Start your story with the lines: “The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here.”

Posted in Short Story on Feb 7, 2025

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✍️ 109 stories

“Lost” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #289

Lost “The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here.” “You don’t know how you got here? That is unbelievable. You don’t remember me p...

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“A Second Chance” by Meagan Van De Sande

Submitted to Contest #289

“The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here.” The uncertainty in my voice is impossible to mask. I know this isn’t technically real but the sweat forming on my upper lip and the heart beating out of my chest are both very real and I don’t know how to make either stop. “What do you see when you look around the room?” Lorraine’s soft voice and light squeeze of the hand assure . “Don’t worry, I’m here with you.” My eyes remain closed, straining to take in the scene that encompasses my mind and leave my fears and the physical behi...

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“The Room I Knew ” by Olivia Bennett

Submitted to Contest #289

The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here. My eyes are trying to adjust to the sliver of light that is being let in by the faded pink curtains that are only a breath apart. Before sitting up, I bring the covers up to my nose and take a sniff into sheets that aren’t bringing much comfort. With one inhale I can smell the lavender and soap fused together that didn’t fully get mixed through, as the comforter was obviously too big for both the washer and dryer. When I finally get the courage to sit up and take in my surroundings I...

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“Far Away ” by J.M. Larjak

Submitted to Contest #289

This room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here. I look around and see a wall of bookshelves ahead, and another of windows. I’m standing here alone in the center of the room, on a soft carpet. It’s red and gold, and it looks a little like one I saw a long time ago, somewhere far away. I used to travel places, far away. Did I come here from far away? Did Dennis bring me? Where is he?There are two large, gray couches in the room. I’ve been looking for a couch like these; I wonder where they got them? I should ask. They look soft. Maybe I’...

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“Fate” by Laura Barclay

Submitted to Contest #289

The room is unfamiliar. I don't know how I got here. The last thing I remember was being attacked by my ghosts. My Mother is gone, and everything reminds me of her. I thought playing the songs that were lullabies would give me peace. When that didn't work, I went to the loudest place I could think of. I probably should have alerted my bodyguard, but what haunts me didn't give me the chance to pause. As all the stars seemed to align in the wrong ways, Jo found me. As I pull back, he has the nerve to insinuate going home with him. I thou...

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“Friends Worth Pulling the Trigger For” by Mel HW

Submitted to Contest #289

TW: Sexual content, profanityThe room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here, thought Liv, her eyes adjusting to the light creeping in through the broken blinds. Her lips stuck together, locking in a taste she could only describe as cat piss. Her brain pulsed, expanding against her skull, squeezing its way through her ears. The room smelled like the aftermath of a rave. Sheets touched her bare skin. She found a pile of dark, shiny hair on a naked pillow beside her.“Please don’t be ugly,” she whispered, hovering over the man lying on his ...

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“Finding Lenore” by Freedom Leigh

Submitted to Contest #289

“The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here.” I stared blankly at the woman in front of me.“What is the last thing that you remember, Miss.”“That’s just it. I don’t remember any particular thing that happened recently. I mean-I remember my childhood and stuff like that but-we-ell, I think that I came to Redding because my sister—something about my sister.”“What is your name?”There was a long silence. Several times the second hand passed the twelve. Still no answer. “You don’t remember your name do you.” She gazed at me gently. “It’s...

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“Something Familiar” by Beau Daniel

Submitted to Contest #289

"The room is unfamiliar. I don't know how I got here." Beau thinks in thought. Of all the places she adventured to with no direction in sight, she always seemed to land within at least de-ja-vu visuals. But, this place lacked reason to use words as missiles, weapons for defense, or an extra layer to keep her warm which is why this room is not familiar. Clay smooth interior constructed the room that swallowed her. Sun beams dashed through a window to her right, where one would be delighted to howl happily at the moon come night. "Are you goin...

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“Breakfast Epiphanies” by Darren Horton

Submitted to Contest #289

The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here. That is, I can’t remember arriving. The reason I’m here, I do know. I fell off the wagon. As is often the case, when I begin to find my bearings after the tumble, I start from a place I don’t recognise.The last time I fell off was nine months ago. The wagon had been climbing a steep incline for what felt like forever, but I managed to keep control long enough to make it to the crest of a hill, looking forward to some respite. The breather was short lived. There was little flat road to enjo...

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“The Other Time” by Alexa Intrator

Submitted to Contest #289

The Other TimeThe room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here.I wake up to silence and the bed I’m in has a dark wood headboard, dark wood slats, slightly dented. The ceiling has a single lamp, with a floral fabric lampshade. Odd, almost Victorian? Who chose this décor? I would have preferred a Tiffany shade with colors fanning across the room to this fading cloth. Am I correcting my own dream? Or maybe it isn’t a dream.I hear a rustling sound a plump woman who looks like a 19th century maid comes in.“Coffee or tea will it be?” she ...

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“Three Years” by Megan Flanagan

Submitted to Contest #289

Note: this story contains triggers of self-harm, language, and attempted murder. Three Years. The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here. I thought to myself as I woke up. I noticed I was connected to all sorts of machines and tubes. I hit the call button and a nurse came rushing into where I was. “Oh my god! You’re awake,” The nurse said as she pulled a tube from my mouth. “Where am I? How did I get here?” I asked. “Well, you were brought in here three years ago. You tried to commit suicide,” The nurse said as she help...

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“The axe of revenge” by E. Roux

Submitted to Contest #289

The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here. What is this place? My gaze flies around the dark and cold space I’ve been awakened. Through the paint yellow light, coming from somewhere I cannot locate at the moment, I see dark stone walls and engraved surfaces. Strong pain crushes like a wave to my skull from within. Have I been injured? I feel numb and painful, in more parts than just my head. If yes, then I cannot locate the source of it as my whole body feels uncomfortably stretched. I narrow my eyes, in the hope of seeing somethin...

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“The White Hall Dash” by Marisa Million

Submitted to Contest #289

The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here. I rose from the crinkly paper used as a mattress and yawned. Slowly but surely light filled my eyes like the sun usually would. I blinked and looked to my left to see a pure white wall. I suddenly realized I didn’t know where I had been taken to. I jumped out of the small white cot I had been unconscious on, my back hurting like hell. The hard pillow and mattress didn’t do my back any favors. I looked to my right, and I saw a humongous mirror that covered the entire wall. I wouldn’t have n...

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“Cryo-Wakened” by Christopher Ball

Submitted to Contest #289

“The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here.” These were the initial thoughts he had as he noticed the deep, bone chilling cold that coursed through his body as his eyes fluttered open inside the dimly lit chamber. A sharp needle like sensation seemed to prick every part of him as the circulation fought its way back. He gasped, his visible breath misting in the air. The walls were a dull metal and there was a hum vibrating beneath him. He was lying in a cryo-pod, the lid cracked open. Beyond it, a sterile, windowless room stretched ...

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“Memories Forgotten” by Ashley Lauren

Submitted to Contest #289

The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here. Those were the first thoughts that Addie had after they woke up. Well, after the thought about how much their head hurt, which made the room a little unfocused on top of it being unfamiliar. Addie reached their hand up to check for any sort of injuries, but the only thing they felt was their short, teal hair. No blood, no cuts, no bumps. So, if their head was injured, it was just bruising, or internal. Addie wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up w...

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Start your story with the lines: “The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here.”

Submissions are closed

✍️ 109 stories

“Lost” by Joe Swanson

“A Second Chance” by Meagan Van De Sande

“The Room I Knew ” by Olivia Bennett

“Far Away ” by J.M. Larjak

“Fate” by Laura Barclay

“Friends Worth Pulling the Trigger For” by Mel HW

“Finding Lenore” by Freedom Leigh

“Something Familiar” by Beau Daniel

“Breakfast Epiphanies” by Darren Horton

“The Other Time” by Alexa Intrator

“Three Years” by Megan Flanagan

“The axe of revenge” by E. Roux

“The White Hall Dash” by Marisa Million

“Cryo-Wakened” by Christopher Ball

“Memories Forgotten” by Ashley Lauren

🌟 Similar prompts

Write your story as text messages or an online conversation between two characters — and at least one of them isn’t who they say they are.

Write an open-ended story in which your character’s fate is uncertain.

Write a story in which a character discovers that a truth they've believed their whole life is either false or not the whole story.

Your character is getting changed in the bathroom of a nightclub or restaurant, then emerges looking completely different. Why?

Contest #289

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

364

Contest entries

155

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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