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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Write about somebody whose intentions are pure, but somehow always manages to do the wrong thing.

Posted in Character on Apr 7, 2023

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

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✍️ 45 stories

“Friar Lawrence ” by Michelle Oliver

Submitted to Contest #193

Dear Dr M CavannaghAs the head of a small archaeological team assigned to the Stratford-Upon-Avon site, I am writing to ask for your assistance in verifying the contents of a manuscript my team has unearthed in the recent excavations.The manuscript was discovered within a refuse site and I have sent the original to the laboratory for analysis and dating.Attached to this email is a transcription, maintaining the original spelling and punctuation, along with my own translation. It is my belief that this is a draft for a deleted ...

74 comments 74
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“Hell Spelled Backwards” by Michał Przywara

Submitted to Contest #193

When someone machine-gunned the doorbell and frantically banged on the door, Angie chewed her lip and sunk deeper into the couch. Well, someone. She knew exactly who was on the other side of the door, and her pulse quickened.Her uncle Danny crossed the small living room and stopped for just a sec, giving her an uncertain thumbs up and a questioning look. Angie crossed her arms and hugged herself tightly, but she did give him the barest of nods. He made his way to the door and opened it.And Angie’s mother burst in, a tsunami of tears and hitc...

57 comments 57
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“The Backdoor Diner” by Wally Schmidt

Submitted to Contest #193

At the Backdoor Diner, there was never any good reason to order something other than the banana pancakes with chocolate chips for breakfast according to Earl. But then, people didn’t always do what you expected them to, and almost never did what Earl expected them to.“Hey Earl, more coffee,” shouted Mr. Denkins above the din. Earl plunked down the heavy plastic bin full of dirties, and went over to the sideboard to retrieve the coffeepot.“Earl, next time, finish what you’re doing before you go for the coffee,” Smithers coached. “Ol’ Denkins ...

49 comments 49
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“Hugging Sleep Deprivation ” by Daniel Fernandes

Submitted to Contest #193

There are things I've done that I am not proud of. Working until my body says "That's it, we're done." Awake until sleep deprivation gives me a punch. The things I deal with living month after month.My problems are in my head like Donald Kimball. Interviewing suspects of a disappearance to see who's at fault. Laughing along, knowing they can't recall. Events are out of order, as if you've hit a brick wall.I wish I have the bravery of Doug White. Annoyed at life for manipulating everything's alright. Lying about opportunities for those who ar...

32 comments 32
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“Black Bear, Russet Hen, Brown Dog, White Elephant” by Anne Shillingsburg

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #193

“The bear just thinks it’s tame and we feed it chickens at this point,” Uncle Rog says, smiling, over his beer, all gap teeth and white whiskers. He won’t say it to Aunt Lucy, of course. Her voice would get all high pitched telling him it was an awful thing to say. But she would also just quietly stop replacing the chickens, and they make her so happy, each brown egg a source of as much pride as if she’d laid it herself. She often watches through the bay window with hands wrapped around her coffee mug as they scratch in the yard. Uncle Rog w...

31 comments 31
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“Murderous Mage” by Graham Kinross

Submitted to Contest #193

TW: swearing, necromancy and rhyming couplets. A mage took a stroll in a deep dark hood. A drunk saw the mage, and the mage looked good. “Why do you wander, cute little mage? Why twist your face with such awful rage?” “A man killed my friend mister drunk, it’s true. A man killed my friend, and I know it was you.” He had rotten teeth, in his rotten jaw. And the drunk gave the mage a hearty guffaw. He had gnawed nails on his twisted fingers, A vomitous reek that so often lingers. “Killed your friend, no mage, not I. I know of your ki...

29 comments 29
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“With The Best Of Intentions” by Richard E. Gower

Submitted to Contest #193

James Inglebrook glanced down at the screen of a smartphone on his desk, and frowned. His voice held just a tinge of annoyance. “You’re late, Steve.”Puffing, and perspiring slightly, Steve Kellog plumped himself down in the stuffed-leather client-chair in front of the big executive desk. “Good to see you again too, old buddy! I know! I apologize, and it’s a long story.”James smiled thinly, making his mien appear less severe, and more tolerant. “As I recall, it always is.”Steve settled into the depths of the chair and gave a great sigh, ...

