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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#165: The Blame Game

Blame-shifting, finger-pointing, and messenger-shooting are among our worst impulses — but we’re all guilty of them. It can be hard to accept the roles we play in our own or others’ misfortunes, but it’s also vitally important to our growth as people. 


With that in mind, this week’s contest is all about the blame game. Whether your characters are taking the fall for someone else, or finally getting their deserved comeuppance, we’re talking about guilt, responsibility, and justice with this week’s prompts.

This week's prompts

Begin your story with somebody getting (or taking) the blame for something they didn’t do.

High School – 41 stories

Write a story that includes the phrase “This is all my fault.”

Adults – 97 stories

Write a story where a murder occurs — and the suspects are all pointing the finger at one another.

Mystery – 26 stories

Write a story about a corrupt politician trying to avoid blame at all costs.

Adults – 10 stories

Start your story with a character telling their best friend that their spouse is having an affair, only for their friend to “shoot the messenger”.

Dramatic – 29 stories

Stories

“Only the Truth” by Tyler Porter

Submitted to Contest #165

“Joe…I need you to sit down,” Seth said as he gingerly stood in the kitchen of his best friend’s home.           He’d specifically picked this time to show up unannounced. He knew that Tina would not be home. In fact, beyond that he knew exactly where Tina would be at this time on a Tuesday night. The same place she’d been going for the last several months. Not every Tuesday, but most Tuesdays. She would blame it on work. Say there was some sort of emergency and that it was all hands on ...

3 comments 3
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“Green beret” by Mary Lehnert

Submitted to Contest #165

Carpe diem. Good advice, for you never know what tomorrow could bring. Arriving in New Zealand as a young immigrant from England, Alton got her dream job, denied by the BBC, (probably enough starry-eyed ingenues waiting for so few on-air jobs ) Alton was the exception, knew she’d have to work, just needed a foot on the ladder. Shopping reporter in the bucolic, charming City of Nelson, New Zealand was that.Adjusting a green beret on her auburn curls, she slipped on her Burberry trench coat, so perfect. It said professional, Elsie wo...

8 comments 8
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“Don't Look Behind You” by Emma Hedrick

Submitted to Contest #165

“Smile!” I shouted.  Jen turned as I pressed the shutter. Click. Jen stuck out her tongue. “You didn’t give me time to make my face not look weird.” “But I love your weird face. It’s exactly my kind of weird.” Instead of replying, Jen reached down, gathered up a snowball, and winged it at me with the accuracy of a lifelong softball star. I managed to turn my back so my jacket absorbed the blow. “You throw like a girl,” I shouted, putting my camera in its pack so I could begin a snowball counterattack. “Thank you for the complimen...

3 comments 3
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“Rum, smoke and poetry ” by Jennifer Cameron

Submitted to Contest #165

Rum, smoke and poetry. The three things that actually meant something to me. And the same three things that would come together within 10 short seconds to end a life. Sip, feel the burn and now swallow. That’s the rum. Take a drag on the Cuban cigar I’d been saving for just this moment. Exhale and see the smoke curl in front of your nose. That’s the smoke. Hold up the oily black metal. Shoot. And that’s the poetry. Because isn’t it poetic? Isn’t it just so romantic how lives can start and end with lovers? And that, as you walk away puffing o...

13 comments 13
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“Last Week” by Eva Bernal

Submitted to Contest #165

I did it. I broke it. It was me. Jacob stepped forward, toes touching the lamp shards. He straightened his back, reaching quickly behind him to gently squeeze his sister’s arm. Janie was a waif of a thing, wide eyed and fearful she stood silently, obediently. David Marsh towered above his 10 year old son. Tonight he was blessedly sober but his eyes still carried an old menace. “Clean it up”, he said and strolled out the screen door. Jacob let out the breath he was holding and turned to his sister. “Quick, grab the broom and dustpan.” H...

7 comments 7
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“Rude, Crude and Lewd” by Trebor Mack

Submitted to Contest #165

Rude, Crude and Lewd“MacLeod!”The old sergeant’s voice echoed along the passages of the cop shop as he jabbed his finger at me and continued. “How many times need I tell you? There is to be no farting in the office.”“Don’t shake your bloody head at me because I know it was you. Grab a radio and bugger off out on foot patrol. Don’t come back until you get the word from me. Have you got that?”“Yes, Sergeant.”I knew arguing with the grumpy ex-professional wrestler stood as much chance of success as me trying to piss into a gale. Sergeant Claire...

14 comments 14
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“Don't Shoot the Messenger” by Todd Crickmer

Submitted to Contest #165

“Julia, hey, would you like to get a coffee?” Laura asked as she tried to hide the concern in her voice. Julia glanced around her cubicle and after a moment of thought, said, “Sure, let’s go. There’s nothing here that can’t wait.” Grabbing her purse from under her desk, Julia quickly stood. Then spinning to face her colleague and coworker of four years, immediately noticed the look of uneasiness on Laura’s face. As the two friends waited for the elevator, Julia turned to Laura and asked, “Is everything alright?” “Oh yeah,” Lau...

3 comments 3
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“I Blame Me” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #165

           Harrison sat upon the couch in a darkened room. His face laid tightly against the palms of his hands as he sobbed uncontrollably.            “How could have it gotten this far? This is all my fault,” he thought to himself.            Harrison married the love of his life, Becky, five years earlier at a small church in their hometown. They were high school sweetheart...

3 comments 3
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“What If...” by Lorilyn Roberts

Submitted to Contest #165

Mabel McNally waited in the Garden of Destiny as a spirit not yet born. The garden glowed with intense beauty, adorned with gems like in the heavenly Jerusalem. “I hope this babe will become all that God creates her to be,” Gabriel said.Castiel, the future guardian of Mabel, quoted scripture. “Many are called, but few are chosen.” The angels watched God’s spirit wrap Mabel under the shadow of his wings, blessing her and promising her the kingdom of heaven. Castiel sighed. “So many rewards for the earthlings, particularly this ...

0 comments 0
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“Glendora Retirement Village” by Kelly Sibley

Submitted to Contest #165

“I do find policemen frightfully tiresome!’Mrs Marigold Smith sat at the round table waving away the Detective Sargent’s polite question with a bored hand. The table had been moved to the window side of the dining hall so as not to interfere with the resident’s lunch service. Detective Wallace reminded himself not to take anything personally. ‘Keep the professional wall up’ was his own internal advice. But as the old woman’s blue rinse hair and necklace of huge round glistening baubles caught the sun’s light, it gave her the glowing app...

7 comments 7
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“Until You. ” by Isabella Medrano

Submitted to Contest #165

When did it get so exhausting? Is this a question I should be asking myself, probably not. Every day, I wake up, put on my face, walk out the door, smile, come home, fall apart. I am 17 years old and I feel lost. The world spins around me as it swallows me whole and I can't get out. It has become so hard to live everyday fearing my next move will be another fuck up. My mind races through every thought, outcome and possibility before my body can react. I do everything for everyone before I consider myself yet everyday it feels like I can’t be...

3 comments 3
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“It Was Them” by P. T. Golden

Submitted to Contest #165

"Sir, would you like to comment on the FBI's findings?" Jessica thrust her microphone forward incessantly."Who let you in here? You know you are all liars. Yeah, I'll comment. It's a sham. How do we even know they were after me? Maybe they were after you? You are the corrupt ones!" Spittle splattered on his lapel pin. The Seal of The President of The United States, Became just a shiny spittoon."Sir, these allegations are serious. Do you care to offer a serious comment?" Jessica pressed him for more."You people are so miserable. I pity you. T...

8 comments 8
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“The Old Mine” by M.K. Levant

Submitted to Contest #165

There was an old mine in the nearby forested mountains that Nicholas’s father had shown him when he was young. The sight of the mine entrance had been intimidating for a small child, seeming like a portal into the abyss emanating the peculiar cold scents of the depths. He had felt something almost like vertigo, as though if he weren’t careful, he would fall into its hungry maw that wanted nothing better than to swallow up small children like him. But his father had been there, all smiles, friendly bearded face, and heavy work jacket. Feeling...

0 comments 0
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“Follow the Money ” by Kim Walker

Submitted to Contest #165

Follow the Money In any instances of corruption and murder of a prominent family, they say to “follow the money.” I was just a green gumshoe in 1964 when the Morales family was discovered by the housekeeper that Monday morning before Christmas. The whole town was sinking under the heavy rain. The drainpipes can’t keep the water from coming in my back door. My family says every time there’s trouble at home I run off to work. Not planned, but that’s the nature of murder!The Morales family was four generations of medical practitioners. Great Gr...

3 comments 3
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“Modern Myth” by Sumiko Courtney

Submitted to Contest #165

“I’m telling you J, this is all my fault,” I hissed. “I got careless in there, tried to cover it up, and now I have to commit mass murder to prevent Dad from finding out.” “Arrrr, G,” Janus growled as he stretched, turning over on his stomach to escape my finger poking his chest. He closed his eyes in an attempt to go back to sleep. “Mass murder? You couldn’t even kick a puppy, drama queen. Let’s talk in the morning.” “J, please. I’ll say it again simply for simple minds. I. need. your. help. I did something dumb and you’re ...

8 comments 8
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$250

Prize money

203

Contest entries

106

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Sep 30, 2022 EST

Won by Scott Christenson 🏆

Title: Liability in Lingotto

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

Prompts | Many Hands | 2024-09

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