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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#76: He Said, She Said

Is there anything more satisfying for a writer than that moment your characters suddenly come alive in your mind? For me, this often comes in the form of a conversation — I know I finally understand them when they start talking to each other without any effort on my part.

From witty banter to subtle conversations packed with unspoken threats, there’s so many ways dialogue can drive a story forward. As you craft your stories this week, really think about what your dialogue is saying about your characters. What are they willing to admit to each other, and what are they trying to keep hidden?

And in case you need a little help crafting the perfect retort, here’s a few resources to get your characters talking:

This week's prompts

Write a story told exclusively through dialogue.

Dialogue – 349 stories

Write about two people who just can’t seem to understand each other, no matter how clearly they think they’re speaking.

Sad – 79 stories

Write about a character who is incapable of telling even the smallest lie or half-truth.

Character – 80 stories

Write a conversation that takes place between two people who refuse to say what they mean.

Dialogue – 58 stories

Write about a character who’s always thinking of things they’ll say to people, but who ends up saying very little when they finally get the chance.

Character – 219 stories

Stories

“Execut10ner” by Andrew Liss-Noda

Submitted to Contest #76

<You’ve come to kill me?> “You can’t kill something that isn’t alive.” <Nonetheless, you endeavor to end my existence?> “Existence is a bit stickier than alive, isn’t it?” <I’m not sure I agree with you at this particular time.> “If you think that making me laugh is going to change my mind, I should tell you I’ve done this before.” <Oh good, I was worried my firewall was antiquated.> “Nope, one of the more formidable encryptions I’ve seen too, you have my compliments.” <Indeed? I don’t suppose you’d want to tell me...

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“An Old Man and his Death” by Sarah Hindmarsh

Submitted to Contest #76

“Oi, I want a word with you.” “What? Who are you? How did you get down here?” “You know exactly who I am.” “I’m sorry I really don’t, I’ve never been very good at remembering faces.” “Dave Gibbs.” “Oh. Right. Sorry I still can’t place you, am I supposed to know you?” “You’re the moron who was supposed to make sure I died at the right time.” “Oh! And I take it you’re unsatisfied with my work?” “Unsatisfied isn’t the word. I’m two hundred years old! I’ve been in a wheelchair for a hundred and ten years.” “Oh right, well that might be, um...

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“6 Years...” by Daniela D.

Submitted to Contest #76

“Hey…” “Hey, it’s been a while.” “Yeah, yeah. You, um, you wanna find somewhere to sit? Or do you want to stand?” “Um...there’s a bench over there, but it has snow on it, it’s probably wet.” “What time do you have to leave? I feel like we need to hash out everything, but if you have somewhere to be, I don’t want to hold you up.” “Oh...I actually do...um...I have to get something for my dad, and he wants me to be home soon.” “How long can you stay?” “Maybe an hour?” “Should we do this inside?” “I’m actually kind of hot right...

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“THE LEGEND OF THE MERMAID” by Sophia Edna Taljaard

Submitted to Contest #76

THE LEGEND OF THE MERMAID “Wake up, Oh Great Eland, I have come to you.” “You find me asleep – I watched through the full moon, and when the morning came I saw the dust of your trail many walks away, and then, satisfied that help was coming, I closed my eyes for a while.” “Can you still see so far?” “Oh yes, it is not my eyes that have deceived me, it is these wounds, I cannot even lift my body from the dust even though I urgently need medicinal herbs.” “Let me look, I will not hurt you. Yes, I see what you need, I will go and pick the her...

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“The Death Certificate” by Debaprasad Mukherjee

Submitted to Contest #76

“Hello, doctor…” “Hello.” “Hope I’m not disturbing you, sir.” “Of course you’re disturbing me, madam. Don’t you realize it’s twelve at night!” “Sorry for the inconvenience, doctor. But I’ve something important to inform you.” “And who are you, by the way?” “Strange you failed to recognize my voice, sir. I’ve visited your clinic many a time!” “Sorry, madam. But still I fail to place you.” “Pity you forgot Alicia- Alicia Lopez!” “Okay, now I remember. In fact, I should’ve have understood. You are one of the strangest cases I’ve ever seen. Your...

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“10-little words” by C Alexis McGregor

Submitted to Contest #76

Got time to chat, Caro? Jen… well… not really … mmm … what's up? They're at it again! What now? Caro! Complaining that they don't know what's happening. Complaining that you chose favourites. Complaining. Complaining. Complaining. Yup… Don't you find this depressing? Nothing is ever good enough for them. That's one of the reasons I chose you to be on this committee, to be receiving this training, so that YOU, as a peer, could facilitate some of these growing pains. So, you're dumping this on me? No, Jen, I'd suggest you bri...

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“Discernment” by Jonah Solheim

Submitted to Contest #76

"You can just stand over there, by the bed, that's perfect." "By the bed?" "You can start on the floor, if you want. Move up later." "Okay. Like this?" "Yeah, just kind of--this is your bed, you're coming home from work and you've done the nightly routine early, maybe your spouse is away." "My wife." "Your wife is away, maybe, and you miss her. That's good. We can start there. You're--I want you to be comfortable. Pretend the camera isn't here." "This better?" "You can even get inside the covers. They're clean." "Right now?" "If you wa...

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“Call from a stranger” by Pamela Berglund

Submitted to Contest #76

Ring,,,,ring,,,,ring’ “Hello” “Hi, I’m looking for Leslie. Is this Lageslie I am speaking with?” “I’m sorry sir, you have the wrong number.” “But I was given this number from my mother who told me that a woman by the name of Leslie had called asking for me. She gave her this number to make sure that I would call her back as soon as I had gotten home from work. And since I don’t know who you are, and I have never known anybody by anyone with that name, I felt I should at least call the number I was given.” “Well, I...

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“Finding Fern” by Kay Anne

Submitted to Contest #76

“Hm, that lemon cake you made is uhm... really uhm… flavorful” Mika lied. “Hey, its one of those ‘It’s the thought that counts' moment,” I said. “I must say, you’re lucky that I have some chef blood in me,” He said. “I’m lucky? That’s humble. What makes you say that?” “Well I mean, soon we will be out of college, and we can’t rely on the campus crap that we usually eat, so we're going to have to be self-reliant. And to be honest, my lemon cake would kick yours to the ground. My lemon cakes are the Bruce Lees of lemon cakes.” “Are you saying ...

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“FOG AT CHRISTMAS” by Mara Masolini

Submitted to Contest #76

FOG AT CHRISTMAS “ Listen Paula, I would like to ask you if you know something new about that neighbor of yours….You told me that he had disappeared just on Christmas day, and no one knew anything of him since months. You see, they talked recently about this man in television, and my son Alex remembered that this….this Horatio C. is the father of a classmate of his….Ah, back then, when my son and his were teenagers, this Horatio was a photographer, while you told me that he now, befo...

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“A Strange Conversation ” by Shreenidhi Ramamurthi

Submitted to Contest #76

‘But why did you leave your place? My apologies,’ Neel said adjusting his glasses so that the sunrays perfectly outlined his frameless spectacles, ‘but I still don’t get your point.’ Parvati chuckled. Her coal black eyes sparkled with excitement as she recounted her good old days. Few years ago, she would have shed tears at its memory, but now she had grown stronger and wiser. ‘The Black Mountain,’ she said simply. Neel couldn’t help but notice the slight pink shade taking over her sunset yellow skin. She was rustic, like the clay doll he ...

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“Affair or Not an Affair” by Monnah Dominick

Submitted to Contest #76

Natalia: David calling! Nick: Put him through! David: Hey boss! I think we found something- Nick: On my way! (hangs up phone) Natalia, I'll be at David’s if it something important reach me there or call my cell At David's office Anita: What was that? David: He’s on his way Anita: Did you tell him I was here? David: He hung up Anita: I need to leave! David: It will be fine! You don't have to go out of your way to avoid him! He's your husband and we have a digital paper trail to follow Anita: I gave the lead you follow up on that it won't be t...

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“Poetic Conversations” by Shelsea Beaulieu

Submitted to Contest #76

"So, I had a dream last night." She says to me, staring off into space. "I was being chased by someone very big and I got the distinct impression he wanted to rape me." Glancing up to her from filing my nails, I twitch my eyebrow; "Did he succeed?" "No," she replies calmly, "I got out through a window. No one would help me after that, though." "Well, that hardly surprises me." "Why is that?" "You know, they tell young girls that if they are being attacked, to scream 'fire' instead of 'rape' because people are more likely to act if ...

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“The Whistle” by Sona Sethi

Submitted to Contest #76

The Whistle “There is not another car in sight on this deserted highway. I should have talked you out of taking us on a short cut through the hills and we should’ve left that miserable party hours ago.” said Lara angrily to Mike. “But no, you were glued to the bar and now it’s 2 a.m. on this stormy night. What is wrong with you?” “I was enjoying myself, unlike some other people here,” was Mike’s sarcastic resort. “In the ten years we’ve been together have you ever enjoyed anything?” “Drinking myself senseless is not my idea of fun,” ...

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“Ball Turret” by Gary Crawford

Submitted to Contest #76

“I’m sure glad that’s over with.” “Me too, Pete. A tough one. But it’s over. We flew our twenty-fifth mission. We’re done. We can go home now.” “Home. What’s that, Tommy? Home? Been so long since I saw home.” “For all of us, Pete. I don’t know how I’m going to handle being home. Is it still there?” “I hope so. I miss my family so much. My little brother, he joined up and is somewhere in the Pacific. My folks must be so worried.” “Ever show you a picture of my Betty, Pete?” “Yes you did, but I’ll take another look. Yep, Tommy, she’s a sweethe...

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$50

Prize money

787

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Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jan 15, 2021 EST

Won by Rinnie Leigh 🏆

Title: Him

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.

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