Write a story about another day in a heatwave.

Posted in Summer on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 177 stories

“Nine Lives” by Stephanie Kaye

Submitted to Contest #53

I was walking down Fourth Avenue when a willow of a woman ran up to me, frantic and with such force that it seemed a hurricane was willing her along. I had no option but to stop, surrender, though I did not want to: I just wanted to go home and banish myself to my bed of stale sheets and leftover dreams. She, this stranger, smelled of money. Not literally, of course, but as she gripped my shoulders with her delicate little bird hands, her scent coiled itself around me quite ruthlessly, so much so that I could hear a faint hissing: a rich p...

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“Just Another Day” by Vanessa Kilmer

Submitted to Contest #53

August hated her birthday. Born on the first of August in New Jersey, her natal anniversary always took place in the middle of a scorcher. Because of the sweltering 90 degrees plus weather each year, she wished and hoped for a pool party or a day at the Jersey shore, some sort of celebration involving water. So far, her wish had never come true. She thought that maybe, for her sweet sixteen, she could talk her parents into something less hot and sweaty, and including some of her friends. On the first day of the heatwave, four days ago, she ...

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“The Long Summer” by Lauren Greenan

Submitted to Contest #53

A bead of sweat trickles down my nose, drip, drip, dripping off the end to my chin. There it pools, stagnates. My hand forces its way through the thick air and pushes through the puddle, swiping my chin dry. My hand falls, bounces to rest on the yellowing grass. I keep my eyes closed, ignoring the demanding rays of the sun. Then: another droplet. This one falls from my forehead to my ear, tickling my lobe. I shake my head gently, but it refuses to dislodge. Before I can wipe it, my eyebrow is moist and sending rivulets down m...

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“Another Day in a Heatwave” by Heather Cash

Submitted to Contest #53

And so, it begins, another day in a heatwave. The morning sun rises, and the condensation of the morning dew fills the valley. Birds swoop the ground early for their breakfast. Hummingbirds fight over the feeder that is filled with sweet relief to drink before they hide during the afternoon when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky. A gentle morning breeze blows through the trees, but it offers no help as the humidity rises. An overcast sky hints maybe a rain shower to crash the afternoon. Enjoying a brand-new day on the front porch ...

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“The Dog Days Will Never End ” by Gia Nguyen

Submitted to Contest #53

”I feel so bad for their parents.” The kingdom has been terrorized by a vicious heat wave for years now— Warrior, please save us! You’re the only one who can defeat the menace that is Sirius, the Great Big Black Dog of the Night Sky! “I know right, I guess that’s what they call a freeloader. How shameful, does that kid not feel any remorse?” Fear not, I am on it! The same cut scenes and dialogues I’ve remember beat by beat flash dully on the small screen. I’ve been stuck at this one boss fight about around 3 years now, though it coul...

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“Gnats” by Nat S

Submitted to Contest #53

It was disgustingly hot today. A day where you cannot stop sweating and everyone sits in their houses with the air conditioning on. Of course today was the day my AC stopped working. It had been sputtering lately, but I figured it was just me hearing things. Imagine my despair when it stalled in one hundred fifteen degree weather. So I started doing what anyone else would do in this situation, laying on the porch wailing while gnats fought each other to try to get into my nose and eyes. As I sneezed out ten of those annoying little bugs f...

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“The Hole at the Center of the Earth” by Eric Castilleja

Submitted to Contest #53

I try every week. I try my best. I practice day in and day out. It’s all I ever think about. Most people don’t know what it’s like. Likely, less than 1% of the world’s population knows what it feels like. I know I don’t. I could go up to anyone on the street and ask them if they had done it before, and I guarantee, they would say no. Most people will live the rest of their lives not knowing what it is like, and they will be fine with that. But not me. For some unknown reason, the idea has burrowed itself in my brain and I can’t get it out ...

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“Power” by Tim Benson

Submitted to Contest #53

“Power” People who live in cooler climates spend a good part of their lives looking forward to the annual start of summer. Those few, precious months of warm sunshine and green grass make the rest of the calendar more bearable. Peter and his wife, Kate, were among the many people who searched online travel sites while the snow was falling outside, looking for summer beach getaways and bargains at the campgrounds. But last year’s summer had brought record breaking heat and by late May this year’s had already begun to look like it was going to...

