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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

“Ones and Zeros” by Lynn Bigham

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #72

The smell of coffee woke Kasey up. A voice, feminine and husky, chimed, "Good morning, Officer Roman. Your uniform has been laid out along with the jacket I anticipate you will want. The current temperature is -2 degrees Celsius." Kasey's eyes blinked open; the ceiling stared back. "Based on traffic patterns, the time it will take for you to get dressed, and the speed at which you finish your coffee, you will arrive at work at 9:12." That was almost on time. Kasey stood, stretched, and drank the coffee slowly. The small flat consisted...

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“Rescue: a poetry-verse drama” by Emmie Greensgate 🏗🔚🔚👫

Submitted to Contest #72

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"Emilia yells, running at me.I can't see the problem, butit's thrown her into tizzy.She screams some more,slamming into me, andknocking my glasses onto the ground; Ipickthem up, placing the glass frames over my eyes,sending the rioting worldinto clarity. Or near clarity.Nothing is clear right now."AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Emilia grabs my shoulders and shakes me a little."What'swrong?" I ask.Oh, nothing, nothing, NO-THING exceptSAMANTHA-JAE wasjust TAKEN AWAYB...

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“How to get away with murder” by Aman Fatima

Submitted to Contest #72

Everyone stood frozen in their places, they could not believe who stood in front of them. With guns pointing at Noah’s head Esra had finally made her move. My day started off as usual, the first bell rang and we all ran to our classroom. Mr. Fitsbell, our class teacher was a mean and ill tempered man. One second late to his class and your whole week is ruined. Anyway I got to class before he showed up so I was safe but I could hardly say that Ersa. She was probably locked n the girl’s bathroom again. Esra transferred to my school and especia...

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“The I knows all” by FJC Montenegro

Submitted to Contest #72

The I knows all. What you want to eat, what you want to buy, what you want to read, the reason why you cry. It knows what, it knows when, it knows how. The I knows all. When you need to drink, when you should be sad, all you ever think, when you should go to bed. The I knows it all. The world is deterministic, after all. Everything is an equation. a x b + c = i. We, through evolution, with our super-developed monkey brains, the most intelligent organic beings, can solve equations too. However, while we solve a, b, and c, and then our batte...

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“The Keepsake” by Howard Halsall

Submitted to Contest #72

Inspector Bruford is an hour early for his midday appointment with a temporary concierge at Springhope Mansion Flats. The letting agent has deployed the replacement caretaker to cover Mr Winston‘s duties whilst he’s helping the police with their enquiries. The inspector jabs his nicotine stained forefinger at a metal button labelled Estate Office. The intercom reacts to the assault with an insolent bleat; bzzzzz!The Victorian apartment block looks less shabby than he remembered it yesterday evening. A modest communal garden at the ...

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“the language of flowers” by KED KED

Submitted to Contest #72

Hunter eyed her windowsill critically. Truthfully, she knew there was no more room. Ever the pragmatist, she quickly catalogued her ever growing inventory of houseplants. She couldn’t find it in herself to care about the troubling pattern of these lovely new additions. She’d make room, she knew. Somewhere. Maybe there was a lonely shelf in the bathroom? She heaved a sigh and plopped into her kitchen chair, raking her hands through unkempt hair, still partly styled from the utter disaster of a date from t...

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“Darius: Eccentric and McDonald's Eater Extraordinaire” by The Manticore

Submitted to Contest #72

The morning is a little too cold to be comfortable, but I’m not thinking about that. I’m not thinking about the fact that I’m hungry and haven’t had my McDonald’s coffee yet. Not even thinking about how I’m wearing ankle socks in huge hiking boots. Instead I’m thinking about Uncle Darius. Darry the weirdo. Darry the black sheep. Darry, the guy who lives way out in the woods, much too far from any McDonald’s, probably without a workable toilet. I don't know. I've never met him.“Hey, kid, I haven’t seen you in a while.” My uncle’s voice r...

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“Her Emerald Eyes” by Maya W.

Submitted to Contest #72

“The thing that I know now - I would ride the highs and cherish the lows, knowing that it’s a quick trip ‘round the rodeo, so before the close the curtain and finish the show, that’s what I know. ‘Cause life is short but death is long, here one minute then it’s gone, thought I knew but I was wrong, if only I knew what I know now.” The night was dark and dreary as Minji pushed her way through a couple of large bushes with bright sap green leafs. If she were alive, she would have taken the time to notice those leaves and their refreshing, na...

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“BFFs” by Black Raven

Submitted to Contest #72

The sun, shining through the clouds, looking down on her grave. "Joy Millier. March 7, 2000 - July 28, 2020. Beloved by family, cherished by friends." Such dull words for such a wonderful spirit. The only friend I ever had. My other half... Tears rain down my eyes, soaking my face. God, how I wish I could have been there. Been there with her... I shouldn't have left for work. The job SHE got me. Taking out a gun, I aim it at my head. Don't worry, Joy. I'm going with you... Some weeks before: "...Lovely story, but it isn't quite fo...

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“The In Law” by Katie May

Submitted to Contest #72

Our little neighborhood, usually kept to themselves. There was a couple of kids, but mostly just old couples. We tried to give them gifts around the holidays, but mostly gave up because of their nasty words. We started to blend in with the neighborhood, and keep to our self. Today is my birthday, and the only thing I wanted was to stay home and sleep. My family however thought of something else. "Mommy~" Little Maggie complained, jumping on my bed. I groaned and pushed her off. She landed on the floor with a thud. "Mommy!!" She screamed. I s...

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“Wild At Heart” by Kylie Wallis

Submitted to Contest #72

Kim Lockwood lived in a world where the supernatural creatures of legend and myth, pretty much ran the show. Humans were given rights, along with all the other species, but not always treated fairly. Slave trading was a legal and very profitable business.Kim’s family, poor and in fear of their lives, sold her to a vampire coven who owned the city. She was ten years old. She worked in the Royal House and quickly learned how to keep out of trouble. Her Masters mostly had visitors of the werewolf and witch variety.Other creatures came by as wel...

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“The Silent Andriod” by Maya W.

Submitted to Contest #72

***Disclaimer - this story is based on the original little mermaid story, so trigger warning for suicide at the end.*** “She looked at the sharp knife and again turned her eyes toward the Prince, who in his sleep murmured the name of his bride. His thoughts were all for her, and the knife blade trembled in the mermaid's hand. But then she flung it from her, far out over the waves. Where it fell the waves were red, as if bubbles of blood seethed in the water. With eyes already glazing she looked once more at the Prince, hurled herself over ...

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“K, his name is K.” by Kara O

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #72

Row and rows of cylindrical tanks filled with neon green liquid light the dim pod chamber. Pink skinned, brown skinned; bald, hairy; long limbed, short torso-ed; a variety of human bodies float in those murky waters, their breathing done through tubes. Wires monitor their brain activities. Above the tanks the computers beep happily with every new data gathered. Some are good-looking. Bodies shaped like a renaissance sculptor’s model—not too buff like a whey head, not too skinny like a neurotic on a diet of ramen noodles—a category I sadly fa...

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“The Catch” by Gip Roberts

Submitted to Contest #72

Byron's stomach sank when he got the news. Four hundred thousand dollars! From a distant cousin whom, as far as he knew, he'd never met in his life. His name was Jeffrey, and apparently he knew a thing or two about Byron when he'd made out his will."What kind of sick sadist was this guy?" Byron asked himself while further reading the letter. He held onto his forehead with one hand as he scanned the lines. "How could he do this?"As he visualized the proposal, his irritable stomach sank even more. He could feel the G-force already, thrashing h...

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“Aunt Delia” by Izzie Chan

Submitted to Contest #72

“Julia dear, come quick! Your breakfast is getting cold.” Anne stood straight as though there was a ruler in her back, her dark, opal blue eyes glimmering. She set down a stacked plate of four golden pancakes paired with fruits and syrup as her sister cascaded down the stairs. She, too, was standing tall and straight and had blue eyes, though hers were somewhat lighter in color. They both inherited that feature from their parents, who had died in a motorcar crash. Now it was just them, their older brother George, and their Aunt Delia. “...

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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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