Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: An Unusual Commute

Published June 5, 2026 | By Laura

Welcome to Fiction Friday, our weekly flash fiction challenge.

Here’s how it works:

Set a timer for five minutes and start writing

Keep going for as long as you can once the timer goes off

No editing allowed—raw writing only

When you’re finished, feel free to share in the comments (but there’s no pressure)

Today’s prompt: An Unusual Commute.

Every morning, you take the same train at 7:42 AM. Same seat. Same routine. One day, you notice a passenger across from you is reading a book with your name on the spine as the author—but you’ve never written a book. The cover shows a publication date from three years ago and your face is on the back.

You’re too embarrassed to ask. So you follow them off the train.

Write a scene that explores this encounter. Do you confront them? Do you try to buy the book without being seen? Does following them lead somewhere unexpected? And what does it mean that a book you never wrote seems to exist in the world?

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Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.

Novel Kicks Fiction Friday: An Unusual Commute

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