#241: Et Tu, Brute?
“Beware the Ides of March!” In Shakespeare’s play, these fateful words are thrown at Julius Caesar during a procession through Rome, warning him of the day his compatriots will betray him. In the play, and in reality, this warning came to fruition. On March 15, he was stabbed thirty times by his fellow Roman senators, including Brutus, someone he thought he could trust. As that date is just around the corner, I find myself thinking a lot about Caesar’s story, and about other stories of betrayal.
It’s the ultimate breaking of trust. You thought they were a friend, a mentor, a close confidant, a person you could trust through thick and thin — only to find yourself stabbed in the back at the most inopportune moment. What leads people to make such a drastic decision, and sever a once unshakeable bond? How do you move on when your faith in the people around you is shaken? These are just a few of the questions to consider as we look towards the fateful Ides this week.
This week's prompts
Write about someone who is convinced they’re going to be betrayed.
Dramatic – 55 stories
Set your story at a tense event where everyone is unsure whose side they’re on.
Thriller and Suspense – 27 stories
Start your story with an unexpected betrayal.
Adventure – 81 stories
Write about a backstabbing (literal or metaphorical) gone wrong.
Horror – 43 stories
Stories
“The Unbecoming of Belinda Blackwell” by Giulietta Villalobos
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #241
“Tug of War: A State of Limbo” by E.L. Lallak
Submitted to Contest #241
“Gloria” by John Rutherford
Submitted to Contest #241
“Cupid's Arrow and the Blind Archers” by Murray Burns
Submitted to Contest #241
“Daisy” by Martin Ross
Submitted to Contest #241
“Dark Paranoia” by Nicholas Thomas
Submitted to Contest #241
“The Long Way Home” by Ty Warmbrodt
Submitted to Contest #241
“Archangel” by Jessie Laverton
Submitted to Contest #241
“The Shot” by Joseph Keener
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #241
“Back in Balance” by Marty B
Submitted to Contest #241
“The Brazilian Carnival Celebrities ” by Kristi Gott
Submitted to Contest #241
“March of Time” by Tammy Green
Submitted to Contest #241
“Splitting on the Fence” by Joshua G. J. Insole
Submitted to Contest #241
$250
Prize money
256
Contest entries
116
Stories
Ended on 23:59 - Mar 15, 2024 EST
Won by Liz Grosul 🏆
Title: When I Read Beckett
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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