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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#238: Aposiopesis

An ancient figure of speech, literally meaning “becoming silent,” aposiopesisis a very fancy word for a very common predicament. Aposiopesis occurs when a sentence breaks off and is left unfinished, suggesting the speaker is too overwhelmed to go on. Think “I’m so angry, I could —”, “You don’t think they…?”, or “I just thought…”

This week’s prompts are inspired by unfinished utterances, communication catastrophes, and those times when you just can’t quite...

This week's prompts

Start or finish your story with a speaker unable to finish their sentence, perhaps overcome by emotion.

Angst – 92 stories

Write a story in which a conversation takes place where the true subject is only implied.

Dialogue – 40 stories

Write a story including the line “I can’t say it.”

Dialogue – 58 stories

Write a story in which an important message is cut off, leaving characters to wonder or puzzle out what was left unsaid.

Mystery – 48 stories

Set your story at a silent retreat.

Angst – 44 stories

Stories

“The Riverboat” by Lydia Chase

Submitted to Contest #238

A brief warning: this story deals with themes around neurodegenerative illnesses such as Alzheimer’s. An illness is not named, but I know these diseases affect many families across the world, so please don’t force yourself to read this if you may find the topic triggering in any way. Alice peered over the rail, swaying to the tune on the wind. “Fancy a dance, love?” Her husband Arley, with his hands stuck in his pockets, shrugged. “Sorry hon, my two left feet couldn’t hope to keep up with this.” She sighed, leaning aga...

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“Flickering Candles” by Cajek Veilwinter

Submitted to Contest #238

Sneaking into the forbidden section of the library was a coming-of-age ritual for the dark art - and a few curious light art - students at the College of Elements. Very few - perhaps one student a year - could pass through the enchantments that had begun to grow over that part of the library as the centuries passed. Sniptide - a skilled stoat thief - motioned to her vulpine companion to follow through the hidden bookcase opening after she had checked it for traps. Her vulpine companion had a reticent personality and jet black fur a...

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“Unspeakable” by Robert Radcliff

Submitted to Contest #238

A tall and towering distinguished-looking man with hypnotic eyes stood on the stage of the Great Hall.He titled himself the Professor and his close colleagues often referred to him as 'The Prof'.It is after 3am in the morning but due to the urgency of events he has summoned his three closest assistants to learn about how he would soon reveal to all in this auditorium and to the world about a dreadful incident."My friends," he said, pausing to stress that the group's diverse political affiliations didn't matter because they were all now worki...

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“Best Left Unsaid” by Corbin Russell

Submitted to Contest #238

“Could you just—” “Hang on a min—” “OWW. Stop touching th—” “OK, OK. I know this is weird, but you have to—” “No, I don’t wa—” “Wait wuh wuh, wai—GUH—” “I said—” “Listen, Oh—” “No! Stop it n—” “OK, OK, look here are my—” “Sto—” “Here are my hands. See? I’m n—I am not going to go any further than th—” “Just let me breathe a sec. I know—" “OK, but—” “I know this is hard. It’s hard for both—” “Hard? This has been impossible. Do you know—” “I know! Yes. I am not an idiot. But just because it’s hard—” “It’s not just hard. Like I said—” “Ha!” “Lik...

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“Ex Best Friend” by Jordan Tyler

Submitted to Contest #238

The dark purple, deep bags under the twenty-six-year-old's eyes pulse as they sink deeper. With the speed of light and the lucidity of a lifetime, the trauma of his teenage years replayed in front of him before he could blink twice. “Oh, G-d… no,” Mike whispered. Horrified, he lengthens his strides in an uncomfortable attempt to walk a little faster, as if he were walking on cinders to please a mad king. “Okay, it’s okay. Stay cool, Mike. Maybe he hasn't seen you yet. Quick, hit the vape over your shoulder. He won’t recognize you...

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“The Last Chapter” by Emmanuella Eledu

Submitted to Contest #238

Have a cup of chamomile tea. Listen to a song on loop. Take a vitamin pill. Walk two miles. Remember a tidy desk is a tidy mind. Writing routines are meant to squeeze out your creative juices, but whatever I'm doing—whether it's fit to be a routine or not—has accomplished nothing but the complete opposite. Ideas are as elusive as creases on a perfectly-ironed shirt. Everytime I shut my eyes, I see the brilliant hues of a dreamscape I'm currently unable to capture in coherent words. When I open them, my paper remains blank and my pencils unsh...

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“Escape the Room” by Nathan Quinci Kurr

Submitted to Contest #238

Ian cracked open the cookie and pulled out the fortune trapped inside. He studied the slip with a grin as if he had uncovered a secret treasure, but his excitement was short-lived and his happy grin slowly faded as he read the words.“Well…what’s it say?” Danny asked in eager anticipation. He and Mya were standing next to Ian around the large, round table that sat in the center of the otherwise empty room. Darkness in the room gobbled up the light that beamed from their headlamps rendering them all but useless except to illuminate things near...

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“Transmission ” by Daniel Legare

Submitted to Contest #238

“Good evening folks, I’m Anna Collins and this is 109.9 The Bear radio, the best station in the nation! It is Friday and it is 8pm, it’s raining cats and dogs, but you know what, that’s fine, because Friday’s are my favourite time of my favourite day of the week. You know why? Because every Friday I get to sit back and chat with YOU, my lovely listeners, about how you’re feeling. Maybe there’s something you want to get off your chest, or maybe you wanna break up with your boyfriend, or complain about the r...

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“Undesirables ” by HC Edwards

Submitted to Contest #238

When I was a little girl my father said I could be anything. At the age of fifteen, when I came out, he told me I could love whomever I wanted. With acceptance also came an abundance of warnings, but it was acceptance nonetheless. When I turned eighteen he told me that I could no longer be that person.That was the year Drucker was elected. We watched it on the television, me on my side of the couch, clutching the last remnant of my childhood, Mr. Pigglesmith, my father on the edge of his seat, elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped ...

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“Dropped” by Stanley Bordenave

Submitted to Contest #238

Warning: this story deals with death and grieving The end began at the Fraud Detection Trade Show, in Vegas. I was doing my thing, standing at DetectCo’s booth, showing off Fraud Saavy’s almost limitless capabilities. Our software was intended for banks and online businesses whose assets were constantly being targeted by fraud actors who were attempting to bilk them out of millions of dollars. This was where the fraud detection software came in. It flags unusual activity, both internal and external, and alerts the company’s security depart...

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“True Silence is a Blessing” by Karalee Ratliff

Submitted to Contest #238

Nestled deep in the forest beneath the snowcapped mountains of Montana, lay in ruins the remains of six extremely decayed cabins. It had been fifty years since Monica had visited this land. Fifty years since she met the love of her life. Fifty years of wonderful memories. Her children had begged her to not make this trip, due to her health condition, however, knowing in her heart that she would never get another opportunity, Monica opted to disobey the wishes of her children and return to the place that started her life. The area that she fo...

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“SHHH!” by Kajsa Ohman

Submitted to Contest #238

Warning: the F word will probably appear more than once. SHH! The first thing Mark said at the Silent Retreat, to the stacked young blond behind the reception desk, was, “Hey there! Sounds like we’re in the right place, eh?” He said it because the office felt like a tomb, chill with the total absence of TV or background music. The blond raised her eyebrows over her wire-rimmed glasses and gave a little smile, pressing the smile closed with her upraised forefinger. “Oh yeah,” Mark remembered. “Right, silent.” Then he dropped his voice a...

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“Arrows and Flags” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #238

Do a Good turn daily.Yep that’s me, I thought. under a tarp in the pouring rain. And wondering, as the meme says, how I got here.Undoubtedly I’ve made questionable life choices. Haven’t we all?It’s not a universally accepted truth that one should avoid any club or organization that involves an initiation. But it ought to be. Especially when the words ordeal accompanies said initiation. One only has to look at what college frats make their initiates do during rush week to see that. Well, Order of the Arrow doesn’t rush, thankfully. I’d ...

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“How Much He Hurt Me” by Heidi Poole

Submitted to Contest #238

I can’t understand why he did it. I suppose this is the problem between girls and boys, they are so fucking different, right down to the biology. But even still, why! Does it not cross his mind for a second how this might have impacted me? No. Clearly not. I backtracked our friendship right to when it started, five years ago. I was sitting in the dingy art classroom doing a hideous painting of seashells. The radio was on in the background, there was occasional chatter between students but nothing exciting. I was new, just started at the scho...

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“The Sun and Stars Combined” by Elizabeth Buonaccorsi

Submitted to Contest #238

“He can’t, he’s all I…”My knees go weak, and I fall to the ground. The men on the other side of the doorway become blurry, dark spots in my vision. No one tells you how quickly life can change, the rug of the world pulled out from under you and your left on the floor, speechless and broken in a heap that will never be able to be put back together. “I have training today; I’ll be home tonight for our date. I love you more than the sun and stars combined.”The last words he ever spoke to me, the last thing I will ever hear from his be...

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$250

Prize money

282

Contest entries

98

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 23, 2024 EST

Won by Weronika L 🏆

Title: Five Turns of the Hourglass

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.

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