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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

“Covenant ” by Diana Jo Filip

Submitted to Contest #238

It must have been around noon, when she realized how badly the snowstorm hit the city and fed all local media channels with war-like traffic reports: everything was covered in virtuous white. White shit falling happily down from a crazy-land, owned by some cryogenic gods. Frozen state for heartless times. Christmas was still a month away. Gift list forgotten in a Barbie-colored app. Bills lined up and ignored for weeks in her inbox. Whiskey bottle standing tall and courageous like a Viking warrior blinking twice and meaning yes. “Yes, take m...

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“Illegal Radio” by Kyra Howe

Submitted to Contest #238

I couldn’t believe I found it. An old radio hiding in my grandfather’s attic. I didn’t even know radios like this still existed after the technological revolution of 2088 when the government ordered all electric devices, including old ones, to be permanently destroyed. They couldn’t risk the AI forces regaining power through even the smallest charges. Lights, music, vehicles, and anything else with any connection to electricity at all was shut down and burned over a decade ago. And yet, there I sat, on the dirty floor of my late grandf...

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“Lost Connection ” by C.N. Jung

Submitted to Contest #238

“Nah, bro. That’s crazy!” Levi couldn't believe his ears. He chomped down on a cheese puff, feeling the artificial cheese cling to his fingers. The orange dust was everywhere, but who cared? "You're telling me she actually said that with a straight face?" He flicked the crumbs off his hand with a little more force than was necessary. "Yeah, for real, I swear!" The crackle from Levi’s headset almost drowned out the delirious excitement in Mack's voice. “She looked me in my eyes and, no cap, said, ‘I wouldn’t go out with you if you were ...

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“Numbers at Night ” by M B

Submitted to Contest #238

I was a ham radio enthusiast back in the early two thousands. This was in Varunkirk, North Carolina - along the coast. I thought I had it made back then: I had a job as a manager at a grocery store and I’d found a rental house that was pretty cheap. It was an older house and small, but for someone who had just moved out of his parents’ place it was a palace. I’d always had an interest in radios so as soon as I scrounged up enough money I bought myself a radio set and a license. Long into the evening after my shift I wou...

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“Mr. Alvarez” by A. Torrecilha

Submitted to Contest #238

My dear children, If you are reading this, I am dead. Hopefully you will read that part with an ominous voice, like a Morgan Freeman type of narration, I always wanted to sound like that. In fact, that is my post-mortem wish, to forever sound like Morgan Freeman in your memories. Anyhow, I think we have gotten a little bit out of topic. I am sure you are overtaken by emotion at this moment. If not, I will haunt your inheritance and now that I am dead that’s a lot easier to do. But, you see, emotions are a tricky business. I know I have not ...

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“The Missing Orb” by Tracie Boudreau

Submitted to Contest #238

The Missing Orb “We have to do it this way. She is probably looking down on us thankful we are doing anything at all,” said Nancy. “Yeah but it is not a real service is it?” replied Nancy. It is a Zoom call. I think she would have liked something fancy, a party where people dress up. There should be beautiful flowers. There should be lots of people mingling...

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“Inside the Mind ” by Lydia Tyburski

Submitted to Contest #238

She came from Ohio. She got off a steel clad bus in the center of town, and dragged her feet to the doors of "Silent Springs, -"the premier retreat for people of discerning tastes". "Hello I'm here for the retreat", she muttered at the front desk,The front desk lady had long, shiny black hair and slanted glasses."Name?" "Shilo Smith". Front desk lady nodded to indicate she had found Shilo on the registration list.She got up from the mahogany barrier, and descended to lead Shiloh into her quarters. The bed was white and prim, clean and the bl...

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“TEN DAYS OF SILENCE” by Maria Sardi

Submitted to Contest #238

Mum drove me to the Meditation Camp. She had done this course before and thought it would do me good considering my life circumstances. Before leaving she said, "Just remember if I managed to do it, you can do it as well." She kissed me goodbye and left. I looked around, the purpose-built center was surrounded by native bush. It looked like a very peaceful place, but I was feeling very nervous. Would I be able to cope with ten days of silence? That night for dinner they gave us lentil soup with bread. This would be our last evening meal u...

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“Where is the Green Temple? ” by Kayla Wikaryasz

Submitted to Contest #238

The brochure’s glossy texture had implied that the retreat was one of utmost professionalism. Their mission statement, “Those who come with loud minds, leave with quiet voices,” led Rain to believe that she was embarking on a week-long journey that would fix all of her problems. Subsequently, Rain used an entire paycheck, from Georgie’s Deli, to pay for the week-long retreat at the Green Temple, a thirty minute drive from the Everglade National Park. She did so, to remedy some ill facet of herself that had always been a hindrance to her self...

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“RETURN TO COUNTRY” by Dennis Dean

Submitted to Contest #238

‘Bring him to me,’ said Kurdaitcha, their executioner, I … ‘Yes,’ said Papinijuwari. ‘Then I will feed on his dead body.’ The spirit group were affronted and convened a meeting. They had intervened but the old bike man still lusted for their sacred objects and kept his ways. There was a more immediate concern because a woman had accepted ancestral bones removed from their burial place above the river. The return ...

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“The Lavender Fields” by Talyn Andrew

Submitted to Contest #238

I walk into Benjamin’s room. He’s laying on the bed, his head propped up by pillows, staring blankly at nothing. “Hey, Benjamin. It’s me, Penny, remember?” I say, putting my bouquet of lavenders on the table next to his bed.Benjamin doesn’t respond. I sigh and look around the room. There’s no pictures, no color, nothing for Benjamin to look at. Not that he would look anyway.I sit down on the bed next to Benjamin. “Do you want to hear a story?” I ask, waiting hopefully. No response. Just like every time I’ve visited Benjamin since h...

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“The Gods' Will ” by Bec Newton

Submitted to Contest #238

“How can you ask this of me?”“It is expected, my liege.”“I can’t. It's just…” Callan broke down into sobs. He sank back onto the throne. His throne. It was not meant to be his. He had been so far removed from the line of succession that sitting here had never been entertained in his wildest dreams or, as it was turning out, his nightmares.Osgar looked at him in that dead eyed manner that chilled Callan to the bone. Everything about Osgar made his skin crawl. He was like a spirit, popping up out of the slimmest of shadows to frighten him. Cal...

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“Silence Breaking” by Lily Rama

Submitted to Contest #238

The house is silent. Dead silent. People say there is no such thing as dead silence, always a faint tick-tock of a clock in the distance, a soft whisper of a woman around the corner, a hum of life pulsing in the air. If noise symbolizes life, then silence must be the sound of death.I figure that is what I'm doing tonight. Dying. Slowly, but surely. When morning comes there will be no tick-tock of clocks, or women chattering, or hearty laughs over coffee. Only a thick quiet and closed eyelids. I'd passed away in my sleep, my life had gone out...

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“WHEN THEY LEARN TO SPEAK IN THE VOICES OF OUR DEAD” by Aaron Bowen

Submitted to Contest #238

1 The fingers that lay the tea tray onto the polished, dark wood of the table imitated humanity immaculately except in one particular: the skin was a stately navy blue. Millicent Braddock avoided touching them as they handed her a bone-white cup of Earl Grey, sweetened and creamed just to her liking, plumes of steam curling off its dark surface like the ghost of a bergamot fruit. Somehow, her favorite drink with her closest (living) friend did nothing to comfort her; instead, their presence in the flat seemed vulgar. Spoile...

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“A Girl Called Allison” by David Townsend

Submitted to Contest #238

A Girl Called Allison You will know about castles. Hundreds of years ago many people in Britain lived in castles. The walls were thick and the gates strong so that enemies and thieves could not get in. Most of the time some people went out to work in the fields during the day or herd sheep and cattle when it was safe. At night and on some days the gates were shut and people went about their business inside. Men who were Knights and boys practiced with lance, sword, and archery. They practiced fighting because they needed to know how to prote...

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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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