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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

“Last Christmas” by Maximillian Driks

Submitted to Contest #72

Okay look, I can explain. No, I really can't explain how it was I fell in love with a mall Santa. Love is just one of those deranged and chaotic concepts which we humans are merely the playthings of. That's just how it's always been for me. I can't choose who I fall in love with. If I could, you can guarantee my last marriage would never have happened. I would have seen the warning signs and dumped Robert long before his self-destructive nature pretty much ruined our entire marriage. Seven years I put up with that man; Seven fucking years...

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“Cheating Artists” by Meera Dandekar

Submitted to Contest #72

The cheering from the art gallery fell distant as Alison walked away from it. Her whole life had been behind those doors. Now, all she felt was their rejection. She had thrown away her life to become a critic of this tier and one misjudgment had gotten her back to square one. Tears started to roll down her face. Scared she was going to ruin her party makeup, she wiped them off. Something grabbed her attention as she waited for her cab to show up. A girl, an artist, was packing up her sketches from her street stand. She went to ...

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“A LUXURIES ” by MI SO

Submitted to Contest #72

I was graduated into my college and its little bit nervous cuz, the thing i was expected in my 16 age was never happened!.. I was expecting to act maturely, have a small buisness or being independent.. But money is so hard to get! my dream is to have it!.. For supporting my goals.. So i realize maybe we need adjustment to have it.. I planned a buisness but it failed! I was suppose to be praying to god to give me money to support my luxury... It's not a magic.. So i decided to go Fortune teller to know when was my time to have a power to s...

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“The Pizzeria” by Levi Miller

Submitted to Contest #72

I never thought I would see the day I got hired for a creepy old restaurant, yet here we are. I’m Axel, and this is the story of how I began working the night guard shift at the deadliest place on earth. I was just walking home from college in my graduation suit, still wondering what my occupation was going to be. Was I going to be an office worker working in a sweaty slow-paced environment writing stories about pizzerias and submitting that file my boss always wanted on his desk in ten minutes? Was I going to work in retail? That might be f...

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“The Bartender ” by Scarlet Wheatley

Submitted to Contest #72

“Well I got a job,” I said as I walked into the kitchen where my mother stood before me. “Well what’s the job,” she turned to me and gave me that look a mother always gives before she’s about to disapprove. “A bartender,” I say with a smirk as I lean over the counter and grab a delicious red apple. I grabbed my coat off the coat rack and stormed out the door. I have to be honest I have no idea how to be a bartender or even how I got this job. The bar Dunes Lounge located in downtown part of New York called me the other day. They asked ...

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“Help wanted” by Betsy Remington☕

Submitted to Contest #72

Reba scrolled through the job postings, twitching her right foot in frustration at the lack of opportunities for a recluse like her. Waiter. No. Construction foreman. No. Insurance sales… Heck no! She slammed her laptop shut in frustration. She had been so comfy in her last job shelving books at her local book store, disappearing between the shelves and acting as a magical elf that knew just which books should go in displays. Then, Francine, the owner, had come to her with the bad news t...

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“American Hammer” by Nikita Linivenko

Submitted to Contest #72

“Some call me producer, director, filmmaker. I prefer to call myself pube-king.” - John Waters “Nothing is obscene, providing it is done in bad taste.” - Russ Meyer “I think people are perverts. I’ve maintained that, that’s been…that’s the foundation of my career.” - David Fincher “The camera is rolling.” “This isn’t, like, a porno or anything?” “No. No, this is a legitimate role – though it is rather…Grindhouse” “Great. I love schlock. The pulpier the better.” “Any favorites? From the Grindhouse era, I mean.” “Sure. Fast...

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“The New Father Christmas” by Rob Peters

Submitted to Contest #72

“Come on kids!” yelled Samuel up the stairs. He was due in school ten minutes ago. He was a primary school teacher. As the sound of dropping Xbox remotes echoed from upstairs, Samuel put on his shoes and coat. “Hurry up guys!” He pleaded with his eldest, Mollie aged 9 and his youngest, Sebastian aged 6 as they bounded down the stairs. “We’re coming Dad, chill out!” Replied Mollie sarcastically. Samuel was in no mood for sarcasm today. “Seb, have you got your lunchbox today?” Reminded Dad. “Doh!” Replied Seb, as he slapped his hand on his hea...

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“A New Leader, A New Woman” by Harlow Jones

Submitted to Contest #72

“We have abolished the outdated institutions. We have banished the sick in power,” the televised rebellion roared with Alessandra Rosario-Lopez leading the charge. “We have a new order to establish. We have new leaders to discover ourselves, without money or corruption to determine our future. After years of oppression, we finally have the freedom to make our own nation!” “Hell yeah, we wo!” Farrah slurred. No one was with her to smell the tequila on her breath or to hold back her hair come two hours. Just her, drinking for two. “Once agai...

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“A Warm and Quiet Place” by Maribeth Ehlmann

Submitted to Contest #72

It was afternoon at Hemingway’s and the terrace outside was empty except for a young woman who lingered alone in the shadow the umbrella of the table made in the sunlight. In the evening the air was cold and moist, but in the afternoon it was warm and dry and the young woman liked to sit because she was cold-natured and in the afternoon it was quiet and warm and she felt her soul’s fire. The waiters inside Hemingway’s knew that she was not drunk and she was a good customer, so they watched her and waited for her to come back inside for a dri...

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“Ragwir Industries” by Tina-Gene Coetzee

Submitted to Contest #72

He stared at the paper in his hands, bemused, befuddled...more synonyms for confused. It was a letter, a very formal looking thing, with a custom, non-printed signature at the bottom, and a fancy, uselessly intricate logo on the top left corner. The weird thing, though, is that he didn’t remember applying to this particular company, couldn’t even for the life of him think what type of company it was; the fancy name spelled out Ragwir Industries, on top of what looked to be a coat of arms that was completely out of time, complete with knight...

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“Sent by Fate” by Chisa Wood

Submitted to Contest #72

Carla rubbed her temples harshly. She couldn't remember ever feeling this stumped before. She needed to get this done. Being a lawyer had been her goal since she was 12. Now at the age of 25, she was finally ready to apply for a job at a law firm. She had met all the requirements and answered the questions, but one seemed to hold her back. It read, Why did you choose law? She had made sure to answer all the questions truthfully and still intended on that. It wasn't that she didn't know why she chose law, it was that she didn't want to...

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“an opportunity of escape, delivered by mail” by Brian Packard

Submitted to Contest #72

i - the letter Dear John W, My name is Antonio Pascual. I am writing you to tell you that your great-grand-uncle Daniel Reváz has passed away. "Antonio Pascual? Who the hell is Antonio Pascual? And I never had a great-grand-uncle." John thought to himself as he read the letter he had just received. As part of his inheritance, he left to you $1,000,000 U.S. dollars. If you do not come to collect this, the money will be seized by the Colombian government. However, if you are interested in collecting the money to your name, visit 3.3...

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“Gale's Decision” by Kaci Rigney

Submitted to Contest #72

“Who?” “Your Uncle Rafferty’s son, Dominic.” “I didn’t even know Uncle Rafe had a son named Dominic.” “Apparently, Dominic is from your Uncle Rafferty’s first wife, Carole.” “He was married to someone before Aunt Gwendolyn?” “You didn’t know he was married before?” &nbsp...

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“That Fateful Night” by Tausha Marshall

Submitted to Contest #72

Faye, the self-proclaimed party girl and Terry, her loyal sidekick plus Instagram model, drunkenly trodded up the driveway after one of their extreme girl nights filled with loud music, overly interested men, and unending drinks. Faye and Terry were laughing so loud one of the neighbors yelled out their window to “Shut that noise up!!!" Terry and Faye immediately held their breath but could not hold it for long. The restraint they normally would have possessed was swallowed with the last bottle they drank at the club. They both looked a...

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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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