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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#200: Heard it Through the Grapevine

It’s perhaps not our most virtuous impulse, but it’s a very human one. The desire to gossip, tell tales, and share stories we’ve heard about others doesn’t always win us friends, but it’s born from a real evolutionary need. Psychologists speculate that the original purpose of gossip was to keep us safe, helping our ancestors identify potential threats, build bonds, and learn what behavior was deemed acceptable or unacceptable by their peers. And, for better or worse, that habit has stuck.

Of course, gossip can (and often does) go too far. It’s up to you how it plays out in this week’s stories; will your characters face consequences for their loose lips, or will gossiping actually save the day?

This week's prompts

Write a story that includes the line “my lips are sealed.”

Adults – 96 stories

Write a story about a piece of gossip that becomes more and more distorted as it passes from person to person.

Adults – 33 stories

Your character is known as the town gossip. One day, it comes back to bite them.

Adults – 22 stories

Write a story about someone trying to track down the source of a rumor.

Adults – 35 stories

Your main character has a secret superpower; the gossip they spread always comes true.

Adults – 24 stories

Stories

“Rumors” by Ashley Kent

Submitted to Contest #200

You first learned what gossip was in the 3rd grade. You’d been sitting in class, minding your own business, when the sound of giggling reached your ears. You turned to look curiously, always wanting to be involved, and found a group of girls a few tables behind you. They were clustered together, their chairs pushed close, and their backpacks carefully arranged so that no one else could bother them. They laughed again before hurriedly shushing each other. Though the giggling still didn’t stop. Extremely curious...

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“Vitis Vinifera” by Victoria Martinez

Submitted to Contest #200

There’s woodland the little girl goes to when she can’t think, or maybe when she doesn’t want to think for herself, when she’s sad. The same forest owned by a folklore; the story acting as a rumour, the forest is cared for by a young boy with a straw sunhat that always appears to topple over his head in just the perfect angle, where the sun cradles his face perfectly to allow darkness to shield him. He keeps the forest green. Vitis Vinifera, European grapes hang from light wooden pallets leaning against trees, a pallet strung above to hang o...

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“The List” by Krissi Driver

Submitted to Contest #200

“I’d have to say… All of the Chrises – Pine, Hemsworth, Evans, Pratt – and Seth Meyers.” “Seth Meyers? Are you kidding me?” I hush-howled at her. “Are we actually doing this, like, as an exercise? And SETH MEYERS?!” “Ogh mah goh, yuz!” Megan sputtered, barely holding in her java chips. “He’s hot! And hilarious! They all are. I told you mine. Now you tell me yours! Who,” she asked, pausing momentarily to lick the whipped cream from her green plastic straw, “would be on your list? Like, no embarrassment, don’t hold back. Who would you p...

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“Forbidden Treasures” by Zulma Suro

Submitted to Contest #200

The abandoned old mansion stood on the outskirts of a small, secluded town in Poland. Its towering walls were covered in dark green ivy, giving it an air of mystery and enchantment. The mansion had remained empty for years, its secrets hidden within its decaying walls. The exterior presented a formidable sight. Massive stone walls, weathered by the passage of time, rose proudly from the ground. Their imposing height and sturdy construction created a sense of security and seclusion. Rumors swirled among the townsfolk about the history of the ...

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“The Way They Lie” by Earthbound Misfit

Submitted to Contest #200

"My lips are sealed." It was the last thing he had ever said to her, and he hoped even in death she understood that he meant it. When Boris had agreed to meet Alicia at the Tiki Motel six hours earlier, he had had no intention of killing her, but now here he lie next to her motionless body in cockroach infested motel bed. He had already picked several out of her dull, brown hair. She was by no means a beautiful woman, but he could really see that now. She was short and squat, and her eyes were a dark brown and they stared up at the ceiling. ...

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“My Lips Are Sealed ” by Kevin Shelley

Submitted to Contest #200

Faith was sitting at her favorite bar with her neighbor Ashley talking about the killer that was on the loose – the whole town was talking about it. It was happening for almost one month with three victims. The media was eating it up like a buffet, naming him ‘the silent killer’. This was because no matter how the women were killed, they all shared one thing in common – they were all found with their lips sewn shut. “I heard somewhere it was a cab driver”, Faith was saying, “It would make perfect sense – who'd know the town better than a ca...

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“The King's Task” by David Hudson

Submitted to Contest #200

Once upon a time there was a very powerful warlock who held power over all the land. The Warlock was so powerful that he was nearly impossible to kill. Some say that he even had the power to resurrect himself should he ever fall. The Warlock ruled over the people with a cruel hand for decades until a new king inherited the rightful throne. The King, who was brave and wise, put together a team of the best knights, soldiers, and wizards and finally defeated the evil Warlock. Every year on the anniversary of the Warlock’s demise, the people of ...

