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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#260: A Twist in the Tale

Has a friend ever recommended a book or a movie with the line, "The twist is amazing"? I usually hate when they do that. Even if they don't spill the beans on what the plot twist is, just knowing there is one can spoil the fun. I won't be able to resist trying to pre-empt the plot, and guess what that it might be — but a truly great twist is always rewarding, whether you expect it or not.

Here's a twist I'm sure you saw coming: this week's contest is all about them. Your readers will know there's one on the horizon. Can you still manage to surprise us?

This week's prompts

Write a story with a big twist.

Dramatic – 189 stories

Write a story in which a character learns something unexpected about someone they thought they knew well.

Mystery – 63 stories

Write a story about someone who realises the story of their life has been pre-determined — until they decide to divert from the expected path.

Character – 31 stories

Write a story that includes the line, "I didn't see that one coming."

Dialogue – 41 stories

Write a story using the most clichéd twist of all; it was all a dream.

Narrative – 105 stories

Stories

“Mistakes are not barren.” by Syed Mohammad Zahid

Submitted to Contest #260

The High Queen was expecting a child. Throughout the pregnancy, she had felt extraordinarily abnormal situations and unusual challenges. The large tummy bulge may have been the sign of a good-sized baby, which was a matter of deep concern for her. With each movement of the baby, psychogenic conflicts pained and disquieted her mind.During the previous pregnancies and deliveries, she had never been so anxious. Her children were swiftly delivered, and she would always be back on her royal duties the same day. She was not a weak or mentally frai...

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“Kind Mr. Richards” by Kendall Defoe

Submitted to Contest #260

Michael decided it was the right time to visit Mr. Richards.“Mr. Richards?”He knocked on the screen door and waited. This was not a bad sign. Michael had known Mr. Richards since he was a young boy and they first moved next door to the very old home that reminded him of something from a monster movie. As they were unpacking, he noticed the man sitting on his front porch, happily rocking away in his chair with a drink in his hand and sunglasses on to block out the light of that very bright afternoon. He had waved at the family and they all sm...

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“Reality is Relative” by Marty B

Submitted to Contest #260

Something terrible, Tina James knew, had happened because her heart raced, and she could barely breathe, but she couldn’t remember what, the last few hours had blurred in her mind. She stared across the counter at the woman in the green uniform and tried to remember how she got here, to this horrible little place, with the blazing lights and the noise. “What’s your boy’s name?” The woman in the uniform asked.“My boy?” Tina blinked, the bright lobby had too many colors and too many sounds. It felt like a ni...

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“Behind the wall ” by Daria Ionescu

Submitted to Contest #260

THE WALL Act 1. The StudioThe reality was, I had never seen him face to face. This aggravated the situation with the police because I was the one who made the initial statement. I must have sounded phantasmagorical because their faces remained still and in full disbelief when I actually failed to provide a physical description to link the criminal with the deed. I can still recall that particular moment when I was asked to provide more details about his appearance and justify his existence. I was, in all reality, unable to do so. I was, how...

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“The Musical Mystery of Wormroth, Maine” by Luca King Greek

Submitted to Contest #260

The story might seem small and whimsical in the re-telling, but that does the people of Wormroth, Maine, a disservice, because it has been a harrowing few weeks and there is a palpable sense of relief in town, now that the mystery of Rankin’s midnight music has been solved. I ask the reader to suspend judgment and show some sympathy for the actors and brace yourself for a sad denouement.True though, Wormroth is a small and isolated town where not very much happens, and the locals do therefore tend to blow small things out of propo...

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“The Reaper” by Alice Cook

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #260

Sebastian hated the forest. Something fell into his hair from a branch above, and he leaned over and frantically shook it out. No. Hate wasn’t a strong enough word. He loathed the forest. Even his love for his little girl might not be enough to keep him there much longer. “Rufus!” Stupid dog. “Come here, you mangy mutt.”He should have bought her that hamster last year when she’d asked for it. Hamsters didn’t run off into dark, dank forests right before the game came on. And hamsters were interchangeable enough that if one did, he could ...

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“A Gift of Air” by Steffen Lettau

Submitted to Contest #260

Miracle. Noun. An event regarded as impossible, attributed to luck or an act of God. A wonder.I was never a gambler. If anything, I was full of doubt, which had led me to miss out on many an opportunity. The women I had a crush upon ended up in the arms of men I considered better than me, the prizes I coveted ended up on the shelves of those I considered smarter than me. I even passed up a few jobs that could have opened doors to higher positions of higher pay, all because I never saw myself as ready to take on such responsibilities.There we...

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“When society lets men down” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #260

There, by the tarnished entrance gate of a once-thriving shop, laid a figure. He looked familiar, but who was he? As I approached, I recognized the disheveled figure as Alec, someone I had known since our university days. His hair and beard, once meticulously groomed, were now a tangled mess. Stained and torn, his worn-out jacket barely shielded him from the natural elements. He lay curled in a fetal position on the hard surface, asleep. His bare feet were black, caked with dirt. He was a stark contrast to the man I once knew. Alec, always n...

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“LAUGH OUT LOUD” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #260

[Opening scene: A brightly lit comedy club set. The TV host, a stand-up comedian, stands in front of the camera with a microphone.] HOST: Hey there, folks! Welcome to "Laugh Out Loud," where we serve up comedy sketches hotter than a summer sidewalk! Our first sketch tonight features a police officer who gets more questions than answers. It's like playing Jeopardy, but nobody wins! Let's dive in and see how this cat-and-mouse game unfolds! [Scene transition: A quiet street. A police officer stops a suspect who is walking erratically.] OFFICER...

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“Suspicious Partners” by Kaitlyn Wadsworth

Submitted to Contest #260

Percy Smart formerly lived alone in a palatial home left to him by his deceased parents. He is unmarried. Now, he shares his secure residence with an interesting houseguest named Adam. At least, that’s his cover story.He works on the design team for the game Fortnite at Epic Games. His brilliance in the field is only surpassed by his ability to play the game. As a player, he’s ‘cracked’ and sought after for team play. ‘Cracked’ means he is a dominant and skilled player.He is also a successful businessman, almost up with Tim Sweeney, the foun...

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“The Unexpected Turn” by Terri Morgan

Submitted to Contest #260

Lucy shifted in her seat. The soporific movement of the vehicle on the road had sent her off to sleep. She half opened her eyes and peered out the window. “Five more minutes, Lucy, nearly there,” said Bob.They were on their way to Three Forks Trailhead, part of the Appalachian Trail. It was only a short two-mile in and out track but it led to a spectacular waterfall called Long Creek Falls. They were following Forest Road 58 to a place they’d been to a few times since moving to the area last winter. It was now spring, and the landscape was c...

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“ECHOES OF REALITY” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #260

It was a sunny afternoon, and Karen Locke was in the backseat of the family car. The sun's warmth bathed everything in a golden glow, filtering through the windows and casting playful patterns on the seats. The air was filled with the scent of blooming flowers from the meadows they drove past, mingling with the faint, sweet aroma of the vanilla-scented air freshener dangling from the rearview mirror. The radio played a cheerful tune that everyone knew by heart. The father led the singing, his hands confidently on the steering wheel, with a d...

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“The Rockwell Piece: A Tale of the Arts Department” by Martin Ross

Submitted to Contest #260

1961Rockwell straightened on his stool with a slight squeak of the loose bolt, swiping a Crisco-tempered crumb from his white cotton shirt and grinning like the pie had been catfish and Wonder Bread from the Galilean shores. He consulted the Nehi clock above the flattop.“Ah, well,” Rockwell sighed, with euphoric alacrity.The gangly owner was at his elbow in a lickety second, spidery palms spread on the scarred formica before the diner, sweat and alarm condensing on his homely mug. “Something wrong with the pie, Sir? Danged Linda has a heavy ...

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“ Stowaway on the Ship "Destiny's Dreams" ” by Kristi Gott

Submitted to Contest #260

In the summer of 1898 the sleek vessel called Destiny's Dreams glided over the ocean waves off the western coast of South America.Deep in the shadows of the cargo area there was a secret passenger.A figure was curled up in a corner, rocking with the bobbing of the boat.The dark form began crawling across the bottom of the ship, swaying with the hull's movement over the waves.The stowaway began talking to herself to break up the silence and comfort herself.“We have chosen happiness,” Isabella whispered, while she moved across the ship's ribbe...

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“Locket” by Kendall Defoe

Submitted to Contest #260

Unofficial Report Document:I did what I had to do.Okay, I am writing this to cover my own ass if any of this comes out. I was engaged by Captain K_____________ on a mission to retrieve an object on a post-apocalyptic Tier-4 planet and the mission went very badly. This is how I am interpreting it. This document will be stored with my other papers, so I do not expect to have this timestamped beyond the safe where it is kept and the lodging where I awaited my instructions. Again, I was taken onto a mission by a senior officer. I followed orders...

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$250

Prize money

429

Contest entries

131

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jul 26, 2024 EST

Won by Elizabeth Hoban 🏆

Title: You

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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