Write a story that ends in the past.

Posted in Teens on Oct 26, 2022

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 68 stories

“'Butterfly' by Maurice Bur” by Maurice Bur

Submitted to Contest #42

He awoke three minutes ahead of the alarm, and since there was now no point to it going off, he disabled the clock. The day was yet to break. So he lay on his back in the dark, hands linked behind his head, listening. His wife breathed quietly beside him. Insects chirped in the yard. A dog was howling in the distance. It was quiet otherwise. It was his birthday, his forty-fifth. 'Old man,' he whispered, grinning. He thought of what might've been, and where he was now. He thought of boyhood buddies who'd gone on to be antagonists in big succe...

4 comments 4

Read story

“I love you best, Babe” by Ophelia S

Submitted to Contest #42

While Manhattan was drowing in the storm, so was Charlie. His toughts inundated his mind to a point where he couldn't even finish one properly. That morning, when he woke up, he was so sure that that day was going to be that day that changed his life for good, and yet now here he was, back at the old same ways.Louie, his boss, sent him to New York City for a quick trip in business and he, loyal as always, went, even though he was fully aware of the impacts that such a casual thing would have in his sanity.He waited for her that night in John...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Detective McKenzie’s Hobby Case” by Iam Danger

Submitted to Contest #42

It went viral. The Parish Priest from South Philadelphia was walking out of the rectory of Saint Monica’s Church Rectory when he saw the danger, and he acted. It was brave, it was unusual, but it wasn’t the most amazing thing that ever happened. It seemed like it in the viral worldwide headlines. With the black garb, good looks, and signature dark glasses even at night, Father Buzzetto resembled Neo from “The Matrix.” I am Detective McKenzie. I am not a fan of young dress-wearing geldings wanting me to call them father. I actually ...

3 comments 3

Read story

“This” by Bonnie McD

Submitted to Contest #42

I parked his car in the driveway and turned off the ignition. “I’m sorry I ruined your date.” He looked across the car at me, eyes glistening, the contrition barely visible through his drunken haze. “It’s okay. I think it was better off ending, anyway.” We sat in silence for a while. I thought of a million things to say and nothing all at once. “Do you want to come inside?” I paused for the briefest moment, imaging how the scene might play out. “No, I don’t think that’s a smart idea.” It was barely a whisper, and it said ...

1 comment 1

Read story

“The Downfall of a Company” by Faith Chrayon

Submitted to Contest #42

TRANSCRIPTION: MAY 22, 2020, 1:00-2:00pmVENUE: Medical City HospitalBOBBY: Okay, so I know what you’re thinking.How did I, the head architect of Philippinae Castellum Tower, ended up in a hospital because my own building collapsed in front of me?Well, it started three months ago, when the pandemic forced us to stop operations. We were 60 percent done with the building, but there were still a lot of changes and improvements we can make. So I tried to convince the people giving us the budget to use the money in a way that would make it more ef...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Time of Murder” by N K

Submitted to Contest #42

~7:56 PM, June 23rd, 2120 ~ “Jaylnn Brown, you are on trial for murder,” a human judge said. She pushed her polished wood chair back against the ivory walls. “Computing likelihood of events. Result in three. Two. One. Zero.” The AI judge said. It was nothing more than a screen, but it was the foundation of the criminal justice system. “Decree: Guilty. Reasoning: You have committed past offences, and the evidence points towards you. Multiple witnesses have seen you commit your crime. Therefore, the likelihood is 95% probable that this m...

2 comments 2

Read story

“The Thing About Bif” by Shanti Hershenson

Submitted to Contest #42

Bif sat next to Callie in the display room. The General was giving orders for the operation Bif had been trained for his entire life. It was called operation "Overlord." It was a crucial part of the war his humans were fighting. Bif did not like war, but he did not know any other way of life. He was just happy to be done with the rigorous training he went through. Day by day, he faced challenges. He knew he was vital to the mission. At the same time, he wished he could be curled up on a chair next to Callie. He wasn't a lazy cat. He just did...

1 comment 1

Read story

“The Nothing Something” by Bianca Orfila

Submitted to Contest #42

The air in my room turned stale, cold unlike the gentle summer’s breeze that blew my curtains from their resting drape across my open window. I opened my closet with a creak, stopping my movement when I could hear my parents stirring from their room. I tied on some shoes and hoisted my backpack onto my shoulders and stepped onto the windowsill. With a steadily rising heartbeat, I stretched out onto a branch and held fast to the overgrown oak try beside my house. Carefully, I climbed down the trunk until I reached the ground. I landed with a ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Wicked Dreams” by Blane Britt

Submitted to Contest #42

My psychiatrist can’t figure out why I refuse to go to sleep. Sometimes I have the unique ability to stay awake for 7 days (168 hours) straight. Randy Gardner an American high school student from San Diego, California, who set the record for the longest time a human has gone without sleep. In December 1963/January 1964, 17-year-old Gardner stayed awake for 11 days and 25 minutes (264.4 hours), breaking the previous record of 260 hours held by Honolulu DJ Tom Rounds. But when I finally do fall to sleep and dream. I have unbelievable dreams th...

0 comments 0

Read story

“AFTER HIS DEMISE. ” by Wilson John

Submitted to Contest #42

Walking down the streets of my little home town here in Nigeria, the smell of the heavy rain filled the air. I loved that weird smell.... Especially the one after the first rainfall. It was the first rain of the year. Everywere was quiet with little drops of rain drizzling after the heavy downpour. Cool breeze blew gently from the East, I felt a swift shock of happiness, the evening was beautiful just like any other. But today was different for me. I continue walking down the street happily with a broad smile on my face u...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Bearded Time Traveller” by OB Jato

Submitted to Contest #42

It is tough to love a man with a beard. It is tougher to love a man who travels through time. Don't get me started on how it feels to love a bearded time traveller. If not for my wedding ring, and a sink clogged with the rough edges of his facial hair whenever he tries to trim them, I would think I'm still a bachelorette. I do not know if it is the radiation from his time travel or the genes from his inheritance which give his beard an affinity for growth. I remain puzzled over his faulty memory too, even though I like to imagine i...

3 comments 3

Read story

“What Lies Beneath” by Katie Eash

Submitted to Contest #42

Meg Andersen straps her leather gun belt onto her thin but curvy waist. She pulls a fitted heather gray blazer over her white T-shirt and jeans. For the final touch, she pins her detectives badge over her lapel.She looks into the floor length mirror, tilted downwards so she can see her outfit but not her face. A surge of pride runs through her as she takes in her image. This pride is enough fuel to make her raise her head high, grab her keys and begin her day with a sense of self-confidence she doesn't usually possess.Meg loves her job ...

3 comments 3

Read story

“Tell Me, What Was It Like To Die?” by Hailey Monnie

Submitted to Contest #42

Tell me, what it was like to die?What the hell are you talking about?Oh, you don’t remember?Remember what?Your death.I died…? I’m dead?Well, where do you think you are?It looks like a black hole. This is death?This is death. I can’t believe I am dead.Now, what was it like to die?Who are you? An angel? A demon?You don’t recognize me? I’m your baby sister. I died at the age of two. Got hit by a car.Yes, I remember that day. You were the cutest little thing ever with your squishy cheeks, brown eyes, and brown pigtails. Mom wouldn’t leave h...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Rouge” by Cinnamon Pilcher

Submitted to Contest #42

The End Of Middle SchoolType: Trailer.Alice and her friends are cleaning out their lockers and their stuff. Because school's gonna close for the summer. Alice is wondering that she and Rebecca are going to do summer stuff together, they've been friends ever since elementary school.Alice: You ready for the summer?Rebecca: Yep. And guess who's coming to our school to perform?Alice: Who?Rebecca: Here's a hint. Fancy hair, mysterious eyes, height of 163, good old clean voice, and she's the senior. And, she also goes to high school.Alice: Who is ...

3 comments 3

Read story

“Frivolity Of Evil” by Rahil Howlader

Submitted to Contest #42

In the "Frivolity of Evil" article, Theodore Dalrymple's main point of argument was that social, economic, and ideological pressures result in the likelihood for someone to make bad decisions later on in his or her life and become unhappy. The author declares that "a man's evil is not entirely to be measured by its practical consequences." This means that someone, more specifically here, a criminal, cannot simply pay the price or debt of a crime, simply by fulfilling their sentence in prison. This article was very well written, going into th...

0 comments 0

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that ends with the narrator revealing a secret.

Mystery – 162 stories

Write a story that ends with a character asking a question.

Narrative – 260 stories

Write a story that ends by circling back to the beginning.

Short Story – 214 stories

Write a story that ends with one character waiting for the arrival of another.

Kids – 199 stories

Contest #42

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: End of Story

$50

Prize money

903

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - May 22, 2020 EST

Won by Phoebe Barr 🏆

Title: The Firebird's Answer

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

Write a story that ends in the past.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 68 stories

“'Butterfly' by Maurice Bur” by Maurice Bur

“I love you best, Babe” by Ophelia S

“Detective McKenzie’s Hobby Case” by Iam Danger

“This” by Bonnie McD

“The Downfall of a Company” by Faith Chrayon

“The Time of Murder” by N K

“The Thing About Bif” by Shanti Hershenson

“The Nothing Something” by Bianca Orfila

“Wicked Dreams” by Blane Britt

“AFTER HIS DEMISE. ” by Wilson John

“The Bearded Time Traveller” by OB Jato

“What Lies Beneath” by Katie Eash

“Tell Me, What Was It Like To Die?” by Hailey Monnie

“Rouge” by Cinnamon Pilcher

“Frivolity Of Evil” by Rahil Howlader

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that ends with the narrator revealing a secret.

Write a story that ends with a character asking a question.

Write a story that ends by circling back to the beginning.

Write a story that ends with one character waiting for the arrival of another.

Contest #42

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

903

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: