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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

“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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“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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“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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“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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“The Circle” by Shreya S

Submitted to Contest #55

The hooded figures stood silently in the dark, facing each other in a tight circle. There were seven of them in all, hands still against their loose black robes, only their light breaths disrupting the silence in the place. Dust swirled in the air between them, particles visible through the beam of moonlight that shone through the glass pane above them. On the wooden floor, a strange contraption lay at the centre of their circle, at first looking simply like a colourful box, but on further observation seeming to have grooves cut into in...

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“Special Gathering” by Chris Buono

Submitted to Contest #55

The young man walked up the path to the massive mansion in the countryside. His real name was Peter Kowalski, but to the other members of his group, he was the Andromedas. This was his thirteenth meeting with the secret organization this year, The Astralists. Andromedas’ father had been a member and his father before him, allowing Peter to enter the brotherhood on his eighteenth birthday. Wives, children, friends, and bosses were to be kept in the dark about the society. ...

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“The Secret Corridor” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #55

“Can you keep a secret?”, came a voice from the closet. Jeremy jumped onto his bed and threw the covers over his head. “Go away!” Jeremy shouted. “I don’t know who you are, but I want you to go away!” “But Jeremy, don’t you want to know what the secret is? Aren’t you the least bit curious?” the voice replied. &n...

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“The U Flight of birds ” by Tejas Chandna

Submitted to Contest #55

The Flight "Can you keep a secret?" said I, talking to my eleven-year-old brother. He nodded and asked innocently "But... What? Tell me please please.""Ok! but promise me you will stop stalking me" chided I. Poor guy, innateness in his eyes reflected him. This innocence pays when you have an older sister cruel in her eyes, reflecting a contrast of your brother's actions."It was red!""What was red?" again that innocent face. Why can't he stop being that stupid and cute?"The blood," said mini-me, inside me.It all started last week when I was g...

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“SECRET” by Sandra Claros

Submitted to Contest #55

Can you keep a secret ¿ - she asked me, waiting for me to answer with the logical and ordinary “ yes ¡” But the thing us that I can not keep any sort of secret not even a simple talk, because I can not shut my mouth. I have to say to the whole world, make them know everything that I know, as if the world were just going to be extinct in a second due to an atomic bomb. - No – I answeed, straight and clean, as it should be. The reaction of my dear friend was astounding: she started to laugh out loud, as it should...

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“Origin ” by Sandra Claros

Submitted to Contest #55

The survivors of the explosion of a great quantum bomb, which destroyed that planet initially lost in the cosmic dust and ultraviolet rays that emanated from a placidly powerful sun and whose origins were unknown by the majority of the humanoid population, in addition to the population. robonoid However, many information recorded in a photoelectric cell placed right in the virtual cloud of the humanoid stellar commandos, said that the inhabitants of these planets should inhabit shelters underground to avoid the electrical storms t...

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“From the Heart (the sequel to "Tea for Two")” by Philip Clayberg

Submitted to Contest #55

It was a week later. Sam was spending the weekend at my place for the first time. It was early afternoon and we decided to go downtown, maybe even to the waterfront. The weather was clear, no sign of rain. We wouldn't be out long. Maybe an hour or two at most. And certainly nowhere near any crowds … not that there were any crowds in that part of town. The town's businesses were still struggling.As we put on our medical masks, I suggested that we could stop by Francois' cafe and see how he was doing.Sam nodded. “Do you want to speak with him ...

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“The Book Lovers” by David Dicaire

Submitted to Contest #55

The Book Lovers Blake Smith walked with purpose down the street on the cold autumn night with his hand in his pockets and the black coat turned full up for added protection. The leaves danced around him practicing some kind of private shuffle. A group of teens nodded his way thinking of causing trouble, but he was gone before they could make a move. He turned the corner and the library building appeared almost jumping in his face. It was an intimidating structure and looked like a castle where Dracula lived or a creepy man...

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“My Little Ball Of Pride” by Yaki Lim

Submitted to Contest #55

"Good morning. Oh, it's you, vice president." He strutted in. "Morning President Ren." I walked over to his work desk and hoisted myself onto it. I had been cleaning the student council room for a while, so now I'm exhausted. "You're early again. Did you get breakfast?" "Of course, it's Friday - my turn to do morning shifts. And no, I didn’t eat breakfast. But my question is: why are you always here this early in the morning?" President Ren always arrived early in the student council room whenever it was time to clean. The answer is cl...

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“Mayday, Captain Midnight! (A follow-up to Onward, Captain Midnight!)” by S. Closson

Submitted to Contest #55

Explosions in space, the destruction moons, the murder of gods.These acts, easily perceived as malicious by the less informed, were taking the Lenin System by storm once more. Trapped within the confines of the steel cargo container mounted onto the ventral portion of the Sputnik-class rocket ship, the scoundrel of the skies known as Captain Midnight and his foil, the mighty heroine the Blue Yonder had been sought upon by rouge Soviet forces following their failure to stop the villainous Midnight from activating his supe...

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“More than a Plant” by Morgan Douglas

Submitted to Contest #55

“Can you keep a secret,” Gabriel asked his son Dane? Dane paused for a moment and scratched his head as he considered what his father had just asked of him. Finally, Dane shook his head in agreement, looking at his father’s intense expression. With a strong inhale, Gabriel proceeded to tell Dane what he needed to know. “Son, you need to know what goes on behind the scenes here at the plant shop,” said Gabriel. Feeling uneasy, Dane looked around the rustic store and wondered what could possibly be happening at a simple plant business. Ignorin...

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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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