Write about someone who purposefully causes a power outage.

Posted in Thriller and Suspense on Jun 13, 2021

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✍️ 146 stories

“Breaker” by Jennifer Prater

Submitted to Contest #58

I bolted to the cupboard when the lights went out. I had overloaded the circuit knowing that it would shut down everything in my house. It was a little quirk the realtor had told me when I bought the place. I could have had it fixed but it didn’t seem like it was worth the cost at that moment. I was now glad I had been so stingy. I sat in the small cupboard in my kitchen, just barely able to fit. I had to twist my ankle to an uncomfortable degree to get the door shut. I crouched in there with a paring knife in my hand ready to strike if I n...

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“Strawberry Blonde Angel” by Katie Blackwell

Submitted to Contest #58

She couldn't see me coming. She didn't even know I existed. I would just be a face from the street, a stranger that she might have seen before. But i know her. I see the way she swings her hips as she walks. I know that she plaits the under-layer of her hair when she gets nervous, and that she bites her lips when she tries not to cry. I know that every night she goes into her apartment, completely oblivious to the fact that her windows face the street, that everyone can see in. She'll put her hair in a bun, change into some pyjamas, us...

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“Clad In Black” by J.S. Daniel

Submitted to Contest #58

The nightly news at ten was always the cornerstone of my evening routine once my work was done. I'd pour myself a glass of my favorite whiskey and adorn it with exactly one cube of ice to help break the surface tension. My home was my castle and I loved to sit on my sofa with just enough dim lamp light to illuminate the various knickknacks I'd collected over the course of my shrouded endeavors. The setting was faultless and I wish I could have captured the image in a painting so that the atmosphere of that final night might last forever. The...

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“Zeal” by Mairéad Ní Shúilleabháin

Submitted to Contest #58

She’ll be roaring and shouting for another hour at least. I don’t know why anyone listens to this shite. I’ve heard a lot of this shite in fairness, but not because I really wanted to. I’m looking at the box that contains all the trip switches. I don’t know the name for it. I’m looking for the one that put out all the lights, if such a thing is possible. And would that be enough? Do you need to see someone spouting hate speech to hear them? Maybe it’s not enough. It’s rotting their already feeble brains...

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“The Goat of Death” by Bill Humphrey

Submitted to Contest #58

The Goat of Death Marcus passed the dead goat lying at the side of the road. He didn't exactly know what prompted him to turn around and drive back and park beside it. Truth be told, He had always had sort of a fascination with dead things, and maybe it was this that drove him to stop to examine the dead creature. Anyway, whatever it was that drove him to take that action accidentally set off a chain of events that would have a most unfortunate outcome. Marcus brought the big Mercedes to a stop less than a quarter mile pas...

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“Sour Grapes ” by Will Russell

Submitted to Contest #58

I've only been to this place once before, but I didn't eat the fruits last time. They are good, especially the grapes. A price means everything can be good, and succulent... but consumable with weaker teeth. Still... the audacity of him. He said that I would be welcomed here, like family, like a sibling, all those years ago. Betrayal is in his nature - HIM, a man I thought I once understood. Those lights are brighter than they ever were, and those paintings look illuminated by its glow. All those years ago... 33, to be exact... reassurance.....

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“The Interview” by Jenn M

Submitted to Contest #58

I woke up alone in an unfamiliar room. Where was I? My hands began an inventory of belongings and quickly located an unfamiliar item: a voice recorder. I pressed play. “Congratulations, you have been selected for an interview! There are a number of candidates in this building and each of you must attempt to escape without being captured by the others. You may use anything that you find along the way, however, seriously injuring other candidates will not be tolerated. Beside you is a metal ring. If you would like to proceed with your ...

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“a Mystery in the Dark” by Apollo Kronfeld

Submitted to Contest #58

The day It happened started completely normal, but that would change fast. It all started when I went into the fresh bean cafe on a calm Saturday evening. Being the socially anxious person I am, I quickly ordered my usual dark chocolate mocha with cinnamon, and quickly sat down before I had to talk to anyone. I didn't even wave when the barista who always takes my order yelled out "Hey Max, nice to see you again." She didn't like that but It's just too hard... I was halfway through my coffee when suddenly it happened. Everythin...

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“Flickering Lights and Late Night Sleights ” by Elena Welsh

Submitted to Contest #58

August crept down the sidewalk, trying his best to avoid lampposts and widely stepping around the multitude of puddles. He had never been one to follow rules, but his normal chaos involved being an everyday nuisance – setting off fire alarms, running his hands over every button in an elevator, cutting people off while driving, all accompanied by a biting wit if anyone worked up the nerve to talk to him – not shutting down the power in an entire sector of the city. He doubted anyone would be surprised at this stunt, but it still gave him a ...

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“Some Things Never Change” by Shelby Stinnett

Submitted to Contest #58

“Now, where is that pow-ahh!” The sound of boxes and a body falling, quite ungracefully, can be heard. “…Ow.” The lights are still on, and yet Damien somehow finds himself sprawled on the floor, betrayed by his own two feet. Pushing himself back onto the appendages that have failed him, Damien continues his hunt for the fuse box. He makes a mental note to do some spring cleaning as he treks through the current labyrinth that was his basement. After some random thoughts decided to pass through, the clumsy soul’s mind started drifting back ...

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“Boltnut” by Rac Relix

Submitted to Contest #58

Our family would always go on Christmas vacation at our house by the countryside. It was a rather spacey, two-storey house beside a large lake. We would usually stay there for about two weeks' time. The place was just near the outskirts of a rather small town called Moresville. The first time we visited, there were already few people living there to begin with, but in recent years, the number of people there dropped even more.Of course, having said that, we went there again this Christmas. But little did we know that this year, our Christmas...

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Title: In the Dark

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Write about someone who purposefully causes a power outage.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 146 stories

“Breaker” by Jennifer Prater

“Strawberry Blonde Angel” by Katie Blackwell

“Clad In Black” by J.S. Daniel

“Zeal” by Mairéad Ní Shúilleabháin

“The Goat of Death” by Bill Humphrey

“Sour Grapes ” by Will Russell

“The Interview” by Jenn M

“a Mystery in the Dark” by Apollo Kronfeld

“Flickering Lights and Late Night Sleights ” by Elena Welsh

“Some Things Never Change” by Shelby Stinnett

“Boltnut” by Rac Relix

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story where the power goes out on a spaceship or submarine.

Write about a character who’s stuck in an elevator when the power goes out.

Write a story about someone feeling powerless.

Write about a family who decides to camp out in the back yard during a power outage.

Contest #58

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

880

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: