Start your story with a character who is always running late arriving somewhere just as it closes.

Posted in Thriller and Suspense on Oct 25, 2022

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✍️ 19 stories

“The Late Doctor Late” by David Brown

Submitted to Contest #125

Doctor Jack Late slumped on his drawing room couch, and nursed the last dram of his third fifth of London Dry gin directly from the bottle, while lamenting his latest failure. His throat burned and his nostrils were imbued with juniper when he quaffed the final nip and threw the empty flask into his fireplace. Shards from the glass container skittered across the hearth where two other bottles were already shattered.He hadn’t properly bathed in over a week, and his jet black locks drooped onto his shoulders, matted and tangled like a heap of ...

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“The King Who Would Not Believe in Dragons” by Annalisa D.

Submitted to Contest #125

King William Thomas Francis meandered through the courtyard watching blue birds land on a pink flowered tree, oblivious to the panicked yells and chants of the protesters surrounding his palace walls. The voices carried with such a strong, echoing projection, it seemed impossible to believe he couldn’t hear them, but the King’s face showed no indication he had. A lanky man wearing clothes he had clearly outgrown scurried after the King. “King William Thomas Francis, I must have a word with you.” “Oh what is it now?” The King gr...

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“A Very Important Date” by Story Time

Submitted to Contest #125

Did I make it? Did I-- Oh, sorry. Almost got my tail caught in the door there. You know, it’s a small tail, but it still manages to-- Did I make it in time? I see you’re counting the money in the cash register, but when I checked online it said you close at ten and I believe it’s-- Well, when last I looked at my watch, right as I was entering your fine establishment, I saw that it was sixty seconds until ten and it surely did not take me a minute to enter what I would argue is a rather large doorway, and so I-- Goodness, I ...

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“A delayed journey ” by Roshani Khatri

Submitted to Contest #125

A delayed journey “Please stay away from the closing doors.” I heard the announcement as I reached platform two of Beverly train station in Sydney. I was late again for my work. “Oh no! Not again. Why can’t you get out of bed a little earlier” I groaned. I stood there, breathless, trying to get some air into my lungs and looked at the train doors closing right in front of me. It had enough space for me to squeeze in, slid inside one of the compartments, and I would not be late to work. I would not have to go through the situa...

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“I'm Sorry.” by Tracey Thomas

Submitted to Contest #125

Warning: Pregnancy loss. Come on, come on, come on! They chanted in their head as they sat in rush hour traffic. They glanced down at their wrist and cursed at the time. Not even 20 minutes ago, they had received the call they had been waiting nine months to hear; their child was to be born. "Come on, move it!" They yelled as they beeped their horn repeatedly. Chronically late their entire life, they had promised their partner that they wouldn't be late for the arrival of their first born child. They glanced at their wrist ...

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“A Wizard is Never Late” by Adrian Majerle

Submitted to Contest #125

A wizard is never late, so you can see how this is a little embarrassing. I must look ridiculous in long black robes in this steamy weather next to the nonmagical people on the train. A few of them eye me with suspicion. Not only is my attire outlandish to these sorts of people, I’m sure my hastily washed, shaggy hair would have set off some alarm bells with the nonmagical community. I would have changed into more acceptable clothing, but there had been no time. I am extraordinarily late by wizard standards to my meeting with Ole Scar. He c...

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“2 Clicks Left” by Michelle SHAAY

Submitted to Contest #125

Orin loved driving with his car windows down, but the crisp fall air made him quickly rethink that idea. In fifth gear now, he accelerated the sports coupe well beyond the posted highway speed limit. The music was blaring loudly from his car stereo as a call interrupted him from singing an energetic hook of his favorite song. "Damn." While shaking his head Orin mumbled to himself before answering the call. "I know man I am pushing to get there now. I had to hit the store and then grab some food too, but I should make it by eight though." "Th...

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“Tardy” by Mark Baxter

Submitted to Contest #125

"WAIT!" Robin gasped, as she ran up the steep driveway. The massive oaken doors were already swinging ponderously shut. "Wait!" Robin's book bag banged against her hip, as she sprinted the last few yards. She desperately reached for the closing door, catching the handle in a hand slick with rain and sweat. Max, the door guard, seemed not to notice the rain. He was in the process of hauling the schoolhouse door shut; he had to use both hands. Gnarled, old man's knuckles stood out underneath white, kid-leather gloves. His perpetual scowl de...

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“Midnight Mass” by Troy Chavez

Submitted to Contest #125

The birds sang a song of death this morning… as they did every morning for Pastor Marvin Humphrey. He dreaded the dew and coffee. And food didn’t taste the same no more either. It was the dullest of lives. He was numb in every orifice, and paralyzed in the brain. He only knew one thing anymore: how to reside over funeral processions… barely. “Fuck...” Grumbled Pastor Humphrey as he pressed snooze on his phone. ...

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“The Right Time” by Zoraida Colon-Munoz De Collado

Submitted to Contest #125

Why was the clock in her car always off? Daylight Savings or Fall Back, she could never remember to change it on time. So, is it 10:00 or 11:00 a.m. now? "Oh, well,", she thought, "I'll be a half hour early or late.". Even as she said it, her Tia's displeased look, which she was sure to get, again, crossed her mind, and she half smiled. Being late, or early, was one of Tia Tona's pet peeves, and the source of many a lecture on responsibility and timeliness over the years. So, it's a Saturday, and very early for most working people...

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“The Fall of Kabul” by Patrick Hemmons

Submitted to Contest #125

The cab wove its way through streets choked with cars, motorcycles and minivans. Black exhaust belched from a truck in front of them as men dressed in perahan tunbans waited for breaks in the traffic before striding across the streets. They moved quickly, a sense of urgency in their stride. Market stalls on the sidewalks were empty, most looked like they had been abandoned in a hurry. One had tipped sideways and newspapers lay strewn around it. It was early in the morning, the sun rising in the clear blue sky. No clouds could be seen - as if...

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“Mom's for Christmas” by Anne Sellers

Submitted to Contest #125

It was mid-November when Anna realized that she didn’t have plans for the holidays. She had family, her mom and brother, but she avoided them as much as possible. Last Christmas, she promised her mom that she would start back in the fall, but she had made the same promise many times. She meant it each time, but then life happened and months turned into years, every semester with a different excuse. She lived above a bar in downtown, where she worked as a bartender four days a week. She was basically the perfect employee, if you did...

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“Running For a Train” by Bev Smith

Submitted to Contest #125

Running for a Train She couldn’t believe it: she was late again. It didn’t seem to matter that she had knocked off work five minutes earlier, it didn’t seem to matter that she hadn’t even paused to change out of her new super-high boots and into her joggers before leaving the office, it didn’t seem to matter that she had taken her life into her hands dodging in and out of traffic on the rush-hour High Street. Nothing seemed to matter, it was simply a case that she was, as usual, late yet again. &nb...

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“HE WAS LATE FOR THAT APPONTMENT TOO” by Mara Masolini

Submitted to Contest #125

HE WAS LATE FOR THAT APPOINTMENT TOO Terrence had always been a latecomer. His schoolmates, from elementary school, remembered that there had been no a day that he didn’t arrive in class, out of breath, all in a hurry, always after the lessons had already begun. Even when he was no longer a child, Terrence continued to be regularly late. He arrived late not only to appointments with doctor, with dentist, but even with girls to whom he cared a lot, with whom he had to insist&...

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“A Lingering Light” by Celeste Noble

Submitted to Contest #125

Genevieve Floyd raced through the streets; her small yellow umbrella barely keeping up with her fast pace. The sun seemed to mock her as it hung low, casting the sky in a soft orange glow; reminding her of how late the time was. She looked down at her watch; it was ten to four and she still had a bit to go. She sucked in a breath as she increased her speed, desperate to get to her destination in time. She grimaced as she tried to dodge a couple walking towards her, resulting in her foot making contact with a particularly muddy puddle. Her ...

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Start your story with a character who is always running late arriving somewhere just as it closes.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 19 stories

“The Late Doctor Late” by David Brown

“The King Who Would Not Believe in Dragons” by Annalisa D.

“A Very Important Date” by Story Time

“A delayed journey ” by Roshani Khatri

“I'm Sorry.” by Tracey Thomas

“A Wizard is Never Late” by Adrian Majerle

“2 Clicks Left” by Michelle SHAAY

“Tardy” by Mark Baxter

“Midnight Mass” by Troy Chavez

“The Right Time” by Zoraida Colon-Munoz De Collado

“The Fall of Kabul” by Patrick Hemmons

“Mom's for Christmas” by Anne Sellers

“Running For a Train” by Bev Smith

“HE WAS LATE FOR THAT APPONTMENT TOO” by Mara Masolini

“A Lingering Light” by Celeste Noble

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about a late bloomer.

All clocks suddenly stop. Write about what happens next.

Write a story including the phrase “Better late than never”.

Set your story in an airport, as someone rushes for a flight.

Contest #125

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

164

Contest entries

112

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: