Write a post-apocalyptic thriller.

Posted in Thriller and Suspense on Jul 27, 2021

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✍️ 144 stories

“Uncharted Waters” by Chuck Waldron

Submitted to Contest #60

October 30th, 2022 Most days begin and end in ordinariness. There are days, however, when a life-changing event comes rushing with incredible speed. Little did I know I was about to experience the latter. With a sense of outrage, I first crumpled the letter, compressing it in my fist. It was the confirmation I’d been expecting. Everyone my age was getting one. Unfolding the crimpled document, I smoothed it to reread. Nothing in the letter had changed. They expect me to volunteer. To give up my life. Will I do that … for … my country? Really...

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“Trade off” by Shubhangi Likhite

Submitted to Contest #60

There is one strange fact that goes, “You pass your death anniversary every year without even knowing it.” But I know exactly when my death anniversary will be, it would be after two days from today. No, No I am not going to commit suicide nor I am going to die from long illness, I am going to die because that is what I deserved for my deeds. I will explain more so you all could get better idea of what I am trying to say. It was raining heavily, thunderstorm was declared all over the radio stations and on NEWS channels. I picked up Sarah, my...

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“Lockdown Party” by Simon Ward

Submitted to Contest #60

Peering out from my bedroom window, I watched the house party over the road. Some forty or so revellers were drinking and dancing in the garden. They were ignoring the lockdown restrictions which had confined people to their homes. Without social interaction, it was no wonder they’d gone stir crazy and needed to let off steam. They must have known they’d get caught but didn’t seem to care as music shamelessly boomed. Party like it’s 1999 had become an anthem for those who wanted to ignore the law. The desire to live an active life stronger t...

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“Handcuffed” by Insha Waseem

Submitted to Contest #60

The shrillness of the pertaining atmosphere and the high notes of the birds were a clear demonstration of an after-happening. The way trees swinged and performed a simple harmonic motion emphasised that the sun is also a star. Sun rays exhibited a different pattern. Much more than that, the moonlight impacted differently. After the crucial and hectic eclipses back to back the previous seasons, it all demonstrated the restoration of the old normal. From bag-carrying students to bag-selling men, everyone was on a pretence mode to normalcy. But...

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“Broad Channel” by Matthew Eubanks

Submitted to Contest #60

I have to get out of here.The lights are out. I’m not sure if the subway door will open if I pull on it.Panic. Calm the hell down. That’s panic. I should wait for help.I don’t need to panic because panic doesn’t help anything.No one ever uses Broad Channel station. The most underused station in New York. That's why it's so empty. That's why it's taking awhile.If you panic you won’t make good decisions at all. Be smart.The car just stopped and the lights went out all at once twenty – six minutes ago and there wasn’t any explanation. But I don...

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“Transformed” by Emerald Baynton

Submitted to Contest #60

I was at work when it happened. Helping a customer find the absolute perfect book to give her nephew for his first birthday. We’d been through most of the children's department, and I was starting to have second thoughts about my career choice when she finally settled on one. I led her to the register, thanking any and all gods that might exist for the reprieve. As we rounded the corner, the earth shook like something I had never felt and never would again. The customer and I collapsed to the ground. I wish I was the kind of person w...

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“Face your Fears” by Josh Lamb

Submitted to Contest #60

Fears. Everybody has them. Some big, some small. Some rational, some irrational. In the Shudder House people faced their fears. All of them. Tomorrow Rell had to go through the house. After all, he was 13 now, he had to. He didn’t want to refuse and become a Jilt. Someone who was rejected by society. Who couldn’t hold a rank, and lived very poorly. Rell slipped on his red shirt. He was getting sick of red. Since he hadn’t gone through the Shudder House yet he could only wear red shirts. This was to mark him as rankless. Jilts are also restri...

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“The Hallutionations ” by MaKenzie Baker

Submitted to Contest #60

Day one, Saturday 9:00 AM: I feel pretty silly and paranoid keeping a journal over this. But I want a record of my symptoms. In case I did catch something from the guy yesterday. I mean maybe he had some undiscovered virus. A record of my symptoms could help the doctors. I guess maybe that kinda thinking does mean I’m paranoid. What am I doing? I guess I should explain what happened yesterday. I was walking home through a shortcut when I ran into a very sick old man. At first, I couldn't tell what he looked like, because the hood on his coat...

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“One rainy night” by Swapnil Kamble

Submitted to Contest #60

When I wake up in morning my wife wishes me...”happy wedding anniversary day.” It occurred at 29 August night.the day of morning brought up with heavy rains fall.my wife congrats me about our first anniversary.she presents me as a kiss on mouth.I get bathed.I am late already.I have to catch 9.30 thane and wife reminds me something miss.I fumbled my purse but everything oK. I remember to give her return gift as kiss on lips.I hurried to catch train's .Road was incircled with dirt and water.reached to station fully jammed with peop...

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“Fear is an idea!” by Mat Mwan

Submitted to Contest #60

Many have claimed that death has a smell. Well, I’d love to correct them and say that it is dead things that smell and bring the thought of death to the edges of our memory, just about to spill over into sight, clear enough for us to see it. In fact, all of this started with an idea; a thought. Max held his daughter close beneath him as he crouched within the groove of an old eucalyptus tree. His fingers all trembled like they did when he proposed to his estranged wife. He was scared sick and he didn’t want to show it to his little girl, Da...

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“23rd Song” by Chad Lehrmann

Submitted to Contest #60

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." Virgil sang the song tunelessly as he watched over the sheep. His mother, a shepherd before him, taught him the song in his youth as a reminder of his mission. She told him- "Never forget Virgil- never forget the 23rd Song. When it is bleakest, when all hope seems lost- sing this song." His mother- nor Virgil for that matter- had no idea it was actually the 23rd Psalm, not Song. Nor did they know it was from what people once called the Old Testament of a holy book k...

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“A Slice of Survival ” by Josiah Hyder

Submitted to Contest #60

There they were. I didn't want them to exist but there they were anyway. The unwanted fingers dragging across the glass of my fragile mind. Burning daggers of agonizing truth ripped fresh rows of reality into the soil of my heart. I jolted awake and grabbed for the pistol next to me on the leather seat like it was the last sandwich on Earth. I was going to blast a soup can hole through the thing scratching at my window until I saw who it was. At first I was confused and couldn't recognized the frightened and panicky face underneath the bea...

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“The Nameless ” by Terri Gower

Submitted to Contest #60

Jany pulled open the cupboard. Inside were the usual bathroom items. It was untouched and not too dusty considering how long it had remained so. She grabbed the pill bottles first. There was an empty Tylenol, a bottle of multivitamins for seniors with only a couple left, and a small orange pill bottle with a pharmacy label. Jane grabbed for the last one and dumped one of the pills into her hand. Viagra. She immediately checked the bottle for an expiry date, it didn’t matter though. They were always expired. It was slightly more recent than t...

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“Survive” by Samantha Milhaven

Submitted to Contest #60

I always heard about the times of freedom. The times where you could love whenever you wanted and no one would bat an eye. Especially in those big cities once upon a time. So much to do and see. So many people to meet and just exist. My grandmother always told me these stories of freedom. A lot of the older generation did. But they’re dying out soon, so all that’s left is the learning system. Things were different now, have been different for a long time. My grandmother was just a pre-teen when everything started to change. The pandemic, the...

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“A New Paradise ” by Laura Simmons

Submitted to Contest #60

“Where’s your mask?” Leonard looked at Cheryl incredulously. “Mask? Why the hell would we need those things anymore? It’s the friggin’ apocalypse.” “Well, you don’t have to curse.” “I didn’t curse. I said ‘friggin.’” “All the same, you should wear one.”She looked out the jagged hole in the wall where a window had been. “The air may be tainted with lord knows what kind of germs.” He slowly turned to her and sighed. When he spoke, it was as if he were speaking to a stubborn chil...

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Write a post-apocalyptic thriller.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 144 stories

“Uncharted Waters” by Chuck Waldron

“Trade off” by Shubhangi Likhite

“Lockdown Party” by Simon Ward

“Handcuffed” by Insha Waseem

“Broad Channel” by Matthew Eubanks

“Transformed” by Emerald Baynton

“Face your Fears” by Josh Lamb

“The Hallutionations ” by MaKenzie Baker

“One rainy night” by Swapnil Kamble

“Fear is an idea!” by Mat Mwan

“23rd Song” by Chad Lehrmann

“A Slice of Survival ” by Josiah Hyder

“The Nameless ” by Terri Gower

“Survive” by Samantha Milhaven

“A New Paradise ” by Laura Simmons

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a funny post-apocalyptic story.

Write a post-apocalyptic story that features zombies.

Write a post-apocalyptic story triggered by climate change.

Write a post-apocalyptic romance.

Contest #60

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

762

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: