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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

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

“When Motion Stops” by Brittaney Gambrell

Submitted to Contest #246

               “Think fast!”               The sound of a tiny wind tunnel whooshes toward me. Hairs stick up on the top of my left ear. I turn to see an ax fly right past me into the target.“Oh, ho ho ho, hahahaha….mmmmm….” Allie claps her hands to her mouth, failing to stop the laughter. It simply changes from vocal chortles to snorts and squeals.      &nbsp...

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“The Two of Hearts Puzzle” by Wayne Peake

Submitted to Contest #246

It is a wintry Friday evening in the late seventies in the digs in Graham Street Narwee, Sydney, that ‘Ton’ Currie and I are sharing, and the usual detritus – Pretty Boy, the Cube, JJ Ryan, Dobber Des, Bouncer Farrelly, and some novices yet to earn nicknames – are blowing in off the streets and depositing around the broken dining table that is the venue for our weekend poker games. The television is playing ‘The Two Ronnies’, ‘Dave Allen’ and ‘Pot Black’ on Channel Two, and Andy Vincent is calling races from a rainy Harold Park Paceway. No o...

3 comments 3
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“Bittersweet Swirl” by Olivia Harton

Submitted to Contest #246

"Who wants to play a game of Snap? Winner gets a bowl of ice cream." My mother walks into the room with a small cardboard box in hand, a familiar game of Snap my brother received for his sixth birthday, featuring cards adorned with various fruits and vegetables. Now ten years old, my brother mostly plays video games, leaving the Snap game long forgotten. But the promise of ice cream lures him out. My mother often talks about the importance of spending quality time together, and although she should be thrilled to see the family gathered aroun...

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“Un-victorious Victory” by Charles Karalee Ratliff

Submitted to Contest #246

The light crested on the horizon beyond the fields and trees. Sunset scenery encompassed the very essence of beauty in Veronica’s vision. Her days ended verily on the cusp of the magnificent departure of the sun. Yet, as this exit of exquisiteness fell to the darkened night sky, her mood was not enlightened, but sorrowed. James would never again see such wonders and it was all her fault.“I see you. Don’t think that I don’t.” James peered cautiously around the corner of the building seeking his tag nemesis. He was going to be victorious again...

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“BFF” by Elizabeth Loman

Submitted to Contest #246

Katie scrunched herself further into the little crawl space, giggling quietly to herself. She loved hide-and-seek. Okay, so maybe sleepovers with games were a little too middle-school for Katie's 16-year-old self, but they were so much fun! Katie loved a good game, loved the anticipation, loved the rush that only came from someone squealing Found you!  The whispered din of a confused group of teenage girls reached Katies ears, and she had to clamp her left hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles now. She was the last to be found! The ...

1 comment 1
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“Red or Black” by Joshua Urrasio

Submitted to Contest #246

Note: This story contains physical violence. Noah let out an impressed whistle as he reached the door to his friend’s mansion. “This is the house that Mav got from his uncle?” Noah asked. He surveyed the large house from the outside. Currently, he stood in a large driveway with his friends, Stryker, Tallia, and Abdel. The driveway was made of cobblestone, like an ancient Roman road, with brilliant green shrubbery lining the edges of the driveway, leading to the exquisite, three story mansion. The house that they now stood before belonged to ...

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“Cliffs of Angels ” by Madison R

Submitted to Contest #246

Orla kicked open the front door of her small flat. Just managing to fit through the doorway, her arms were occupied by two large wicker baskets piled high with treats she’d picked out from the weekend market. With audible effort she set them on the floor in her cupboard sized kitchen, standing up to lean against the edge of the sink and find her breath. She was turning 38 this year and it had been a few years since she’d been able to explain the pains in her knees and the aches in her back as nothing more than random muscle soreness. The har...

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“Pocket Full of Posies” by K.R. Danielsson

Submitted to Contest #246

Dua Lipa plays dully in the background of the Tokyo office building one floor beneath ground level. A dim light casts a yellow glow from the ceiling, washing over the white walls, marbled tiles, and series of art canvas stands, tables, and a stack of scrap artwork. The famous singer’s voice fills Maita Tetsu’s ears while he taps his foot lightly to the beat and stares through his square-framed glasses at a blank scrap of paper. His mind is cursing at itself and scorning him for being so behind schedule. But dammit, art is hard. You cannot ru...