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“The result” by An Lê

Submitted to Contest #53

I could even feel the heat through my breath that day. Everything was getting stifling. The sunshine followed by the lovely breeze has gone. All it had that moment was an angry line, with warmth and a sense of fire. No more wind coming through your hair. No more cloud embellishing the sky. No more cozy sunlight coming through the fog. No more fog either. Only the muggy breeze with the heated light and it was killing me, though I knew I wasn’t the only victim. Mrs. Lan came to our spot like a dead body. The cruel sunlight has taken all of her...

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“The Sun” by Anela L

Submitted to Contest #53

It was the tenth day of the heatwave. I was laying on our makeshift couch, shaded by the gazebo. The sun shined as hot and golden as molten honey. My skin slick with sweat, dirt on my face, the dried air doing nothing to soothe the heat. It felt like we were inserted into an oven, the air not quite a different temperature than our bodies, except hotter. I flipped over onto my stomach, dragging my hands along the patio carpet. Somehow everything became simultaneously boring and fascinating during a ...

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“Praying for Rain” by Jen Ponig

Submitted to Contest #53

A long time ago, when bees didn’t have wings, birds didn’t have beaks, and human beings were small and stout, there was a valley in the shadow of a snow capped mountain. They valley used to be verdant and bountiful. All the creatures who lived there had taken advantage of the earth’s beneficence for centuries. They’d forgotten to give praise and thanks to Avikwaame, the mountain spirit, manipulator of seasons and influencer of weather. The mountain spirit took her benevolent hand off the valley and a record breaking heat wave pervaded. Almos...

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“Old Farley” by Linda Diaz

Submitted to Contest #53

It was so hot outside you could fry an egg on the side walk. Although it was hot, old Farley was grateful for this time of year. The sun’s rays warmed his bones. He could feel the warmth deep down in his soul. He loved the sun. He needed it to help him get through the winter’s cold. Without the summer sun warming up his core being he’d be in real danger of freezing this coming winter. You see, old Farley was homeless. He lived in a small homeless camp under the bridge along with five other hobos. He laughed to himself. Hobo, bum, good for no...

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“Heatwave” by La Say

Submitted to Contest #53

As the day wore on, the heat climbed higher, ever higher. Sandals were the same as going barefoot, as I could feel the heat of the sand blistering on my feet with every step I took. Today was so hot not even the Sandpipers wanted to fly. As I made my way to the cool refreshing waters, a splash of water hits me. "Hahahaha, what took you so long Byle?" My younger sister Kate chuckled. "The sand was burning my feet. And I stopped to say hey to the coast guard" I replied back with while panting. I sink my head under the water, it felt so refresh...

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“The Boy Who Walked to the Sun” by Phil Graves

Submitted to Contest #53

“Hey Arthur! Back again I see, are you going to the beach today?” Arthur lazily strolled through the familiar aisles of the corner store before he made his way to his usual spot on the shoreline; a secluded inlet that really wasn’t very hard to find, but given its proximity to the beach was no real surprise why it was his little secret. He picked up his Coke and Clark Bar and meandered over to the counter to greet George the same way he had every other day he’d gone to the beach that week. “Yes sir I do believe I am daddy-o! The water is...

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“Dog Days of Summer” by Clare Knock

Submitted to Contest #53

A dry, blistering, soul sucking heat. Probably wouldn’t be so bad if the clouds disappeared for a day or so to give me a break from this awful humidity, I thought. Even the water from the hose was too warm to cool me down. The beach so packed yesterday, it seemed the human population had raised the water temperature from all their activity.With power grids unable to cope with the demand, houses were unable to use any air conditioners. Dads solution to this, a nice long drive in an air conditioned car. Count me in! I was at the door quic...

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Write a story about another day in a heatwave.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 177 stories

“Nine Lives” by Stephanie Kaye

“Just Another Day” by Vanessa Kilmer

“The Long Summer” by Lauren Greenan

“Another Day in a Heatwave” by Heather Cash

“The Dog Days Will Never End ” by Gia Nguyen

“Gnats” by Nat S

“The Hole at the Center of the Earth” by Eric Castilleja

“Power” by Tim Benson

“The result” by An Lê

“The Sun” by Anela L

“Praying for Rain” by Jen Ponig

“Old Farley” by Linda Diaz

“Heatwave” by La Say

“The Boy Who Walked to the Sun” by Phil Graves

“Dog Days of Summer” by Clare Knock

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about a few people spending a long-overdue weekend away at a cottage.

Write a story that begins with someone's popsicle melting.

Write a story about a teenager spending their final days at home before going away to college.

Write a story about summer love — the quarantine edition.

Contest #53

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

806

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: