Include a scene in your story in which a character's body language conveys their hidden emotions.

Posted in Character on Sep 15, 2023

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✍️ 25 stories

“How hard can it be?” by Chris Belton

Submitted to Contest #216

Contains themes of miscarriage. Days after they discharged her from the hospital, she still lay curled in a foetal position, her mind lost within an empty chasm, searching for answers. “Maybe it’s time to think about adoption, Jane?” He broached the subject every time she wept away the heartbreak of another failure. But she wasn’t ready to give up. Test results offered no explanation. Forcing herself back to work, she continued to wrestle with the enigma, turning it over and over inside her head. “How hard can it ...

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“There is fire on the mountain” by Blessed Chileka

Submitted to Contest #216

MATILDA“Oh Chomie, what happened to you?”Instead of replying, she just cried. Softly. She opened her mouth to say something then her face contorted. Kendric came and stood behind me. Holding my shoulder. There seemed to be something coursing down his hands. But I did not bother to figure out what it was. I was having my own mini package of dilemma.“Oh Chomie….” I whispered covering my mouth.Kendric kneaded my shoulder then. I was about to break down in tears. I swallowed back my sorrow, choked, and started coughing. The guy took a glass...

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“Irish Coffee” by Maria Ghita

Submitted to Contest #216

He wanted us to meet at the furthest cafe away from her house, which made my heart pump twice as much blood. As the puddles were ruining my heeled boots, questions were echoing in my brain. One of them, more specifically why, doubled in size, until I could hear it everywhere; in the swish-swish of the cars rushing past me on the street, in the bla-bla-blas of the people sharing the curb with me, in the splash-splash of the vicious drops drowning my boots. I checked the time on my phone while still keeping it in my trench coat’s pocket, shiel...

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“Our Little Secret” by D. Grimes

Submitted to Contest #216

Mom’s picking me up from school instead of the bus. I got a note from the office an hour before dismissal that said so. I couldn’t pay attention all through silent reading time, but that’s okay, I usually can’t anyway.I run to her side of the car and fling my arms around her before she can bend down. She squeezes me back with one arm and combs my head with her nails. If I don’t pull away, she’ll maybe never let go.“I’m so happy to see you,” she brushes her hair out of her face. It’s longer and turns blonde at the bottom.I wriggle into the ba...

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“Tasmanians The Word ” by Rudy Senecal

Submitted to Contest #216

When the man in the white tee shirt walked into the apartment, Whitney immediately thought he seemed on edge. That kind of behavior wasn’t all out of the ordinary when Jax brought a customer back with him. But this guy was different. He seemed nervous, but not afraid. Which she got that vibe from a lot of people, most customers seemed to think that one wrong move would mean Jax would pounce like a tiger. But he walked in and took his shoes off without Jax even having to ask. And looked around the place with a nod. &nb...

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“Interactive Lesson” by Captain Henson

Submitted to Contest #216

Her students commonly stopped paying attention to class when the clock was close to 2:30 p.m. The end of the school day was a joyous occasion for students and faculty alike. But Holly was too busy finishing up her equation to care. Even when the bell sang its tune and her students dismissed themselves, she diligently continued the lesson. Her shoulders tensed up as she saw how little space she had left on the blackboard. But it was just enough. She took a few steps back and basked in her handiwork. And what else was there to smile about? ...

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“The Spy Game” by Fernando César

Submitted to Contest #216

A couple. Caucasian. Probably Eastern European. Dark hair. I'm guessing Russian. Oh! They have a small person with them... But they're spies. No question about it! The short man passing as a kid: fabulous disguise!"Three tickets, please.""Certainly. Nine euros, please," I reply.I take my time, meticulously cutting the perforated pieces of paper. I am, of course, just provoking them. Rattling them into an involuntary lapse. I discreetly slip the money into the open drawer below the counter."From Russia, are you?" I ask, already teasing them w...

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“Not so Perfect Afterall ” by Deliliah Smith

Submitted to Contest #216

There’s a girl in my Latin class at University. She is flawless. She is always the first to arrive, at least she is always there, books out, laptop (a Mac, of course) open ready to learn by the time I fly through the doors, having rolled out of bed, half a cup of coffee spilling out of my travel mug, bag unzipped with two minuets to spare until the lesson begins. Sometimes, she turns to look at me as I cause a whirlwind around myself as if to say “you know we start at 9am get yourself together.” And I instantly feel like a naughty child bein...

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“Grapes” by Ashley Bent

Submitted to Contest #216

Alex sat back in her chair with a frothy latte, her head slightly askew, looking at her sister across the table. Serena leaned forward in anticipation; her fingers tapped the underside of the table. Alex said nothing. After a few moments of silence, Serena slouched her shoulders and bit into her danish. “Forget it.” Alex leaned forward. “You don’t understand–” “I do!” Crumbs flew from Serena’s mouth. “You don’t.” The sternness in Alex’s voice made Serena soften a bit. “She’s my mother too. I know how she can be.” “You know how she can be. I ...

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“Just Another Day” by Nicole G

Submitted to Contest #216

Note on sensitive content: contains references to traumatic events It was the most perfect fall morning. She walked into the lobby of her office building. This building wasn’t quite as big as the one her dad once worked in, but it still scraped the sky. Behind the front desk there was a huge American flag draped across the wall. She walked as quickly as she could to the elevator banks. When she got upstairs to her desk, she put down her things and walked to the kitchen to grab her first cup of coffee and started to mentally pre...

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Include a scene in your story in which a character's body language conveys their hidden emotions.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 25 stories

“How hard can it be?” by Chris Belton

“There is fire on the mountain” by Blessed Chileka

“Irish Coffee” by Maria Ghita

“Our Little Secret” by D. Grimes

“Tasmanians The Word ” by Rudy Senecal

“Interactive Lesson” by Captain Henson

“The Spy Game” by Fernando César

“Not so Perfect Afterall ” by Deliliah Smith

“Grapes” by Ashley Bent

“Just Another Day” by Nicole G

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story in a coffee shop without using obvious words to describe it (e.g. barista, coffee cup.)

Write a scene in which a character’s behavior or reaction to something is affected by a past experience — without saying what that experience was.

Include dialogue that shows that a character is socially awkward.

Write a story with an open ending that gives readers just enough details to draw their own conclusions.

Contest #216

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

284

Contest entries

115

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: