Write a story about someone who must fit their entire life in a single suitcase.

Posted in Short Story on Jan 17, 2025

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✍️ 113 stories

“The Doomsday Paradox” by Scott Taylor

Submitted to Contest #286

The night the world ended began with an eerie silence, broken only by the occasional drip of water and the distant chirp of a cricket. As the internet went down, an unnerving silence replaced the hiss of static from my ham radio. Then, a chilling, inhuman voice whispered nearby. I ignored the media's pre-war frenzy and the public's stockpiling until now. My ham radio was my sanity's anchor—until a night of terrifying sounds replaced the static. My desire to flee the chaos likely spread to other global radio operators whom I contacted via rad...

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“Living by the Thumb” by Paul Spreadbury

Submitted to Contest #286

It was 1972. I enlisted in the Marines after graduating high school and was now at home. I had no formal training in any trade nor any clue as to what to do with the rest of my life. So I decided on a whim to hitchhike across the country. I crammed my gunny sack and headed for the highway with less than $3.00 in my pocket. It was the best decision I ever made in my life. The early 70’s were times of adventure, revolution and experimentation in America. Of the three the one that most inspired me was, adventure.&n...

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“The Weight of the Road” by Christopher Keane

Submitted to Contest #286

Luna had always lived out of a suitcase. It wasn’t a choice, but a necessity. A small, weathered leather case, stained and cracked from her years on the road. This was all she owned; no permanent address, no ties, just her and the suitcase, and the next assignment.She learned to keep her life simple. Her entire world folded into that old suitcase—an efficient, well-pruned existence. A set of clothes, spare ammunition, knives with handles worn smooth from use, a few books—mostly to pass the time between assignments—and her tools. Each job was...

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“Baggage” by Amanda Stogsdill

Submitted to Contest #286

Warning: This story contains sensitive content BaggageI already hate this place! Kim screamed inside her head, slouched in the back seat. Beside her lay a ragged duffel bag, containing her few treasured possessions. Having packed in a hurry, Kim hadn't had time to grab anything much, certainly nothing of value."Kim, did you hear me? I explained how your nw home is just for girls." Mrs. Winston sighed from the front, already worn out after another hectic day. Trying to show patience, she continued, "I know you're unhappy. Your mom's in good h...

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“With me, Always” by Sandra Coe

Submitted to Contest #286

Our wedding day was blessed by doves. The undersides of their wings were painted with a non-toxic solution so as they flew overhead, all the different colours bathed us in a rippling rainbow glow. The setting sun cast tangerine glitter over the tide as it rocked back and forth against the shore. It couldn't have been a better day to get married, but it still wasn't beautiful as the moment I first laid eyes on you. It was Christmas in the year 2023. I was standing by the store Christmas tree, adjusting the latest book releases on their...

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“A Lost Suitcase, A Found Life” by MV Grimm

Submitted to Contest #286

I always thought I was the type of person who could handle change. Turns out, I’m not. When my ex-husband, George, remarried six months after our divorce, I cried into my morning coffee, my afternoon tea, and my midnight wine for three days.By the fourth day, I ran out of tears. Or maybe I just ran out of beverages to cry into. Either way, I pulled myself together, slapped on some mascara, and told myself I was fine.I wasn’t fine. So when I booked a solo trip to Greece ‘to find myself’ or whatever talk-show-inspired nonsense people like...

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“Minh Stared Up” by Camden Hoel

Submitted to Contest #286

TW: Sexual violence, gore The Americans were leaving. The last convoy of tanks and soldiers rumbled and marched out of the city streets. A final procession of victory, or what they perceived to be victory. They had on their faces the satisfaction of the gourmet, moving slowly in the wake of their hedonistic revelry. The appetite of their bodies sated by violence, the memories of their inhumanity churned through their lower intestines – to be discarded in some ditch or rice paddy or off the front of a boat. The blades of the helicopters over...

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“Solitaire” by S. L. Potts

Submitted to Contest #286

It starts in school. You ask each other what five things you'd bring if you were stuck on a desert island. Then you grow up a little and the question transforms to hit closer to home, like it's real: what would you grab if your house was on fire? I wonder if the world was always been slowly preparing us for these moments. How many times has this scenario happened in human history? How many diasporas, house fires, evictions, what-have-you, have humans faced all told? Is this just part of our thing, like newborn sea turtles heading towards the...

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“THE MINIMALIST CHALLENGE ” by Maria Barrett

Submitted to Contest #286

The air crackled with anticipation, a nervous energy that buzzed through the crowd gathered at the edge of the sprawling airport tarmac. This wasn't your average departure lounge; this was the culmination of "The Suitcase Life," a reality competition that had captivated the nation. The premise was simple, yet utterly absurd: contestants were given one week to condense their entire lives – possessions, memories, relationships – into a single, regulation-sized suitcase. No exceptions. No excuses. The hangar, a vast, echoing space usually r...

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“New Beginnings” by Paul Hellyer

Submitted to Contest #286

The interior of the pub was clean and tidy, and there were only a few people there. The carpets were vivid, and all of the tables had the sheen of freshly wiped surfaces. It was 10:30am. He was sitting in the smoker’s section, and was currently smoking a cigarette, while his mobile phone was plugged into a power point on the wall. This was the central business district of Sydney city, and as the pub was mostly empty, he assumed most people were in their offices doing work. His black leather suitcase was on the floor ...

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“The Suitcase of Innocence” by Brandie Van Hartesvelt

Submitted to Contest #286

Gravel crunched under the tires of the two-door hatchback, clouds of grey-white dust following them. Susan rode in Mrs. Leche’s car. Her 7th-grade choir teacher had found her sitting outside the school, waiting on her mother, and offered her a ride home. Mrs. Leche glanced at her odometer. ”You said 2.1 miles, so we should be coming up on your place before too long.” Susan pointed at the road ahead. ”Yes, ma’am. First house after the bend.” Mrs. Leche rounded the curve and quickly slowed the car. Something was wrong. Three police cruisers...

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“All That I Am” by Noah Thomas

Submitted to Contest #286

The man awoke in a solitary room, finding his feet he looked about him. Right in front of him, in the middle of the room, was a table with a large open suitcase upon it, a single bright light bulb shining above, and around him, lining the walls of the white box he found himself in, were a myriad of shelves full of various items. The items seemed to have little to no correlation or relation to each other, randomly scattered about on the small space, and while many of them seemed rather insignificant, they o...

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“Foster Resilience” by Virginia King

Submitted to Contest #286

The worn handle of Mia’s suitcase had shaped itself to her grip, as if it were a natural part of her hand. At fifteen, she had already moved through nine foster homes. Each move left its mark on her suitcase—the scuffs along its corners, the fraying zipper that barely held on. It was more than just luggage; it was the only constant in her life, the one possession that truly felt hers. Inside it was her entire world: a few changes of clothes, a book softened by dog-eared pages, a photograph of her mother—more a memory than a person—and a stuf...

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“The Little Brown Suitcase” by Kathrine Williams

Submitted to Contest #286

THE LITTLE BROWN SUITCASE When Kate was born the most unusual thing happened. Although her entrance into this world was unremarkable, a little brown suitcase appeared in the labor and delivery room just after her birth. With all the commotion a newborn brings, the brown suitcase was barely noticed; the nurses stepped around it, the doctor pushed it aside. Then Kate’s dad carried it into his wife’s hospital room, thinking she had brought it along as a necessit...

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“Going, Going and Really Getting Nowhere” by Pete Gautchier

Submitted to Contest #286

Prompt: Write a story about someone who must fit their entire life in a single suitcase. Going, Going, and Really Getting Nowhere I entered the lobby of the hotel to hear the melody of John Denver’s song, Leaving on a Jet Plane. I improvised the lyrics with my words “My bag is packed and I’m ready to go; leaving on a jet plane with certainly no place to go. There’s no one to wake, so no goodbyes. It is dark as can be in the predawn morn. My taxi driver obnoxiously blows the car horn. I am so depressed I look like the...

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Write a story about someone who must fit their entire life in a single suitcase.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 113 stories

“The Doomsday Paradox” by Scott Taylor

“Living by the Thumb” by Paul Spreadbury

“The Weight of the Road” by Christopher Keane

“Baggage” by Amanda Stogsdill

“With me, Always” by Sandra Coe

“A Lost Suitcase, A Found Life” by MV Grimm

“Minh Stared Up” by Camden Hoel

“Solitaire” by S. L. Potts

“THE MINIMALIST CHALLENGE ” by Maria Barrett

“New Beginnings” by Paul Hellyer

“The Suitcase of Innocence” by Brandie Van Hartesvelt

“All That I Am” by Noah Thomas

“Foster Resilience” by Virginia King

“The Little Brown Suitcase” by Kathrine Williams

“Going, Going and Really Getting Nowhere” by Pete Gautchier

🌟 Similar prompts

Center your story around a character who’s struggling to let go.

Write a story about a cherished heirloom that has journeyed through multiple generations.

Center your story around a character who’s afraid of being forgotten.

Write a story with the line “You never know a good thing until it’s gone.”

Contest #286

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

368

Contest entries

146

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: