Start or end your story with a character who gets trapped inside a museum overnight.

Posted in Thriller and Suspense on Mar 15, 2024

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✍️ 38 stories

“SCHISM” by Hazel October

Submitted to Contest #242

Ash twitched, wincing, a pain—acid sharp and hot seared through the index and middle fingers on his left hand, they were stuck, jammed between the cubicle door and the marred tile underneath—it must have slammed on his fingers after he’d passed out last night on the floor of the disabled bathroom. He dared himself to look at his hand and regretted it instantly. Blood pooled down his arm, sticky and warm, bits of it dry and crusted towards his forearm, while the part near his fingers was still fresh and gushing. The fingers themselves h...

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“The Final Delivery” by Frank Lester

Submitted to Contest #242

People snorting bad shit?Tommy straightened up at the accusation.“My shit? Fuck’em.”Growing up in the projects hardened one’s view of life.“It’s their choice, man. I only sell it. What they do with it . . . who gives a shit?” he said, his voice flat.“The shit you’re putting out on the street is bad. Poison.”Tommy shrugged and went back to stacking the bricks in a large canvas bag.“Yeah. Probably somebody wants a bigger cut and’s spreading bullshit,” he said without looking up.“It ain’t bullshit, Tommy. The cops are shakin’ everyone down. You...

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“Tyrant King” by Cade Holter

Submitted to Contest #242

The skeleton of the Albertosaurus was displayed such that it loomed over the smaller dinosaur beside it. It wasn’t quite a T-Rex, as the client had desired, but Rick wasn’t sure of what difference it would make. He couldn’t see a single difference between them. Truthfully, he’d never even seen a T-Rex skeleton before today outside of movies, and he’d Curtis not never been inside the Royal Ontario Museum— The ROM— before.Not that it made any difference to him whichever way, he was just here for scouting. It’d be a tight fit, but they’d have t...

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“The Trip to the Museum” by Ralph Aldrich

Submitted to Contest #242

It’s Saturday morning and Oscar is getting ready to watch Matlock. Matlock is Oscar’s favorite show. He watches it so much that Dolores can’t stand to listen to it anymore. At the sound of the theme song, Dolores screws up her face and clenches her fist. She barks, “Oscar! You’re not going to watch that show again, are you? I swear you’ve seen every episode at least fifty times!” With his eyes glued to the TV, Oscar mumbles, “I’ve never seen this one. This one’s new.” Dolores rolls her eyes a...

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“Sacrificial Sister” by Addison Cardenal

Submitted to Contest #242

“Watch your step.” Tucker or Tuck, breaths right into my ear as I hold on tight to his uncomfortably sweaty hands over my eyes. This isn’t what I signed up for nor what I was expecting when my sister said she found a great guy for me with connections in the art industry. I wouldn’t exactly call nighttime security at the Metropolitan connections. “And you're sure this is legal?” I laugh nervously as he tries to guide me to this secret spot he has our date planned. “I get paid to hold the keys to this place. If I wanna take a hot dat...

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“Shanghaied on Dry Land” by Bob Faszczewski

Submitted to Contest #242

He opened the heavy door and saw a long, dark corridor bringing him to exhibits on sailing and piracy on each side. Strangely, the only thing lighting the way to each exhibit was a series of book lights, one every few feet. Exhibits in the newly-opened Delmarva Maritime Museum had begun mapping out the story of ancient seafaring commerce and raids by buccaneers traveling along the Eastern Shore. John h...

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“The Roar of the Lion” by Zavier M. Ames

Submitted to Contest #242

Tarek has been searching for any signs of the mysterious scholar for nearly a week to no avail. Disguised as a merchant aiming to journey across the seven seas, he arrives at the port city where the man he seeks is said to have arrived. "Young man! Haven't I seen you before?" Nine days have passed and he has journeyed hundreds of miles away from the university where he saw this very same young man. This could indeed be a good sign.The student gasps as he sees Tarek, recognizing him immediately only to run as fast as possible to warn his alli...

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“museum of you” by William Ghostkeeper

Submitted to Contest #242

Museum of you Well that’s not very funny, it was just a stupid pun, what other funny moments are here okayyy just mostly an empty long hallway, what what’s that. What? That that’s me! Why does this museum have a video of me working, wait where is everyone from my tour group , I … I did have a tour group right? “Hello!” “ Is anyone here!?” “Security!” “Help!” and if they were going to pick a video of me they should’ve used a more interesting one like… or like the time that I… well of course the time that I OH MY GOD! This v...

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“Survivor” by Denise Glickler

Submitted to Contest #242

I am trapped. Of all the museums to be trapped in overnight, this is the one I would choose last. I’d much prefer the Museum of Science in Boston, or the Louvre in Paris. So many museums to be trapped in, but this one is the most frightening. I haven’t got a phone charger. I’ve checked. Ten times. Yes, I know the likeliness that a phone charger would appear out of nowhere is beyond infinitesimal, but one always has to allow oneself to hope, so I checked. And checked. No luck. Let me check again. Nope. No charger. And no battery charge. The p...

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“The Thumping” by Aidan Kuemmerle

Submitted to Contest #242

The museum's intercom crackled on with train station static. "HELLO NORVIL MUSEUM!" I ducked at the sound, trying to escape it, cracking my ear drums. He spoke fast, like a sports announcer, at the most critical part of the game. "Welcome to your nightly broadcast from your FAVORITE night guard! As always, we must get the boring things out of the way before we have! Some! Fun!" His voice trailed up and down with the meter of a radio host. It was well practiced. "If there is ANY other human in this fine establishment other th...

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“The Art that changed my life” by S J Frances

Submitted to Contest #242

I don’t have time for this. I don’t have time for anything these days. I’m exhausted, I haven’t slept properly for days, and I’ve not even had time to use the bathroom this afternoon. Thankfully I’ve also had no time to drink water. I park my car on the street outside and run across the road, dodging traffic, almost colliding with a cyclist who shouts a few choice words at me. ‘F you too!’ I scream at his back as he swerves off, but my words are lost in the noise from the street. A car beeps at me and I move off the road onto the pavement. ...

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“The Backlit Butcher ” by Catherine Corey

Submitted to Contest #242

His apron hung like a leather sheet over his swollen rounded belly.Pasty white skin and thinning black oily hair framed his faced in the shadows of the canvas.A small light hung on a broken chain from a dirty drop ceiling, its faint glow illuminated its surroundings.Yet the butchers face remained in the shadows.He leaned over his cuts of meat, thick arms with chunky fingers held a large cleaver.Blood ran down a hard stainless steel table off a dark stained wooden chopping block and pooled on a hard tile floor.The pool of blood was bright red...

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“The Museum Overnight” by Stacey Cooper

Submitted to Contest #242

A young woman spends the day at a museum. During the day, she removed the jacket she was wearing and placed it on one of the benches. At the end of the day, as she is preparing to leave the museum, she realizes that she accidentally left her jacket on one of the benches. She returns to the exhibit where she removed it, and looks for it. The jacket is not on the bench. She then spends a few minutes walking through the exhibit looking for the jacket.She leaves the exhibit and walks up to a staff member at the tic...

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“Nothing But Kindness” by Paul Littler

Submitted to Contest #242

Muriel was both embarrassed, at being locked in the toilet, and then angry at everyone leaving without her. Granted, she may have nodded off some point after repeatedly calling for help, but nevertheless, there’d be a strongly worded notelet to the secretary of the ‘Historical Weavers Society (Essex Branch)’ when she got home. When that might be, was anyone’s guess. It was October and the nights had begun to really draw in and mornings were dark. Muriel had been looking forward to th...

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“Field Trip” by Amanda Stogsdill

Submitted to Contest #242

Field Trip By Amanda Stogsdill Playground"Okay everyone, listen carefully. We'll meet at the cafe in two hours for lunch. Obey the museum rules, and have fun. Don't forget about your reports. One more thing, is everyone paired up?"Yes, Ms. Jackson.” Thirty kids said, all excited."Very well, you may explore."Squealing and giggling, the sixth graders pushed and shoved their way off the school bus in front of the museum. Two of the last to leave were Courtney and Jasmine. Tapping her cane, Jasmine made her way down the aisle behind Courtney."Th...

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Start or end your story with a character who gets trapped inside a museum overnight.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 38 stories

“SCHISM” by Hazel October

“The Final Delivery” by Frank Lester

“Tyrant King” by Cade Holter

“The Trip to the Museum” by Ralph Aldrich

“Sacrificial Sister” by Addison Cardenal

“Shanghaied on Dry Land” by Bob Faszczewski

“The Roar of the Lion” by Zavier M. Ames

“museum of you” by William Ghostkeeper

“Survivor” by Denise Glickler

“The Thumping” by Aidan Kuemmerle

“The Art that changed my life” by S J Frances

“The Backlit Butcher ” by Catherine Corey

“The Museum Overnight” by Stacey Cooper

“Nothing But Kindness” by Paul Littler

“Field Trip” by Amanda Stogsdill

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about a gallery whose paintings come alive at night.

Write about someone who accidentally destroys a museum’s most valuable artifact.

Write about an art thief who is struggling to commit the perfect heist.

Write about two characters who meet and/or fall in love in a museum.

Contest #242

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

264

Contest entries

118

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: