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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 Whispering Truth” by Bella Shah

Submitted to Contest #72

“You’re going to be late for your meeting, Echo!” my older brother yells at me. “I know I’m going there, just give me a minute, ok!” I yell back at him. “Fine, just hurry up!” he yells at me. “I’m 16 now, I can handle myself, Len.” I snap back at him. After the meeting, I return home, and sit on the couch, and start to write. My brother’s name is Lennard, but I call him Len for short. My name is Gwenn, and my full name is Gwendolyne, but when I was little I never talked, so it was constant silence. It was like everything ...

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“Escape from Hiomia” by Nevaeh Lewis

Submitted to Contest #72

My name is Florian Shadowbite. I have red hair, green eyes, and I live in a place called Hiomia. You see, my world isn't a normal world. You might be thinking, mine isn’t either because for some reason, my mom keeps yelling at me to do my chores which is not normal. But, that is normal. Stop being a lazy bum. In my world, everything you do can be predicted. If you like a girl and want to ask her out, right before you do she already knows you’re going to and immediately rejects you, not that that’s ever happened to me. Anyway, pretty much eve...

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“Models of Human Behavior” by Sjan Evardsson

Submitted to Contest #72

Senna Washington pulled her police cruiser into the grocery store parking lot. Her shoulder-length hair hung in tight ringlets, courtesy of the twists she had pulled out that morning. The afternoon sun warmed her copper-brown skin, warding off the autumn chill. “What do we think, Carter? This is an awful long way from his known movements.”Senna’s partner, Mike Carter, looked at the mostly empty parking lot. “I guess it makes sense if he’s trying to stay out of sight. But we stick out like a sore thumb here.”"Subject KN-637, Jason James, will...

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“Armor” by Max Arlo

Submitted to Contest #72

****Trigger warning: conversion therapy, suicidal ideation, transphobia**** “Now, Tanya,” the smiling woman coos. I’m not fooled by the way her lips spread thin to reveal greying teeth. I can feel rather than hear the venom in her voice and the disgust that coats the daggers she glares at me. I repulse her. “We’ve been over this…” “My name is Thomas,” I mutter, staring directly into those lethal eyes. She sighs theatrically, closing her notes with a snap. I don’t see why she’s continuing with this doctor/psychiatrist facade. I called he...

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“Unpredictable” by Ken Coomes

Submitted to Contest #72

A yellow and black Mustang, colored like Bumblebee from the Transformers, made a radical, obtuse-angle turn, in order to catch the exit ramp. It sped down the ramp, as a pair of police cruisers sped past, unable to make the turn in time to exit. The Mustang followed a series of alternating left and right turns, evading what appeared to be a non-existent pursuit. Then it raced down Olive, a residential street. Tires squealed and smoke billowed as Ryan cornered aggressively into his driveway. He had already pressed the remote to open the garag...

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“Impure” by Ash M

Submitted to Contest #72

“Rules were made to be broken!” A snarky voice exclaimed. The boy was standing in an animated pose and puffing his chest out. He stood in a crowded hallway, and students were scurrying trying to get to places as soon as they could. Some kids stopped by to stare at him, others glared, and the girl who stood beside him rolled his eyes. The boy had curly brown hair that swayed when the breeze nuzzled it. He wore cuffed jeans and had a white t-shirt layered on top of his long black sleeves. He raised a small metallic object that flickered when t...

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“The Algorithm” by D. Alfonso

Submitted to Contest #72

For decades, the world had been ruled by an Algorithm. It told you when you should sleep. It told you what you should study and know in school. It showed you videos based on your previous finds. The lights changed in your room depending on how the Algorithm thought you felt. After so many years, it was perfect. Every decision the Algorithm made was right. It wasn’t like the old days when the Algorithm could miscalculate. There were no miscalculations here. The Algorithm was like a mind of its own, although it was nothing but a string...

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“The Midnight Walk ” by Simone Myricks

Submitted to Contest #72

On nights like these, you will never run into a person doing something crazy. I will never forget this night. It was the night I got arrested for a crime that I didn’t commit. I was strolling through the streets that night. It was so quiet outside, that the only thing you could hear were the crickets chirping. I was on my way home when someone ran past me and almost knocked me over. I stood there silently because my body was flowing with anger because they didn’t say excuse me or anything. As I started walking I heard somethin...

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“The Jealous Monster” by Marcia H.

Submitted to Contest #72

Maude vanished in broad daylight. It all started with her arguing with the preacher’s wife. She went to her car, made one phone call. There was no answer. Maude sped off in the car. Another car was following her. Maude’s mother called Maude’s phone for three days straight with no answer. She was worried. Maude called her every day and told her about her day and her schedule. Her mom was worried and called everyone she could think of. Nobody had heard from Maude since the same Sunday her mom last heard from her. The last p...

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“The Deadly Mistake” by Amber House

Submitted to Contest #72

I was called on my lunch break by Detective Smith. I wrapped up my half eaten burrito and shoved it into the metal filing cabinet. I grabbed my coat and badge and went to the crime scene. I arrived within the twenty minutes I was called. As I approached in my car I saw the victim. Her lifeless body hung from the sturdy tree branch. She had a noose around her neck, her wrists and ankles were wrapped in duct tape. Her mouth had a gag and duct tape around it. Her body was the whitest white I had ever seen, her lips, hands and feet were ...

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“Sue Learns” by Ruth Major

Submitted to Contest #72

After school, I have more work then most kids do. Not because my parents are mean, but because I have a job to do. Some would think, I am a little too young to really have a job. I don't get paid a lot, mostly the people who get my services give me something they think I would like instead of money. Sometimes, I get things wrong when I am doing it. I am not a professional, since I am a kid really everyone makes mistakes. Today, when I am doing my homework someone comes in with my favorite type of candy. They know me well, really most people ...

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“We got him” by Dewain Williams

Submitted to Contest #72

We Got Him By Dewain Williams The courtroom was packed with observers, reporters, and family members. Henry Jacks the defendant sat at the defense table with his lawyer, nervous and afraid with notes he planned to show his lawyer when he could focus. His hands and feet were shackled. In a typical courtroom that looked new considering his eleven month stay in the county jail. "Everybody rise!" The judge walked in wearing an all black robe with books in hand. He was known for going strickly by the books. His grey hair stood out over his dark b...

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“Crooked Justice” by Dan Koss

Submitted to Contest #72

My mind was at peace as I was about to begin another day in paradise. It looks to be another glorious day in November. I felt better than usual. Good weather does that for me. The air was fresh, filling my lungs with energy. I breathe in yet again as I gaze at my Weather Bug app, a glowing temperature of 58 degrees with a soft southeast breeze. Nothing could go wrong today, or so I thought. Little did I know, an anomaly awaits me. It’s about a 23-minute drive to work and back, 46-minutes for me to ponder the events of the day. Lincol...

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“Death of an Innocent” by Sue Marsh

Submitted to Contest #72

Death of an Innocent Suzanne Marsh Blue and red lights flashed into the foggy night. The once quiet street abuzz with sounds. Sounds that no one wanted to hear; police on the street meant something horrible happened. The first patrol car called in a murder. Several moments later a black Chevy Suburban pulled up, brakes grinding to a halt. Lou Myers, a twenty year veteran of the force alighted from the vehicle. He hated murder scenes; most murders were senseless. Lou, strode over to Patrolman Patrick Haggarty: "What have we got Pat?" "Lou, lo...

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“The Mystery of the Nameless Heir” by Keshena Booker

Submitted to Contest #72

It was no secret that Gabriel Pomeroy hated his father. It was common knowledge and the punchline of many a bitter jest when Gabriel and Rowan were at school, the Penwell Wizard’s Academy, together. He was certainly not the only gentleman-wizard heir at Penwell resenting the fathers who sent them away to school, treated them with coldness and rigidly ordered them about, ensuring that yet another generation of wizards would ascend to their place at the elite of the Arcane world. Gabriel was a rake and a rebel, to be sure, but Rowan had always...

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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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