Write a story about another day in a heatwave.

Posted in Summer on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 177 stories

“Day 65” by R. E. Rule

Submitted to Contest #53

Day 65 The wind uncovered another bunker today, and Elder Simon found some paper inside. He gave it to me and showed me how to use it. I’m supposed to write down what I see so we won’t forget, but I don’t know what there is to forget. There’s only sky and sun and sand. I keep it wrapped up in my blanket when I’m not using it so the wind doesn’t try to take it. Isaiah wanted some, but the Elder said he’s too young. There was food in the bunker too, the kind wrapped in metal, and Xav has to break it open so we can eat. I asked the Elder h...

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“The Salt of Life” by Rachael Wu

Submitted to Contest #53

Sweat clung to Kate’s sides and stuck obstinately to her skin. The girls sprawled on the furniture and floors at all angles, like three iced-bottles under noonday glare, but without the refreshing coolness. Kate lifted her damp bangs, wishing for a wayward breeze to break the heavy, oppressive air. “I’m dreaming, of a whiiiiite Christmas, just like—” Carla sprawled on her stomach, cheek pressed against the wooden floor. The serenade of limpid carols drew the merry words into baleful woes. Her smooth voice glided over the floorboards in pre...

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“A Fever Dream” by Clinton Ritchey

Submitted to Contest #53

It’s August 7th, 2025 in East Texas. The 72nd day over 125 degrees, the radio says the high today is clocking in at 129 degrees fahrenheit. Everyday, I document the weather in my journal. This journal is going to be the best kept archived documentation of what’s happened since the incident. The incident changed everything. That’s how the whole world went to shit. I keep to myself, that’s how you survive these days. I stay locked in my apartment, blinds drawn and blankets nailed over the windows, to keep the sun’s radiation at bay. Lo...

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“Tile angel” by Émilie Dupont

Submitted to Contest #53

One bead of sweat, from the center of the forehead to her hairline. A fat sigh, puffing up her cheeks. So this is how today is going to be. So far Amy had taken an ice cold shower, eaten ice cream, she even took the ice pack she used for sore muscles and laid on that until it became lukewarm and started to make her back feel out of alignment. There was just no substitute for a working air conditioner, and it wasn’t in the cards today. Even putting earbuds in made her uncomfortable-what if sweat got in them and electrocuted her? What if her ...

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“Fire Up The Grill” by Nolan Pieper

Submitted to Contest #53

“CANNONBALLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!” “Stop splashing me Damien or I’m telling mom!” “You boys ready to get on the boat and do some fishing?” The chaos of chatter and conversations surrounding the shores of Lake Tahoe on that blazing hot summer day in July were absurd. The beaches were jam packed like sardines crammed into a small tin can. People from far and wide had swarmed the emerald coves of lake tahoe to escape the heat waves of summer. Like many others the Scott family had retreated from their urban homes to beat the heat at their lake...

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“Tree of Heaven” by Cohan Fulford

Submitted to Contest #53

I used to love summer, back in the days when it was normal. Well, whatever normal ever was, but you know what I mean- before the world was burning, drowning, blowing away. After a long, cold, but ordinary, winter we could look forward to a fresh spring and a good summer of long sunny days and inviting nights. Sure, to be fair, I was young- days were for bike rides on the river trails and nights were out on the streets and in nightclubs. I drank hot coffee in air conditioned cafes and carried a sweater for icy cinemas. Gardens dry...

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“Packing Heat” by Jonny Nance

Submitted to Contest #53

“What’s your status, M one seven?” “Uh, hot.” “Repeat, one seven?” “I said it’s hot.” “Oh. Well that’s sort of the nature of volcanoes, one seven. Have you found the leak yet?” Marcus swung on the tether, lowering himself further into the heart of the volcano. A serrated rock ledge jutted out of the cliff side below, streams of magma flowing past and off the edge, pooling together in the cracks. He fed more line through his harne...

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“Houdini ” by Vincent Cruz

Submitted to Contest #53

There is a radio playing music somewhere. The sound waves travel out onto the covered porch from the garage where classic rock is surrounded by the swirling smoke of a cigarette. Three shirtless adolescent boys are on the porch resting during another subsequent day of what is said to be the longest heat wave in county history. The distant music lulls them into a kind of hibernation where their thoughts dance with disorientation. The lyrics occasionally come to mind while most of the melody is lost in the stale heat of August. The boys...

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“Popsicles on the Porch” by Emily Finlayson

Submitted to Contest #53

Anyone who says they aren’t a morning person never spent a day in my tattered overalls. Mornings were easy. Almost comfortable. We’d play for a while, crashing broken toy cars against each another wordlessly, or shooting marbles across the slanted floor. My favourite thing to do, though, was just sit at Ma’s calloused feet. She’d move to’ and fro’ in her rocker, knitting or darning our socks, while we’d count our baseball cards. Sometimes, on mornings like that, I swore I’d even see a small smile illuminating her face, lighting up the room w...

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“The Girl with the Turquoise Eyes” by Liam McIntyre

Submitted to Contest #53

This was an oppressive heat. Then again, this boy was used to oppressive conditions. He had two choices: stay in the dark, cool room of The Bright Star Motel or face the heat. He chose the heat. The Bright Star Motel sat off a long stretch of country road. It straddled two opposites: a large, open plain to one side and a thick, dense forest to the other. Truckers, travelers, runaways, and any number of wandering souls found their home here, at least for some time. It was never anyone’s final destination, just a stop along the...

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“Hot and Steamy” by Pauline Willenbucher

Submitted to Contest #53

There was a dull throb at the base of his skull. The A/C in the car had been broken for two weeks, and it was August and hotter than hell. The smell of the gas cans in the back was making him feel a bit queasy. Traffic was backed up, it seemed half the city seemed to be trying to leave all at once. Jack and Donna had gone up early to open up and air out the place. Nice that they could just pick up and leave anytime they liked, he thought enviously. It had been a real shit week. He’d come this close to telling them to shove the...

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“Dog Days” by Jaka Herning

Submitted to Contest #53

I was laying on the couch, sweat dripping from me like the saccharine juice running down a popsicle on a summer’s day. I confess it was in July, but this particular moment happened before the sun even cracked through the darkness. Another sleepless night. Beside me the fan whirred left to right, pushing the musty air around the room. I guess that’s what kept me up. The white noise drilled into my ears while the thick air drowned me. My phone buzzed and I grabbed it. Fuck. It was already four in the morning; it’s pointless to try and g...

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Write a story about another day in a heatwave.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 177 stories

“Day 65” by R. E. Rule

“The Salt of Life” by Rachael Wu

“A Fever Dream” by Clinton Ritchey

“Tile angel” by Émilie Dupont

“Fire Up The Grill” by Nolan Pieper

“Tree of Heaven” by Cohan Fulford

“Packing Heat” by Jonny Nance

“Houdini ” by Vincent Cruz

“Popsicles on the Porch” by Emily Finlayson

“The Girl with the Turquoise Eyes” by Liam McIntyre

“Hot and Steamy” by Pauline Willenbucher

“Dog Days” by Jaka Herning

🌟 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: