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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#72: Shocking Developments

Have you ever heard that there are only so many types of stories in the world? Some people say seven, some say three, some six… Regardless of the number, the idea is that you can boil down any narrative into universal templates.

While it’s true that many stories do follow familiar structures (and understanding them can help you learn how to craft a compelling narrative), there’s so much variety in how those structures unfold that the best stories still feel fresh and original.

One of the ways writers manage this is by filling their stories with unexpected details — so this week, our prompts are all about characters finding themselves in situations they’d never have imagined. But to really get something unique, don’t stop there: ask yourself what would happen if your characters made each of the possible choices before them, then write the one that surprised you the most!

This week's prompts

Write a mystery where the detective realizes at the last moment that they have the wrong suspect.

Mystery – 117 stories

Write a romance where your character falls in love with the last person they expected to.

Romance – 193 stories

Write about someone getting a job offer they never would have thought to apply for.

Adults – 94 stories

Write about someone who gets an inheritance from a relative they’ve never heard of, but they’ll need to do something completely outside their comfort zone in order to collect it.

Teens – 144 stories

Write a science fiction story where all human behavior can be predicted — until your character does something the algorithm did not expect.

Science Fiction – 139 stories

Stories

“The Roger Bernard Case” by William Barlow

Submitted to Contest #72

James Kennedy was a tall, well-built man of thirty-six years of age. He kept his head shaved smooth because he had started getting a bald spot on the top of his head while still in his mid-twenties. He figured that it may have been hereditary because his father had a receding hairline, but he did not rule out that it could have been caused from the stress from his occupation. He was a detective at the Southside Police Precinct where he had worked for the past fourteen years. He had worked the streets for the first ten years before gett...

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“Tetranychidae” by Nwachukwu Ndubueze-Student

Submitted to Contest #72

“ 12 accounts of theft, 3 DUI’s, and 5 aggravated assaults,” I read. “ I just don’t think you’re cut out for the job.” His name was Tom. Tom Smith. He wasn’t the regular person you can say that and was even more different to try to become a cop. Even if he was to join the team, I don’t know if he would be cut out for the job. He showed up at a job interview with joggers. I’m not agreeing with his sense of style. “ Believe me, man I’ve changed,” He goes. “ You probably think I’m not in the right place - or mind in fact, but I want to giv...

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“Wasn't me” by DREW LANE

Submitted to Contest #72

This story is a sequel to Little Something (I) and (II) that you can find on my page.6:29am. Finn stepped into the steam of the shower. He flipped the comb, threw it in the air, caught it with his other hand and combed the sides of his scalp. His abs had grown thicker overnight and he sprayed them with cactus & sandalwood freshness which burnt his skin, pleasurably, each time. He pressed play on his phone - Wasn't me by Shaggy was this song of the moment. He almost managed to slam at the same speed as the singer, with two more weeks of p...

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“Season's Greetings from the Victor” by Kathleen M.

Submitted to Contest #72

“Wonderful work today, Detective.” The chief of police mumbled around what was quite possibly the thickest cigar in existence. It was a hand rolled monstrosity that gave off noxious clouds of smoke whenever the man spoke. He was never without a box of them tucked away somewhere in his clothes. The Detective waved away the creeping smoke and tried to smile, “Thank you, sir.” “That killer never saw you coming, did he?” The chief continued with a chuckle, “I don’t suppose you’d like a raise, would you?” “No thank you.” The Detective shook their...

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“An Inconvenient Flame” by DarkSkin Nya

Submitted to Contest #72

In the small town of Oak-town Hills there lived a Woman named Serenity who owned a flower shop. She was the only person who owned such a store like hers, so she would get a lot of business because of it. Serenity loved to climb mountains and hills so she would pick wild flowers to sell to the townspeople. Serenity's store was next to a shop that sold instruments like guitars, drums, or small woodwind instruments. The man who owned that store was named Taylor, he was a few years older than Serenity. He had moved to Oak-town from Japan 3 yea...

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“Linus” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #72

Linus I’m not a conscript of nostalgia, but sometimes when you are cleaning out the closet, you find something that causes you to remember something you’ve forgotten about. It happens to me, most often during the holiday season. Why, I am not sure. Perhaps, it maybe that I’m at my most vulnerable, during that time. I was unpacking Christmas ornaments, when I realized that I had wrapped each memorable glistening globe, complete with its silvery bent hook, in newspaper; the funny papers to be exact. I like to use the co...

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“I Beat Him Up ” by Shradda Dhital

Submitted to Contest #72

All Eyes On ThemCheering,Excited and JoyousWine Glass on Everyone's Hand..Bottle of Champagne In Hers ..She frooze for a Moment,Things starts to fadeShe goes back to the 1st memory of him,The day She had beat him upIt was 15 years back,She was the newly appointed Class CaptainWith the power comes the responsibility,She had the powers similar to a class teacher in her absence.Ms.Mollusca with a curly hair as the class would call her, called Sahara to her OfficeMs.Mollusca: Sahara! I know you are a very good student.But I Expect...

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“A Room With No View” by Aron Bennett

Submitted to Contest #72

The view from his window was barren, cold, without life. What life? A life of quiescence; of expiring figures eddying around the tea trolley. That’s what sort of life. It was crummy here, and the view crummier still. Of a carpark, devoid of anything more beautiful than the odd Touring 3 series and a single hydrangea bush. “Beyond that empty lot,” said the grumpy old man, as much to himself as any other. “Beyond that lot, lies the beginning and the end of my ken.” His warder – perhaps an unfair designation – continued to plump up his pillows ...

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“Romeo Bryant falls in love with Juliet Jackson the last person he ever expected to in life. ” by Prince Brempong

Submitted to Contest #72

My story is entitled Romeo Bryant falls in love with Julliet Jackson the last person they ever expected to in life.One Friday, which was a day most Christians and other people show love among themselves. It was a day that one may ponder and ask the question in the psychological literature why people fall in love within the community. It was this day that Romeo Bryant fell in love with Julliet Jackson.It is noted that romantic love occurs when the attributes that generate general attraction and social factors with circumstances that produce p...

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“Kickstart My Heart (Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence)” by Alisa Burdick

Submitted to Contest #72

Tessa took off running. She didn't want to be in the club anymore. She decided that being a Nomad's daughter left something out of her life that staying in wouldn't allow her. Her father, Duke "Razor" Simmons, headed up the Nomads chapter in Syracuse. All Tessa wanted was to escape. New York City's massiveness gave Tessa a chance to disappear. One night after "Church", Tessa's mother, Clary, came to Tessa's room. "Baby," Clary said. "Yeah, Mama?" "I want you to get out of here. Don't do what I did." Tessa looked concerned. "What's going on, ...

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“Stolen Heart” by Biaral Kahn

Submitted to Contest #72

The lights blinked back ferociously at my eyes. I groaned as my head thumped loudly with the migraine. "Leila", a voice whispered from my right. My head snapped in the direction, trying to look for it. But my eyes struggled, it seemed like everything has turned upside down. "Leila, over here", the voice spoke again and my eyes searched with fervor until they found his. "James!", I exclaimed and he shook his head urgently. "Keep quiet Kid", he hissed, looking around him cautiously. His harsh tone ticked me off and I was ready to burst a...

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“Some Kind Of Bird ” by Marion Donnellier

Submitted to Contest #72

“I want a divorce, you obnoxious little twat” barked the lady in the red jumper while her frantic husband held on firmly to his fork. He would not use it, instead, he spat in his glass and threw the content in her face. Taking half her makeup with it, she dried her face with his scarf while he started to name all the things she would never put her hands on including some worthless sum and a poor introverted greyhound who, Lola was sure, could have done without such a rip-off. Lurking over unhappy couples was one of Lola's most precious pas...

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“Electric” by Sam W

Submitted to Contest #72

Day 1Süssday, 3rd black moon, 20 New Age RevoI’ve arrived!I stepped out of the spaceship into a marvelous, clear, jungle-like wilderness. I did not even have to disturb the blue trees with their silver trunks and the soft, thick bushes with yellow stalks like tentacles as I walked. The Sestry have carved a stone path that winds clearly across the blue, just wide enough for a creature to walk on. I wanted to stay where we landed and observe my surroundings for hours. But I must rest.I can even breathe the air here.The planet welcomes me. I lo...

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“Doggone Good” by Ramona Scarborough

Submitted to Contest #72

Doggone Good Eddie tended to drift into whatever jobs were available to pay the rent. He never expected to become a professional at a job few people realized even existed. He stood in line again at the employment agency after he’d been given the sack by Pinkerton Security. His neighbors in the apartment building where he lived had a newborn who cried during the day while he was supposed to be sleeping. On the job, Eddie had just sat down for a couple of minutes and wouldn’t ...

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“A Successful Joke ” by Hannah Phipps

Submitted to Contest #72

Let's be honest, it's been an interesting year in the jobs department. As a freelancer, even harder. With everyone stuck inside right now, my job has not only become a lot harder to complete, but it's been considerably harder to get any work at all, seen as not a lot is moving forward. I am sort of hoping with everyone being stuck alone with their thoughts, they will have started to think of all the people they don’t want back in their lives come the new world, which coincidentally, will provide me with a lot more job opportunities. But, as ...

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$50

Prize money

687

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Dec 18, 2020 EST

Won by Julie Ward 🏆

Title: Currents

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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