Write a story in which a conversation takes place where the true subject is only implied.

Posted in Dialogue on Feb 16, 2024

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✍️ 40 stories

“Twiddling” by Gavin Matthew

Submitted to Contest #238

Twiddling By Gavin Matthew Henrietta sat contemplating, her booth occupied with three others. It was a slow night at the Ellipsis Diner. Missouri rain and rolling thunder encouraged most of the city’s people to stay home where it was dry and safe. Henrietta and her crew had the eatery to themselves except for three waitresses and two other patrons. “You should have just let me k . . .” started Charlie before Henrietta nudged his shoulder. He was a burly man with s...

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“Return to Shore” by Barbara Magic

Submitted to Contest #238

Content Disclaimer: This work features the narrator living with suicidal ideation and depression. Return To Shore We rode your motorcycle along the coast as the wind whipped salt into our cheeks. My hair stung where it struck which only made the taste of the ocean sweeter. I would have asked where we were going if I didn’t know the answer. We weren’t. Do you remember how tight I held you through your jacket? Even now I’m gripping the pillow like I’ll fall off the bed without it. If I opened my mouth, the damp patch ...

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“Are You Going to Eat That?” by John Jenkins

Submitted to Contest #238

"Are you going to eat that?" said dad, pointing at Fran's belly. "That's not funny, dad," said Fran."Humor an old man."It had been weeks since Fran had dropped out of high school. Then came the battle of a lifetime. Her parents fought over what they should do with her. Should she join a home economics course? Should she join Job Corps? Peace Corps? The military? Such things were rolling through their minds. Fran hadn't been the best student to begin with. She was a solid middle classwoman. After years of study and progress, th...

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“The Perpetual Ball” by Rowan Damisch

Submitted to Contest #238

"Marquis Leto. I was worried you would be unable to grace us with your presence this evening. It is truly a relief that you could make it." She curtsied, the ends of her golden dress swishing across the floor as she bent forward. "Likewise Countess Elizabeth," Leto replied, bowing in turn, "I hope it isn't a disappointment I haven't been able to see you in a few years. Of course, your truly beautiful appearance has yet to change, my lady. " He then lightly grabbed her hand and kissed the top right of her ring finger. "Of course, Marquis." sh...

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“Merciful Ziah” by Gio P.

Submitted to Contest #238

You stand before a crowd. You stand before them something mighty; an agent of calamity or calm you’ve yet to divulge to your onlookers. You flex your fingers and the air around you stills; not because of magic, but because every living thing holds its breath for just the increment of time it takes you to pop your index finger. The snap of your joint is met with a gust of wind, released as relived gasps in fluctuating notes from the stargazers below. You feel power. You feel it in every inch of you—a flame, a burden—as it thrums recklessly th...

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“Dearly Beloved” by Sally Wirth

Submitted to Contest #238

“Is this seat open?” Sam asked the solitary woman sitting at the table. The Commerce Council meeting had moved out of the lecture hall into the bar for the mixer phase. Everyone here knew this was where business really took place. Have a drink (or drinks), mingle and make connections – hopefully business related. Being a single woman, Sam had learned to keep her guard up and stick to a two drink limit. “Hi....

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“The Riverboat” by Lydia Chase

Submitted to Contest #238

A brief warning: this story deals with themes around neurodegenerative illnesses such as Alzheimer’s. An illness is not named, but I know these diseases affect many families across the world, so please don’t force yourself to read this if you may find the topic triggering in any way. Alice peered over the rail, swaying to the tune on the wind. “Fancy a dance, love?” Her husband Arley, with his hands stuck in his pockets, shrugged. “Sorry hon, my two left feet couldn’t hope to keep up with this.” She sighed, leaning aga...

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“How Death Killed Fate” by Ruth Eddleman

Submitted to Contest #238

It was a lowly sort of loathing. An obsessive waiting, always pondering, daydreaming of a chance to take a dance with Fate. To test the waters of opportunity. Some said Fate was a demon, deceitful and cunning, and full of spite. Others said Fate was an idea, a concept to ration out the cruel coincidence or blissful happenings of life. But for Marx Mallahan, he knew Fate’s true identity. Fate was a woman. Her laugh was ironic, she flicked her wrist for coincidence, and crooked her finger at destined moments, leaving a trail of deja vu in her ...

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“Flamingo” by J. Aizu

Submitted to Contest #238

A young man with a pimple-pocked face placed a grey plastic cup filled with iced lemon tea before me. I explained—or tried to, at least—that I had ordered milk tea, but he either did not hear me or did not care; either way, I was stuck with the lemon tea. It had four—no, five—slices of lemon, which I crushed with the plastic straw. A container filled with packets of sugar was on the edge of the table, and after having tasted the tea and deemed it both much too bitter and now much too sour, I tore up and poured in three packets. The sugar was...

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“Flickering Candles” by Cajek Veilwinter

Submitted to Contest #238

Sneaking into the forbidden section of the library was a coming-of-age ritual for the dark art - and a few curious light art - students at the College of Elements. Very few - perhaps one student a year - could pass through the enchantments that had begun to grow over that part of the library as the centuries passed. Sniptide - a skilled stoat thief - motioned to her vulpine companion to follow through the hidden bookcase opening after she had checked it for traps. Her vulpine companion had a reticent personality and jet black fur a...

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“The Lovers” by Anisa Sambi

Submitted to Contest #238

The room was expansive, white and crowded. Paintings littered the walls in a haphazard manner, punctuating the walls where people stood and where they left. The couple had walked in here together hand in hand. Laughing and shaking themselves off as they looked at each other in disbelief can you believe how the rain came in out of nowhere? They had just finished having lunch, followed by an espresso to polish off the cocktails, no dessert. He followed, but lost track of her when he found a painting and stood in front of it for far...

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“PIG” by Sarah Duffey

Submitted to Contest #238

“Don’t you want a spoon for that?” Jada peeked up at her junior varsity teammate, Kristin, sitting in the bleachers above her and shook her head. While she waited for the most valuable player, Evie, to shoot the ball, Jada sat on the bottom row and licked the chocolate off the lid of a pudding cup. With her wrist, she pushed black tendrils that had escaped her ponytail off her cheek. A stream of other girls treaded sluggishly out the gymnasium doors, hair frizzy and faces shiny with perspiration. See ya guys, my mom’s here, good luck ...

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“She vs. She” by Mary Lamphere

Submitted to Contest #238

“Wow.” There is a lengthy pause as she stares across the table. Her eyes scan every detail of the face before her. “I never thought I’d see you again,” she says. “I never thought I’d see you ever.” She slouches in her chair. “You’re very pretty.” “Uh, no I’m not. I have this huge zit in the middle of my face.” She crosses her arms and looks away. She smiles, remembering those days. “It’s barely noticeable and—” She raises her palms, covering her face and shouts, “Noticeable means you noticed!” “It’s on your chin, hardly the middle of your f...

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“Parrotfish vs shrimp” by Cali Bagby

Submitted to Contest #238

"You know there are cleaner shrimp?" she asked. "Cleaner than what?" he asked. "No, they are called cleaner shrimp because they clean parasites from fish. Do you know why they call them cleaner fish?" she asked. "Because they're the cleanest," he said. "That's funny," she said. "You're the smart one," he said. "Yes, I am smart," she said. "I'm the Jerry Lewis to your Dean Martin," he said. "So the shrimp and the fish have a symbiotic relationship where they help each other. The shrimp gets to eat parasites, and the fi...

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“The Unexpected ” by S T

Submitted to Contest #238

She was taking the long way over. The main street veered around the houses and tall pine trees of Altadena. The purple mountains to the left, the city of Los Angeles to the right. It had been three years since she had been to this cafe. There was now a whole other human that she had to lug around from place to place, sleeping quietly in his carseat. Motherhood had hit her blindly and struck her with full purpose. She adjusted her rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of his full-cheeked face resting against the cushion of his carseat. He was ...

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Write a story in which a conversation takes place where the true subject is only implied.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 40 stories

“Twiddling” by Gavin Matthew

“Return to Shore” by Barbara Magic

“Are You Going to Eat That?” by John Jenkins

“The Perpetual Ball” by Rowan Damisch

“Merciful Ziah” by Gio P.

“Dearly Beloved” by Sally Wirth

“The Riverboat” by Lydia Chase

“How Death Killed Fate” by Ruth Eddleman

“Flamingo” by J. Aizu

“Flickering Candles” by Cajek Veilwinter

“The Lovers” by Anisa Sambi

“PIG” by Sarah Duffey

“She vs. She” by Mary Lamphere

“Parrotfish vs shrimp” by Cali Bagby

“The Unexpected ” by S T

🌟 Similar prompts

Start or finish your story with a speaker unable to finish their sentence, perhaps overcome by emotion.

Write a story including the line “I can’t say it.”

Write a story in which an important message is cut off, leaving characters to wonder or puzzle out what was left unsaid.

Set your story at a silent retreat.

Contest #238

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

285

Contest entries

98

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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