Start your story with someone uttering a very strange sentence.

Posted in Dialogue on Dec 22, 2023

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 52 stories

“Christmas is Coming ” by Kim Smyth

Submitted to Contest #230

“I wonder what the elves are building right now.” A writer has a great imagination, true, but this utterance in the middle of a presentation was met with some raised eyebrows and open mouths. Ella snapped back into reality as she gazed upon the faces of her clients, wondering why they were looking at her that way. “What?” Mr. Davenport cleared his throat and said, “What on earth brought that on, Miss Clark?” In truth, Ella wasn’t here at the meeting, she was thousands of miles away, thinking of her family in California. ...

7 comments 7

Read story

“Rilestone: Fulfillment” by Steffen Lettau

Submitted to Contest #230

Author's Note: This is more an excerpt from the Rilestone Series in the works. "Thousands shall march, from near and far, Fast held the rumors of war sewn; Kin born from Four, they stay where they are, Graves paved to those they own By the blood of the Morning Star." Rilestone stood up, having kneeled in deep prayer after his training was done. It was his voice, but it had sounded distant. He felt no malevolence, no presence of any sort from an ill being. He quickly smelled the air; no, no brimstone, so no Hellhounds nearby. What about...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Holiday Wonder” by Pryor Rose

Submitted to Contest #230

(This story contains curse words and mild sexual tension) “Oh stupid son of a fluffernutter avalanche. Blasted fluffy white shit.” Ember couldn’t help but growl out her frustration glaring towards the attendant. “I’m sorry ma’am but there are no flights at this time, the storm is set to last all weekend and into the better part of next week.” Sighing, Ember turned her head towards the word ‘CANCELED’ flashing in vibrant sanguine across the flight board. “Are you sure there are no private jets that can be rented out? I know pr...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Hidden in Plain Sight” by Jean Widner

Submitted to Contest #230

“I’m recommending the removal of your right eye.” “Come again?!?”, I blurt leaning forward in the grey leather exam chair. We’re at UCLA, my husband Kyle and I, at the Jules Stein Eye Institute. We’re receiving confirmation of the diagnosis I was given in Las Vegas the week prior. However, they don’t have the capacity to treat me, so I’ve been sent up the medical food chain to the top of the heap. They get me seen within a week. They’re in a rush. Which makes it even more frightening. I have a choroidal melanoma in my right eye. Wh...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Cinnamon Caramel Cream Nitro Cold Brew” by Abhijit Bharadwaj

Submitted to Contest #230

Cinnamon .. Cinnamon caramel Cinnamon Caramel cream Cinnamon Caramel Cream Nitro cold brew 6 words, the longest item on a Starbucks menu Also, the most expensive drink you can order I say these words softly so though saying a prayer. why was I saying these words? Well, I am practicing. So that when my turn comes, I shall be able to place an order for my drink, without any difficulty. Why would there be any difficulty to place such a “simple” order, in the first place, you may be wondering? To answer this, I will first take a deep b...

3 comments 3

Read story

“Visiting the children’s sins upon the father” by Dan Brawner

Submitted to Contest #230

“What should we do with the body?” I remember my Pa askin' those words when maw died. He weren't askin' me, uh course since I'as just five. Fact is, I don't know who Pa was talkin' to bein' he’as on tha phone. I could hear someone on tha other end but dent know who it was. Ma was on tha floor. I remember I'as layin' there by her, but I had ta keep movin' down toward her feet to stay outa tha blood. Was an awful lot at first then it just slowed down and stopped. That's when I started cryin'....when tha blood stopped comin'. Seems odd lookin...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Uncle Merb and the Missing Sock” by David McCahan

Submitted to Contest #230

“Tell that Meshuggeneh Seinfeld he still owes me for the socks bit.”My Uncle Merb told me that every time I went out on a job.Uncle Merb was under the impression that everyone, at least everyone in New York, who worked in some kind of film, television or theater production knew everyone else.I was a member of IATSE Local 1, the stagehands union. I worked as a set dresser. Basically a glorified furniture mover. Without the glory. I came by the job naturally. My father and uncle ran a moving company founded by my great-grandfather in Broo...

7 comments 7

Read story

“The Fate of a Faery ” by Shy Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #230

“At least I never put shrunken heads in your tea.” I muttered under my breath. Pieoura tossed her head backwards. “Excuse me?” The tips of her pale yellow wings were beginning to turn a bright pink shade. “Well, you must have heard me! You use to put shrunken heads in my tea when we were little!” I started to shout. “I can’t believe mother and father actually think you’re the most fit to lead Tree Top Kingdom.” Pieoura’s face looked like it could catch fire from how burning red it was. She flew closer until she was only a few ...

1 comment 1

Read story

“In a Nutshell” by Daniel Griesdorf

Submitted to Contest #230

In a Nutshell By DannyG “The nutshell closes then finally cries………” He closed his mouth slowly, licking his lips, searching for moisture. I wasn’t sure what to do now. The air was warm and sour, yeasty. If I didn’t have to breathe it, I probably wouldn’t have. “What’s that about then?” The man wiped the corners of his lips, his long grey hair in a not-so-tidy bun. “I’m not sure. Can’t really gather it up for you. Get i...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Okies” by Oscar Lozano

Submitted to Contest #230

“What kind of wife doesn’t tell her husband she’s a bullfrog?” Millie asked Fey, her soon-to-be sister-in-law, who was, in fact, a massive, green, wart-covered frog. “You’re not supposed to be here,” Fey said hushedly, bulging eyes squinted. “Your wedding is in a week, right? Ezra is my brother, for Christ’s sake! I don’t know what game you’re playing, but you can’t seclude him from his family. Everyone in Tulsa is wondering where he is.” “Okay,” Fey said, sighing and leaning on the front door. Suddenly, her demeanor changed, becomi...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Dopendo Isbubeetwrapped” by Gavin Matthew

Submitted to Contest #230

Dopendo IsbubeetwrappedByGavin Matthew “Dopendo. . . . . .Isbubeetwrapped.” The words were mumbled. Jumbled. Discombobulated. Tulip tried to pull them together but she couldn’t decipher it. Whatever happened to Harrison had left the husky man bleeding on the floor. “Try it again. Slower,” Tulip pushed as she knelt. “Dopendo. Isbubeetwrapped,” Harrison repeated, his eyes rolling around. Tulip picked at her cropped afro with frustration. “This suckah’s broken,” Tulip spat as she stood up. “Oil, how did you talk me into this? These chumps are s...

1 comment 1

Read story

“The Cursed Moon” by M B

Submitted to Contest #230

“Val kan-tesh el vis’nu vash ken tisu,” the vulpine mage with the burning blue eyes intoned from the pier above the team. It was Draknor who was startled the most by this. “What did he just yammer about?” Farah asked. Draknor snarled, holding his recovered sword in his claws. A mammal that knew Draconian? A mammal that knew an ancient Draconian curse, no less? Skreet grit his teeth as he ran. “Weren’t you just knocked out?” He yelled backward to the strange mage. “I told you, I recover quite quickly,” the wizard with the burnin...

12 comments 12

Read story

“True Story” by Jennifer Ballie

Submitted to Contest #230

TRUE STORY By Jennifer Ballie “Once again we have rendered ourselves useless to the night.” Sometimes Simon was so dramatic. Especially when he is preparing for a lead role. I quietly sighed and went back to my set design. He knelt beside me. “Consuming the drink much too early we have empowered ourselves to be incoherently sedentary. As the darkness covers us in its warm embrace, we hope that what lies behind the veil, should it decide to choose us, does so swiftly. For when we wake, alive or dead, I pray we awake in peace.”...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Flying Ducks” by Sydney Fisher

Submitted to Contest #230

“Flying ducks, what is this, the zoo?” Margo whispered, her fingers flying across the keyboard of her mobile phone. She was perched carefully on the edge of her desk, back against the wall. Her business partner furrowed his eyebrows and studied her with interest. Margo didn’t curse but even this was taking it a bit far, he felt. Still, Margo tended to be quiet unless she truly had something to say and so he waited for her to continue, silently guessing what she was thinking. Toby waited and waited and still Margo typed away, not acknowledgin...

3 comments 3

Read story

“It is Time for Me to Return to my Home Planet” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #230

It is Time for Me to Return to my Home Planet“This world is getting more and more boring, dreary and predictable every day. I think that it is time for me to return to my home planet before I go completely crazy. It couldn’t be any worse there than what we have here. What do you think guys? Should I return? In case anyone of you wonders, I have my means of transportation stored in the back of my garage.”Steve’s bar mates were silent for a few seconds, and then a couple of them started to laugh. One of them asked...

2 comments 2

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story framed by a single scene: something happens, a flashback or inner monologue intervenes, and then the story ends with the rest of the original scene.

Narrative – 89 stories

Write a story in which a character achieves a new level of clarity about how they’re really feeling.

Character – 56 stories

Write a story that hides something from its reader until the very end.

Mystery – 101 stories

Write a story in the form of a list.

Narrative – 61 stories

Contest #230

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: In a Flash

$250

Prize money

359

Contest entries

108

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Dec 29, 2023 EST

Won by Ethan Zimmerman 🏆

Title: The Lop-it-off-a-me List

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

Start your story with someone uttering a very strange sentence.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 52 stories

“Christmas is Coming ” by Kim Smyth

“Rilestone: Fulfillment” by Steffen Lettau

“Holiday Wonder” by Pryor Rose

“Hidden in Plain Sight” by Jean Widner

“Cinnamon Caramel Cream Nitro Cold Brew” by Abhijit Bharadwaj

“Visiting the children’s sins upon the father” by Dan Brawner

“Uncle Merb and the Missing Sock” by David McCahan

“The Fate of a Faery ” by Shy Jenkins

“In a Nutshell” by Daniel Griesdorf

“Okies” by Oscar Lozano

“Dopendo Isbubeetwrapped” by Gavin Matthew

“The Cursed Moon” by M B

“True Story” by Jennifer Ballie

“Flying Ducks” by Sydney Fisher

“It is Time for Me to Return to my Home Planet” by John Steckley

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story framed by a single scene: something happens, a flashback or inner monologue intervenes, and then the story ends with the rest of the original scene.

Write a story in which a character achieves a new level of clarity about how they’re really feeling.

Write a story that hides something from its reader until the very end.

Write a story in the form of a list.

Contest #230

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

359

Contest entries

108

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: