Write a short story in which the last line is the countdown to midnight on New Year's Eve.

Posted in Winter on Nov 1, 2022

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✍️ 97 stories

“Countdown to Extinction” by G LaSpina

Submitted to Contest #22

Countdown to ExtinctionBy Giana LaSpina Ten. I’m just clocking out to go home when my cell phone emits a terrible emergency tone, at the same time the PA connected to the company laptop does. It’s a sound that I only associate AMBER alerts and emergency weather bulletins with, so, fearfully, I walk out of the break room clutching my phone. My coworker, Dave, who is the youngest after me at 19, locks eyes with me and hustles over. “What is happening?” he whispers into my ear. “This is not a good sound.”&nbs...

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“Auld Lang Syne ” by Noel Thomas

Submitted to Contest #22

Auld Lang SyneHave you ever had that feeling when you’ve met a random person that you could become the best of friends if circumstances were different? What causes people to not go through with pursuing a relationship in these cases? Is it due to shyness or inconvenience? Is it because it is better that the person remains a good memory of an illusion instead of unveiling the real person? Relationships take work and people, even good people, are complicated and chaotic. I keep asking myself these questions as I replay the events of last New Y...

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“Countdown To Tomorrow” by George Davis

Submitted to Contest #22

Countdown to Tomorrow—George Davis “Pass me the potato chips and dip, Ethel,” Tom Mayfield said to his wife. “The ball’s gonna drop in a couple of hours.” “You are so lazy, Tom. The chips and dip are right in front of you.” “I can’t reach them.” “All you have to do is bend forward, stretch out your hand and voilà, you’ve got your treat.” “Can’t you do something to help me once in a while, Ethel?” “If washing your clothes, cleaning up after your meals, scrubbing the floors on m...

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“Count UP to New Years!” by Luanne Hope

Submitted to Contest #22

Count-UP to New Years!My brother Scott put his dogs down last week. Two of them. Connor and Moses. They were border collies, and they were brothers. They were 14 years old, and in chronic pain, and he couldn’t stand seeing them suffer any longer. He and his wife adopted the two as puppies, and they became their children two years before any of their human babies were born. When they took them to the vet because they weren’t eating, they were told that the dogs were suffering, and that it was time to let them "re...

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“Eternity” by Jean Lagacé

Submitted to Contest #22

Write a short story in which the last line is the countdown to midnight on New Year's Eve.I retired to bed early. Christmas is a bad time for me. To much food and booze. When I awoke, there was someone, not my wife, sitting on the bed. It was the middle of the night. I hadn’t slept too well and I more sensed the intruder’s presence by the pressure he applied on the box spring than by seeing who it was. Then my eyes adjusted to the semi obscurity in the room and I realized that it was God that had come to visit. This put me in a kind a stupor...

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“A Rough Start to the New Year” by Alaina Cantrell

Submitted to Contest #22

We fell in love on December tenth two years ago Allison. What has happened between now and then? Right now you’re tied up to a chair. You’re screaming in my head about how I am the sick man who ruined your life. How I was the one who pushed you to murder our unborn child without you even telling me it existed. You say that I stalked you in that last argument, that I was wrong for breaking into your house multiple times to install cameras that you were never supposed to find out about, by the way. You blame me for your boyfriend m...

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“David and Tina -Suddenly a promised fulfilled” by Tina Bowles

Submitted to Contest #22

“Oh my gosh. David! Is that you?” I had not seen David in nearly 20 years. We met when we were 8. I always had the biggest crush on him but he never had the time of day for me. When he moved to Arizona when we were 14 years old I thought my life was over. And I thought I’d never see him again. Who thought I would see him at a New Years Eve party for singles on 12/31/19 - but here he was. I just couldn’t believe it. When we saw each other is was like there wasn’t a day missing in the past 20 years.&nbs...

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“Countdown Surprise” by Linda Juliano

Submitted to Contest #22

Dalia freezes mid-step when David walks through the door. Her heart pounds in her throat so violently she can’t swallow. The New Year’s party at the Chelsea’s mansion is in full swing, everyone singing, dancing and laughing, drunk on free-flowing champagne and their hopes for what the new year will bring. Dalia wrings her hands together, hearing only the pounding of her heart between her ears. David stands in the archway, hands buried in the pockets of his tuxedo pants, surveying the room when his gaze lands on Dalia. He glides toward her, h...

