Write a story about someone who is cursed to always say the opposite of what they mean.

Posted in Dialogue on Jan 27, 2023

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✍️ 26 stories

“The Taunting Tongue” by Russell Mickler

Submitted to Contest #183

Crisis. Negotiations. Revelations. Compromise. Guards swung the double doors open to allow Joliver Barleywood, a learned Halfling Bard of the Aevalorn Parishes, entry into the private apartments of Ser Roham Baz, the esteemed emissary to the King of Nodderton. Baz’s attaché, Balem Dask, received Joliver in the sitting room. “Balem! Merry evening. I came as soon as I received the summons,” Joliver said, removing his cloak and tossing it onto the furniture. “Is he alright?” Balem gestured for Joliver to follow. “Ser Roham is in his study. His ...

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“You’re Using Too Much Water” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #183

“You’re using too much water.” “What?” “I said, you’re using too much water!” “I can’t hear you. I’m in the shower!” “You’ve been in there for ages! You’re wasting water!!” Jack turned off the spigot, grabbed a towel, and said, “Woman, I can’t hear a word you’re saying. That shower is simply amazing. What’s up?” “You spend too much time in there. What are you doing? It’s just a waste of water.” Jack stared at her, not so much in amazement—though he felt that—but in recognition. He wanted to say, “Jenna, you do realize we’re on vacatio...

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“I HATE YOU - PLEASE DON'T GO” by Susan Catucci

Submitted to Contest #183

* * *Warning: Profanity where appropriate * * *How much you wanna bet?Well, let's see, Brandy. How about a hundred dollars and one weekend of catering, without question, to the winner’s every wish and desire. Define “weekend.”Friday midnight to Sunday midnight. Whoever breaks first, loses. And we have witnesses. Just look around.Maybe, but nobody sober. Should that even count?Why not? I’m certainly not sober; you’re definitely not. You grin like a pirate when you drink; everybody knows that.Arrgh, that'd b...

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“Danae's Curse” by Keri Dyck

Submitted to Contest #183

Once there was a queer little village where curses went backward—well, some of the time. Occasionally they went sideways or upside down. The point is, a few turned out to be blessings. Some were twists of fate. Others were just plain curses. None were the same. Take Tyson, for example. He was the first of six brothers. They descended from a purebred line of blacksmiths and were exceptionally strong. It was a sight to go to the smithy with, say, a horse that needed shoeing. They would all drop their work and come running. Tyson woul...

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“The Cursed Hitchhiker” by Dan Taylor

Submitted to Contest #183

“I’m fine.”“You don’t look fine.”She looked like she should have been walking on the Malibu boardwalk; cut-off shorts, sandals, white tank top.“No,” she paused, and then, with her voice quivering, added, “I’m fine.”“My name’s Carl.” He removed his hat with one hand and with the other wiped the dust and sweat off his weathered face with a red bandana. “Probably not another car in fifty miles,” he said looking down the road.She dropped to her knees and face, sobbing. Her dirty blond hair came over her head revealing the pale skin on her neckli...

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“Where Loves Winter” by Tatiana .Avdeeva

Submitted to Contest #183

First love He was my first love, and I know I will never feel anything like that again. I was... 5, and he was... 5 too. In a monstrous, massive yard in the center of a metropolitan city, we were two tiny infant souls in love among a bunch of young and not-so-young kids. When he looked furtively from a far corner of the yard in my direction, intercepting his glance, I pretended not to see, not interested. "Hey, Bobby, go kiss your fiance!" the kids teased us, chicks...

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“Liar, Liar, Liar” by Regulus T

Submitted to Contest #183

That was the problem, wasn’t it? The way the words spilled out of her mouth before she could pull the tight-lipped face. She’d pretend not to register what she said, that it was simply a truth she was mourning, but the boy's eyes twitched and the right corner of her lip downturned just slightly. There it was again, that weird sense of betrayal that etched its way into the formation of downturned eyebrows that shot back up before the boy could even say anything. It was all one giant problem, and every time she got on the bus, it was noticea...

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“Mrs Macintosh” by Kelly Sibley

Submitted to Contest #183

Old lady MacIntosh was a weird old bird who was best left alone. Just ask the neighbourhood kids. Over the last five years, they had lost countless stray pieces of sports equipment or toys over her fence. It was your typical grumpy old lady who moves into a friendly neighbourhood and just ‘Wants to be left alone’ story… until last week. Last week changed everything. It all started with a request from our neighbourhood watch coordinator, Jim, who had phoned me out of the blue one night. “Jack, how are you?” “Oh, hi Jim, ...

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“Gods of Logic and Dream” by Clover Pheasant

Submitted to Contest #183

TW: Suicide, Self-harm, Mental Health "I hate you." The words were pulled from my lips and thrown into her heart like a dagger. Then came the screams. I sat down on our old navy blue sofa, one that creaked loudly with age. There's a twinge of pain when I hear it, knowing I was the one who caused these fractures. All the years of playing hard, throwing myself onto it, and bouncing with joy. I remember rough-housing with my dad. Jumping from the couch knowing he would catch me. There is pain now, knowing that the joy I felt was selfish. ...

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“The Mermaid Enchantress” by Setter Brindle Birch

Submitted to Contest #183

The mermaid enchantress is my last hope. If she can’t help me, I doubt anyone can. Finally, the workday is over and it’s time to clock out. As I pass the receptionist in the front lobby I wave and smile like an idiot, but as usual I don’t dare open my mouth. All day long it’s been one gaffe after another, and I’m afraid to make a peep. At 9:15, during our morning meeting, I sounded sycophantic. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard such a brilliant idea.” But everyone applauded my misstatement. A few minutes later, I desperately wanted ...

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“Omnivore or herbivore” by Christine Bialczak

Submitted to Contest #183

Veva stood at the counter. “What would you like to try?” the store clerk asked. “I really like chocolate,” Veva said. Inside she was already starting to cringe. Why did she say she liked chocolate? She didn’t like anything with chocolate, including cookies filled with chocolate icing. Her favorite flavor was vanilla, it always had been. “Here you go,” the clerk said, handing Veva two large brown cookies with light brown frosting oozing out between them. “Thank you,” Veva said and quickly walked out the door. As ...

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“P.S. Don't Believe Me” by Matt Francis

Submitted to Contest #183

Trigger warning: Swearing and emotional abuse.Erin is standing in the doorway, a small bag hastily filled with a few shirts and an extra pair of pants flung over her shoulder. Her hair, bright red, is wild and unkempt, and her face is so flush with anger that she seems to radiate heat. I can almost feel it from the kitchen island where I’m still sitting.“Are you sure this is what you want,” she says, struggling to keep her voice low, so only I can hear it. “Because once I go, I’m not coming…” “Just get the fuck out of here!” I scream, s...

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“The Inadequate Ideal” by Anne Social

Submitted to Contest #183

What do you do if everyone says they love you, but you hate yourself? That sounds dramatic. Cliché. Morbid. Whatever negative word you want it to be. Yes, it has to be negative. Because if you don’t believe the positivity of the people around you, then you have to believe the negativity that hides beneath. You know it’s there. It’s there when you say it’s a beautiful day (which by any objective standard is true), but you’re lying because you prefer stormy days that force you to stay inside. It’s there when you say someone looks pretty (which...

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“A Golden Bracelet's Curse” by Charlotte Hamlett

Submitted to Contest #183

Kendra Sharp-Hayes was a positive, upbeat, polite woman born in 1976. Unbeknownst to her, her life changed dramatically in 1997. She and her best friends- Brandy May Beau Ralph, Martin James Walters, and Ann Margaret Austin-Jay were the top-ranked archeology students in their class., and they were all selected to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime archeology expedition. They were excited as they boarded the plane to fly all the way to Cholula, Puebla, Mexico to search for artifacts and relics from the Mayan pyramids. On the way to Mexico, K...

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“Opposite day” by Darling Jackson

Submitted to Contest #183

Opposite Day By Laney Bryant I wasn’t looking forward to my sixteenth birthday like you might be. People say that before there was something called a sweet sixteen? It’s funny to me that people used to look forward to they’re sixteenth birthday. I was certainly not looking forward to mine, in fact I was dreading tomorrow. At least I can finally get it over with, no more waiting to see what curse I was given. I mean I had been waiting for 15 years. No more overwhelming sense of trepidation. I found it interesting that out society ...

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Write a story about someone who is cursed to always say the opposite of what they mean.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 26 stories

“The Taunting Tongue” by Russell Mickler

“You’re Using Too Much Water” by David Ader

“I HATE YOU - PLEASE DON'T GO” by Susan Catucci

“Danae's Curse” by Keri Dyck

“The Cursed Hitchhiker” by Dan Taylor

“Where Loves Winter” by Tatiana .Avdeeva

“Liar, Liar, Liar” by Regulus T

“Mrs Macintosh” by Kelly Sibley

“Gods of Logic and Dream” by Clover Pheasant

“The Mermaid Enchantress” by Setter Brindle Birch

“Omnivore or herbivore” by Christine Bialczak

“P.S. Don't Believe Me” by Matt Francis

“The Inadequate Ideal” by Anne Social

“A Golden Bracelet's Curse” by Charlotte Hamlett

“Opposite day” by Darling Jackson

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about two opposites finding themselves surprisingly attracted to one another.

Write about a character who uses sarcasm as a defense mechanism.

Write a story that includes the line “We’re just too different.”

Write a story about two characters whose paths briefly cross, but are actually going in opposite directions — whether literally or figuratively.

Contest #183

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

248

Contest entries

125

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: