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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 – 188 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

“i had a dream (i got everything i wanted)” by Solstice Polaris

Submitted to Contest #260

Kat drummed her fingers against the counter as she waited for the water to finish boiling. The moment the kettle clicked she poured the water over the coffee grounds and gave it a quick stir. “Hey, Siri,” she called as she rinsed the wooden chopstick off in the sink. Her phone, sitting on the kitchen table, lit up and chimed. “Set a four-minute timer.” “Okay, four minutes and counting.” &nbs...

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“Thanks-taking” by Kng. Zay

Submitted to Contest #260

Tony wipes back the sweat in his eyes and runs after his wife. Samantha, he hollers, come back. She doesn’t turn around and continues Beep down the street. Beep she finally stops, and Beep turns around BEEP and says in a beep cold voice to her husband BEEP BEEP BEEP. Michael’s eyes burst open as he slams the off button on his alarm clock and rolls over to see his wife, but the other side was empty and cold. He then proceeds to stubbornly get...

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“Pay Day” by Nicole N

Submitted to Contest #260

I had spent the last 6 months working at the local hospital as an aide. I could've worked kitchen or maintenance duty, but not only did I need access to most of the hospital, I needed to see how it ran, the ins and outs and response time. I learned the various ways entrances and exits, which ones needed badge access, which ones didn't. I learned where the cameras were inside and out. I would walk the neighborhood on my lunch to learn local routes and security cameras. On rainy days, I would spend my lunch in different areas of the hospital, ...

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“A Tip” by Kirk Nelson

Submitted to Contest #260

She opened the door slowly, coming home late. The house was dark and she was sure that Devin had already turned in for the night, needing to get up early for work. She removed her shoes and her feet felt cool against the tile, a nice reprieve from the 12 hours she spent racing about at the restaurant. But she smiled as her hand dipped into her purse to replace her keys and felt the $100 bill still slipped next to her wallet. A hundred dollars. She was so happy she had stayed at Mr. Grey’s request. As she padded across the floor to the kitche...

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“Filling Empty Shoes” by Cedric Herman

Submitted to Contest #260

Lucid dreaming: a type of dream wherein the person realizes they are dreaming. During a lucid dream, the dreamer may gain some amount of control over the dream’s characters, narrative, or environment.One night, I had a dream in which I stood on the edge of a building, a skyscraper, overlooking the sights of an endless, silver metropolis. I had this vivid fear of slipping and falling off, but at the same time, I couldn’t step away from the edge as if my feet were glued to the concrete. Then I looked down and saw a bear walking on its hind leg...

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“Awake At The Wake” by Judi Wallower

Submitted to Contest #260

AWAKE AT THE WAKE Someone is touching me, why are there so many people around me. Why am I wearing an oxygen mask…and an IV. What the hell happened? “Hey! Somebody. I’m ok. Please get off me.” Why can’t they hear me? I can’t seem to move. There are so many wires on me, and I’m being loaded into an ambulance, and they are moving quickly, oh, that’s n...

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“Mr. More-ph” by Douglas R

Submitted to Contest #260

Douglas Reiche Approx. 3,000 words108 Bluffview Dr...

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“Animal instincts ” by Willie Tee

Submitted to Contest #260

“Can you hear me?” I feel weighed down like I’m under water. I can hear you. I want to open my eyes, but my eyelids are heavy. And I’m thirsty. Thirsty like a day in the savanna in the dry season. “I’m not sure he can hear me.” I can hear you. Why wouldn’t I be able to hear you? I squeeze open my eyes and a blurry figure stands over me. I flinch and try to move but I can’t. I’M TRAPPED. Now my eyes are open and I feel energized. I twist and shake, b...

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“Murderer among friends” by Ellen Bailey

Submitted to Contest #260

Well, Alex investigating but nothing's working. Of course not, said Lisa lazily. Who are going to find out who's killing everyone on our own. We need to contact the police, said Rita. NO! said Lisa. we need to deal with this on our own we don't no who this murderer is, and if this person (whoever he or she is) finds out we could endanger ourselves and those around us. Take Eliza for instance, said Lisa with a sad face. Yeah we cant risk that happening again, said Alex. All of them bowed their heads sadly. One of them was less talkative. It w...

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“Daymare” by Connor Lindsay

Submitted to Contest #260

Sensitivity Warning: Mental Health, Physical Violence, Abuse, Self-Harm, Suicide, Substance Abuse. “Hapi!” He banged on the front door, it’s wood groaning from his weight, “I’m done playing with you, get out here now!” He screamed, he wouldn’t stop screaming. I couldn’t move. My butt was set to the top steps as if I’d sat in a fly trap. I couldn’t see him anymore. I wouldn’t. And then I couldn’t see myself. Just my father, the smell of stale beer, the sound of sticky stomps. Hapi! My father yelled, slurring the a and i into an unrecogn...

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“Rude Awakening” by Daniel R. Mangru

Submitted to Contest #260

Gary Pinkerton reaches across the passenger side to shield Laura Tate from impact as his sporty sedan launches high into the air in an arc towards a large oak tree rooted at the bottom of a ravine. The guardrail does little to keep the car on the road as an oncoming distracted driver causes Gary to swerve and lose control.Laura covers her face and screams out just as a thick branch, full of large wet leaves, pierce the windshield like a lance, and jams itself into her chest. There are tiny water droplets scattered all about the inside and Ga...

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“It Was All a Dream” by Simona Sordoni

Submitted to Contest #260

Brooke sat with her brown hair tucked behind her ears, her green eyes watched her friend’s text, and her fingers flew across the keyboard just as fast. She wasn’t even listening to her idiotic teacher, Mrs. Myers. Brooke was texting her friends under her desk because later that day, she, Logan (her boyfriend), Cassie (her best friend), Liam (Cassie’s boyfriend), Sarah, Lyla, Athena, Finn, Mason, and Ryan were going to the beach house in Casco Bay. It was about an hour's drive from Portland, ME. “Everyone, you know what to do, get behind my d...

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“Devil's Game” by Grayson Chilcote

Submitted to Contest #260

“Hey.” David awoke with a start. He furiously looked around the room as he shot up from the place he was laying down in. And what he saw when looking around could be described as nothing short of the dream of any man above the age of forty. It was a room made of the smoothest wood you could imagine, coated and sanded to the point it felt like it was already paper. The walls were lined with glass shelves housing aged wines and the finest whiskeys from all over the world, and there were plenty of cabinets on the bottom of the shelves with the ...

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“Nocturne” by Parimmaphatra W.S.

Submitted to Contest #260

I experienced a bizarre event that no one would believe unless they had seen it themselves. And even I find it hard to believe.When I stumbled out of that building, instead of feeling the brutal heat of Thailand, the air suddenly turned icy cold, and every breath felt like a knife cutting through my throat. The sky was gray, as if shrouded in a low-lying mist.It was a city I didn't recognize. The buildings, all red rectangular boxes with window slits like silent eyes, lined the streets. The signs were in a language resembling English, but I ...

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“My Mind is the Axe” by Sofia Lin

Submitted to Contest #260

My shoes squeaked on the wood floor, and the repeated whispered mantra, "hurry hurry hurry shit," bounced around in my brain. I nearly tripped over the door way as it slammed shut behind, and in one smooth rhythm, jammed the key into the hole and ran down the stairs. I could hear the rumble of the car, parked at the edge of the sidewalk and waiting for me."Sorry, I know, I'm late," I gasped, tossing my bags into the backseat. I threw open the passenger door and slid in, sighing as the cool air blew into my neck."What took you so long?" My da...

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$250

Prize money

428

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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