Write a story about an ordinary person speaking truth to power.

Posted in Adults on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 68 stories

“Learn” by John Michael Pino

Submitted to Contest #88

The young Prince Kai went back to his room with a long face. He just came back from a dreadful tutor class. The pouting prince took his stuffed toy jester to his bed and starts talking to it. “Why do I need to study things which my brothers are good at, Archduke Stan?” He stared at the rugged toy as if it would speak to the dainty prince with a deep voice. The jester looked like he is a wise and noble Ottoman Turk with a headdress larger than his head. “Sar, the Crown Prince is proficient in studying economics. He already goes with Fat...

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“The Unvarnished Truth” by James Mckinley

Submitted to Contest #88

The traffic outside was loud! Marcus didn’t want to get up yet. His head was throbbing, it felt like the rhythmic beat of a machine gun. He knew he shouldn’t have stayed out late last night celebrating with friends. Now the 26 year old activist is what his dad calls “Paying The Bill”! It isn’t a bill he wants to pay right now. He looks at the clock through blurred eyes, it is 10:30 am. Too dam early, but he needs to get up and pull it together. So out of bed and on to the tread mill, a trick he learned playing baseball in high school , exer...

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“No Hard Feelings” by Pamela Griner

Submitted to Contest #88

February 14, 2021 Dear Saj, It sure has been a minute! This letter probably seems out of the blue since we haven’t seen each other since our five-year reunion, but for some reason, I’ve been reminiscing about elementary school lately. Maybe because today is Valentine’s Day, and I always think about how this holiday has never been as much fun as it was back when we were eleven. I know it’s been decades since then, but I swear, I can still picture it vividly. Remember the lunch sacks we would decorate and hang from the ch...

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“Saving Grace Street” by Anna Rogers

Submitted to Contest #88

As she walked to school Belle Fraser heard rumbling sounds. ”It’s all over bar the shouting”, commented a passerby. Catching his eye Belle shook her head exclaiming “Not if I can help it.” “Yeah right kid.”, the man chuckled. the rumbling was being caused by heavy earthmoving equipment. Contractors were starting demolition work at the top end of Grace Street. City Hall called it gentrification. To the local community it was corporate invasion. Belle’s family had been involved in the Save Grace Street campaign. Yet to her annoyance they...

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“Lying to Yourself” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #88

The look on her face said it all, disbelief and disappointment. Wrinkles melded into forlornness and the usual bright blue eyes faded into dullness. “I will ask you one more time Adam. Did you take the money from my purse?” She was willing him to tell the truth. She thought maybe her needing him to be truthful would show on her face and somehow be transported from her mind to his. But it didn’t work. He lied….again. “I’ve told you” his voice was slightly raised and tiny beads of perspiration had formed on his smooth brow, “I don’t know where...

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“Truth Be Bold” by Bonnie Seach

Submitted to Contest #88

TRUTH BE BOLD"Gold! I've found gold!" Hans de Beer drenched himself with the pan of water, it trickled down into his unkempt beard. He danced about clutching 3 gold nuggets. “Look!” He thrust his open hand toward his companion. “We’re going to be rich Gert!”Gert grabbed a nugget and threw his battered hat into the air, “It feels so good Hans, ou maat”. They danced about barefoot! Wealth and power go together like bread and jam. You can't have one without the other. The Transvaal of South Africa attracted gold diggers from all ...

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“The Explosive Truth” by Amanda Wilson

Submitted to Contest #88

As the dust settled, a few people coughed. Chunks of concrete tumbled to a stop, some landing at the feet of an off-duty officer standing in a daze in the devastated food court. Not much was clear other than the fact the mall had been the target of a bomb. Survivors started to gather in the food court with the officer. Seeing confusion, fear, and panic flit across the faces of his fellow survivors, the officer climbed on top of a dust and soot covered table calling for everyone’s attention. As the crowd moved closer, he did a quick hea...

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“Scotty Beam Mich Hoch, Part Deux ” by Nikita Linivenko

Submitted to Contest #88

Nestor, now sober, crossed under the spotlight and tapped his hands on the podium, trying not to make eye contact with the packed auditorium. “Dim the lights. Thank you. It’s not that I have an aversion to public speaking, I just feel better if I don’t see all those eyes on me. Now, all you sitting there in the dark. I could rave like always. I could give you all the schtick you expect from me. I could spew platitudes about how our penal system began in Salem, or our policing started the first time a plantation hand chased after a runaway s...

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“Not All It Seems ” by Catherine Hammond

Submitted to Contest #88

It's a dark night in the middle of January. Chilly, with a slight breeze. The moon is dim, a waning crescent, and the stars are bright like fireflies on a summer night. My eyes follow my feet, left...right...left...right...left...right as I walk down the glowing cement pathway to my destination. Left...right...left...right...left...right...stop. My destination, an ordinary place, is a small urban town. We like to be blind to the world around us. I walk up the wooden steps and shake the snow off my leather boots. We'd like to think ou...

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“No Tears Left To Cry” by Lexi Strano

Submitted to Contest #88

She was there. We said goodbye. She never came back. I cried. I balled so hard until I didn’t have any tears left to cry. However my sadness continued to haunt my soul. I sat in the bathtub asking myself why? Why would this happen? Nothing makes sense, I told them. Everything was fine until it wasn’t. This was the day my mom died, I recollected, and this was the day my life had no clear meaning. I was nine, quite a few years ago, but I remember the day so clearly. I don’t even bother trying to forget, nothing will let me forget. I will not l...

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“"My King..."” by Eva Parker

Submitted to Contest #88

Trigger Warning: Slight Mentions of Gore/Blood and AbuseI stood leaning against the wall. My eyes were vailed in shadow. My arms crossed tightly against my chest.“If we move our troops here, we can finally snuff out the king’s guard and take him out,” Dagger said grinning. “I can finally take the throne.”I grunted as if I cared.“Aww, come on, Satya, let’s celebrate.”He smiled once more, but I shook my head. “And this will make you happy?”"Of course.” He frowned. “What is it?”"Nothing, of importance, my lord,” I said calmly."Of course, it isn...

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“Authority Problems” by Matt Brooks

Submitted to Contest #88

There was an authority problem in Clarke County and Sheriff Slater was the problem. He was elected sheriff only because of his father, Phillip Slater, a businessman extraordinaire. They had many connections with other big businesses and high-ranking political officials around the state. The dilemma with Sheriff Richard Slater was that he was a racist bastard. The only person he looked out for was himself and not the people he was serving. The injustices of the sheriff were not apparent to the average citizen when he started his first ...

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“You Don't Own Me” by Melissa Källström

Submitted to Contest #88

Sunday evening. Madison was busy playing online chess while her father sat slumped on the couch, feeding his face sloppily with potato chips and watching politics, chiming in angrily every now and then with his uninvited opinions. Does he think they can hear him? Madison wondered. She shook the thought from her mind and focused back on her game. Suddenly, the tv went off. “Did you hear that the people that want to tear down the elementary school are having a get-together tomorrow with free dinner?” her father asked, though Madi...

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“I Am Selfish” by Delphine Hintz

Submitted to Contest #88

“My son was born on the day the mayflowers bloomed. The medicine woman heralded it as a good sign, that he would bring life wherever he went. That winter, his mother died. It was only him and I, my lord, and . . . and we did all we could. It was my first time being a father, yet here I had to be a mother, too, so that following spring whilst he finished his first year, I promised I would give him a love like no other, to make up for the love he had lost. “I talked to him, every night, and I told him I loved him more than the stars in the sk...

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“Tommy Comet Gets Cancelled” by Geoffrey Archer

Submitted to Contest #88

Liz From The Internet was focused, making sure she didn’t screw up. Being sure she was recording she was recording a wide shot. “I don’t think this is going to work Tommy.” She remarked as she zoomed in and out on her screen. “The two-way mirror is impossible for the camera to record the room.” Tommy Comet looked through the two-way mirror. “Well we have the CCTV footage.” Tommy almost felt bad for a moment while looking at his beaten and battered friend on the floor. Then he turned to the camera, “just keep it rolling, follow me as I walk i...

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Write a story about an ordinary person speaking truth to power.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 68 stories

“Learn” by John Michael Pino

“The Unvarnished Truth” by James Mckinley

“No Hard Feelings” by Pamela Griner

“Saving Grace Street” by Anna Rogers

“Lying to Yourself” by Valerie Preston

“Truth Be Bold” by Bonnie Seach

“The Explosive Truth” by Amanda Wilson

“Scotty Beam Mich Hoch, Part Deux ” by Nikita Linivenko

“Not All It Seems ” by Catherine Hammond

“No Tears Left To Cry” by Lexi Strano

“"My King..."” by Eva Parker

“Authority Problems” by Matt Brooks

“You Don't Own Me” by Melissa Källström

“I Am Selfish” by Delphine Hintz

“Tommy Comet Gets Cancelled” by Geoffrey Archer

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a cautionary fable about someone who always lies.

Write about a prince or princess who is asked to give up something valuable as part of a deal to escape the world they come from.

Write a fairy tale about an outsider trying to fit in.

Write about an author famous for their fairy tale retellings.

Contest #88

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

622

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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