Write a story about a piece of gossip that becomes more and more distorted as it passes from person to person.

Posted in Adults on May 26, 2023

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✍️ 33 stories

“Have you heard about Scott and Abi?” by Jane Andrews

Submitted to Contest #200

“Have you heard about Scott and Abi?” The school bathroom’s deserted as Jodie sidles up to Fliss, her best friend. Jodie’s not usually one to gossip, but she can’t resist passing this on. “They hooked up at Danny’s party last weekend. I saw them getting hot and steamy with each other on the landing.” “Scott and Abi?” Fliss says in surprise. “I thought he was dating Lauren.” “Maybe they broke up.” Jodie pauses to consider the possibilities. “Or maybe he’s cheating on Lauren with Abi. I wonder if she knows…” “Poor Lauren,” Fliss says. It’s ...

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“The Eels in my Hovercraft” by Tanya Humphreys

Submitted to Contest #200

I’ve stopped telling telemarketers about the eels in my hovercraft. Not because the lowly lifeforms of the pits of viable employment would not believe me, but rather, that they would. After all, eels are quite delicious, and extraordinarily hard to catch. These individuals with earpieces welded to their greasy yellow seashell ears sustain their earthly flesh vessels with rice and rice alone, and needless to say, are quite malnourished. In the gloomy rooms of the abandoned office buildings, where faint watery grey light insists on st...

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“The Equity Issue” by Joe Smallwood

Submitted to Contest #200

“That house looks so perfect when he’s not home!” says every neighbor whether they know it or not. Through my smiling teeth, I could say this too, cleaning miscreant leaves that blow west to east, from Todd’s front lawn right to my front door. We stop to take a rest, Sam, and I, before cleaning this leafy mess. Then we get into a discussion about who’s leaving. Uh going away.“Todd lived here twenty years and the police only had to come twice.” Harumphs Sam, pointing to the house in the middle of our respective, um respectable homes...

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“Blindness and Sight” by Zoë Page

Submitted to Contest #200

I am bornof negativity. I am weak.I wake to darkness, blinded by hunger, to search sightlessly for food. I am somewhere else,in Nothing,and they can’t see me. I scrabble mentally, sensing very little,the lies and the hatredvery weak flickers in the abyss. I reach out feebly with my tongue, my only moving appendage formed, and lick gingerly.I taste them,though the flavor is not strong; hungrily, I slurp it all up, though it is but a mere morsel.Her husband was seen with her sister.There is a bitterness to it –truth –which makes me recoil. Ten...

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“The Grapevine is Broken” by Karen Kinley

Submitted to Contest #200

April 23, 2023, 1:07 PM On the sidelines at a soccer game ALEXIS: Don’t tell anybody I told you this, but I overheard Nicole talking on her cell just a few minutes ago, and she said something about being “unhappy” and “looking at options.” I don’t know about you, but it kinda sounded like she was talking about getting a divorce. Or at least separated. I hate to gossip, but do you know anything about her and Tim being unhappy? BROOKE: No! News to me. But now that you mention it, they were both invited to the barbecue Melissa had for her s...

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“Telephone” by Jason Hopewell

Submitted to Contest #200

Telephone J. A. Hopewell jasonhopewell@icloud.com George hits accept on the center display while waiting at the light on Main St and Lutterloh Rd. “Hey Teresa.” “Hey George. Did you hear what happened?” “Pertaining to the incident at work?” “No, no. The incident at the high school.” “No. What happened.?” “There was a fight between two girls in the lunchroom. One of the vice principals stepped in and pulled the girls apart. Apparently, one girl started assaulting him. Then the other girl joined in, and they beat the principal up.” “Wow, ...

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“Truth be told” by Chido Victoria Manyande

Submitted to Contest #200

TRUTH BE TOLD “I brought some fresh scones with clotted cream, so be a dear, put the kettle on and we can have a nice chinwag,” said Thea as she plopped herself onto the worn sofa in the breakroom, kicked off her work shoes and rubbed her swollen feet before placing them on a chair she had pulled from one of the tables in the staff dining area. Keisha smiled knowingly as she recognised her friend’s code for a juicy piece of gossip that she was dying to share and wondered what colourful story she had today. She filled the...

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“For Want of Gold” by Chelly Jo Welch

Submitted to Contest #200

Farwater was a trading post town, and as such, quite large. Finding the stables had been a struggle, and by the time she finally came across them, Cozbi was just half a step beyond the threshold of exhaustion. Unfortunately, her day was far from over. She dismounted and led her mare inside to find what she assumed was the owner of the establishment laying across some haybales, his hat next to him brim-up. “A silver for a stall, miss,” ...

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“A Trail of Words” by Jack Gorzo

Submitted to Contest #200

This story contains themes of physical and substance abuse. Please only read if these themes will not trigger. “Kelly, slow down! I’m making Carly’s lunch; I can barely hear you. What happened? Did Chris get hurt? That’s good then. Did you call the police? You need to call the police, Kells. I don’t care if you don’t trust them, you can’t deal with this yourself. Because if they can kick the shit out of your six-foot-three son, what do you think they’re going to do with your tiny ass? What? Since when do you own a gun? Kelly. Kelly. Kelly! L...

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“The Package” by Chris Dell

Submitted to Contest #200

Willowbrook was your average small town. Almost too average. Nothing interesting seemed to happen there. One day, however, as Mildred was visiting the local bakery to pick up a fresh loaf of bread, squeezing the fresh loaves, making sure Sam the baker wasn’t trying to slip in some of yesterday's batch, her ears perked up. Sam was whispering excitedly in hushed tones to one of his customers. With all the noise of the ovens and fans she couldn't quite make out everything Sam was saying. Mildred slowly walked over to where Sam leaned over...

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“Action Figure” by Craig Miller

Submitted to Contest #200

2014 And the paramedics arrived too late to save him. The first person to find him—at least according to Mrs. Swanson who lives across from his house—was his girlfriend (or maybe it was just a friend). Later Mrs. Greer who lives next-door said it was in fact his sister, Mary—she was the middle child, he was the youngest, and he had an older brother, Scott—that found him: chair kicked, noose digging into the flesh around his neck, body dangling and lifeless. Everyone implied the boy, the youngest, now deceased, was "different." Neighbors—...

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“Special Treatment” by Sarah Duffey

Submitted to Contest #200

CW: mentions of sexual assault and derogatory language Fighting the sudden urge to pee, Elena stood at her English teacher’s desk and waited for her to look up from her gradebook. Like a starting pistol at a track meet, the final bell had set loose a stampede of teenagers; all of them except Elena in her modest, daisy sundress. “Oh, Elena.” Mrs. Henderson tossed her bangs. “What can I do for you?” Squeezing her thighs together, Elena said, “Well, about the reading we’re supposed to do this week…” “Yes?” Mrs. Henderson asked, her ey...

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“Runaway” by Hannah Leigh

Submitted to Contest #200

PART ONEThe night was clear and crisp as Rachel Leighton quietly finished packing her bags. The sun had set an hour ago, and the last faint pink glow of day had faded into the deep indigo of night. She worked quickly and quietly, almost frantic in the way that she threw different articles of clothing into a small bag. She was rifling through her clothes, picking out the ones that were the most plain and unassuming of her dresses and skirts. All the while she wondered, what did a woman wear on a farm? What kind of work did a woman do on a far...

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“Telephone” by Zoe Zarubin

Submitted to Contest #200

Telephone —2003— Dear Nailah, Do you remember that game Telephone? It was a game we played when we were the height of the kitchen counters we had to leap to look over, when we were children shouting to a world that remained deaf to us—do you remember? Telephone was a game played between you and I and the other four—do you remember? I suppose you might have blocked it out but that’s why I am here to remind you. We would play, whispering it from one ear to the next to the next until the story had been twisted and mi...

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“WHAT'S IN A NAME?” by Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #200

WHAT’S IN A NAME? P.J. Flaherty, CEO of Dunphy, Murphy, Kilpatrick and Sons, the blue chip Irish American banking firm that occupied an entire block in the Financial District of Downtown Boston, slowly caressed his putter and watched as his golf ball rolled perfectly into the awaiting cup laid out on the expensive, Axminster carpet of his executive office. “Yes. Master shot!" His intercom buzzed. “P.J. I have Francis Mullins, Level 2, requesting a moment”. “Thank you, Bridget. Two minutes”. Leisurely, P.J. (short for Patric...

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Write a story about a piece of gossip that becomes more and more distorted as it passes from person to person.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 33 stories

“Have you heard about Scott and Abi?” by Jane Andrews

“The Eels in my Hovercraft” by Tanya Humphreys

“The Equity Issue” by Joe Smallwood

“Blindness and Sight” by Zoë Page

“The Grapevine is Broken” by Karen Kinley

“Telephone” by Jason Hopewell

“Truth be told” by Chido Victoria Manyande

“For Want of Gold” by Chelly Jo Welch

“A Trail of Words” by Jack Gorzo

“The Package” by Chris Dell

“Action Figure” by Craig Miller

“Special Treatment” by Sarah Duffey

“Runaway” by Hannah Leigh

“Telephone” by Zoe Zarubin

“WHAT'S IN A NAME?” by Charles Corkery

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that includes the line “my lips are sealed.”

Your character is known as the town gossip. One day, it comes back to bite them.

Write a story about someone trying to track down the source of a rumor.

Your main character has a secret superpower; the gossip they spread always comes true.

Contest #200

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

210

Contest entries

116

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: