Write a story about someone participating in a seemingly innocent game that suddenly takes a turn.

Posted in Dark on Apr 12, 2024

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✍️ 62 stories

“Hearts Are Trump” by Sarah Coury

🏆 Winner of Contest #246

Uncle Abe and Uncle Will haven’t played cards together in years. If you want to get real technical about it, Uncle Abe and Uncle Will haven’t even shared the same room in years, but that ain’t news to anyone east of Livernois. By now, the entire city of Detroit knows about Abraham and William Haddad—at least those who regularly stop into the family party store for their weekly supply of meats, spirits, and fresh-baked pita. It’s old news. Two bitter brothers broken up over a girl who left town anyway. It’s been ages and the aunties need fres...

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“Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are” by Hannah Lynn

Submitted to Contest #246

“Ready or not, here I come!” Beth tapped out her text, hit send, and tucked her phone into her back pocket. She glanced around, making sure that Elisa had enough time to hide before she began the weekly ritual of searching for her. The Saturday routine was getting on her nerves, but she only had a few weeks left before graduation and the start of her internship. Whatever. At least she would finish babysitting in time to meet up with Greg for dinner and drinks in the city. She could get through another mindless g...

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“Look Left” by Hazel Ide

Submitted to Contest #246

“You heard about the asteroid, right?”“Hmm…?” It takes a second for my wife's words to register, but when they sink in, I drag my attention up from my mindless scrolling on my phone. “What asteroid?”“It’s supposedly three times the size of Mount Everest.” She slumps onto the couch, her glass of wine filled to the brim, sloshing precariously.“And? Is it going to hit Earth and kill us all?” I muse.She rolls her eyes, pulling up her phone. "Most of the comments are people saying things like, 'Let it come.'”"That's stupid."She shrugs, and we go ...

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“He's Right Behind You” by Story Time

Submitted to Contest #246

We’d go out around one.Climbing through bedroom windows, we’d try to land softly on bushes and backyard lawns. Some of us went barefoot. Some hid a spare pair of sneakers under porches or tucked under tarps used for covering patio furniture. Some of us just liked being barefoot. It made us feel as though we’d have the strength that comes from mimicking the uncivilized. Some of us would play the whole game with no shoes. No shoes, no shirts. One of us liked to play the game in only his boxer shorts. He would dare anyone to mention his near na...

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“Murder in Silence” by Paul Simpkin

Submitted to Contest #246

“Moby Dick?” suggested Mortimer Hopley. “Romeo and Juliet?” shouted Lady Hopley. “Hound of the Baskervilles?” said Mortimer Hopley. “Murder on the Links?” interjected Lady Hopley. “The Book of Isaiah?” guessed the Reverend Pocklington-Pugh. This energetic game of charades had been going on for almost an hour. Lord Hopley stood in the middle of the library with his hands round his throat staggering around the room with an expression of pain on his face. His performance was getting more and more passionate. The guesses continued. “Mysterious A...

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“Rust” by PJ Town

Submitted to Contest #246

“C’mon,” Mick said, pulling at Billy’s arm.“I don’t think…” Billy began; he was panting from the effort.Mick ignored the protest and pulled harder, forcing Billy to follow him. They scrambled across the patch of waste ground on the edge of the woods, as far as a rusting chain-link fence that stretched into the distance, left and right.“You hold it up and I’ll crawl through,” Mick said. He showed Billy what he meant by grabbing the bottom of the fence, where it wasn’t pegged into the ground, and lifting. It made a gap big enough for a boy to ...

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“A Twisted Game” by Brian Haddad

Submitted to Contest #246

I watched in horror as Amy's bloody, lifeless body was covered by police investigators. The dark tarp did nothing to highlight her wonderful shapes, her pristine figure. But the blackness was better than seeing all that red. I shivered, looking around over my shoulders, trying to find the cop who had gone off to bring me a blanket. "Mr. Martin," the lead investigator said impatiently. He pulled out a small notebook and a pair of delicate reading glasses which he slipped on. "Please, just James." I continued glancing around while doing my bes...

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“Gummy Mayhem” by Laurie Spellman

Submitted to Contest #246

It was just another day in the life of Velma Dinkley, the resident nerd and social outcast. It's safe to say that I will never have a shot at being famous. My love for all things cerebral and my less-than-stellar social skills made me an easy target for bullies like Katelynn Carson. She was a classic mean girl straight from Hollywood central casting. I'd been dealing with her taunts and jabs for years, but it all came to a head at her Halloween party last year.Katelynn had set up a game of spin the bottle, and I knew it wouldn't end well for...

