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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

“In on a little secret or two-” by Judith Veder

Submitted to Contest #55

The secret of the Unknown Uncle Nathan When my Bahby died in 1978, the story of Uncle Nathan, the communist and the vegetarian died too. And with the death of my mother, just 15 years ago, just, no more can ever be known about him. All I knew as a little girl was that mom loved this uncle Nathan and Bahby, my grandmother didn’t. Why was his story always shrouded in secrecy and mystery making me so ea...

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“The Ultimate Nimrod” by Bob White

Submitted to Contest #55

The Ultimate Nimrod &nbs...

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“Can you keep a Secret? Why not, I was a Secretary” by K V CHIDAMBARAM

Submitted to Contest #55

Can you keep a Secret? Why not, I was a SecretaryOf the many qualities that I expect from my subordinate is his ability to keep a secret emphasised the Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Bureau of Investigation at the final stage of the Interview of James Holmes. Don’t you think it is easily said than done Apprentice James Holmes, the CEO quipped.Well sir while appreciating your comment and agreeing to your comprehension of the matter, I concur with you and at the same time also beg to differ and I assure you that I will be able to conv...

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“The Sky Is Falling” by Itxy Lopez

Submitted to Contest #55

“Can I tell you a secret?” I say. I’m sitting on the floor, back against the wall. One leg extended, one folded in. “You’re the only one I can trust. No one listens as good as you.” I pause. “I need to tell someone that…”—I tap my knee. A steady rhythm that helps me breathe. “I need to tell you that I’m afraid. Terrified, even.” I sigh. “I know I’m okay, but sometimes, I feel like… like Chicken Little, you know? Of course you do. You’ve seen that movie, what? Ten times? I feel like Chicken Little when he yells, ‘The sky is falling, the s...

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“Dead Secrets ” by Jasmine Gray

Submitted to Contest #55

“Can you keep a secret?” she said Her eyes gleaming with seduction but tinted with something else… An emotion that lived just beneath the surface, beating like a drum but going unseen. The midnight chill had begun to set in, the type that creeps its way under your skin and into your bones without you knowing it, until it is all you can feel. The question brought me to a halt, the words had an innocent texture on her tongue, but I knew from her eyes that her words hung heavy, boulders tied in double knots to each syllable. “Of course, you ...

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“The Restaurant Under the Fountain” by Alicia Powers

Submitted to Contest #55

“Can you keep a secret?” Mark attempted to whisper while also catching his breath. His hind legs ached from the racing jumps he had used to get here. “Mark!” Daisy screamed in greeting as she slid out from her rock, medical bag in hand. It was exactly the kind of response Mark was hoping to avoid. Actually, his whole current situation was what he was trying to avoid. How had he mistaken the times? He was sure the leaf had said 9 just yesterday, but when he looked at it this morning, the number 6 clearly stared ...

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“A Family Torn” by Sue Darling

Submitted to Contest #55

Can you keep a secret? I've got a big one. Or rather… I know a big one, it isn’t mine. See, there's no such thing as a secret in a small town; small towns gossip, as soon as one person knows, you can bet your ass that everyone does. He doesn't think that word spreads, though. He doesn't believe acquaintances and friends of friends would talk behind his back. At almost sixty years old, one might think he'd understand the world, and the town he’s called home for more than forty years a little bit better than that. I can tell you for certain, w...

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“I know its you” by Amber Hartung

Submitted to Contest #55

Prologue Madison Lewis Madison Lewis How much he hate her. How much he loved her. He hated her for always been on his mind. He loved to think and dream about her. He hated how she led him on. He loved that she paid attention to him. Because no one else ever did. Marvel was covered in zits, he was super small, and just downright awkward. The boys at school would either just tease him all day long or literally pretended that he didn’t exist. So, they would walk right into him and shoved him down and the thing was the never even looked dow...

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“Clay Weights” by Tony Ferraro

Submitted to Contest #55

“I delight, as I lie, in the wind’s rage” - Tibullus “Can you keep a secret?” “Yeah, but I don’t wanna hear one right now.” I knew it was gonna be lame. Plus I was driving. He was laughing. He giggled, then intoned, “I got it for Candy, like so bad,” and then squeakier, “and I .. um .. don’t have an I.D.” He snorted and turned his head. I backhanded his left shoulder hard. “You told the whole party you did! Everyone believed you, you idiot.” I took in a loud and long nose breath. Here we were, it’s almost midnight, and we were driving to...

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“One, Two, Three, I can't believe I forgot I was the leader!” by Hakin Edward

Submitted to Contest #55

Everybody was sleeping, it was cold, past midnight and I had my boots on. “Pss, pss, c’mon, wake up”, I whispered to one of the 19 boys sleeping in the room. “Shut up, I’m not waking up”, his eyes were closed when he answered. Something had to be done, the other two were waiting outside, we’ve been through this already. Yet, Smith’s afraid and lazy ass had to screw everything up. It wasn’t like I was a bad person, it had to be done. “What’re you doin’, Smith?!”, his voice became louder and his eyes opened as soon as his blankets flew and the...

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“To Keep a Secret” by Shaelyn Bradle

Submitted to Contest #55

“Can you keep a secret?” A young girl knelt by the tiny flower, whose petals had only begun to stretch open to the world. With the encouragement of a gentle breeze, the tiny flower bobbed its fragile head up and down in response. The young girl leaned forward and whispered, “I’m lonely.” And with that, the girl picked up her basket and hurried away towards the market. She spared one last glance at the tiny flower, now dancing in the breeze as if in joy of having been trusted to receive a secret, and kept walking. The tiny flower ...

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“She's Leaving” by Eileen Phillips

Submitted to Contest #55

She’s Leaving They were only having coffee together but it was still a shock when Charlie found them. They were looking at each other across the table wistfully, Gemma’s red hair glinted in the May sun, even his wife’s non-descript brown was almost blond. It wasn’t his wife who noticed him first. Gemma must have said something because Susan spun round, her face creased with anxiety. “Charlie, how lovely to see you.” She made to stand and collapsed back, gesturing feebly at her companion.&n...

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“To Die or Not to Die” by Idan Hamilton

Submitted to Contest #55

On Friday the Thirteenth of February, Marcus Crane, faked his death leaving two mourning siblings being investigated by the FBI. His siblings, one Oliver Crane and a Samantha Crane, were unaware of his shady dealings and horrified at the thought that he could have been doing anything illegal. Soon’ll they’ll be informed of his untimely passing and then they'll mourn for losing their eldest brother to an unfortunate accident. Saturday Fourteenth. 6 AM Samantha Crane likes to start her mornings by slipping on a nice warm fluffy bathrobe and ...

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“My best kept secrets. ” by Aparna Jagannath

Submitted to Contest #55

As the night approached, I was shivering with fear. I was all alone in the house. My family went to visit our family deity in Kerala. I had to stay back because of my ill health. I watched television for sometime. I fixed myself a simple dinner of curd rice with mango pickle. After dinner, I called my best friend on my mobile and chatted with her. I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was 10 PM. I could hear several stray dogs howling together on a moonless night. My worst fears came true after my mobile rang. My heart skipped a beat a...

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“The Old Man’s House” by Mek R

Submitted to Contest #55

The nurse placed a hot cup of chamomile tea in the study as she always did and left the old man’s house that night at the usual time. She was distracted today and left the front door ajar on the way out. Her walk was faster than usual and she clutched her bag close. She would feel better after she had buried the little bottle of toxic aconite that was currently in the recesses of her handbag. Within minutes of her leaving, Randy turned the corner onto the old man’s street. He was weaving from the whiskey and other things. And fully in desp...

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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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