Write a story in which someone is afraid of being overheard.

Posted in Dialogue on May 10, 2024

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✍️ 64 stories

“Business As Usual” by Thomas Wetzel

Submitted to Contest #250

“Come on in. Shut the door behind you, man. Thanks for coming by.”A bright and sunny day, the first one in a while, the glass and steel skyscrapers of downtown Chicago gleaming outside the windows of the corner office.“You see him yet?”Short pause.“Not today. If that’s what you’re asking.”Brow furrows.“You talk to him yet?”Longer pause.“What are you asking me, Ryan? I’m pretty busy just now. Last night I got home from the office around 1:30 in the morning. I’d like to make it home by midnight tonight.”Dead stare. People walking down on the s...

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“Drink Your Milk” by Michael Jefferson

Submitted to Contest #250

B.J. Workman’s hammer bangs loudly against the Town Hall steps. Brady Tasker goes back to the truck for more wood and a cigarette. B.J. is known throughout the town of Dorset as a lanky, perpetually tanned, reliable, and likable craftsman with a loving wife and an average I.Q. He and his stocky, bearded drinking buddy Brady have been the town’s go-to builders for decades and are familiar faces throughout town. Standing in the hallway a few feet from the steps, Chief Colt Kennedy whispers to Mayor Grayson Levant. “Everything’s going according...

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“Hive” by Natalie Portera-Sickler

Submitted to Contest #250

“Don’t let them hear you!” Clamping a hand over my mouth, I stared fearfully at Sydney while she glanced around frantically for any sign that someone picked up on what I had said. Sydney and I had ducked behind one of the school’s dumpsters to avoid the penetrating gaze of the security cameras – but that did not mean protection from the ears of the Watchers. Thankfully the hall continued to bustle with the monotone murmur of students adorned with monochrome uniforms. Those beige drones didn’t even give us a passing glance; they were all deep...

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“New House” by Michael Mackenzie

Submitted to Contest #250

Samuel Stills closed the door to his daughter’s bedroom then walked toward the kitchen when his phone vibrated. He reached into his pocket. Give me some good news. But his heart and sinew told him there would be no good news. He raised his phone to his ear. The cold plastic a reminder that nothing in this world is ever easy. He’d spent the last hour at the foot of his daughters bed reading ...

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“The Silence Between Us” by KT George

Submitted to Contest #250

“Don’t close the blinds all the way, Sarah; they'll know we're hiding something. Just leave them, okay?”“Are you sure you’re not being just a tad bit paranoid, Nathan? I mean, this is our house. Naturally, we’d open and close the blinds throughout the day. I always do when the sun hits the front side in the afternoon. It makes the room unbearably hot otherwise. If I don’t close them, I think that will draw more attention, especially if they have been watching us for—what did you say? Five days now? What are you not telling me?”“Trust me. It'...

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“Chemical Reaction” by William Riling

Submitted to Contest #250

“911 What is your emergency?” The stoic female voice crackled from a cellphone speaker. With trembling hands, Thirty-nine-year-old Megan Lowry’s finger fought to lower the sound on her Android. She had dialed 911 after clearing her head, trying to absorb her current situation. Holding the phone close to her mouth she whispered in high pitched staccato breaths. “Hello? You have to Help me! I’ve been car jacked!” Lit solely by her phone, Megan lay balled up in the dark confines of the trunk of a car, her own car. A bag of groceries she had jus...

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“A Risk Not Worth Taking” by Hannah Marie

Submitted to Contest #250

“Number, please?”, Lucy answered for the 100th time this morning. At this point, she was faster at operating the switchboard than her own two feet. She’d been working as a cable girl since 1946 and had found her calling in life, connecting others. Lucy didn't think of her position as dull or repetitive like the other women often complained. Though short-lived, she tried to imagine an invigorating back story to each dialer who rang. She’d envisioned connecting two lost lovers who’d finally mustered up the courage to call. Perhaps a son reachi...

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“The Other Woman” by Jae Po

Submitted to Contest #250

“Tell her,” she stood firmly.“I can’t,” his words crawled out in a breath.“Tell her,” she repeated, this time more forcefully.“Look, I can’t!” He whispered again. “Not now. Not yet.”“But why not?!” She shouted.“Shhh.. She’ll hear you.”“She won’t hear me,” she dismissed in regular volume and rolled her eyes.Jeremy let that go, paused for a moment, and then continued in his whisper, “Look, I can’t yet… but I’m going to, okay?” He peered toward the cracked door of the den they stood in, listening for creaks above. “I just need a little more…tim...

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“Promises” by Emma Parker

Submitted to Contest #250

I've often thought about what all I would say if I bumped into you one day, Tori. You were a huge part of my life, and now with one broken promise after another, I don't know that I will ever get the closure I need, but do I even want that? As I sit here wondering where you are and what you are doing, I find myself nervous you may walk in. Would you over hear something I say to the empty seat next to me, where you used to sit?This is silly. You can't hear me. I don't know why I'm scared you would hear me, much less see me. You are nowhere to...

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“Guys and Dollz” by Laura Pamenter

Submitted to Contest #250

Guys and Dollz The azure sky is fading into a dusty orange by the time the delivery van pulls up. My eyes have become so comfortable with the static scene of Mr. Monty’s empty driveway, that the glow of the yellow truck blinds me. A momentary light flare blurs my vision, and I must make myself blink three times to reset my artificial retinas. When my sight is clear again, the van has come to a halt. A large man in a black jumpsuit with obnoxiously orange sneakers jumps out, and begins unloading a crate from the back. He wheels it over the dr...

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“Adult Decisions......” by Julie Grenness

Submitted to Contest #250

Introducing Taj, the terrible teen. He was sitting in the very posh waiting room, waiting, waiting. He was sent here by a court order from the Children's Court, his parents were completing all the paper work. Taj was still waiting to meet his new health provider, eminent shrink, specializing in child and adolescent psychiatry. This solution to Taj's stage of development went by the name of Dr. Sponger. He cost a fortune, but Taj was going along for this ride. His phone pinged. He tried to ignore it, but scrolling was his hobby, part of his ...

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“Silent Whisper” by J.T. Monroe

Submitted to Contest #250

In the seething corridors of the old mansion, whispers and shadows seemed to merge into one. Evelyn always felt a peculiar stillness in the air, as if the very walls were holding their breath, listening. Tonight was no different. The moon cast long, eerie shadows through the tall windows, turning the ornate wallpaper into a ghostly canvas.Evelyn stood in the study, her fingers trembling as they brushed over the smooth, polished surface of the mahogany desk. She had to act quickly, but the fear of being overheard paralyzed her. The house had ...

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“The Last Librarian” by Steven Nimocks

Submitted to Contest #250

Part 1The Hidden BasementMaria slipped through the hidden entrance, the camouflaged door sealing behind her. She descended into the sub-basement that had been her sanctuary and purpose for the past decade.Dim lights flickered on, revealing towering shelves holding the last known repository of uncensored knowledge - 75,000 volumes of wisdom, forbidden by the totalitarian regime above.To Maria, it meant more than just a library. It was home, mission, and a closely guarded secret. Alcoves between the shelves served as her sparse living quarters...

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“Snakes and Foxes” by Yargle Yorgle

Submitted to Contest #250

*TW: Contains mentions of death and death itself, could be uncomfortable for some* The gardens of the Senex were in a way both serene, and yet had a terrifyingly electric atmosphere. The assortment of flora, once meant as a distraction from the world of politics, had been depraved into a den for schemers. To further enforce this stereotype a youth was approaching a rather elderly man, though the youths footsteps were calm and collected, his face was anything but. He drew his finger upon the hilt of the dagger strapped to his belt, the symbol...

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“Witchcrossing” by Denis Baldwin

Submitted to Contest #250

WitchcrossingbyDenis BaldwinNOTE: I tried to use light touches given the subject matter and while nothing is gratuitous or even descriptive (I literally only have dialogue as a creative choice), I would like to mention that there is implied or stated violence for a brief sentence or two.“Welcome to Witchcrossing, women's asylum. May I have your name and the name of whom you're visiting?”“My name is Helen Ward. I'm here to see Miriam Abbott.”“I'm sorry. Ms. Ward, was it? I'm afraid Ms. Abbott doesn't receive visitors.”“‘Doesn't receive’ or ‘i...

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Write a story in which someone is afraid of being overheard.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 64 stories

“Business As Usual” by Thomas Wetzel

“Drink Your Milk” by Michael Jefferson

“Hive” by Natalie Portera-Sickler

“New House” by Michael Mackenzie

“The Silence Between Us” by KT George

“Chemical Reaction” by William Riling

“A Risk Not Worth Taking” by Hannah Marie

“The Other Woman” by Jae Po

“Promises” by Emma Parker

“Guys and Dollz” by Laura Pamenter

“Adult Decisions......” by Julie Grenness

“Silent Whisper” by J.T. Monroe

“The Last Librarian” by Steven Nimocks

“Snakes and Foxes” by Yargle Yorgle

“Witchcrossing” by Denis Baldwin

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about a child overhearing something they don’t understand.

Write a story in which someone can only hear one side of a conversation and must piece together the meaning of what they’ve heard.

A character overhears something at a black-tie event that puts the night in jeopardy.

Your teacher tasks you with writing a story based on an eavesdropped conversation. When the story is published, your subject isn’t happy.

Contest #250

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

225

Contest entries

105

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: