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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

“One last time” by Hebrizs 26

Submitted to Contest #238

Running has never been one of my favorite hobbies, but I somehow felt like I could use it today. I quickly grabbed my sweatshirt, took a bite out of my ham sandwich, and left the kitchen. The first few steps were horrible. With each leg lift, I felt like I was carrying some kind of weight that was only making my journey harder. In fact, it wasn't my body that was heavy, it was my soul carrying the ruins of our conversation from yesterday. It was not the first time he had hurt me. Of course, not the last, I was sure. He keeps pushing me ...

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“Stories From the War” by Rex L. Wyatt

Submitted to Contest #238

“I held him for hours that night, waiting for someone–anyone–to help, to save him, but no one ever came…” We sat silently for a few moments, watching on as Grandad looked at the floor and wiped tears from his eyes. This was the furthest he had ever made it into this particular story. Our Grandfather–Grandad, we called him–had been telling my older brother and me stories from the war ever since we could remember. We would sit at the foot of his recliner, listening intently, as he told us endless stories about his experiences as a US soldier i...

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“Shellshocked” by Melody Watson

Submitted to Contest #238

“What the ?!?” It could not be. “No…” moaned Joanne. In the middle of the cattle herd was a miniature horse with one of the mother cows licking its face to a near glowing white. “How the hhe…?!?” No one around our ranch had miniature horses. My little sister, Macy, giggles, leaning her head to the side. “I think she's cute.” “Well…” this sounds like Joanne is as speechless as I am. The cow continued to lick the horse while her calf nursed. Nothing was off for them but for my sisters and I there was a mystery horse in our herd. Where had it c...

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“The Robin” by Malia Kao

Submitted to Contest #238

The sun touched the fertile landscape with its golden fingers as the cockerel crowed triumphantly. The rhythms of the dawn swelled with the growing light, marking the end of the night's dominion. Amidst the celebration of nature, a young man lay quietly in his bed, shades drawn and windows shut, and he stared contemplatively at the ceiling above him. He felt ill this morning, not of the body but of the mind. He had begun feeling this way every so often since the death of his father about five years before. His friends had tried their best to...

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“I am because You are” by Nic Silvestris

Submitted to Contest #238

I am because You are “Yes, I understand that…no you don’t need to remind me.” An “I love you; you know?” emitted from one end of the phone, waiting to be reflected. “I … need to go. I’ll talk to you soon”. As she hung up the phone and folded her hands around her furrowed brow, a slight imperfection in her makeup became more apparent under the diner’s hanging light. She sat alone in the corner booth, her essence...

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“I Think It's Fair to Say We Tried—” by Jessica Wolf

Submitted to Contest #238

“I think it’s fair to say we tried—” I started. “But—” He started over me. As my words reached his ear on the other end of the line, on the other side of the country, I held my breath; he repeated, more pointedly this time, “BUT—” His insistence on continuing to speak rather than listen was all too reminiscent of our current and past conflicts, contradictions, contraindications. “Go ahead,” I prompted him, letting my point go. He wanted to make his point instead. He insisted on talking over me, interjecting with the second ‘but’ as my ...

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“The Orange Monarch” by Alex Lansey

Submitted to Contest #238

The Orange Monarch was a peculiar character. Every high-ranking official in the palace was somewhat peculiar, but among them all, the Orange Monarch was the one who seemed so out of place and yet precisely where he needed to be. The Imperial Palace swarmed with a variety of officials and titleholders, most of them got the position due to the fortune of good lineage or wealth, after all, nepotism and plutocracy were the two preferred ways of promoting talent into the ranks of the palace residents. The Orange Monarch was the second son of a me...

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“home...” by Chen-el Brill

Submitted to Contest #238

Home… The high-pitched droning whistle of the sprinkles indicated the home irrigation system had turned on at its preconfigured time. It only required a few moments for the ground to become wet enough for its aroma to escape and waft across the yard; carried by the cool air of dawn. The eighteen-year-old boy sitting on the porch, sighed as he felt his muscles relax. He did not know they were taut in the first place, but now it seemed like they could relax and relax indefinitely. He took a sip of the hot tea beside him and felt it go ...

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“Not Fancy Free” by Michaela Johnson

Submitted to Contest #238

Out of all the scenarios to the standard interview question, ‘Where do you see yourself in five years,’ I certainly never thought I would be here - camped out on the floor of my closet staring down at the mess I created. Even though employers are probably looking at a generalized answer, it’s crazy to see where life brings you. Personally, my mantra has been regret free and fancy free, but a little remorse is seeping into my pores at my current predicament. This whole thing was becoming counterintuitive. The harder I tried to declutter,...

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“To Play the Victim” by Dmitrii Jeraux

Submitted to Contest #238

Warning, the following story contains: Mental health problems and Violence. "I... I don't know" - James looked away as if trying to physically hide from the question itself, squirming deeper and deeper into the blood-red leathery armchair. Playing the killer as a victim, was by far his last resort. "Please try to remember, Mr. Middleton. I understand that it pains you to, but I have to know exactly what happened" - swiftly responded the doctor, in a well-rehearsed fashion. An old man, in his 60-s, silver stubble face, pale complexi...

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“Monster and Dog” by Tanya Humphreys

Submitted to Contest #238

Lilybeth hummed to herself as she made her way down the path to the fishing hole. her Jack Russell by her side bouncing, along, yipping happily, as if the two were dueting. She sang a made-up song, “The fish will bite today…Hip hip hooray. Hmm hmm hmm hm hm hm hm.” As they passed their neighbor’s home, which was halfway between their own cabin and the river, she fell silent. Bobbi looked back nervously as well, and slowed, glancing up and forward, back and forth, until given the sign it was safe to sing again. Lilybeth put a slender finger...

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“Worst Things” by Sage Kahn

Submitted to Contest #238

“I—” …love you too. The words catch in my throat. Across from me, Devin waits, one hand reaching across the table, fingers inches from my own. He clutches a glass of root beer in his other hand, his white knuckles the only visible sign of nerves. His honey-brown eyes are bright with hope. Or is it expectation? Time stutters, crashing to a snail’s pace. My tongue presses to the roof of my mouth, the L shape almost fully formed, lips arrested, frozen in this one moment of time. Devin blinks, the motion slower than molasses. My stacca...

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“She vs. She” by Mary Lamphere

Submitted to Contest #238

“Wow.” There is a lengthy pause as she stares across the table. Her eyes scan every detail of the face before her. “I never thought I’d see you again,” she says. “I never thought I’d see you ever.” She slouches in her chair. “You’re very pretty.” “Uh, no I’m not. I have this huge zit in the middle of my face.” She crosses her arms and looks away. She smiles, remembering those days. “It’s barely noticeable and—” She raises her palms, covering her face and shouts, “Noticeable means you noticed!” “It’s on your chin, hardly the middle of your f...

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“The Honeymoon's Not Over” by James Shortridge

Submitted to Contest #238

The bedroom door hinges squealed as a crack of light poured in from the outside hallway, casting a beam across the shape cocooned within the red blankets of the queen sized mattress. The figure enveloped within the blankets was long and slender; a close-trimmed head of brown hair and matching beard rested on the pillow, while a colorful sleeve of tattoos snaked around his left arm from wrist to shoulder. A black Labrador trotted inside first, the tags on his collar jingling and the pants of his breath ringing heavy in the silent room. ...

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“Rangefinder” by Rob Ryter

Submitted to Contest #238

Far within the dark panelled, richly furnished, insanely, recklessly safe lair of the Predator, the Client raised the lead crystal tumbler, luxuriating in its delicious heaviness, swirling the smoked amber nectar, inhaling the Islay malt’s rich, woody bouquet as the flickering flames from the hearth danced in its fiery depths. “Show me the tools of your trade,” she said. The Predator smiled. He had been anticipating this moment. He set down his own glass. The Client had probably guessed her host was drinking apple juice, or something equally...

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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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