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“Ding Dong Ditch” by Daniel Legare

Submitted to Contest #246

Lou wasn’t sure what made him more nervous, the dilapidated house with broken down cars and metal scraps as a lawn, or the encroaching darkness of the forest slowly closing in on him as night fell. He rubbed his left knuckle with his hand and swallowed a lump. “Are you sure about this Reggie?” “Don’t be such a wimp. Just do it!” Reggie said. “What if they call mom and dad?” “We’re all the way down Marlow Road, whoever lives here has no idea who we are.” Lou looked at the house and wondered if it had been beautiful once, with dark green pa...

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“The Duel” by M.R. Simon

Submitted to Contest #246

The relaxing inmate is disturbed by the red flashing light in his cell.“Bro! Tell me it’s not you!”says the prisoner next to him.“Yeah! It’s me.”says the big guy as he sits on the edge of the bed.“Don’t worry you can win. You can beat this game!”“I don’t think so”Two guards and a priest comes to his gate.“Get up, face the wall.”says one of the guards.“So politely asked.”After facing the wall, the gate starts sliding on the left. His cell neighbor is crying like a little puppy.“Man, I can’t believe it’s already your turn.”“Don’t worry about m...

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“Flaming Bag of Poop” by Liane Fazio

Submitted to Contest #246

FLAMING BAG OF POOP Martie came back with another round of drinks and set them down on the table. Without a break in their conversation, the other four ladies grabbed their drinks off the serving tray. “What did I miss?” she asked. “Janey was just complaining about Tom, aka, our idiot boss who keeps getting complim...

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“Sardines ” by Jill Martin

Submitted to Contest #246

Sardines This year at Billy’s birthday party when Billy said it was time to play Sardines, I felt kind of nervous. It’s such a fun game. But. I didn’t want to be laughed at for picking too easy of a hiding place if it was my turn to hide. You only get a turn to hide if you’re the first person to find the one hiding. Last year they all laughed at me for hiding behind the living-room curtains. And I didn’t want to be the last person to find everyone else, and have them laugh at me for being so slow to find them all. That happened the yea...

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“The Final Casualty ” by Keke Peek

Submitted to Contest #246

It was just supposed to be a simple fun game. Nothing serious right? I mean who gets hurt in solving a fake murder case? Today marked just a few days before my birthday. The anticipation was palpable among my small group of friends. Birthdays were never a big deal for me – no parties, no gifts, nothing special. My parents couldn’t care less either. Serenity, my closest friend, was as excited as I was. She was my favorite person, my confidante since forever. Two peas in a pod as they say, similar yet different. Seren enjoyed a good drink or...

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“Clash of the Siblings” by Kaitlyn Wadsworth

Submitted to Contest #246

Caution: horrific details of a birth that goes wrong.Katy heard a bone-chilling scream followed by wails. Her twelve-year-old daughter Suzie ran inside."It's OK, Mum. We were playing a game on the trampoline, that's all.""Eddie has hurt himself?""Yes, as usual. He'll be alright."Katy ran out to check on her son in the backyard. Ten-year-old Eddie wept, cradling one arm as he sat in the middle of the trampoline.“Suzie did it,” he blubbered."I'm sure it was an accident."His bottom lip curled down, and he shook his head. Tears trickled like wat...

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“Clouds from Both Sides Now” by Nick Baldino

Submitted to Contest #246

Mary Beth likes the feeling of everything nowadays. Her head has found a home in the crux of her boyfriend’s collarbone, and her new tennis shoes are just the right size, and the sky is open and blue as a robin’s egg. A blade of grass tickles the back of her neck as she traces a finger up above. “It’s a beautiful day,” she whispers. “Not as beautiful as you,” Farley tells her. He moves his hand from her waist to her breast. She is just sweet enough and just dumb enough to believe him. Mary Beth scoots her head up and looks at him. He has a...

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Contest #246

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This week's theme: All Fun and Games

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Ended on 23:59 - Apr 19, 2024 EST

Won by Sarah Coury 🏆

Title: Hearts Are Trump

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Write a story about someone participating in a seemingly innocent game that suddenly takes a turn.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 62 stories

“Hearts Are Trump” by Sarah Coury

“Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are” by Hannah Lynn

“Look Left” by Hazel Ide

“He's Right Behind You” by Story Time

“Murder in Silence” by Paul Simpkin

“Rust” by PJ Town

“A Twisted Game” by Brian Haddad

“Gummy Mayhem” by Laurie Spellman

“Ding Dong Ditch” by Daniel Legare

“The Duel” by M.R. Simon

“Flaming Bag of Poop” by Liane Fazio

“Sardines ” by Jill Martin

“The Final Casualty ” by Keke Peek

“Clash of the Siblings” by Kaitlyn Wadsworth

“Clouds from Both Sides Now” by Nick Baldino

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that includes the phrase “It’s all fun and games…”

Set your story in a playground: two characters are having a serious conversation while on the seesaw/in the jungle gym/on the swings.

Write a story about someone who takes a joke way too far.

Write about a character who treats everything like a game and struggles to be serious when they most need to, or vice versa.

Contest #246

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

242

Contest entries

99

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: