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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#55: In On a Little Secret

One of The Hobbit's most memorable scenes is when Bilbo encounters Gollum in the Misty Mountains. We know Bilbo has the ring in his pocket, and that Gollum refers to the ring as his "precious." But Gollum doesn't yet realize it's missing, and Bilbo doesn't know who the ring belongs to.

This scene utilizes dramatic irony by providing readers with key information that the characters are unaware of. It creates suspense, tension, and immediately invests readers as we anxiously await the events we know will eventually unfold.

This week's prompts all revolve around the theme of secrets. We encourage you to get creative with how and when you reveal information to characters — and readers!

This week's prompts

Write a story about a meeting of a secret society.

Mystery – 155 stories

Write a story about an old family secret surfacing generations later.

Adults – 141 stories

Write a story that either starts or ends with someone asking, “Can you keep a secret?”

Kids – 421 stories

Write a story involving a conversation that’s packed with subtext; the characters aren’t quite saying what they mean.

Dialogue – 78 stories

Write a story where the readers are in on a secret that the characters are unaware of.

Novel – 101 stories

Stories

“Ruins of Rome” by Megan DeRouin

Submitted to Contest #55

Ruins of Rome I had imagined that dying would be so much more dramatic. Like you would die and then there would be this bright light that would invite you to heaven and you’d get to see everyone you loved and lost. That’s what I signed up for, not this. I woke up like normal, rising from my bed and listening to my neighbors shouting at each other through the thin walls. They had what was classically a love/hate re...

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“Christine” by Lonnie Larson

Submitted to Contest #55

When Christopher was born, Maggie could stop having children as her husband, Bill, finally got the son he wanted. His two big sisters, Kelly and Sally, couldn’t wait until Mom brought home their new baby brother. But one thing the doctors failed to mention was that Christopher was really a Christine. They took their new son home and the girls just loved him immediately. They helped their mother care for him. Kelly was five and Sally was four when baby Christopher was born. They quickly learned how to diaper and feed him. To them, he was th...

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“What Gabriel Saw” by Kimberley S Klein

Submitted to Contest #55

“Can you keep a secret?” The parrot squawked at Peter again as he passed it with the box filled with his mother’s things to put into storage, since his father hadn’t the heart to keep them in the house with him. The bird, a gigantic African gray with his right foot ending in a stub, belonged to his mother as well and was the only piece of Mom that Dad was reluctantly choosing to retain. Peter ignored it, just as he had the other ten times Gabriel, the ridiculous moniker ...

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“The Aetherius Secret Society” by Blane Britt

Submitted to Contest #55

Genuine secret societies have existed for centuries, conducting their business in darkened back rooms and more often than not, exerting a mysterious influence upon our culture. I often times wondered if they’re so secret then why does anyone or mostly everyone knows or heard about them. Through history there have been many secret societies and conspiracy theories about those societies. From political organizations to college frats, these groups require their members to conceal their activities and sometimes their identities, from the publi...

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“A Little Secret” by Adrian Stolecki

Submitted to Contest #55

"So? Can you keep a secret?" Eddie asked me again, as I sat, puzzled, wondering why he was so excited. I felt apprehensive at first. Eddie was 15 now, always busy with friends or track practice or some girl. He rarely wanted anything to do with his little 8-year-old brother anymore, so this visit to my room in the middle of the night was more than a little suspicious. "Um," I hesitated, sitting up in bed and looking around the shadowed bedroom, "I guess so," I finally mumbled as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. "C'mon, put your shoes...

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“As I like it.” by Len Mooring

Submitted to Contest #55

As I like it. “Now, Ladies, can you keep a secret? No, of courses you can't, that's why I’m telling you. Have I got a deal for you? Notice I said Ladies if you look around, you’ll not see a hairy chin in your midst. However, I think you will want to keep this secret among your gender, eschewing also those of indeterminate gender. This is why we are sequestered upon this island. You are the first of possibly many who have been given the chance to create something in your own image. No, not your physical image, but that image you have in y...

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“Associative Identity Disorder” by Joshua Scott Hotchkin Wordpress.dungherder.com

Submitted to Contest #55

The summer meeting of the Guerrilla Psychology Society (GPS) is taking place right in the open, as they always do, at an IHOP just outside of Omaha. The members are all influential players in the field who have joined forces to correct social psychological trends before they threaten the fabric of human civilization, which happens far more often than the average Josephine is aware of. Included in the meeting are luminaries like Rebecca Mulhooney, who created the empath craze - and Jason Swelte, the man who had put the term 'narcissism' on th...

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“Conspiracy” by Daphne Pope

Submitted to Contest #55

Nell Armstrong. That’s what he was called. The kids at school always asked him, “Is your real name Neil? Are you named after Neil Armstrong?” And his answer stayed the same. “No, I’m not.” Then, of course, there had to be a follow-up: “Are you related to him?” He could lie. But someone else would come along and contradict him. So, he was forced to tell the truth. “Yes, he was my grandfather.” Then they would all gas...

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“Truth or Dare” by Zion Hintay

Submitted to Contest #55

"Where 'ave you got me roped into now?" Asked Rudey Whitmore. A former private investigator.There was a long line of folk. None of which he recognized leading up to these pearly gates. Beside him was this knockout of a dame with wings of all things glued to her back. Or at least he thought so."Hey miss how can you fly with those things, you look like you weigh at least a ton." Rudey Whitmore didn't mean to insult her or anything."I can fly perfectly fine," Replied the beautiful Angel. She pumped her wings and glided above him then landed lig...

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“You Suck” by Tolu Odel

Submitted to Contest #55

[The following is based (very loosely!) On actual events. Any relations to persons living or dead is completely uncoincidental.] “Hey Numa, you sound kinda sick,” Devon told Numa. “Yeah,” Numa coughed, “That’s why I wasn’t here yesterday.” Devon frowned, “Yes you were. We took that big math test and we talked about how hard it was.” Numa looked at Devon with an arched eyebrow. “Nope!” She croaked, “I was at home all day yesterday, watching the Weather Network. I’m taking the test today after school.” Numa shook her head and continu...

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“Past ” by Sandra Claros

Submitted to Contest #55

Grandmother and granddaughter are sitting in a couch, waiting for their favorite soap opera to start. Then, a very emotional ad about some nursing home was being shown on television. - I think these kind of places just create distance among the elder and the rest of the members of the family, specially during this quarantine time, where people must stay at home. Tough, isn’t it, granny ? – the grandchild in snickers stood up to bring some popcorn and soda. She sat again on the couch and offered soda and popcorn to her granny,&...

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“Lessons in Retranca” by Kathleen March

Submitted to Contest #55

A Play in Search of a Title Or Lessons in Retranca Lavinia is at a play being staged for the first time ever, in the Teatro Valle-Inclán on Rúa do Vilar. She’s with her friend Amanda, who has come to visit for a few days, but doesn’t know anything about Galicia. Amanda has been in Madrid, playing the ‘model tourist’, seeing all the sights possible in two weeks so she could check them off her list. After staying in Santiago briefly, she’ll be off to tour Sevilla and Granada. She’ll probably never notice that right now she’s in a place w...

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“Nightborn (part 10)” by Harken Void

Submitted to Contest #55

Rachel’s knees quivered, her apathy was broken by that all-consuming emotion. Fear. “You said I’ll be safe here,” she exclaimed, fists clenching, heart racing. “That he’ll never find me here.” “You are safe.” “Then why did you bring him here?” She was so mad at the detective. She believed him, allowing herself to be taken to this Lightblood’s safehouse, and then he goes and brings the monster itself along. “I thought I’d never had to see him again!” Damien handed Mortensen over to Aiden who pushed the bastard down the hallway, escorted...

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“If Curiosity Kills the Cat.” by LILY DAWN

Submitted to Contest #55

(Listen to Play Nice- Annie LeBlanc)She had been watching him for a while. Suspicion rose and curiosity, some may call it."Why are we going this way?" Her friend, Portia, asked."Don't worry about it."He spun out of view."Why?" She muttered angrily.Portia pulled her away. "If it makes you feel any better I'll invite him to the party. You can talk to him.""What are you thinking and why.""Hey, you don't concentrate anymore. So I have a good reason to doubt.""Mhmmm yeah right. That is exactly what you were thinking about."Portia rose her hands i...

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“Two Liars Made For One Another” by Blane Britt

Submitted to Contest #55

I met Rose Marie at a John Mellencamp Concert in Marlins Park a baseball park located in Miami, Florida. It is the current home of the Miami Marlins, the city's Major League Baseball franchise. It is located on 17 acres. Before she even introduced herself to me she told me that she was a Train Conductor and Yard Master for Amtrak. When I asked what is a Yard Master and is it anything like a Slave Master. She giggled and quickly changed the subject. As we got better acquainted and got drunk off a half gallon bottle of cheap wine that I pulle...

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$50

Prize money

896

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 21, 2020 EST

Won by B Easton 🏆

Title: Secrets for the Living

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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