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“Steal Me Away” by Trenea House

Submitted to Contest #22

Kaitee rolled her eyes as she grew tired of listening to Candy telling a story to their three friends that Kaitee had already heard before. “So I said,” Candy continued, “ ‘The C.C. stands for Coco Chanel and D and G stands for Dolce and Gabbana.’ She asks, ‘Well, what stands for Michael Kors?’ and I said, ‘L.O.O.N.’” The girls laughed while Kaitee chuckled with no enthusiasm. She always did after hearing the sam...

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“Auld Lang Sine” by James Mongold

Submitted to Contest #22

On a quiet evening, in a sleepy town, tucked away in a forgotten part of rural Ohio, there stood a building. Within the building, there existed a quiet little bar. Sitting alone at the bar, slowly swirling a drink in his hand, was an old man. This man was once well known in his younger years, having served in the army and returned unscathed when so many others had not. He was hailed a hero in those days, a sterling example of American military pride. This man, Harold Wolfwitz, now quietly stared at the dark amber liquid within his glass as i...

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“The New Year's Eve Ball ” by Lynn Rowe

Submitted to Contest #22

Heels,make up, and a beautiful dress I am getting ready for the dance tonight. Tonight is the New Year's Eve Ball at The Grand Villa hotel and suites in the ballroom. I guess I should introduce myself Hi my name is Blair Rose Gregory and I am 25 years old. My best friend Sophie Jones and I have been friends since grade nine of high school. She said that going to a Ball was on her bucket list. So we both decided to go to a Ball for the first time. She also said that there are new guys who...

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“Count Me Down” by Johanna Leo

Submitted to Contest #22

A shiver ran through Bianca’s spine.Through her window, she could see the blanket of snow and how it tucked the concrete floor. The sunrise was creeping behind the buildings, announcing the beginning of the last day of the year.Leaving her bed and stepping into the cold was less of a hassle than it was most winter days, the promise of her first time watching the ball drop pulling her up and into the day. She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror, flushed cheeks from the cold in her porcelain skin. Amid her excitement, there was a sli...

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“Dark New Year” by Angela Mask

Submitted to Contest #22

DECEMBER 29"Angela! Come down now or we'd be late", my Mom yelled from downstairs. I take my time to go down mainly because I don’t really want to go out. There’s nothing interesting about the New Year ‘cause it’s going to be like the last year. I ran down the staircase to meet my Mom. “I have been waiting for…” she started saying but I just walked passed her, totally ignoring her comment. My Mom gets extra jumpy during the holidays which I don’t find interesting at all. We go to the mall that is less t...

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“Happy New Year's” by Alondra May

Submitted to Contest #22

Happy New Year She entered the lobby and looked out the door. It had just started raining. Raining in December? No snow, no sleet, just rain. It was just cold enough that it might turn to ice. Some people thought rain was good luck, that it meant a fresh start and growth and whatnot. Jess had never been one of those people. Rain meant she would get wet and the roads would be dangerous. She glanced at her wrist, at the analog watch. ...

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“Time to Go” by Sk Virtue

Submitted to Contest #22

The bell on the shop door rang as Caryn pinned down a pattern piece. She looked up to see a harried couple rush into her sewing shop. They were young, in their mid-twenties. The man was tall and gangly with a mop of red hair sticking out from under a black bowler hat. The woman was shorter. And she was a bit rotund. She was cute though. Her blonde hair twisted up in tiny braids around her head. The braids, entwined with white ribbon and silver beads, sparkled in the morning sunshine. “Can I help you?” Caryn asked. “We hope...

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Write a short story in which the last line is the countdown to midnight on New Year's Eve.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 97 stories

“Countdown to Extinction” by G LaSpina

“Auld Lang Syne ” by Noel Thomas

“Countdown To Tomorrow” by George Davis

“Count UP to New Years!” by Luanne Hope

“Eternity” by Jean Lagacé

“A Rough Start to the New Year” by Alaina Cantrell

“David and Tina -Suddenly a promised fulfilled” by Tina Bowles

“Countdown Surprise” by Linda Juliano

“Steal Me Away” by Trenea House

“Auld Lang Sine” by James Mongold

“The New Year's Eve Ball ” by Lynn Rowe

“Count Me Down” by Johanna Leo

“Dark New Year” by Angela Mask

“Happy New Year's” by Alondra May

“Time to Go” by Sk Virtue

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a short story about a person who goes to bed on Valentine's Day and wakes up in 1920.

Write a short story about someone with unconventional New Year's traditions.

Two strangers meet at a New Year's Eve party. They spend the party together, and then never see each other again.

Write a short story about someone who does not spend December 31st celebrating New Year's Eve.

Contest #22

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

338

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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