22 comments 22
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“The Brand Ambassador at the End of the Universe” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #193

After quitting a telemarketing job that wasn't my aesthetic, I spend a lot of time at home. Dad watches me eat my breakfast each morning, then go to my room to play computer games, with steadily escalating frustration as the days and weeks go by. I hear him mumble the word 'failure' to Mom behind closed doors, while she murmurs more comforting sounding words. She must be restraining Dad's bootcamp drill sergeant instincts, for now, at least.From the way his foot taps the floor more loudly each morning, he must be reaching his breaking point,...

19 comments 19
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“A Nightmare Among the Mutated Plants; Tom's Escape ” by Carrie Sweet

Submitted to Contest #193

"Nerdy plant enthusiast Tom discovers a strange plant in his backyard. But when he accidentally pricks his finger on one of its thorns, he gains the power to talk to plants. Little does he know, the plants have chosen him for a greater purpose, and as he delves deeper into his newfound powers, he uncovers a sinister plot involving a group of well-intentioned, plant-based aliens whose actions have caused a dangerous signal to be sent to Earth's vegetation. Can Tom use his powers to save the planet and restore balance to the ecosystem?" He tur...

11 comments 11
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“The Disguised Protector” by Ian James

Submitted to Contest #193

It was a scene right out of a Greek tragedy: Jackson and Madison, locked in a tense tête-à-tête, their once-jovial demeanor replaced with a cold fury. Despite the raucous revelry of the cafe around them, they were anything but amused. Herman, their hapless compatriot, had once again proven himself to be the thorn in their side. A self-described nerd, Herman's style was a cross between "military school" and "library assistant". He wore his hair slicked down with a dollop of gel, and his glasses were as thick as the bottom of a Coca-Cola bottl...

4 comments 4
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“Fish Food” by Amanda Aanestad

Submitted to Contest #193

Mom looks more tense than usual. Her forehead is sweating because she is carrying about six paper bags full of groceries, and although the boy never saw her do it, he was convinced she could open the door with just her toes. How else could she have her arms completely full and her keys tucked deep in her purse and still manage to open the door? She never calls for help. When he hears their front gate squeak, he always stands at attention by the door in case she calls, but she never calls. One of the bags slips from her arms as she’s squ...

17 comments 17
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“A Little Push” by Hilary R. Glick

Submitted to Contest #193

Sebastian walks through the park with his dog every Friday after work. His path typically starts on the west end, closer to his house. He and Cookie will walk for about thirty minutes until they reach the field.  If it didn’t rain yesterday, the grass should still be dry enough for him to throw the frisbee for about fifteen minutes. Around that time, Cookie will run out of steam and want to drink from the pond, not the one closest to the frisbee field in the sun, but the cooler one in the shade. If Cookie needs a longer break after ...

10 comments 10
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“A Beautiful Day” by Kendall Defoe

Submitted to Contest #193

Mr. Peter Smith looked at the clock above the desk and smiled. After twenty-five years on the job, he was happy to look at the last moment of his working life ticking away. Insurance was an interesting world for him; not that his wife and friends would think so; not that certain colleagues in his office would believe it. Most of them thought that he was overjoyed at facing retirement, rest, and Mondays without a long commute. Mr. Peter Smith smiled at the clock as it ticked over into five p.m. The same white numbers in those same black squar...

9 comments 9
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“役に立たないクマ (The unhelpful bear)” by Madison Olczak

Submitted to Contest #193

    役に立たないクマ    (The unhelpful bear) The mother bear peacefully walked along the ancient cobblestone path laid long before her massive paws touched the stone. All the bears in the misty forest knew from legends that the road had been there since the dawn of time. It without fail led to the most abundant food source, a hidden river with plenty of Salmon rushing upstream. No one aside from the bears knew about its existence, though the...

2 comments 2
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“Leo ” by Chelsey B

Submitted to Contest #193

Leo buried his toes in the sand, then wiggled them free. He jumped up and tossed 2 handfuls of sand into the air, before he took off running. He circled laps until he was so dizzy that he had no choice but to collapse along the shore. Leo rolled onto his back and moved his arms up and down against the sand as his legs went side to side. “I’m making a sand angel,” he giggled. Leo felt like he might burst from excitement. After waiting all the long, gray winter, he was finally at the beach. The sky above was brilliantly blue, and the sun w...

6 comments 6
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