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“I spy ” by Julia Kennedy

Submitted to Contest #246

"I spy with my little eye something red," Alice's chocolate eyes dance as they catch mine in the rear vision mirror, her strawberry blonde hair blowing about wildly in the wind from the open back seat window. We stop at a crowded intersection, the traffic boxing us in on every side. "Hmmm…." I wonder aloud.  I can't remember the last time this car was cleaned. It's old and musty on the outside, and the boot is stuffed full of whatever. We crammed anything else we could fit into the spare seats, and Alice is squashed a large fraying duff...

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“The Reading” by Maisie Gray

Submitted to Contest #246

The incense was heady and heavy handed, but it didn’t bother her much. She liked the smell; like the focus and the grit of it. It made things clearer… and muddied things too. River liked contradictions. They were nothing but an annoyance to her caretakers… but she liked the intrigue- the feeling like a proverbial slap to the face of sense. Everyone needed a slap in the face sometimes- it helped keep things copacetic.“Alright, is everyone ready?” Madelaine was giggly… but then, she was always giggly. The others shifted on the cushions un...

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“Pandora's Game” by Kendall Cruze

Submitted to Contest #246

Claire stood outside the massive gray building that towered over the city. For a gaming facility, the outside was pretty bare, and institutional looking. She walked into the building, feeling the gust of icy air conditioning hit her face after being in the warm, spring air outside.Shivering slightly, she made her way across the empty lobby, her footsteps echoing throughout. Inside was one giant computer screen on the walls, flashing from one graphic to the next."Hello miss." A friendly voice pulled her gaze. Looking ahead, she saw friendly w...

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“Something will happen up” by Zainab Ali

Submitted to Contest #246

It was the trip of a lifetime to the biggest amusement park in the world, something we’ve all been planning and dreaming of doing. We planned to go to Red Sea Pearl Island near Jeddah and spend four nights there. The plan was to meet in the airport three hours before the plane departed, We all arrived at the airport one by one. We got excited as we talked about the myths behind the amusement park, we enjoyed sharing the stories among ourselves to kill time in the airport.  We arrived safely and there was already someone waiting for us n...

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“Truth or Dare” by Gabi D'Auvergne

Submitted to Contest #246

Truth or Dare Gabriella d’Auvergne  Prologue “So, what’ll it be, Leni?” Truth... Or dare?” A smile etched across his face as Asher anticipated my reply. There was no way I was doing truth again. Last time, I’d almost had to confess my feelings about Sarah, and this time she was playing too. I looked up from the crackling campfire and stared Asher in the eye. “Dare.”  Effie Who knew how quickly an innocent game of truth or dare could so easily turn horribly wrong? I did. I trusted my instincts, and as soon as...

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“Wolves and Sheep” by Tirzah Young-Miles

Submitted to Contest #246

I couldn’t have dreamed of such an atrocity.Clothes in tatters and blood-soaked. No flesh, no face. Mutilated. Unrecognizable. It's the last trip before we toss our hats and scatter across the globe, before we exchange our sneakers and Birkenstocks for less comfortable, albeit shinier shoes, before entering the real world. Though most people opt for warmer spring break destinations, which are inarguably enjoyable, the beaches and the entire scene become grossly overcrowded during this time. After some deliberation, we determined that a ...

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“Louis For The Weekend” by Jay Simmons

Submitted to Contest #246

The afternoon was dragging. Louis and I looked at the clock above the whiteboard, and the clock looked back. Everyone was watching us. Somehow the whole class knew about Louis coming to my house. Like it was news.When the hands of the clock finally formed a right angle, Louis and I were first out of the classroom and onto the sunny playground. We followed Mum to the car and sat together in the back. The travel screens were still buckled to the front headrests from our family holiday to Cornwall a month ago. ‘Don’t you have these?’Louis ...

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🌟 Similar prompts

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

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Contest #246

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: All Fun and Games

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Contest entries

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Ended on 23:59 - Apr 19, 2024 EST

Won by Sarah Coury 🏆

Title: Hearts Are Trump

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