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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

“What's up with this guy?” by Eunice June

Submitted to Contest #55

“Do you see that guy?” Kayla asked Jenn from the parking lot near the boat dock. The other side of the park was full of woods and only hunters were allowed during season. “He’s moving toward us super quick and I don’t see any other cars here. Hurry up and get in the car, Jenn.” Her voice hushed to a whisper in hopes he would not hear her say her friends name. She took a deep breath, unlocked her vehicle and they both opened their doors and jumped in. They pulled their doors closed and Jenn let out a screeching sound while pointing ahead thro...

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“Amy” by Sossie CryShinee

Submitted to Contest #55

"She was so mysterious. Almost every night around twelve she disappeared in the forest and get back with the morning mist around 6 o'clock. Her friend was scared when he find out her secret. Her unbelievable and unexplainable secret."Amy and Jacken were best friends from the middle school. They were together all the time. Basically everyone around them were a 100 %, sure that they are so much more than friends. But they were really just friends.Well, one day when Amy and Jacken were walking nearby the beach, a stranger started to stalking th...

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“The Eighth Deadly Sin” by Hashyellow .

Submitted to Contest #55

“Can you keep a secret?” The ceiling fan scoops a breathful of dust from the edge of the dresser and spins it into a small twirl of dirt that shimmers against the pale light filtering through the window. I stare at the yellowing glass and count the splotches of dust and dried water that have formed small ring-like colonies all over the glass, and I press my fingernails into my palm, avoiding Tova’s desperate gaze. A few moments pass, and I almost drown out the sound of her heavy breathing before she rips me from my dazed state with he...

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“Carrietown Mines” by Krysta McClain

Submitted to Contest #55

"Can you keep a secret?", her breath was labored from tacking the muscular figure that now was detained and quiet under her shaking hands. A nod from the boy, a sigh of relief from the girl, she removed her hands and stood up, brushing off the dirt as the boy stood and took her in with as much shock as a lightning bolt. " How are you here?", the questioned burned off his lips as he stared at his best friend whom had left six months earlier with her father for a hunting trip, and never returned. She swallowed hard, pushing her unruly wildfire...

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“Promise” by Gabriella Estrada

Submitted to Contest #55

“Can you keep a secret?” I looked up with a smile on my face and a spoonful of pudding in my hand. “Sure.” Maggie shifted uncomfortably. “This isn’t our first time meeting each other.” “Right,” I said. “We’ve been friends for three months now. Of course it’s not the first time.” “No, Tara. That’s not what I mean.” I set down my spoon and frowned. “I don’t get it.” Maggie looked up at the ceiling with a worried look for a few seconds, and then looked back at me. “We were friends before. You just...don’t remember.” “What does tha...

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“Faces” by Hanifa Ansari

Submitted to Contest #55

I took in a deep breath and brushed my hand through my hairs. The traffic was busy with all those cops blocking the roads, every few minutes. The cab I was riding, was hardly moving before it stopped again. But I had to hurry and reach the hospital as soon as possible, and hence, I couldn't help but be more anxious by the minute. I looked up at my reflection in the rear view mirror of the cab. It hardly showed my forehead and my eyes. My common dark brown eyes. They were both shaped almost like my sister's. They could've ...

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“In a pickle!” by Agu Chinedu

Submitted to Contest #55

Can you keep a secret? She had that smile of innocence mixed with some mischief.Sure, I replied, secrets are my thing. I was expectant, wanted something new and exciting from the other side of the family. We were all come back to our hometown for the Christmas holidays. She lived in Lagos with her dad, elder sister and her mom, who was my Dad’s sister and my aunt, while I, had just arrived from Abuja with my parents seeing I was the only child.She looked at me with somewhat of a glee, her cheeks going pink with a blush.Whaaat! I asked recipr...

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“When truth sets you free” by Prachi Pati

Submitted to Contest #55

“Can you keep a secret?”, Rashmi whispered to her husband, Praveen. The prisoners were not allowed to be in close contact with the visitors, even when they were family. She sat opposite to Praveen, with her fingers clasped tightly and placed on her lap to stop them from fidgeting, as she looked at him. The two rotund constables stationed at the door tried to look disinterested, but she knew their lecherous thoughts, as they shifted their gaze on her every now and then, probably wondering, why such a beautiful woman like her was stuck w...

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“ A Secret Shared.” by Janet Murdoch

Submitted to Contest #55

Can You Keep A Secret?I shared this bench every Thursday lunchtime with the same little old man for months now and apart from the usual hello, lovely day, we had never really spoken to each other. I would sit, enjoying the sunshine on my face, munching my sandwich, relishing not being in the office for an hour and he would sit at the other end of the bench, enjoying a repast of blackened bananas. At first the smell of over ripe banana was a bit off putting but he ate them with such obvious enjoyment that I soon got used to it.At his question...

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“Out of Sight” by Paula Hodgins

Submitted to Contest #55

“Why do I do these things?” I murmured to the dark stretch of dank hallway before me. I had been submerged in this half-light for…an hour? Maybe? Let me tell you: when behind you is shadows, and ahead of you is shadows, and beside you is mossy, faded brick, you’ll start talking to the darkness, too. At least I wasn’t expecting an answer from the stones yet. When the ancient portrait of my ancient, long-deceased great aunt had tumbled from the ancient wall at my childish slamming of the bedroom door, I had expected a full-on beating from m...

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“"Can you keep a secret?"” by Asia Brito

Submitted to Contest #55

“Can you keep a secret?” He asked as he led me to the room at the far end of the house. I wondered if his air conditioning went out or if he had chosen to turn it off. I was breaking a sweat just walking the small distance from the front of the house to the back. “It depends on what the secret is,” I replied, unsure of what he was about to show me, fanning my face, trying to keep myself cool. We stopped right outside the door and he turned around to face me. I could only see half of him in the dark hallway, but he almost looked excit...

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“The Antidote” by Mara Hubl

Submitted to Contest #55

“Can you keep a secret?” I whisper, drawing her closer. “I poisoned him at breakfast.” “You what?” Ayla blurts, before quickly glancing around us. Servants scurry around the mansion, but no one pays us, the drama queens, any mind. “Only a little to make him sick. Now he has to agree to let me into medical school. Otherwise he won’t get the antidote.” I casually pull the vile from my pocket and shake it for effect. “Oh, if you kill him Maggie...” “Don’t worry, I won’t. I’m not interested in any of this, as you already know.”...

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“CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET” by Rhonda Hyder

Submitted to Contest #55

“Can you keep a secret? I don’t suppose you can! You mustn’t laugh, you mustn’t cry. But do the best you can.” More than three hundred years ago those words resounded along the walls of the small passages in the house newly built by Dirk van Delft. The canal house fronted onto one of a circle of canals built over the previous sixty years around the thriving town centre. Warehouses were prominent, using the waterways of Amsterdam for the transport of freight. Private housing amongst the warehouses provided some liv...

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“BACK STABBER!” by Elizabeth Mulisya

Submitted to Contest #55

Can you keep a keep a secret? Asked Maggie, my best friend and workmate. Of course you can trust me with your life! I answered back Promise you will not tell anyone what am about to tell you! Maggie was now shaking, I could tell she had doubts whether to tell me or not! She whispered her mysterious secret in my ears! what? No this can't be true? I shouted back at her in shock! Why did you do it? I almost passed out! I have to tell her! I continued But you promised that you won't tell anyone! Maggie tried to defend herself! Finally the big ...

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“Driving me wild” by Isaia Mellers

Submitted to Contest #55

Driving me wild"Can you keep a secret?" A classmate asked Nina once class ended.She looked to both her sides and, finding nothing, went back to packing her notebooks and pens.Someone kicked her shin. "Psht, behind you."Nina turned around and saw one of her classmates –her name began from S, maybe Sushi– leaning slightly forward. "Can you keep a secret?" She asked again.Nina blinked. Huh, so she hadn't imagined that. "It depends. Have you got a secret?""Why would I ask you that if I had a secret? There would be no reason, of course!...

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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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