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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

“A Deadly Secret” by Giselle Watterson

Submitted to Contest #55

"Can you keep a secret?", Sasha asked in a whispery voice. I wasn't paying much attention to her, I was still in awe as I looked around her new house. Sasha was my cousin and she had invited me and other family members to her house warming party. The house was amazing and I knew I wasn't the only one who had been amazed by it. Not because of its beauty, but because of who owned it. Not even a year had passed since Alex, Sasha's husband, had died and we all knew he wasn't rich enough to leave Sasha a hefty amount to even buy a second han...

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“Can you keep a secret?” by Sofie Ebler

Submitted to Contest #55

“Can you keep a secret?” Her lungs rattled with a burst of choked laughter as she shifted slightly. The fabric that covered her mouth was starting to let the dust in, her throat feeling raw and tight. It seemed that they weren’t going to get crushed to death by all the rocks above them. No, the boulders had landed conveniently enough that they were now trapped in a rock igloo. No, it was the dust that was going to do it. What a pitiful death, she thought. “Sure,” she sighed, lying back to listen. “I can’t promise I won’t tell bugs aroun...

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“Family Secrets” by Eileen Wijesinghe

Submitted to Contest #55

Family Secrets by Eileen Wijesinghe "Can you keep a secret?" María asked with a sweet half-smile. My 12-year-old sister and I are sitting in Heller Park away from Mamá's watchful eyes, dangling our feet over the edge of the bone-dry Los Angeles River drainage ditch. I am smoking the cigarettes that are not allowed in the house, and María is finishing the ice cream that I bought her in...

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“Hidden Love” by Jillian Wolstromer

Submitted to Contest #55

Day One Can you keep a secret? I have a small crush. Well, not small. It’s rather big. No one else knows about it, though. It’s my little secret. If you’re reading this, I guess it’s our secret now. That’s exciting. I’ve never really shared a secret with anyone. Anyway, I’ve decided to start a journal. I want to keep track of this crush and see where it goes. Maybe I can look back at this journal with her, and we can laugh at how awkward I was and see how our relationship has progressed over time. If not, I can just burn this and forget i...

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“The Boy With a Secret” by Tess Bloom

Submitted to Contest #55

"Can you keep a secret?"One simple question was all it took for everything to turn into chaos as it felt like the world was being unraveled for Carly Long.It all started one late night as Carly was sneaking out for a party she wasn't allowed to go to. This party was hosted by her best friend, Annie Grey and she wouldn't miss it for the world. Carly arrived at the party late but it was nothing like she expected a normal teenage party to be like. The music was turned low, not many people seemed to be there, and there were only juice boxes...

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“No One Can Be Trusted ” by Sparkle Fingers

Submitted to Contest #55

“Can you keep a secret?” whispered Emma into Olivia´s ear. Olivia turned and nodded at her. She didn´t know what type of secret it was but she was willing to do anything for his best friend. “I slept with Charles last week” managed to say Emma before falling asleep. Confusion filled Olivia´s mind. “That cannot be true,” she thought. Her boyfriend Charles and her best friend had slept together. This seemed impossible in her eyes. “It´s probably just the anesthesia talking, right?” observed Olivia out loud, “I mean she d...

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“Breadbasket Case” by Jen M

Submitted to Contest #55

Amara and Andrew kissed their hellos as they entered the coffee shop. It had been weeks since they last met and were excited for Saturday. Amara had gotten something in the mail and Andrew was eager to check it out. They found their spot in the corner was empty as usual and sat down to negotiate. “So. Saturday.” Amara said in a hushed tone as she unzipped her heavy down coat. “How are you feeling about it?”Andrew smiled conspiratorially as he dusted the snow off his shoulders. “Positively jubilistic.” he said. “Have you had a chance to ...

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“Ottla” by Noa A

Submitted to Contest #55

TRIGGER WARNING: Discussions of the Holocaust, genocide, antisemitism, depression, and mental illness. Take care of yourselves, lovelies!I stared down the drain at my own brother and wondered, “What if I pushed him further?” I stared at my own father and called him Hitler, but that was before I met Hitler with my own eyes. Some of us don’t see G-d when we die; we see Hitler. Lia, he said, you give life to a parasite that’s taking us over. It’s true that I used to sing, but not after I lost you, my darling and my dearest, whose lungs I h...

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“Mitzy Angel Mitzy Brave” by Patrick Hisel

Submitted to Contest #55

Ow there it is again. It’s always there these days, the pain. I don’t even feel like moving. I used to run and play and enjoy my people. Now I just lay here. Wasn’t I just asleep? That is when I don’t hurt, and I dream, and run and play and chase rabbits.“Mooooaann”, “wimper wimper”. I just did it again, made the sounds without even thinking. It just happens. My people are still asleep. It feels too early for me to wake up but here I am. Laying on my bed, feeling the pain. And, to m...

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“Who are You?” by Harish S

Submitted to Contest #55

Fluctuations of dark and light, I opened my eyes and saw a paper that read “I will kill you” written in blood. I don’t know where I am. The room is full of mess, many statues in the showcase were broken, blood strains here and there, I had my hand covered with a white cloth which had blood, I opened the knot and saw a cut in my hand. As my shirt and pant had shades of blood, I took a dress from the shelf and wore it. The dress is perfect for me. I took whatever I saw and went out to figure out what is happening. “Jade, jade!! get...

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“Little secrets or little white lies” by Pamela Berglund

Submitted to Contest #55

Shhhh… I have a secret to tell. I admit it. I love to tell secrets. My mother used to tell me that my secrets are considered little white lies. So I swore to her that I would always tell her the truth. But life doesn’t always go the way we plan it and when I turned 19 (the age of you can’t tell me what to do antmore) my promise literally went out the window. It was a cold night in January when I met Richard. I was playing a mystery game on my computer, when a massage popped up on the screen in the chat room. I thought it was from ano...

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“Blurry Vision” by Trinity Womack

Submitted to Contest #55

The sitting room was very well furnished. From the perfectly placed baby blue wallpaper, to the lacy dolly on the dark oak center table. There was not a spec of dust in the room, the maids had been sure to make it that way. A beautiful artwork of some kind graced the papered wall. On the far side of the room was a chest game, started but never finished and the opposite side of the room held a small shelf. The windows were long and opened to reveal the sun’s golden rays. This was what anyone would have seen walking into this room, but it was ...

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“Doll House” by Caira Coleman

Submitted to Contest #55

The music pulses like an irregular heartbeat. But the pattern is caught, and my limbs know what they’re doing as my mind fills with melodic instrumentals. Tonight, the beat is loud outside the privacy of my earphones (the usual space). My body is free to ride the waves of musicality that thumps within these walls without worrying about anyone noticing. That’s because everyone is dancing. Despite the darkness of the club, the dim lights show bodies that move to the musical current. Suddenly, I feel a warm form press into me from behin...

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“WOLFBANE” by Trinity M

Submitted to Contest #55

The silvery moon shone bright over the abandoned shed in Hunter Oaks. The chilling wind whistled a soft, moanful tune as it rippled outside through the unkempt grass. The light of the stars cast a brief shadow over a little girl, hunched low and silent in the field. She held a small spyglass in her hand, peering intently towards the shack with a pale face. A single lantern light burned feebly from the broken pane of a window inside the shed. Not a sound escaped from the building, not a creek of a door hinge or moan of wooden beams. &nbs...

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“V5 OURS 50” by SHYAMALA BHUVANACHANDRAN

Submitted to Contest #55

Vineet was very happy that he could get a suitable name for their unique club. He along with his other four friends namely, Anuraag, Bhargav, Chaitanya and Dhruv had started a ‘give back’ club as a tribute to their Guru --- ‘Moorthy Sir’. Their policy was --- Each one had to adopt ten dull students …. Dull not by their brains but by their attitude, then motivate them and coach them free of cost and bring forth their talents to the forefront. The caption V5 Ours 50 was very small catchy and attractive. All in the group had unanimously agreed ...

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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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