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“Zero to A Thousand” by B Lou

Submitted to Contest #200

"I’ve had one too many drinks." At least that’s what Deborah thought was happening when she noticed her best friend's groom with one of the bridesmaids the day before the wedding! Let’s see how she takes it, shall we? Deborah POV I see my Lord, and savior is testing me today. I thought my eyes were playing with me, or maybe I threw back too many Long Island ice teas to comprehend what was right in front of me at this moment. I just saw my best friend Sheva's soon-to-be husband, Carter, prancing around in the hotel hallw...

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“Secrets in The Hole” by Valerie Williams

Submitted to Contest #200

This new house smells like mold and cigarette smoke and stuff that’s rotten. But it didn’t used to when we first moved here. The old house burnt up and made momma leave and when we moved here it smelled like bleach and something kinda dusty. That was better. When we moved in, the trees didn’t have no leaves cause it was wintertime, nothing to hide us from the city folks who drive in on the weekends to shop in our “quaint” stores and take up all the booths at the Peaks & Pies. Now school’s out and they come all week long, but the leaves...

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“Brook's Breakaway” by Ali Anthony Bell

Submitted to Contest #200

“Mr. Hawkins?” Sally Lehmann knocks on the open door and pokes her head into Alan Hawkins’ classroom at Orono High School in Northern Maine. Her husband Mark is with her. It’s after school and there aren’t any students.“Yes, come in Mr. and Ms. Lehmann, It’s good to see you. Please shut the door.” He gets up, walks towards them, shakes their hands, and returns to his desk, standing and leaning back on it. The Lehmanns take a seat at desks in the front row.“I hope it’s not serious?” Sally asks with a worried look.“Not at all. Let me tell you ...

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“Speak No More” by Pam Partha

Submitted to Contest #200

Speak No More By K.P. Atchley Young King Kabir took off his new crown and handed it to one of the many assistants walking with him from the throne room. “That’s heavy,” he observed genially. “Yes, your highness,” muttered the little toad walking next to him. Kabir glanced at him briefly and raised his voice. “Pichai?” “He will be here momentarily, your highness,” said the obsequious little man, bowing and making himself even shorter than he already was. “Fine. Do I have any more public appearances?” “Only the state dinner, your highness....

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“Stolen Soul” by Natalia Enrico

Submitted to Contest #200

Trigger warning: Kidnapping, gore, physical violence, killings, and guns Moria was about fifteen minutes into her run and was slowing down to cool down a bit before starting to run again. She turned into a new part of the park, and the leaves began to crackle in the wind as she approached a naturally occurring archway the trees created. As Moria stared at the beauty of the leaves, they seemed to twinkle in different colors of yellows, reds, and oranges. She looked back down and noticed a dark mass slumped on the walkway. She sighed; the...

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“Abandoned Hope” by Sayyah M

Submitted to Contest #200

“And that’s how I got these scars.” Isaii held his hand up, aligning the scar on the back of his palm to the one on his forehead. “Lad,” an old man said, “You look almost as ridiculous as you sound.” “Yeah!” a kid yelled. “The King doesn’t fight!” Another kid, one wearing a tattered scarf – yellow and purple to signify the Kingdom’s colours – spoke up, “The King would never hurt us, stop lying old man!” Old man? Isaii thought. Old. Man. Isaii prided himself in many things. One such thing, of course, was his appearance. Silky-dark hair whose ...

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“Loss of Life” by Kevin Robles

Submitted to Contest #200

I feel the throbbing pain in my body from the waist down, but I can not see. The world is dark but I hear voices. Mummering from what sounds like dozens of doctors next to me, contemplating on what to do. Words with long pauses. I see the frustration on their faces without needing vision. Then the world shuts again, and I fall back into darkness. This cycle usually does not last long unless I dream. In which case I have nightmares of the events leading to this plight. In my dreams I am driving fast. I finished my graveyard shif...

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“For Want of Gold” by Chelly Jo Welch

Submitted to Contest #200

Farwater was a trading post town, and as such, quite large. Finding the stables had been a struggle, and by the time she finally came across them, Cozbi was just half a step beyond the threshold of exhaustion. Unfortunately, her day was far from over. She dismounted and led her mare inside to find what she assumed was the owner of the establishment laying across some haybales, his hat next to him brim-up. “A silver for a stall, miss,” ...

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$250

Prize money

210

Contest entries

116

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 02, 2023 EST

Won by Katharine Widdows 🏆

Title: Three Questions

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!

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