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Write about a character seeking forgiveness for something that happened in the past.

Posted in Angst on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 66 stories

Ask and You Shall Receive

Submitted to Contest #116

“Are you ready to give your statement?”“Yes”“Wait one minute, stenographer, are you on the line and are you ready to transcribe?”“I am, thank you.”“Okay, go ahead, officer.” “Thank you.” She took a deep breath, “I realize that this is my fifth impact statement that I am giving to oppose the release of Edward Charles. I get so caught up in how difficult it becomes for me every 18 months to prepare myself to face the possibility of his release, that I have a hard time seeing others and what they do. So, before I start, I do want...

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Guilty As Not Charged

Submitted to Contest #116

CW: Reference to ADHD Does every criminal know this? That her unpunished crimes bury themselves deep and gnaw at her best moments? I lower the window of the staff car in which I am driven past the impressive portico of the private school, the one from where I retired today. After serving for 25 years. In a rare gesture reserved only for the most loved teachers of the school the principal himself stands at the steps leading to the foyer along with the staff and a few senior students. A banner is propped among them that glints in the af...

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Human Error

Submitted to Contest #116

It's when I see the look on her face that I realize the mistake I’ve made. Ten days of hiding it, and every minute it was like I’d stabbed her in the back, and she just hadn’t felt it yet. But when we wake up from the first sleep cycle, alone on a spaceship hurtling through the void between stars, I can’t take it any longer. So, I tell her. Only it isn’t really ten days later. It’s nearly ten years. The first segment of our transport mission is 2,847 days. Then we come out of cryostasis, with seven days to perform maintenance. Then...

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An open letter to you

Submitted to Contest #116

I failed you as a partner. My love was not a creek, overflowing with passion, intimacy, and desire. I took you for granted when you needed me the most. I failed you as a friend. Our connection was strong and unbreakable. Yet, I ruined the bond that took years to build. Most importantly, I failed you as a human. You wanted to feel like you belong and I pushed you away like an outsider. My intentions were never to hurt you, but something was missing from our relationship. We stopped having deep conversations, and life became mundane. We went f...

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How a Woman Forgives

Submitted to Contest #116

What deceiving words to live by that violence does not solve problems. Violence has been the true instigator of change and that I know in my hear to be true. Fernando also knew this to be true, but some infectious pest has been making him weak of mind and blind to the lies of his so called council. Once an honorable friend and now a lifelong foe. Oh how he poisoned my heart and how I wish to poison him with my lips. His action endlessly tormenting me each minute in my bed chambers; a never ending spinning wheel of torture. But at last, ma...

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Dr. Sickle Part 1

Submitted to Contest #116

The roar of applause thundered through the auditorium, as I stepped on the stage. Staring past the glow of the spotlights, I scanned the faces of the crowd. Blind, I thought to myself. They know not who they cheer for.At that moment, the President Bush placed the Medal of Freedom around my neck, shook my hand and blared in the microphone, “Let’s give our congratulations to Dr. Sickle. He’s certainly earned it.”Applause and cheers echoed, as I was escorted to the podium. The din died down and the nameless faces waited for my speech.As I peere...

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Germinating seeds of forgiveness .

Submitted to Contest #116

There´s a part of me, who lies all the time, to tell myself a truth, I´m afraid to bear. That part of me has many names and none. It cries it howls, it is caged. It is sad and it is lonely. It wants to break free from its burden. It wants to wash. It wants to breathe. It wants forgiveness and to give absolution. It craves the light; it longs for warmth. It labors to forgive, to pardon! To break its chains and bathe in the sunlight. The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn´t exist.     ...

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Today Tomorrow, and Forever

Submitted to Contest #116

                                       Today, Tomorrow, and Forever    Sentinel Park was chilly today. The light wind of late winter, early spring, tugged at his jacket like the soft hands of a child, he flipped up his collar, so the air didn’t go down the neck.  Rolling along the empty paths he listened to the sounds aroun...

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The Reckoning

Submitted to Contest #116

There was that soft “plop” in the front hall, which set the dog to barking and scratching at the door. Moving into the hall to shush Ruggles, I gathered the scattered mail, before it could be shredded by his exuberance. I instructed him firmly to be quiet, to be a ‘good boy’. As usual. But this was not to be a usual day. That realization landed, like an unwanted guest, the moment that I had spread the envelopes across the kitchen table and looked at the return addresses.Only a few letters arrived, these days. Mostly, they were requests ...

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Confessions of a Sinner

Submitted to Contest #116

The box was small and dark. I hated going in there.I hated the darkness but every Friday I didn’t have a choice. I made it to the front of the line and waited my turn. In my head I was thinking of the things that I was required to say when the door opened to the box and the person before me stepped out. I really didn’t have anything to say but that would not do. You were expected to say something once you entered the box and the door  closed. I wiped my wet sweaty  hands on my uniform skirt and tugged at the bottom of my sweater. S...

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Living Water

Submitted to Contest #116

TW: drug use, self-harm, languageAll she knew how to do was run. So she ran. But this time she ran towards the truth, not from it. She ran fast, and she ran hard. Her hair blocked out the sun, causing those behind her to wither and die. Her hands directed the winds, generating a blast of destruction. Her feet trampled the earth, shattering the surface into a million pieces, shards flying behind her as she quickened her pace.She was almost there. She saw that blanket of blue infinity. She kept running. She was so close. As she lunged towards ...

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Earning my Place

Submitted to Contest #116

(Excerpt) Heather June 10, 2016 Fredericton, New Brunswick You are good enough. You can accomplish anything. The world respects your sacrifice. Once again, I think my reflection is lying to me. My mantra, I chant it every day; maybe one day I’ll believe it. For now, I cover up my insecurities with a coat of lip gloss, a spritz of hairspray, and my best practiced smile. Today is a new day. “Mom, are those my jeans?” Anna is mortified. “I don’t know. Are they?” I laugh. “Your mother is the only woman in town who could get away with t...

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Counting Raindrops

Submitted to Contest #116

I did something horrible. Or at least, that is how it has been described to me. Horrible. Awful. Terrible.  I don’t remember doing it. I don’t remember anything about it, to be honest. I have seen photos and videos from the incident many times, before the trial and many times during it. In the videos it appears to be me. The scenes are disturbing. I mean, who wouldn’t be disturbed after watching it? During some of the viewings I’d get these weird flashes, like a bright light pulsing ever so quickly it’s gone before I even knew it was ...

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Forgiveness

Submitted to Contest #116

Rachel stood alone, looking down onto the freshly lowered coffin. There were no tears, but feelings of anger, shame, sadness and guilt consumed her.  She imagined the lid opening and Holly sitting up, laughing infectiously, proclaiming this to be a bad joke. That would be so typical of Holly’s personality. Always happy, wanting to make other people smile. She smiled sadly at the thought. A light rain started to fall, mocking Rachel as her eyes remained stubbornly dry. Rachel stood for a minute longer, not wanti...

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A Knock at the Door

Submitted to Contest #116

        The chill filled the air and traveled through her bones. The bed whined slightly as she turned over. She couldn’t bear to look at the ceiling one second more on this sleepless night. Her current view, her nightstand, was not much better. As she stared at the picture of an elated bride and groom, she could not help but to notice the hopeful gleam in their eyes shone brightly. Their smiles stretched across their faces to an almost painful degree. She could no longer recognize those people in that...

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