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 Circle of the Window” by Elvar Thorne

Submitted to Contest #282

The pale morning light filtered through the perfect circle of the window, hesitant, as if unsure about crossing the threshold. In the air, particles of dust swirled in slow spirals, moving in sync with the solitary ticking of the clock on the wall. Elias sat on a wooden chair that groaned under his weight, holding a cup of cold tea. His eyes were fixed on the circular window, as if it were more than glass, more than a frame for the outside world—perhaps a portal, or an inverted mirror. He knew it well. For years, it had been the focal point ...

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“Six Blocks Away” by Anjane Nathan

Submitted to Contest #282

The pharmacy counter hasn't changed in twenty years. Same faded blue laminate, same flickering fluorescent light that makes everyone look sickly, same ancient blood pressure machine with its cracked display. I'm standing exactly where I stood at twelve years old, watching my grandmother collect her prescriptions with the carefully curated dignity of someone who has turned loneliness into an art form. She's here now, thin shoulders draped in a cardigan despite the June heat, counting out exact change from a coin purse that's probably as old a...

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“Missing Ingredient” by Tempest Phoenix Smith

Submitted to Contest #282

Sethaster ascended the ladder that gave access to the higher shelves of the scriptorium bookcases. The young mage deliberately did not think of what he was looking for in case such thoughts propelled the precious item to hide itself elsewhere. Some magical ingredients possessed enough awareness to elude the seeker.But when he could look over the edge, he only saw dust and, in a far corner, the headless skeleton of a mouse that Grimmer must somehow have carried up here to enjoy undisturbed and then only eaten the head. He was used to finding ...

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“The Spider Story” by Ed Tasca

Submitted to Contest #282

The Spider Story - Ed Tasca Stan and Emily had an unresolved marital secret. Stan hated going to parties thrown by Emily’s friends but never said so, and Emily knew it but pretended not to. “I’ll give you a quick capsule of what Edgar’s book is all about while we drive. So you know what everybody is talking about at the party,” Emily said as Stan and Emily climbed into their car. Stan seldom read a novel except when everyone else he knew had read it and his friends talked about it at poker. Stan liked books abo...

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“Goodbye to the Mother Road” by Cliff Mansfield

Submitted to Contest #282

The silver Quonset huts of the Marine Corps Logistic Base, Barstow, glistened in the sunshine of the Mojave Desert. Jake Sanford sat on an old picnic bench alongside Route 66 and waited for the 10:00am bus to Barstow. Jake pulled out orders received in the mail and reread to make sure he got all the details right. He was being assigned to the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Da Nang, Vietnam. The orders were dated June 10, 1969. He would land in Vietnam on Friday the 13th. His time at MCLB Barstow introduced him to the monotony of l...

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“Winter solstice (farewell)” by Fi Riley

Submitted to Contest #282

According to Maggie, the yew tree at the end of the garden had been planted the day she was born. Standing in that very spot for seventy three years, four months and eighteen days. But a week before the winter solstice, on the day that Maggie died, the tree surrendered to a storm, was uprooted, and landed on its side, dead. Nora wasn’t partial to believing in the supernatural, but as she stood now before the wreckage of the tree, had to accept the strong synergy at work. ‘Just think, Nor,’ Maggie would say to her. ‘My grandfather, your...

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“Catch Me if You Can” by Brylee Nettles

Submitted to Contest #282

CONTENT WARNING: This story contains themes of psychiatric illness and violence. I apologize if the details regarding these topics are inaccurate. I tried my best based on my own knowledge and research. My office is frigid; I can practically see my own breath as I exhale. The walls are a plain beige color, the kind of color where you wonder about the mental state of the one who chose the color to be plastered all over the building. I peer down at my now-stale cup of coffee- black, with no sugars or creamers- and see the faint outline of m...

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“Pills” by Vince Roman

Submitted to Contest #282

Maggie propelled herself into the sterile, clinical embrace of the emergency ward. Her young son, a blond-haired boy with ebony eyes that shouted louder than any silence he ever maintained, lingered behind. His little hand clutched his arm as if it were his only connection to reality. Maggie's words sliced through the rumble of hospital machinery and low-voiced discussions. "Cycling mishap," she declared in a tone as sharp as a scalpel. "Possible break. Needs medical care." The receptionist, a woman whose maturity had been sweetene...

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“‘Here and Now’” by Lindsay Burns

Submitted to Contest #282

Desperate. That’s how Carla felt. Desperate to shove through the tight-knit group of tourists in front of her on the escalator. She weighed up a few possible manœuvres, but decided each held a high risk of sending them all toppling like dominoes, which would delay her even further. So she stared at her feet instead, wondering how often she’d stood on this particular step before, trying to find something unique about it for future reference. She focussed on a red bead wedged between the metal. ‘I’ll make a mental note of that bead,...

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“Once Upon a Christmas Eve” by Kristina Hopper

Submitted to Contest #282

“I guess I’m sorry.” “You guess?” Ryles Bennett shifted in his seat. “Okay. Okay. I don’t guess. I’m sorry.” Kit Barren looked at Ryles with a look of exasperation and let out a heavy sigh. “Whatever.” Ryles looked down at his phone. There were numerous messages from his fantasy football group chat. Didn’t score any points. Not in the playoffs…again. My grandma is bringing her roasted potatoes for Christmas dinner. Nobody will say anything but why does she put raisins on it? Ryles looked up. Kit was stirring a pot on the stove. “I think I bu...

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“The Decision ” by Bill Gregory

Submitted to Contest #282

Carefully opening the small exit door from the basement carpark, she peered out. It was still raining, now, more heavily, with a force that made splattering sounds when hitting against the roller shutters and bluestone that lined the narrow dark alley. She looked back to West End Avenue, then down to Amsterdam, seeing nothing but darkness and falling rain. Pulling the door shut, crouched in the small space, adjusting her back pack before pulling the beanie over long hair.She reckoned, one hundred metres to Amsterdam, a three-block jog would ...

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“It’s time to rise” by Rk Springfield

Submitted to Contest #282

It’s Time to Rise“My name is Robert H. Jones. I’m a salesman.”`Robert H. Jones was at a loss for words. And since Robert H. Jones happened to be the ‘Salesperson of the Year’ for the 7th time running, being speechless was actually saying a lot. So, he had been repeating his own name to himself for a few minutes.“I…I..” Robert, (as he liked to call himself), looked around the room in disbelief. This particular room being aboard an alien spacecraft, and which had apparently been decorated to look like a…child’s birthday party. Having fina...

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“Check-in, Take Two” by Aaron Hawkins

Submitted to Contest #282

The dim lighting and drab furniture in the hotel’s lobby did nothing to brighten Peter Janowick’s mood. It was his first time in Louisville, and he had arrived on a late flight, packed with passengers. Peter knew he was there on a kind of suicide mission. He had only been with Envyzyn Software for a month and his boss was sending him out to convince clients not to cancel their contracts. Envyzyn’s digital modeling programs were...

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“Memory of the Future” by Gerardo Fierro

Submitted to Contest #282

Ed is looking down the cliff, watching the waves crashing on the beach, same place he was when his baby brother went missing. His parents never spoke of it, like he never had a sibling. It is a hot summer night, goes inside for dinner. No one says a word, same as usual. Ed does the dishes, his dad buries himself on the couch in front of the tv and mom goes to her room. Another boring evening at the Wallaces…Maybe all the answers to all of our questions are out there, in the dark forest. Ed pushes aside a twig from a tree with his l...

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“Memories of a Memory” by K.D Howard

Submitted to Contest #282

The sun rises; Dawn’s Nativity. Dying stars, of the nocturne passed, flicker their last until they disappear into the vacuum’s void. Such a sad requiem for the once vibrant vessels now reduced to moribund fumes and absorbed into oblivion. Their dying cries are muted from the other side of oblivion and thus from the other side of oblivion they perish. The gathering clouds are trimmed with a golden light; they float along fleet by fleet; forever in motion as they pass by; forever nomadic without so much of a moment’s respite; forev...

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 80 stories

“The Circle of the Window” by Elvar Thorne

“Six Blocks Away” by Anjane Nathan

“Missing Ingredient” by Tempest Phoenix Smith

“The Spider Story” by Ed Tasca

“Goodbye to the Mother Road” by Cliff Mansfield

“Winter solstice (farewell)” by Fi Riley

“Catch Me if You Can” by Brylee Nettles

“Pills” by Vince Roman

“‘Here and Now’” by Lindsay Burns

“Once Upon a Christmas Eve” by Kristina Hopper

“The Decision ” by Bill Gregory

“It’s time to rise” by Rk Springfield

“Check-in, Take Two” by Aaron Hawkins

“Memory of the Future” by Gerardo Fierro

“Memories of a Memory” by K.D Howard

🌟 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 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: