Start your story with a character saying “Listen, …”

Posted in Valentine's Day on Oct 25, 2022

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✍️ 57 stories

“Rise Up, Rise Up.” by Jeannie Labelle -Potvin

Submitted to Contest #119

“Listen Mark, it is really simple. Either use the hydrogen peroxide or don’t, the choice is yours.”Mark blanched slightly, wavered momentarily, grabbed the brown bottle, carefully looked at the label and began reading.Perhaps it wouldn’t be as bad as he imagined.Purified water - checkHydrogen peroxide 3% - checkDirections: clean the affected area. Apply a small amount of product 1-3 times a day. - checkWARNING: KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. -no problemFor external use only - check“Hmmmm”, Mark pondered, perhaps Ginny’s ...

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“A Listen in Love” by Lauren Melink

Submitted to Contest #119

“Listen to your gut,” I whispered to myself for what felt like the thousandth time. Sitting on the floor in my closet with the door closed waiting for a moment of clarity to strike and the deep voice of the god I grew up believing in but no longer worship to step in and tell me exactly what to do. I read that answers can be found in meditation. So that’s what I’m doing in my closet, eyes closed, breathing; and between each breath I wonder if the godly voice I seek can be heard in the murmurs of my gut. I am not brave, for if I were, I would...

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“Every Time a Bell Rings” by Holy Roly Poly

Submitted to Contest #119

“Listen…” Mrs. Lewis lowered the storybook she had been reading aloud from and turned to face her six-year-old daughter. Marie was no longer nestled in her bed as she had been previously, but was instead perched at the window, gazing intently out through a few holes she had rubbed in the frosty glass. There wasn’t much to see through the dim moonlight, only the shady outline of the dense forest that loomed ominously only a few dozen yards away, but her ...

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“Vagabond dreamin' takes me through the night” by Claire Bendig

Submitted to Contest #119

“Listen, I think it is time you go out and meet some people! You’ve been living on your own for a few months now and I don’t want you to get too lonely.”“Well it’s not exactly easy. You go out into the world and you have to cover your face with a mask, you try to make a little small talk and your glasses get foggy. I’m telling you, nobody wants to talk to anybody… a pandemic doesn’t really breed an environment for social hours.” “Espi, I think that is a little dramatic, don’t you? It’s Friday night, go out and put yourself out there. Yo...

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“Trapped” by Irene Oluoch

Submitted to Contest #119

“Listen, I beg you. Please, listen to me Mike. This is getting out of hand... I can’t take it anymore!” “Look, all I’m saying is; I need a small break from all this…I think you do too. Just a little time away from each other. We can’t keep doing this, Mike” I begged desperately, still locked inside the bathroom. “You can’t leave me Lena, I won’t let you! Not now, not ever, you hear me, never!” Mike’s voice came roaring from the other side of the door. “How dare you! After all I’ve done for you, and your family? How dare you tell me you want ...

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“Olive You, Forever” by Celeste Anderson

Submitted to Contest #119

CW: miscarriage “Listen,” the doctor says. “Can you hear that?” You can. Over the background whoosh there is a sound, an unmistakably beautiful sound. A tiny little pitter patter that says I Am Here and I Am Hope. A thump-thump thump-thump thump-thump. “Yes,” you say thickly, a happy tear escaping. “I can hear it. It’s definitely there.” In the chair next to you, He is transfixed on that black and white screen too and you squeeze his hand in elation. “Congratulations,” the doctor says, the printer whirring out a picture of a tiny dot...

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“Reminiscence” by Peter Phoenix

Submitted to Contest #119

“Listen here, you maggots!” the colonel shouted and his rough voice echoed in the spacious hall. “We will be landing in zone KR2-Y778, so expect heavy resistance! You have been equipped with the newest prototype tech we have, but it won’t protect you against your stupidity!” The colonel’s sudden shouting woke me up from my daydreaming. I opened my eyes and looked around. I was standing among hundreds of other people, in a dimly lit metal hall. The heavy air inside carried a very unique odor, a mix of an acrid smell combined with a metallic...

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“Pas de Deux ( A Dance for Two)” by Judith Dreyer

Submitted to Contest #119

Pas de deux (A Dance For Two) "Listen," said a voice that sounded like an elder man. "Understand dreams are real. We live in them as much as we live in this day-to-day world that we say is "awake." I heard his voice soft and muffled but couldn't see anyone; I just caught a glimpse of his back, something burgundy, from the corner of my eye. So, I drifted into a grey space, not defined, not knowing how this dream would begin. I found myself back in the ballet studio so I could practice when no one would be around. The glow from the ligh...

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“Fresh Start” by Holden Crake

Submitted to Contest #119

“Listen” actually you know. fuck this shit. so. that’s decided then. good job Kim. now where were you? focus your eyes. that’s it. shopfront. sidewalk. street. sidewalk. cigarette almost burnt out between my fingers. how long have I been standing like this? on the sidewalk. by myself. in the dark. staring across the asphalt lit moodily by a streetlight. streetliight peeeeple. oh shut up girl. ash cigarette. take a drag. drop butt. exhale. now where was I? oh yes, fuck this shit. “I quit”. take the earpiece out o...

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“Diary of a Teenage Girl” by Ruby Dolinger

Submitted to Contest #119

Nov. 10. 2021 “Listen, do you hear that?” Katie June said. “Um, no. What do you hear?” I responded. We were talking on walkie-talkies even though we were 10 feet away. “That...stomping noise. It keeps happening every few seconds. Are you sure you don’t hear it?” she asked. “Nope, don’t hear it.” “You’ve got to hear it. Come on.” “I already said no.” “Ugh... Can you hear it now?” “No.” “Now?” “No!” “Fine!” Silence. “Now?” “NO!” Then my mom shouted from upstairs, “Sorry, if the creaky floor is bothering you two, I...

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“Wilbur Shakespeare” by Mike North

Submitted to Contest #119

‘Listen, don’t get narky, I was just asking if you’ve read the rules, that’s all.’‘Have I read the rules? What kind of a man do you think I am, of course I’ve read the rules.’‘I know exactly what kind of man you are, I say again, have you read the rules?’‘Oh rules my arse, you’re interfering with the creative process, us creative types don’t follow rules. We make our own rules in this world. You wouldn’t ask Wilbur Shakespeare if he followed the rules, of course not, you would just let him get on with it.’‘William.’‘Who?’‘Oh god, never mind....

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“Late August” by Dave Bolin

Submitted to Contest #119

“Listen,” August said. Etta sighed, put down the shot glass she was drying, and stared at August from across the bar. August had been working on the song all morning; Etta had heard it a dozen times already. August played the tune again, the jangling of the saloon piano echoing through the empty room. “What do you think? Will the men like it?” “As much as they’ll pay attention to it, August, sure.” It was not the response August was looking for. August had arrived in Independence, Missouri in the spring of 1835, planning on...

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“I Wish I Had a River” by Steven Green

Submitted to Contest #119

“Listen...” Mum grinned at me as she prepared to launch into her oft-repeated anecdote of my greatest embarrassment which simultaneously provided my sweetest memory of childhood: My parents,in addition to being two of the sweetest people on the planet,were naturists whose commitment to the cause of clothes-free living bordered on the fanatical.There was rarely a weekend or summer weekday when our doughty family caravan wasn’t parked in a field surrounded by similar vehicles,each of which had spilling from them naked people of all ages...

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“Or, Should I Say” by Chris Reed

Submitted to Contest #119

“Listen,” the old man said again. “They are talking to you.” Both boys could see the smug expressions on the two specifically pointed out faces easily. It wasn’t hard. They were less than a metre away from the glass cabinet that housed the ancient photographs of dead-stared students all in their pressed uniforms and the ubiquitous side part. ‘Seeing’ wasn’t the issue. Relevance was. The old man looming behind them like some Tolkensian giant was the principal of Hegley High. Apart from his ridiculous height he was the most unremarkable ma...

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“The Old Man” by Jay Ma

Submitted to Contest #119

Listen. I’m going to tell you a story. There once was an old man who lived by himself in a dark forest. He hated water in large quantities and so lived in a place where the only water came from shallow pans scattered around his property. Every morning he walked to the poplar tree and carried the blue tin bowl inside. After making a weak rust colored tea, he would splash the remaining water over his head and sprinkle a little bit over his armpits. At night, he walked to the spruce tree and carried the yellow plastic bowl inside. For f...

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Start your story with a character saying “Listen, …”

Submissions are closed

✍️ 57 stories

“Rise Up, Rise Up.” by Jeannie Labelle -Potvin

“A Listen in Love” by Lauren Melink

“Every Time a Bell Rings” by Holy Roly Poly

“Vagabond dreamin' takes me through the night” by Claire Bendig

“Trapped” by Irene Oluoch

“Olive You, Forever” by Celeste Anderson

“Reminiscence” by Peter Phoenix

“Pas de Deux ( A Dance for Two)” by Judith Dreyer

“Fresh Start” by Holden Crake

“Diary of a Teenage Girl” by Ruby Dolinger

“Wilbur Shakespeare” by Mike North

“Late August” by Dave Bolin

“I Wish I Had a River” by Steven Green

“Or, Should I Say” by Chris Reed

“The Old Man” by Jay Ma

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with an unusual sound being heard.

Write a story inspired by a piece of music (without using any lyrics).

Write a story that involves eavesdropping.

Set your story in a silent house by the sea.

Contest #119

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

232

Contest entries

160

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: