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

Posted in Short Story on Feb 7, 2025

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✍️ 58 stories

“Night Moves” by Kathleen Majorsky

Submitted to Contest #289

I take a deep breath before I push open the bathroom door. I keep my head down and my long black hair shielding my face like a thick curtain of protection. These nights at places like SILK, which sits at the core of Tokyo’s club scene, can get…intense with the fans, especially after one of our concerts. As one-half of the most celebrated and popular K-pop duo in all of Asia, my privacy was sent to the sacrificial chopping block when I agreed to do this with Han 15 years ago. I had no idea how much that sacrifice would cost. I was just a 15-y...

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“Shadowed In Peccancy” by Khandyse Simpson

Submitted to Contest #289

Running fast as possible she was. Mouth open turning back to grab peripherals of the path by which she'd come. The night shone no moonlight on the alley riddled with filth. Sprinkles had begun to fall amplifying odors forced up her nostrils. Panic was the catalyst propelling her. An overstuffed backpack over the right shoulder. In her left hand a small duffle interfered with her stride. Fright failed to block her conscious register that the morning forecast said nothing of rain. Why this came to mind now wasn't apparent. She was wearing a pa...

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“Happy Hour” by Jasper Johnson

Submitted to Contest #289

Music pulsed through the nightclub, the bathroom walls doing little to muffle whatever hit song was playing. The pounding of the bass thrummed in her chest. Tonight, she was Selene, just a girl passing through for the weekend, visiting a childhood friend. Last weekend, she was Molly, the weekend before Tara, and so on. Each week a new name, a new face, but her goal never changed: get Tommy Calloway to take her home. Tommy was your textbook trust fund baby--rich, reckless, and on nights like these, too drunk to notice details. He burned thro...

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“The Me in the Mirror” by Emma Russell

Submitted to Contest #289

‘So, tell me about yourself, Megan. Do you have any hobbies? Are you interested in anything? Apart from videography, of course.’ I forced a tight smile over gritted teeth as Ross grinned lopsidedly at me, as if we were sharing an inside joke. We weren’t. I’d met the man barely ten minutes ago when he waved me over at the small table-for-two inside a lavish restaurant –the walls lined with artwork over the fuzzy, maroon wallpaper, yellow chandeliers hanging from the ceiling casting shadows like spiderwebs that shifted across Ross’ face as he ...

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“Loud and Proud” by Haz Cady

Submitted to Contest #289

“It’s like Mr. Doubtfire in here!” It wasn’t the first time Julian had made that joke. He’d seen Nick change in bathroom stalls often enough. Still, it made Nick laugh every time. “Look served, queen,” Julian added. Nick smiled. The irony wasn’t lost on him. A trans man sneaking women’s clothing. It was not actually that unusual in the grand scheme of the world, but he was the only trans person most people in his middle of his nowhere town in Kansas had ever met. Nick always changed when he went out somewhere. He lived with his parents, whic...

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“A Different Look ” by Mike Barton

Submitted to Contest #289

A DIFFERENT LOOK The emergence of Rufus Brennan from the Gents, back into the dining area of a smart eaterie off Piccadilly Circus turned heads and with good reason.Rufe (to his friends) was a London tour guide. His presence, back in to the main room caused no small amount of comment from the diners nearest to the convenience. He’d gone in to the convenience wearing normal casual clothes and carryi...

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“business as usual?” by Drew Smit

Submitted to Contest #289

"Why do I have to wear this stupid disguise, its not like any of these assholes know who I am anyway." The Man said, grumbling to his earpiece. "Why do we gamble when statistically we know we know we're going to lose more times than not?" The voice on the other end shot back. "I'm not seeing how that is in any way related to what I just asked." Replied The Man while walking out of a dingy bathroom stall, slightly confused and very annoyed at this point. "Because its fun." "I doubt that's why everyone gambles. And if that's your reason for ga...

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“Side Gig” by Chuck Thompson

Submitted to Contest #289

Bob was the leadman for his factory work team. He and the team were all noisy and drinking a tad too much around their favorite four-top at the pub that evening. They were hooting it up about some silly new guy at work who always wanted to follow every rule. Bob and his team had been doing this work for years and knew which shortcuts to take to get the job done easier and not get hurt.As far as they were concerned, this guy came from another planet. He whined on and on about how they should follow the rules or they could ...

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“Lora was a Dog” by Rin M.

Submitted to Contest #289

Lora was here. Lora, was a dog. At least she imagined herself to be in this moment. Lora barked, she played, she spun, she laid. She did all this when they told her too because she was the dog. ‘They’ being the girls: Joe, Latoya, and Ashton encircled her, looking down at her while she playfully obeyed. They were all a family. Joe, the daughter; Latoya, the mom; Ashton, the dad; and Lora, the dog. She looked up tongue out, wagging her tail. She was a dog and she believed it. “LORA, SIT! ”Joe shouted playfully. Lora Sit was her new nam...

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“The Snake On Ice” by S.M. Knight

Submitted to Contest #289

Viper couldn’t tell if they were stupid or toying with her. They had followed her since leaving the restaurant and hadn’t been very sly about tailing her. She weaved her way through the dark allies of the city and was sure of the tail now. She was young but not a rookie. She knew the protocol. She took her phone from the coat of her long jacket and sent Mother the picture of herself in a red dress. Mother’s response was a thumbs up and the words “See you at Club Chaos.” Viper shook her head at the response. Of course, he would choose Chaos....

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“Both” by Kate Dubbs

Submitted to Contest #289

Snuggled and calm, you lay by my side and my heartbeat syncs with yours. I reach over and stroke your sweet smelling head and tender baby hairs. You murmur in your sleep, what ails you little one? I am here beside you, a perfect indent in my postpartum body, a body I’ve come to embrace. It made you after all. Soft skin like velvet so beautiful and tender with eyelashes long and closed in a peaceful slumber. This moment so precious you must capture it in an image that plays on repeat in the depths of your mind, before you sleep, as you wake.&...

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“Changeling Of Heart” by Reece York

Submitted to Contest #289

Zex opened the door of the restroom in the saltiest bar in Port Urchin. An orc shook their face in the wash basin. He grunted and spat into the water and groaned. They ensured the spitter didn't get an eye on them and slipped into a stall, followed by a swift click of the lock. Alone now, they set their pack on the floor and rooted through it. They pushed aside their newly purchased adventure gear to grip a bound scroll. Swirls of golden vines painted the textured paper, and their fingers reverently unfurled it. They hung the loop attached ...

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“Night of dominó, pulque & tricks” by Iván Oropeza

Submitted to Contest #289

The waitresses went from table to table carrying mugs full of pulque and trays of green and red picaditas, dodging their way among the people who were dancing to the rhythm of the mariachi and the dogs that came in from the street, in the back near the bathrooms were the players' tables, poker tables, dominoes and billiards, among others, there he found he’s brother playing dominoes with three other companions, his eyes shone with malice, he had just thrown the last of his pieces and claimed the bills and coins in the center of the table, fo...

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 58 stories

“Night Moves” by Kathleen Majorsky

“Shadowed In Peccancy” by Khandyse Simpson

“Happy Hour” by Jasper Johnson

“The Me in the Mirror” by Emma Russell

“Loud and Proud” by Haz Cady

“A Different Look ” by Mike Barton

“business as usual?” by Drew Smit

“Side Gig” by Chuck Thompson

“Lora was a Dog” by Rin M.

“The Snake On Ice” by S.M. Knight

“Both” by Kate Dubbs

“Changeling Of Heart” by Reece York

“Night of dominó, pulque & tricks” by Iván Oropeza

🌟 Similar prompts

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

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.

Contest #289

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

364

Contest entries

155

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: