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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#273: Locked Away

Don’t forget to use the hashtag #ReedsySecrets to share your stories (and potentially be featured on our social accounts)!

Ah, secrets. What is it about the unknown that’s so alluring? Do you relish the implicit power of knowing confidential information? Do you love the feeling of connection and exclusivity that being told a secret brings? Or do you enjoy dissecting other people in your head after you’ve discovered their deepest, darkest secrets?

This week, let’s write some stories that unravel long-buried truths — and maybe even a character’s entire life in the process.

This week's prompts

Write a story in the form of diary/journal entries about a secret or confession.

Short Story – 69 stories

Begin your story with someone either being followed or following someone else.

Dramatic – 53 stories

Write a story with the line “Don’t tell anyone.”

Angst – 80 stories

Your character is invited to a secret meeting. Who invited them, and what do they encounter?

Short Story – 40 stories

Write a story that hides something from the reader until the end.

Dramatic – 113 stories

Stories

“The demon spy” by James Little

Submitted to Contest #273

Midnight's bells tolled as fog clung to the streets, muffling footsteps. The moon hid behind clouds, turning away from the depravity below. Shadows moved like whispers in the gloom, unseen deals struck by men who profited from human misery.Orilana crouched on the rooftop, feeling like a ghost in a city without a place for her. Her pulse was steady, and her muscles tensed like coiled springs. The thrill of the hunt burned within her, but she kept it tempered and focused. Her target emerged from the haze—a figure shrouded in black robes, his m...

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“The closeness of shadows” by Penelope Stansfield

Submitted to Contest #273

Shirley had known Agatha for as long as she could remember, inseparable since infant school. So when Agatha suddenly disappeared that June without a word, it felt like Shirley had lost a part of herself, and the months that followed were filled with heartbreak and unanswered questions. But then, five months later, Agatha came back, just as suddenly as she’d left.Shirley was thrilled to begin with, her lifelong friend had returned to their small town and everything that had been disturbed was now slotted back into place, but things ...

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“The Last Game” by Daron Thompson

Submitted to Contest #273

The Last Game Mike sat on the worn green bench under the old oak tree, his hands trembling slightly as he carefully set up his beloved chessboard. Each piece was placed with the same precision as always, the result of decades of practice and routine. The black and white squares of the board were scratched and faded, and the wooden pieces had lost some of their sheen, but Mike still treated them like treasures. He came to this spot every single day, rain or shine, hoping that someone would stop and play with him. Most days, no one did. People...

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“No Honour Amongst The Living” by EV Throne

Submitted to Contest #273

Someone was following Isha Sava. She could feel the presence trailing behind her, steady and deliberate. The streets of Enreth were quiet at this hour, the market long closed, and only the occasional clink of distant bells broke the stillness. It wasn't just anyone following her—this was someone who knew her habits and knew where she liked to disappear. Isha had spent too long surviving to ignore such signs. She slipped through the narrow alleys with ease, her dark cloak blending with the shadows. The city had not changed since she left the ...

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“Lady Butterfly” by Cathy Saali

Submitted to Contest #273

Dressed in black on a cold, dreary day, the handsome athletic sleuth creeps down the street. He follows at a safe distance so as not to give himself up to the golden beauty weaving through the crowded street. He’s gaining on her. Soon he’ll spin her around and reveal the truth she hides. She starts to turn; he ducks in a doorway. BLEEP BLEEP BLEEP! My hand fumbles for the off button as the alarm succeeds in rudely waking me. Today is the day I’m going to follow her. I psych myself up and jump out of b...

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“Smoker” by Mark Mc Quown

Submitted to Contest #273

SmokerBy Mark Mc Quown Smoker was a Labrador Retriever who had spent many winters in the cabin that Smoker could see in front him but could not get to it. He smelled the smoke coming from the chimney, he smelled the fire inside and the food cooking, but he was stuck. The day was clear with no snow in the air and this was helpful as Smoker watched the Fire Truck pull up to the cabin and the firemen racing out from all sides. There was no fire, they came for the dog.Smoker had jumped out the front door this morning, as soo...

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“New Orleans Nightmare” by Rachel Keller

Submitted to Contest #273

Louise was never one to scare off easily, nor did she ever care to believe in the paranormal. One of her earliest memories was sitting restlessly in a pew during the St. Louis Cathedral’s 11 o’clock Mass, swinging her legs up as far as they could go in her Sunday best. She remembered rolling her eyes whenever the priest would cry out that God can save us from the evil spirits lurking the city. More importantly, she remembered pitying all the fervent church-goers who believed him. Therefore, when the student body of Tulane decided to throw a ...

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“Spicy” by Emily Miles

Submitted to Contest #273

Iris glanced around the room as she pulled on the nitrile gloves. Grabbing the side of the book drop with one hand, she reached in deep with the other, groaning trying to get further inside. Sam walked over cautiously, head cocked to the side.“Iris,” Sam said, with their hands folded politely in front of them. “How can I help you this morning?”Iris slowly retrieved her arm and stood upright, adjusting her stance, blowing a wisp of hair out of the way.“I accidentally returned a book with something important inside,” Iris explained matter of f...

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“The Secret Ingredient ” by Nina H

Submitted to Contest #273

(Jump to Recipe) [Link has been disabled] It’s getting close, my friends! The holiday season is closing in on us faster than my Aunt Trudy can say “fruitcake” and throw back a cocktail! So what does this mean for those of us doomed to put a smile on our faces while we welcome the in-laws, cousins, black sheep, and freeloaders? It means we scour the internet looking for the best recipes to impress even your mother-in-law, who is arguably more judgmental than an entire panel of Supreme Court Justices. You may be wondering the secret of ...

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“Now Serving…Harvey!” by Patrick Huber

Submitted to Contest #273

“Quad Oat Latte with Cinnamon?” A young female, barista announces. She looks around the crowded coffee shop for anyone to react. Within a minute a middle aged man in a well-tailored suit steps up and grabs the drink. “I’m the quad” he says as he takes the drink and in return gives a wink and suggestive grin. Not only has he done this before, but this is the start of his routine. He visits this coffee shop in particular not because of the quality espresso drinks but for the young, attractive baristas. His regular...

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“Running for Freedom” by LifeCycles Creative Media

Submitted to Contest #273

Trigger Warning: This story contains themes of emotional manipulation, psychological trauma, non-physical abuse, and control. Readers may find these elements distressing. Please proceed with caution. Nadine could feel it. The faint prickling at the base of her neck, the unsettling hum in the air. Someone was there, lingering close. She kept her head down, quickened her pace, and gripped her son Yulian’s hand a little tighter as they climbed the steps to their new home. After months of planning, it was meant to be their refuge, a place wher...

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“Deny, Deny, Deny” by Emily Gumal

Submitted to Contest #273

August 13, 2024Dear Diary,I can’t believe that just happened. I mean…it happened, so it must be real, but…oh God, I can’t believe that it happened. I know I just wrote that, but…it doesn’t feel real. How can it be real? I shouldn’t It feels like something that happened to someone It happened, so it must be real, but it feels like something that only happens in movies. How can it have happened to me? What did I do to deserve this? I can’t write down what happened. I can’t. It’s too…writing it out makes it real. And I can’t face that, I ...

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“The Quiet Mercy” by Saoud Akram

Submitted to Contest #273

Trigger Warning: This story contains sensitive themes related to terminal illness, assisted suicide, euthanasia, and death, which may be distressing for some readers.February 14, 2015CHUV – Lausanne, SwitzerlandI’ve never liked February. The world feels trapped under ice, waiting for spring to thaw it out. The snow outside my office window seemed heavier today, or maybe it’s just me. The hospital hums as it always does, but there’s a weight to the air I can’t shake.I met Alain Bieri. Forty-eight, a professor at the University of Lausanne. AL...

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“Report From the Bridge” by Empress Jester King

Submitted to Contest #273

++Log Activated, Terminal 23T4: 10.11.2012++Three hours to get here and three hours to get the power working. I wonder, often, what sort of an operation you think you’re running? The subject of my report - my charge, if you will - is the bridge connecting [redacted] to [redacted]. Bridge=Georgian, red brick, wide enough for one car, lit by sort of intricate looking street lamps. Foot traffic minimal so far. But who would ever want to go to [redacted]? I will attempt crossing tonight as instructed. ++11.11.2012++Crossing only marginal success...

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“Journal of a Cake Addict ” by Mariel Renaud

Submitted to Contest #273

Journal of a Cake Addict October 1st – Day 1 of Cake Control Dear Diary,I’ve done it. I’ve decided to face my addiction head-on. I, Geraldine Butterworth, have a confession to make. It’s not what you’re thinking—I’m not addicted to something normal like coffee, Netflix, or online shopping. No, my confession, dear Diary, is far more scandalous. Brace yourself.I am a cake scoffer!Cake, glorious cake, in all its sugar-laden, frosting-covered, spongy perfection. Yes, you read that correctly. I indulge in the delicious, fluffy, frosting-drenched...

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$250

Prize money

355

Contest entries

162

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Oct 25, 2024 EST

Won by Asia W 🏆

Title: Venus Buried

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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