Write about a character pretending to be someone they’re not.

Posted in Angst on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 43 stories

“Eulogy for a Mystery Man” by Bob Faszczewski

Submitted to Contest #107

Fred Harris lit up the world of everyone whose lives he touched, including mine and all the members of my family. His many readers and fans religiously read his Daily Post columns on local government and finance, and considered them as kind of unofficial operations manuals for the conduct of most municipal governments in suburban Northern and Central New Jersey and enabled reporters, including me, to help area residents turn back years of gross overtaxation or lack of sufficient services and infrastructure. Fred also co-founded the East Some...

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“Self-portrait” by Tamryn Willis

Submitted to Contest #107

Green symbolizes that which I covet most: wealth. Green is also lucky. I have money, but the need for more is insatiable. I crave prominence and distinction. And, with a bit of luck here and there, money always seems to make its way to me. Though I must admit, money is merely the meat, it is the envy of others, the sauce. So, I chose green. Manifestation. Pickle-green, because I didn’t want to stray too far away from the dependable grey tones of my five-figure collection. Ah, and what a ...

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“The Esteemed Charlatan.” by Tom Orr

Submitted to Contest #107

TW: murderTension lashed across the courtyard, whipping and cracking against the walls. Nervous onlookers peered through the trembling glass at the mass of protestors below. In turn, the jostling crowd spat frenzied ire at the building, slurring vague demands into their disgusted tirade.Gazing at the assembly from afar, one man beamed outwardly. Alfie Darkson. He watched the scene unfolding on a large, central TV screen, conveniently reported by his favourite news station. It was certainly fortunate they alone had received inside information...

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“A NIGHT TO REMEMBER” by Michael Downes

Submitted to Contest #107

I suppose some of us have at one time or another met that one person that stands out amongst all others. This particular one need not have influenced us in any way, or changed our life at a critical stage. No. The person I'm referring to is one who in a fleeting moment came along and left you stunned. I met mine one stormy winter evening, an evening I shall never forget. There I was standing by the bar three-quarters way through my pint of draught, minding my own business when he walked up alongside me and ordered a double whiskey. ...

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“Hero” by Ferran Plana

Submitted to Contest #107

Local hero saves the day. This was the heading of the regional newspaper from the third of November of 1995, with a picture of Peter, a young twenty-two-year-old boy from Stowbridge, completely wet holding a baby. A brave local boy jumped into Ouse river to save Maryanne’s three-month-old child during yesterday’s storm. Peter didn’t know what this situation would bring him. He had strolled back home under the heavy rain after a regular day of work in the restaurant when he overheard a moan coming from the riverbank. Peter loved animals, and...

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“IF THE TRUTH BE TOLD” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #107

As far back as Tobey Stetson could remember, his parents told him he would never amount to much. A sentiment shared by all who knew Tobey. And Tobey did nothing to prove them wrong. He saw nothing wrong with telling a few white lies. As long as they helped get what he wanted. But last Tuesday, Tobey told a white lie that put his and his loved one life in danger. Every morning, Tobey posed in front of his mirror, admiring his physique. It di...

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“Dining For Revenge” by Doreen Shea

Submitted to Contest #107

Dining For Revenge “These collard greens smell like five-day-old grass clippings after a raccoon urinated on them. And I’m betting the only thing that’s free-range about your chicken is the bacteria. Medium rare is not an option!” I held on to my composure for dear life, but he continued. No use; the coffee mixed with some swiss cheese concoction fermented his breath and soured my hopes as he volleyed more abuse four centimeters from my wilting face. I stood like an obedient Marine and tried to keep my brea...

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“It’s OK…Unless, You Stay and Betray” by Darrelle Beaudry

Submitted to Contest #107

Let’s be creative. Let’s start at the end and end at the beginning. That takes extreme courage, new-found self-love, choosing triumph over pain, are you ready? Come along on my journey; let’s hope it embraces you with a hug that squeezes you so tight, it puts your broken pieces back together again. Not just in the now, but along this karmic journey that’s meant to heal unresolved wounds. Get ready to emerge from the dark shadow and feel the sun, warm on your face again. As you glow-up, you’ll smile and release a much needed ex...

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“Will thou not follow me?” by Maria Esther Vilar Alvarez

Submitted to Contest #107

- “Stephen?” - “Yes?” - “I love you.” - “I love you too.” - he replied. And scoffed. She laughed. A happy sigh. A cold, almost pitiful stare. He closes his eyes. The last time he had spoken those words with a heartfelt sentiment lingered in a conspicuous region of his mind. The redundancy of this phrase, lacking emotion or veracity was now an allotment to his personality. Her warmth invigorated his soul, the touch of her youthful flesh stirred his innate desire for passion, his voracious appetite. Her heart, beating against his chest, was a ...

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“The Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower” by Ethan Jarmush

Submitted to Contest #107

My name is Count Victor Lustig. If you’ve not heard of that name, you may have heard of one of my other forty seven different aliases. Robert V. Miller was what they called me when they locked me up in Alcatraz. Another fake name of course. It would appear that no one truly knew my real name, and for a hundred years more it would still remain a mystery. I’ve lived a wondrous life, I must say. I concocted a counterfeit bank note operation so vast that the very confidence in the United States economy nearly crumbled. They called me Amer...

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“Young Gun” by Olivia Houghton

Submitted to Contest #107

Freak, these bozos actually believe this crap. “So, you’re saying you can do the job?” The guy was wearing one of those really fancy suit coats. His shirt was wrinkled though, and a kinda rat lookin’ thing made of chest hair was poking out over his collar. He had his collar up, and I couldn’t get Dad’s dumb Elvis costume out of my head. I could tell the guys around here were scared of him. The kind of scared the kids are of me at school. The “Geeze you terrify me, so I’ll be you’re personal slave so you don’t beat me up” kind of scared. ...

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“Destiny” by Kerry Williams

Submitted to Contest #107

Catching sight of himself in the bathroom mirror, Ian couldn't help thinking that he ought to cover it up during the daytime. As usual, he's tempted to look away but instead, he stares back at his miserable reflection, scrutinizing the balding head, the murky eyes, and the pasty skin. It's not that he was a bad-looking bloke – just somewhat ordinary. Unremarkable. It’s not so much the way that he looks that he detests; it’s what it represents: Ian. Ian is quiet and reserved. Ian is boring and in no way spectacular. Ian is not comfortable in ...

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“Teeth, Nails, and Shoes” by Leigh Victoria Fisher

Submitted to Contest #107

It’s at least ten minutes past 4:30pm in the small conference room with no windows. There’s a restlessness amongst the women, all in lowly administrative roles even though it’s 2017. It’s just like that in Baltimore sometimes. The men, in suits or lab coats or both, are likely to talk in circles at this time of day. “We need to be thoughtful when crafting the guest list,” the most important man says, reiterating that point five more times. The least important woman tries to write lines of poetry in her notebook. She pauses that ine...

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Write about a character pretending to be someone they’re not.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 43 stories

“Eulogy for a Mystery Man” by Bob Faszczewski

“Self-portrait” by Tamryn Willis

“The Esteemed Charlatan.” by Tom Orr

“A NIGHT TO REMEMBER” by Michael Downes

“Hero” by Ferran Plana

“IF THE TRUTH BE TOLD” by Gerard Watson

“Dining For Revenge” by Doreen Shea

“It’s OK…Unless, You Stay and Betray” by Darrelle Beaudry

“Will thou not follow me?” by Maria Esther Vilar Alvarez

“The Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower” by Ethan Jarmush

“Young Gun” by Olivia Houghton

“Destiny” by Kerry Williams

“Teeth, Nails, and Shoes” by Leigh Victoria Fisher

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about a white lie which spirals out of control.

Write about a game of ‘truth or dare’ that goes horribly wrong.

Write a story where a character finds out the truth about something they thought they’d known their whole life.

Write about a character who tells a lie which turns out to be true - or a truth which turns out to be a lie.

Contest #107

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

150

Contest entries

204

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: