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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Write about someone trying to atone for a mistake they’ll never be able to fix.

Posted in Angst on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 192 stories

“The Horrible Mistake” by Perry Terrell

Submitted to Contest #70

The Horrible Mistake By Perry Terrell The plane was scheduled to leave on time, but Callie was running late. She was a last minute person anyway and things always worked out in her favor. So she thought by the time she get to the check in and screening site, there shouldn’t be a line. This was a very small airport and there were not many people flying out of it anyway.            Callie only had a carry-on bag and a covered cage with her cat.        ...

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“Fishing for Fall( Abridged) ” by Nappy Peak

Submitted to Contest #70

A little patch of water where the smallest of guppies swam was where we were headed. The radio was off, jazz was playing, but the sound of the car jutting and sputtering over itself was all I could think of. I remember not feeling that blue and white cooler in my lap. I remember the driver, my papa, had a scowl on his face before we got in the car. I used to wonder what he was so upset about...whenever the silence rose between us.  “Almost there,” My mother hummed with a hint of emotion. “We shouldn’t be out here.” My dad’s eye sli...

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“The Crimes You Commit ” by Coral Winterstrom

Submitted to Contest #70

“You are saying to me that you are guilty of your crimes. Do you understand the punishment for what you have done is, Rowan Hart?”  asked the judge. “Yes... I do.”  “I am very sorry, Rowan. But according to the evidence from our witnesses, our only option left is” he paused.  “is to sentence you to death.” Rowan sat in a chair, head in his cuffed hands, shoulders shaking. He knew now that what he had done was wrong, that this was what he deserved. He’d known that eventually this day would come. But he never thought it woul...

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“The Dragon and The Mouse” by Shaelyn Bradle

Submitted to Contest #70

Long ago, according to our legend, there lived a great dragon. He was the mightiest of creatures - as tall as a tree and as strong as a mountain. He could breathe fire, and though he did not have wings, he could run on the wind. He was also kind, offering his wisdom and protection to any who asked. But while the great dragon considered himself a friend to all, his best friend was the mouse. The unlikely pair had always been close and could be found together most every day. Except for the winter. As the winter months came, the air carryi...

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“Loss and Atonement” by Sue Marsh

Submitted to Contest #70

Suzanne Marsh Shots rang out somewhere down the lonely alley. Juan Garza fell to the ground gasping for breath. Miguel Torres bent down over Juan trying to protect them both. Suddenly another shot rang out both boys died within moments of each other. Police Detective Matt Green was first on the scene; his heart sank as he recognized both boys. Juan Garza was fifteen he and his brother Tomas belonged to the “Los Toros” gang. Miguel Torres fifteen was working with Matt to clear Juan’s name and to keep him out of prison. Matt decided as soo...

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“The Figure” by Emma Ingram

Submitted to Contest #70

The Figure It sits looming in the corner of the second-hand shop. A small trinket of sorts. A faint whisper of mystery..if one was to listen in that particular direction. An easy glance over. A hidden surprise for fingers to softly lift from the ashes of forgotten things in the second-hand shop. The sharp corners, the strange tinges of red in the sun’s glare. A small figure one could cup like a hot coffee, grasp like fine china. A figure, a silhouette. The other lost and forgotten things are silent, even the wind doesn’t breath a gust he...

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“On the Outside” by John Casey

Submitted to Contest #70

I pulled into the visitors’ lot and was prepared to wait, but the van pulled up just when it was supposed to. In my experience, it was unusual for any part of the criminal justice system to operate efficiently, but apparently they could at least get the shuttles to run on time. Grey, with WAYNE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY emblazoned in bold type across the rear sliding passenger door, the van carried with it the deferred dreams of a thousand desperate men. Today, it also carried the man who had been my best friend, who had followed me down the pat...

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“Forever.” by Christine Hungerford

Submitted to Contest #70

The crackling fire popped in its square box of a fireplace behind the dreary stone hearth. Its flames reached upwards—like it desired to escape but tortuously knew its sparks were the only escapees. But why? It hadn’t done anything wrong. It was just a substance once lit and then snuffed out. Its smoke left to drift away to voice its epiphany. If it had any.          “But there isn’t. For any of us.” The speaker would be a silhouette if the living room was a little darker. She lay on a scarlet cushione...

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“Escaping Emerald City” by John Cusumano

Submitted to Contest #70

How does one atone for something that happened more than fifty years ago? How do you live with a horrific event that haunts you every day of your life? To this day the nightmares still come every once in a while. I haven’t spoken about this in a very long time. It was 1979 and Disco was still going strong with the fancy clubs and hot dance music. I was nineteen and lived in Brooklyn, New York. Every once in the while I would go to a club in Cherry Hill, New Jersey called Emerald City with my cousin Nick and his two friends, Steve and Bill...

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“A mother's pain” by Jose Gonzalez

Submitted to Contest #70

He knocked on her door, waiting patiently for her to open. He spent 30 minutes yesterday in front of her door. But she wouldnt open. He saw a shadow it had to be her. Her son had been dead for 3 months now. She was all by herself. An elderly woman in her late 60s. Here was a 20 year old man, over 200 pounds she wasnt going to open tthe door for him. He knocked for over na hour today still no answer. This time he decided to leave all the groceries he got for her in front of the porch, vegetables and fruit was not his thing. Why let it go to w...

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“The Crazy Man ” by Olabanji Aliu

Submitted to Contest #70

  “Yeah, I whipped myself everyday since that day,” he told the therapist who was looking at his scar-decorated body. The therapist traced the thick and swollen lines with his fingers. “As a penance?” He nodded. “I would like you to recap everything that happened again, though I read your case file left by your former therapist,” the therapist said. The crazy man laughed in derision “I still whipped myself this morning.”  “I know, you have been telling me that since you came here today, so I would request you to...

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“Anaida” by Arathi Raghuveer

Submitted to Contest #70

She was a woman of substance, a pretty looking, admired by all, a flawless beauty, a special person who stood out in a crowd of thousands. A noble being from her childhood was a bit shy and had all the features of a perfect woman. The best a man could’ve got to be a life partner. Her motto was doing good to others and lending a helping hand to the needy. She had a whole lot of followers who admired her for her beauty and her goodness. She was a woman of character, an untarnished life, un- perturbed by any external influence. She was a specia...

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“Never Try to Alter Time.” by Mercy Langley

Submitted to Contest #70

Imagine for a second reliving the most terrible moment of your entire life, over and over again. Like a loop that you can't break, no matter how many choices you change that day, you always have to watch the outcome. This was my punishment for messing with Time. She has many names, some people call her Fate, some call her Destiny. Her real name is Horatia, which also means timekeeper, and she is very, very serious about her job. However, let's back the story up to a week after the worst day of my life, a.k.a the day my mom died, I know, conf...

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“Leave a Message” by Brianna Schott

Submitted to Contest #70

"This is Edith, I can't come to the phone right now but if you leave me your name and number, I will get back to you ASAP." The beep comes on cue, a  painful reminder that his Edith is no more. "Hey Edith, It's James. I just wanted to let you know that I love you and always will". They had had their highs and lows like any couple, but James hadn't expected things to end the way they had. It seemed like the flames of infatuation were smothered as soon as they began.  Securely tucked away beneath his duvet, he felt the full extent o...

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“The Price of Vice” by T MM

Submitted to Contest #70

It started on a Tuesday in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Early in the morning before the sun woke, still half-asleep, Olivia rolled her neck and ran her fingers through her persistent tangles. With a wince, she turned onto her side and fumbled for her phone. Usually waking before eight meant a faulty alarm or an impending disaster.The screen’s sharpness sparked tears, and she wiped at them aimlessly while she thumbed through the latest texts; there were four new ones from her mother all dated within the past hour. Swearing, she sat up and dialed th...

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