There’s been an accident — what happens next?

Posted in Short Story on Sep 6, 2024

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 70 stories

“Kings of the Sea” by Cory Perales

Submitted to Contest #267

" 8B, ....8B, ...8B" Paul muttered as he sped past the other people on the escalator. He had missed his first departure on the sonic rail and was determined not to repeat his mistake. His new job required attendance at both of the publishing firms, headquarters in Los Angeles and Tokyo. What used to be impossible now was a weekly commute for him and millions of others. An 8-hour flight and nearly six thousand miles squeezed into 30 minutes. He was racing for the sonic rail car and once there he would be sure to make his meeting time this aft...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Shadows on the Highway: A Night of Tragedy” by Vera N

Submitted to Contest #267

The sky had deepened to a dusky blue, the last remnants of sunlight slipping behind the horizon. It was that fleeting hour between evening and night when headlights flickered on and painted long, ghostly streaks of light on the asphalt. The highway hummed with the steady rhythm of cars rushing past, each driver eager to reach their destination before darkness fully set in. Inside the SUV, the family settled into the familiar rhythms of a long drive, the interior lit by the soft glow of the dashboard and the occasional passing streetlight. Th...

0 comments 0

Read story

“A Lack of Leave” by D.C. Reed

Submitted to Contest #267

People hate doctors because they make you sit in a little white room, sipping on a cold spiced latte, knowing it will never taste the same again. The Doctor’s lips are moving, but my world has gone mute. Maybe it’s a lump or something in the bloodwork. Maybe a simple procedure turned anything but. Regardless, in a moment your life shatters, the reality you didn’t even know you were leaning on continuing no longer exists. Your life is flung from a cliff like a leaf from a tree, blowing aimlessly at the mercy of the wind as you try to figure o...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Victim to Hero” by Odiseo Quintin

Submitted to Contest #267

Sometimes blind curves on the highway and power poles become dangerous confederates. A painful experience results when one riding a motorcycle disregards a signpost warning to slow down to 35 mph to safely negotiate the next bend in the road. As a result of the impact of the Harley Davidson Sportster, the overhead wires swung to and fro until a short circuit knocked out electricity to the surrounding area. The steel frame of the Harley was twisted into a shape like a pretzel. Andy’s face had taken the brunt of the blunt force trauma when the...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Hold On” by Breanna Aguiar

Submitted to Contest #267

Have you ever walked a country road at night in the summer? You can hear the crickets all around you, feel the heat coming off the concrete, and it's almost like in that moment...you're the only person on the planet. If I close my eyes and listen, sometimes I can hear the crickets no matter where I am. It's almost like they're always trying to tell me something, if I could just take the time to listen. The only lights you'll ever get out there are the headlights of some kid driving his truck, with the country station turned all the way up. H...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Who did it? ” by Hailee Paul

Submitted to Contest #267

School started back up a month ago, it’s almost like they want to forget what happened like they want to forget my brother was killed in cold blood in this very school, the police still don’t know who did it, so I could very much be going to school with my brothers killer. My brother’s name was Mark he was 18 years old and about to graduate high school, he was excited, and his future got stolen from him. My brother was one year older than me, we had gone to the same school almost our whole lives, we were always very close for some reaso...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Pony Cart Massacre” by Henry Lansing Woodward

Submitted to Contest #267

The Pony Cart Massacre That impact also destroyed the entire cart, including the wheels. The smells of blood, manure, and urine were overpowering, and to my amazement, There was also the smell of gunpowder. It was one of those sparkling August days for which we all waited in great anticipation. The weather in the Pacific Northwest corner of the United States is cold and wet for about eight long months a year. When a day like this comes along, almost everyone is outside in shorts and tee shirts, taking full advantage of th...

0 comments 0

Read story

“AFTER ....THE ACCIDENT?” by Frances Goulart

Submitted to Contest #267

AFTER ……..THE ACCIDENT???? I am staring up at a ceiling that isn’t mine, on a hard mattress in in a bed that definitely isn’t mine, in some kind of nightshirt that I would never have to worn to bed or anywhere else.! Where are my clothes? Where am I? I have to get out of here. What’s this, bandages around my wrists? And what is this tag on my wrist? It says Harrison Carmichael? Who is Harrison Carmichael? My name is Jack. Jack Keller. It’s always been Jack Heller. Is this some kind of jok...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Anything for Love” by Amy B

Submitted to Contest #267

Anything for Love I felt the pain in my head instantly. It was throbbing to the same beat as Taylor Swift singing “Shake it Off” in the background. Who the hell put this song on my radio? My entire mouth tasted like metal. What could that be? I instinctively twisted my body to the right to look at Jay. He was so handsome. My rock. As I started to blink my eyes into focus, I realized he was dripping in blood. His head had a pretty severe gash across it. I’m sure his whole body was messed up but my head focused only on his face. “Baby, baby, ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Tachyon Horizon” by David Dean

Submitted to Contest #267

Part 1: The Tachyon SurgeThe air was thick with anticipation as the head of the science team, Carlos Biltong, stepped onto the podium. He scanned scientists and reporters in front of him, a mixture of fear and confusion etched into their faces. The city of Lima was in turmoil, and the source of that turmoil—an experiment gone terribly wrong—had its roots in the squash court of the Canadian Spacetime Agency. “Good morning, everyone,” Carlos began, with a voice heavy with responsibility. “Without a doubt, we’re all here to address the tachyon ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Aftermath” by Christina Miller

Submitted to Contest #267

TW: Car crash, child death, mental health The whimpers stop. I try once again to twist in my seat, to look at the child in the car behind me, but I still can't. The crushed metal still has my legs held in place, and there's only so much I can turn my upper body. It's not enough to see him. "Jackson? Jackson, baby, you have to stay awake, okay? It'll be fine. They'll be here to help us soon, I promise. Sweetie, please talk to me." Silence. I push harder on the remnants of what was once my front bumper. The other car came out of nowhere...

5 comments 5

Read story

“What happens now?” by Jhordanne Hayles

Submitted to Contest #267

TW: This story speaking on themes of mental illness, suicide, physical abuse. While not graphically described it is mentioned. “ ‘Nobody tells you what happens next.’ Is always the first thing you hear when somebody speaks about death. Except it’s not true is it? Everybody tells you how it’s gonna feel, what they went through, the surreal feeling. The numbness, the stages of grief and how they just can’t get over it. But what happens when death is what brings you closure?” “You cannot say that at your fathers funeral”. My words ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Memory Favorite” by Bill Howard

Submitted to Contest #267

The Memory Favorite God, I really loved that car-even though it already had a messed up windshield;and even though I knew I wouldn't be having it for too long because it was getting too old,and I had no place for a 13- year-old 1960 Pontiac Star Chief with big fins, a spacious back seat to sleep in, and a huge trunk to store my books, LP's, and and backpack full of outdoor gear. It was sky blue-just like Paul Newman's famous VW bug racing car and Montana's famous “big sky.” My friend Andy had told me there should be “45,000 more miles on the...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Don't Sneeze” by Sydney Nyberg

Submitted to Contest #267

“They found you in the parking lot behind Panera,” my sister said, standing beside my hospital bed. I wasn’t sure what she wanted me to say—this wasn’t even my darkest moment, far from it, just the only one her and my mother were privy to, because Frank was up in Michigan—so I just said, “Oh.”“I guess the drive-thru worker was taking orders and noticed you laying there on the ground and called 9-1-1. And she saw your shirt and figured you worked next door, so she went and told them so that they could call your emergency contact, bu...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Out of the Fog” by Donna Sims

Submitted to Contest #267

Trigger warning: contains inappropriate under-age relationships I never expected that the one day my mom made me walk to school, I would witness such a scene. Usually, Mom drives me. This morning, she needed to rush into work an hour earlier than expected, and Aunt Susie, my backup, was on vacation. I walked downstairs just as she was leaving. “Oh, honey!” She said. “I was leaving you a note. Sorry, but I need to get to the office before Mrs. Thomas does. She’s expecting the earnings report on her desk before eight a....

3 comments 3

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story with two characters who meet for the first time — and one of them has a secret.

Short Story – 83 stories

Your character overhears something that changes their path.

Short Story – 38 stories

Write a story set against the backdrop of a storm.

Dramatic – 106 stories

Your character wants something very badly — will they get it?

Short Story – 60 stories

Contest #267

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Overcoming Obstacles with Writers Ink

$250

Prize money

357

Contest entries

126

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Sep 13, 2024 EST

Won by Fi Riley 🏆

Title: One-Mississippi, two-Mississippi

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

There’s been an accident — what happens next?

Submissions are closed

✍️ 70 stories

“Kings of the Sea” by Cory Perales

“Shadows on the Highway: A Night of Tragedy” by Vera N

“A Lack of Leave” by D.C. Reed

“Victim to Hero” by Odiseo Quintin

“Hold On” by Breanna Aguiar

“Who did it? ” by Hailee Paul

“The Pony Cart Massacre” by Henry Lansing Woodward

“AFTER ....THE ACCIDENT?” by Frances Goulart

“Anything for Love” by Amy B

“Tachyon Horizon” by David Dean

“Aftermath” by Christina Miller

“What happens now?” by Jhordanne Hayles

“The Memory Favorite” by Bill Howard

“Don't Sneeze” by Sydney Nyberg

“Out of the Fog” by Donna Sims

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story with two characters who meet for the first time — and one of them has a secret.

Your character overhears something that changes their path.

Write a story set against the backdrop of a storm.

Your character wants something very badly — will they get it?

Contest #267

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

357

Contest entries

126

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: