Write a story that starts and ends in the same place.

Posted in Short Story on Dec 20, 2024

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✍️ 80 stories

“The Letter” by Laura Zientek

Submitted to Contest #282

Jane had made it all the way to the door, her hand raised, before her body locked up and she couldn’t will it into motion. She stood frozen, taking in the details of the door in front of her. The brass knocker that no one really used. The wreath still hanging despite the end of the holidays. The blue paint craggy over the multiple coats layered on year after year. She also noted the lack of camera assisted doorbell technology, thankful that no one would be witness to her indecision. Time passed in a way th...

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“The Tunnels” by Deborah Sanders

Submitted to Contest #282

Bruce was spinning, both literally and figuratively. He was spinning at his desk in his office chair while his mind was spinning on overload. This year was turning into a disaster, a string of disappointments one after the other, bam, bam, BAM. He banged his pencil down hard, causing his notepad to slide along the desk, knocking a virtual reality headset to the ground where his sweatshirt softened its landing. Bruce glanced down at the headset and considered picking it up. It belonged to his brother who had annoyingly left it ...

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“The Sun's Grand Journey” by Kashira Argento

Submitted to Contest #282

Once upon a time, living high above the sleeping planet in her preferred corner of a golden cloud palace was Sol, the young sun. Every morning, she would get out of her comfortable bed of warm light, a perfect circular nest of golden rays, that had been hers since she was born, and start her trip across the heavens just as her mother and grandmother had been doing, before her, since the beginning of times.But this particular morning something felt different. Sol peeped over the eastern horizon and saw shadows darker than usual and areas of t...

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“Christmas Bells in the Air!” by Julie Grenness

Submitted to Contest #282

Christmas Eve, bells were chiming, it was Yuletide again. Cosmic Elke lay in her empty double bed, reflecting on her festive preparations. She had been sending greetings online, hoping everyone had a good year. Being traditional, her family all purchased Christmas cards, and so had some of her gal pals. Maybe it was a chick thing. Personally, this season she gazed at her failing legibility, bemused by the array of cards she felt obliged to post. So, she deployed her trusty computer and printed off enough tags saying. "Best wishes from Elke."...

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“A Foreigner In My Country (أجنبي في بلدي)” by Adam El Nabli

Submitted to Contest #282

I can’t believe I’m standing here. I can’t believe I made it to the final stage. When I registered to take the exam, I didn’t think I stood a chance. Granted, I’m a good student, good with languages, good at the sciences. But, so were all the other students at the exam. Now I’m here in front of this private school, one of the top private schools in the region, only one day away from being offered a full scholarship to complete my last two years of school here. Then, who knows what this may bring me, my family. This could set us up for l...

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“Black Shell” by Jay DeBurgh

Submitted to Contest #282

"Maybe time is a shell and we float along it?" Mabel says. John looks through the glass to the smoke environment where long black suckers curl around static inkwells. He breathes in through his hazmat environmental suit while he watches Mabel, the mother of his child. She breathes in the modified air because she has pressed the red button. But she cannot remember what choosing it means. "How do you know that? Are you guessing?" John asks. Mabel shakes her head and her blue eyes drench to black to show she is communicating with the visitors. ...

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“The Wishbone” by Nick Baldino

Submitted to Contest #282

Moogle’s Hi-Tow is not anyone’s favorite bar. They have a shallow selection of drinks, they don’t decorate for any holidays, the jukebox is a cache of 60’s folk hits, and the bartender (Burt Moogle himself) is at the age where work has become more of a hobby, a place to grump and snicker and scare away all but the most loyal of patrons. Tonight is Christmas Eve, however, and he breaks one of his rules. The store bell tings as Burt finishes draping up a set of multi-colored string lights across the ceiling. He pivots, alone and high on the l...

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“Silent Dusting” by Robert Russell

Submitted to Contest #282

"Run: Routine_Cleaning_15b.exe," a droll but sweet voice said. "Mode: Mobile." A large rectangular cube in the corner of the supply closet opened, unfolded, and expanded to form an automaton. Cobalt, named after her paint job and the many alloys comprising her structure, saluted reflexively. Despite the lack of superior officers around her, it was a good habit to keep, especially in this type of facility. She ran a swath of diagnostics on herself. Everything seemed in order. Cobalt's long and lanky corrugated tube arms were functional ...

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“One And A Half Years” by Alex Harbort

Submitted to Contest #282

OneA walk. the worst of worse to come.I struggle to see. My rose-gold glasses forbid it, let me down once again. So I squint. Streetlights stretch and overlap, but Mom’s silhouette clears. Blonde hair, dark roots and loose curls fall on her black jacket, looking familiar. She perishes, my eyes readjust.“It might be time for some new glasses.”New glasses, just to see less. It’s always too bright, even when there’s no moon or sun and the clouds cover everything that’s not close. Someone painted this town yellow.The doors fall shut quietly, but...

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“Forgetting” by Rhae McKinley

Submitted to Contest #282

Forgetting by Rhae McKinley I walk into the kitchen to take my medicine. Someone has been here again. My dishes aren’t put away in the right places. Some of my food is missing, my favorite nutty buddy’s are completely gone. I just got more at the store. I’ll have to make another trip. The living room is the same. The remote is missing and my blankets are folded wrong. Where are my throw pillows? I finally find the remote in my china cabinet. How odd. This has been going on for several weeks now. I go into a room and things...

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“All the Space She's Left Behind” by Sophie Goldstein

Submitted to Contest #282

“Don’t go,” I tell her.“This will be the last time,” she says.“You said that last time,” I respond.“I mean it this time,” she says, “I’m just getting some of my things.”She looks so beautiful in the moonlight. Her black hair illuminated. Her eyes pleading with me to believe her.“Want me to go with you?” I ask.“No,” she says, “I need to do this on my own.”I nod as if I understand, but really, this moment right here was the stupidest decision either of us ever made.I should have gone with her.I should have been there.Maybe if I had been, she w...

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“Echoes of a Dream” by Elizabeta Zargi

Submitted to Contest #282

In 1988, I met a man who I was convinced I would spend the rest of my life with. It wasn't just a feeling; it was a conviction etched deep into my soul, an unshakable certainty born from the dreams that had haunted me for a year before I ever saw his face. The first dream always began the same way: I was walking up several flights of stairs, each step echoing in an empty, shadowy stairwell. At the top, I would be met with a voice—his voice, though I didn’t know it at the time. The questions came fast, disjointed, and demanding, as thoug...

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“Tiny Slivers” by C.K. Adams

Submitted to Contest #282

Lesley was sitting on his bed, his legs criss crossed with a faded blue and grey backpack beside him. He was examining the shot glass in his hand. Las Vegas was written in gold and white cursive with what he assumed to be casinos behind the lettering. His new foster mother, Mrs. Thomas, peeked her head in the door while she knocked. “Hi, Lesley. I didn’t see Charlotte. Didn’t she come home with you?” Lesley looked at her then back to the shot glass in his hand. “She likes to be...

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“Emptying my Baskets” by Summer Austin

Submitted to Contest #282

The plot for this story is meant to be simple and Plain, we'll see what happens, I'm known to introduce a little twist! Gathering the day's fruit from the vines, Gary hummed a soft tune, "Berry picking is my delight, I do not want to fight," and then he would shift to the next row of grapes, and collect more! His system was almost a hysterical delirium, until all the crates were full, and he plopped down on the little cart seat that was pulled by horses, back to the ranch, then sat at the table and began to sup on some soup.His sister came i...

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“The Last Train” by Roma Khan

Submitted to Contest #282

The station was old-too old. It had been build decades ago, back when the city had grown out of its small town roots and the railroads were the lifeblood of the area. Now, it was a forgotten relic, an abandoned outpost barely noticed by anyone, save for the odd few who found themselves stranded or looking for a momentary escape from their busy lives.It was just past midnight when Lena arrived at the station. The wind was biting, and the air had crisp, eerie stillness to it. The platform stretched out into the darkness, with a single dim ligh...

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Write a story that starts and ends in the same place.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 80 stories

“The Letter” by Laura Zientek

“The Tunnels” by Deborah Sanders

“The Sun's Grand Journey” by Kashira Argento

“Christmas Bells in the Air!” by Julie Grenness

“A Foreigner In My Country (أجنبي في بلدي)” by Adam El Nabli

“Black Shell” by Jay DeBurgh

“The Wishbone” by Nick Baldino

“Silent Dusting” by Robert Russell

“One And A Half Years” by Alex Harbort

“Forgetting” by Rhae McKinley

“All the Space She's Left Behind” by Sophie Goldstein

“Echoes of a Dream” by Elizabeta Zargi

“Tiny Slivers” by C.K. Adams

“Emptying my Baskets” by Summer Austin

“The Last Train” by Roma Khan

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that begins with an apology.

Write a story where a character relives the same event over and over again.

Write a story where someone who has done something wrong seeks a fresh start.

Write a story set in a world of darkness where light is suddenly discovered.

Contest #282

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

267

Contest entries

124

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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