly. Exposing his true feelings about their relationship. This revelation is the final straw, the one to break the camels back. It will be what changes her path, leading her to realize the truth about Jameson and ultimately empowering her to move on and reclaim her life. The overheard conversation serves as both the sadest and inspiring moment that shifts her perspective and sets her on a new course to new beginnings.Isabella sat on the edge of her bed, the soft ...

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“The Border of the Red Choice” by Anna Rajmon

Submitted to Contest #268

The old wooden rocking chair in the corner of the room looked so cosy, almost inviting her to sit down, and she couldn’t resist. She took her favourite book, already halfway through a story that had captivated her with its gripping narrative. She settled in and looked ahead. Through the window, she saw the true essence of autumn. It was the perfect time to read in warmth, with a view of nature’s variety. Outside, colourful leaves fluttered in the air, mingling with the raindrops. She got comfortable and opened the book, eager to continue. Li...

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“Leave Me” by S.d. Schwarz

Submitted to Contest #268

Dear Future Self, You’re welcome. I can’t believe I finally did it. Honestly, some days I wonder how I’m still doing it. But things have gotten easier, more peaceful, more serene. I never thought I’d say those words, and even writing them now, I don’t entirely believe this is my new reality. Yet here I am, lying on my baby-blue beach towel on my stomach, warm beach sand surrounding me, a bright yellow sun baking my shoulders and back golden-brown. It smells like saltwater and sunscreen with a side of Tequila (margaritas on the be...

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“Video Calls” by D.C. Reed

Submitted to Contest #268

It’s so bizarre… So, so, so bizarre. When was the last time you accidentally dialed your own phone number? You’re playing on your phone and suddenly a robotic female voice is saying: Please enter your password. Then hit pound. It happens about once, maybe twice a week to me. Typically, when my phone takes that trip from the hand to the pocket. The last time I did it was actually pretty memorable because I was presenting quarterly reports and the magical butt fairy didn’t only dial, but also hit the speaker button. The last tim...

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“It is done” by Danyelle Mustafa

Submitted to Contest #268

So many boxes. Ronald thought it was likely best to toss them all in the bin at this point. These forever residents of the garage have been moved from house to house, but he can't remember having opened even one of them in years. It's time to move them once again but not to another house. Now that he is “older” it's time to downsize. A rather nice 60 years and up community is the next and likely final address he will have. At 81 Ron is retired and living alone. He has no reason to maintain “appearances” with this overlarge home and its immac...

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“The Message” by Artistry Alleys

Submitted to Contest #268

The MessageIt was a quiet Thursday evening that crept up on you when the week had already worn you thin. Emily sat at her small kitchen table, mindlessly scrolling through her phone. She had finished work hours ago, but her mind was still swimming in reports, deadlines, and the usual office gossip. The refrigerator's hum was the only sound in the room, a gentle reminder that life was moving forward—whether she liked it or not.Her phone vibrated on the table as she leaned back to sip her tea. A notification popped up—an email. Nothing unusual...

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“The player” by Laura Camacho Frias

Submitted to Contest #268

When I opened the wardrobe that morning, the rod collapsed, and a pile of clothes fell at my feet. I was late for work, the kids were fighting about which snack to bring to school, and I had a tremendous headache due to the lack of sleep sponsored by my dear husband's snoring. In other words, it was a regular day in our household. After all, what would it be like to live without a bit of excitement? That's what my mother usually told me. Still, I am sure she's only able to say it out loud because she lived alone, in a calm and silent environ...

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“The message from my inner child” by Marta Juarez

Submitted to Contest #268

I woke up agitated. My heart was pounding fast. The image from the dream stayed intact, refusing to fade away. A barefoot girl stood in the middle of a completely dark path, raising her hand and telling me, _ STOP, DON'T GO FURTHER! I approached her slowly and saw her little face bathed in tears. To my surprise, I recognized her. It was me! It was my little girl… I ran to hug her and held her tightly against my chest... When I tried to lift her, the image faded, and I woke up with a scream. I sat in bed, my mind circling around t...

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“For the rest of my life” by Sonia Młynarczyk

Submitted to Contest #268

As Vipsanius opened the locket, the voice from inside rang loud and clear. „Please, please, remember me when I’m gone“ The feminine voice sounded breathless, teary, and almost desperate. After a second came a response. „Of course I will. For the rest of my life“ This one was well known to everyone gathered around Vipsanius in witnessing this decisive moment. The voice was his own, gruff but always level. Only, in these words it had a tone they had never heard before – frail, choked up, almost sobbing. Falling apart....

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“Late Night Pizza” by Sachita Saravanan

Submitted to Contest #268

“Hey, this is Pizza Hut, how can I help you?” Summer chirped. The phone was cradled between her shoulder and ear, her hand swatting away the black cat that was perched near the drive-through window, “Hello? This is Pizza Hut, what’s your order?” “Is this Summer Whitfield?” A hoarse voice echoed on the other end of the phone. A few gasps and jagged breathing were heard, combined with what seemed like nails being dragged against the walls. Summer took the phone in her hand, pulling it away from her ear before responding, “Hello? Who is this?” ...

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“Early and Late” by Noah Graham

Submitted to Contest #268

Since the Roman Empire it was known in certain occult circles that you could invoke spells to see the future. They required a young child new to life and an elderly person close to death to work together. The elderly person couldn’t benefit from seeing the future because they’d be dead before it arrived, the child couldn’t benefit because they were too young to understand or remember; and so it was mostly useless and unused. By 2000 however people had the ability to make recordings and program emails to be sent years later. As far as I...

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“The Faceless” by Dahlia Z. Leblanc

Submitted to Contest #268

I let my eyes wander on the ivory-hued page, the color a proof of its age. It took a while for me to fully read the words that were written on the paper, my excitement was making it hard to focus. At last, my eyes focused on the ink. The black letters stand out on the aged page.“If this works. If my project is to be successful, there are a few consequences I will have to carry. First, the grief of their parents. Second, my guilt (?) Or that is what I should feel, what anyone would expect me to feel but I can hardly imagine it. Third, there i...

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“3 Jolts Awake In a Battery-Powered Car ” by Dane Andersen

Submitted to Contest #268

You wake up like the beating of a war drum announcing the bliss and pity of the day; like the ponderous sky self reflectively questions its own existence; as a gray seal gasps for air after a hunt; like a child who attempts to prove they are worthy of the next karate belt in every damn class; like a jet streams anger builds toward every self-righteous American airline's platinum member whose ever complained as if their money should be able to bend the weathers very well to their schedule; like someone who has just exposed the false prophet s...

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Start a story with someone receiving a message from their past self, warning them of the consequences of their actions.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 33 stories

“Don't Go” by Kathy Hayes

“Backward Advancements” by Andrea Krist

“Breaking Free” by Liliana Tricks

“The Border of the Red Choice” by Anna Rajmon

“Leave Me” by S.d. Schwarz

“Video Calls” by D.C. Reed

“It is done” by Danyelle Mustafa

“The Message” by Artistry Alleys

“The player” by Laura Camacho Frias

“The message from my inner child” by Marta Juarez

“For the rest of my life” by Sonia Młynarczyk

“Late Night Pizza” by Sachita Saravanan

“Early and Late” by Noah Graham

“The Faceless” by Dahlia Z. Leblanc

“3 Jolts Awake In a Battery-Powered Car ” by Dane Andersen

🌟 Similar prompts

Your character gets everything they ever wanted — only to realize the true cost.

Write a story about someone seeking forgiveness for their past actions.

A character’s life of deceit unravels as their past catches up with their present. What are the consequences?

Center your story around a character’s attempt to escape a bad situation that inadvertently leads them back to the source of their problems.

Contest #268

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

286

Contest entries

128

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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