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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Write a story involving a conversation that’s packed with subtext; the characters aren’t quite saying what they mean.

Posted in Dialogue on Oct 26, 2022

Submissions are closed

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✍️ 78 stories

“Seriously seriously seriously” by Alexandria Pierce

Submitted to Contest #55

Im Annabelle take me seriously I saw the sun explode in 9 days. Take me seriously Im standing on the rainbow bridge take me serious what's wrong with you are you asleep I'm saying lots of context In sign language have frost giants here can you not talk uses phone as flash light sees he left his post and his sword is still here Ill bring odin here of course he won't believe me but I got to try we need to evacuate midguard these goggles should allow me two see odin by now I figured out he was a hologram I was and they worked and I teleprt...

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“A Jewel for All Hallows' Eve” by Karen Johnson

Submitted to Contest #55

A Jewel for All Hallows’ Eve The air was ripe with smells of autumn as Ruby walked with her new friend Wilhelmina, Mina for short, to their next class, Mythical Literature. Smoke from a fireplace in one of the houses near campus wafted in the air and mingled with the crisp fragrance of the cedar tree they passed and the cinnamon aroma from the cup of spiced tea she carried. Not knowing a soul on campus, Ruby’s launch into college had been a bit bumpy, but things were better now that she had met Mina. She didn’t need many friends as long as ...

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“Favorite Food” by Muriel Glass

Submitted to Contest #55

The spaghetti laid sprawled across the white tile floor, its tendrils and red sauce glistening like entrails against a concrete slab. The plate, its skeleton, was scattered in all directions, and the entire kitchen was flecked in red from the violent tumble the dish had taken from the countertop. “What happened?” “I- I don’t know, I just moved my elbow really quickly and I guess I knocked it off the counter and I-” “Is that what’s for dinner?” Brenda looked up from the splayed corpse of the meal. Her eyes met Edward’s shiny leather lace-...

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“The Wedding” by Bettina Karpathian

Submitted to Contest #55

The room’s subtle palette of white decor glowed in the soft light of the discreetly hidden lamps, making a wonderful backdrop for Diane’s clinging burgundy dress Her diamond wedding ring glittered as she swept her glossy blonde-streaked hair back, smiling sweetly.    “Please make yourself comfortable. Will you take care of the drinks, Gerald, darling? I’ll have a gin and tonic.”Moira plumped herself down into an overstuffed armchair and patted her grey bob back into place.      “Gerry, you kn...

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“Love In Transition” by Sabrina Regan

Submitted to Contest #55

  A cloudless day with a bright blue sky, and not an ounce of shade to escape the devastating heat. He looked left as she looked right, their eyes watching the rippling waves emanating from on the dirt road as they searched for their cab. Neither thought to look straight ahead. “My Vera's,” she said suddenly, her mouth agape with horror as she stared down at her carpet bag. “I forgot my Vera's!” “You and those sandals of yours,” he muttered under his breath. She stared at him with nervous wide blue eyes. “You say something?” “I sai...

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“Coach! Coach!” by Melissa Alexander

Submitted to Contest #55

Friday night lights is a part of every community and embedded in small communities is their love for high school football. Each year the butterflies start for the local athletes as they wonder if they will make the cut and what if they don't?There is always a day for uniforms,pictures, scrimmages, lifting, conditioning and all building up to the first game of the season. The question that burns in every athlete’s mind is if they are going to start and will their performance be enough to gain them a starting position for the next game.Ian was...

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“She's Leaving” by Eileen Phillips

Submitted to Contest #55

She’s Leaving They were only having coffee together but it was still a shock when Charlie found them. They were looking at each other across the table wistfully, Gemma’s red hair glinted in the May sun, even his wife’s non-descript brown was almost blond.   It wasn’t his wife who noticed him first. Gemma must have said something because Susan spun round, her face creased with anxiety.     “Charlie, how lovely to see you.” She made to stand and collapsed back, gesturing feebly at her companion.&n...

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“Can You Keep A Secret?” by Elen Robshaw

Submitted to Contest #55

Can you keep a secret?  Most people would answer yes to that without any hesitation. A knee-jerk response to the sliver of curiosity that sparks when the question is asked. Having information that you shouldn’t is electrifying, the thrill rushes through your veins and excites ever nerve ending possible. It is almost equal to a private dinner with a mighty monarch that you can never speak of to anyone. But the word yes is easily said, easily broken and very easily regretted. All is well, the dreadful se...

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“Break it” by Marie May

Submitted to Contest #55

Everyone was enjoying the humid filled room that protected them from the pelting rain during the Winter School day. The fluffy warmth complemented the heartfelt feelings that everyone felt amongst their own personal friend groups. Each cluster within the four corners, spreading around their own giggles, food aromas, and signature phrases. One group, the one closest to the heaters, the one created by the elders of the school. The graduates. One group was louder than the others, having more fun than the others, and enjoyed the fluffy warmth...

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“Gold & Scarlet ” by James McInroy

Submitted to Contest #55

The two men are in the small house. One of them is slumped against the wall. He can’t move much. The one that stands has a black beard that has been stained with blood and puss. He holds a bloody axe in his right hand. His chest is heaving. It is the slumped man’s blood and puss that is in his beard. The sun is setting. The orange glow is bitter as it yawns through the old house. It is cut to shreds by windowpanes and door frames. “Hey,” says the one on the floor, “I got some cigarettes I’ve been saving for this shit. Still got your light...

2 comments 2
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“A CONVERSATION WITH SUBTEXTS OF CHARACTERS THAT ARE NOT SAYING WHAT THEY MEAN” by K V CHIDAMBARAM

Submitted to Contest #55

A CONVERSATION WITH SUBTEXTS OF CHARACTERS THAT ARE NOT SAYING WHAT THEY MEAN Hiralal and Hari, students of Postgraduation moved to the quiet part of the canteen after an exhaustive lecture in a Linguistics class. It was a very interesting class on Semantics. The professor had discussed at great length Semiotics, Syntax and Semantics. He cited numerous examples which gave an insight into the terms like ambiguity, allegory, connotation, denotation and so on. Some of the examples were very humorous and some of the others were serious, but so...

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“A Movie With Shannon” by Maureen Rostad

Submitted to Contest #55

“I’m starving,” John said. He put his suit jacket on the back of the wing chair. A damp breeze fluttered through the door. “What’s for dinner?” “I didn’t make anything,” Linda replied. She paused her Netflix show and put down a bag of chips. One of the actors was frozen in a grimace. She glanced at her watch. 8:13. “Since I didn’t know what time you’d be home.” “I see.” He rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt. She hated it when he rolled his sleeves like that. Linda noticed one of th...

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“ Aglio e Olio” by Aditya Jain

Submitted to Contest #55

Anthony had forgotten to take off his block shoes when he entered the apartment, and now he hadn’t observed the track of brown sludge he had brought in with the raging storm outside. He dropped his wet, soaking leather briefcase on the brown sofa and something about the way he did it meant that he wasn’t used to doing it. His office attire still stuck to him like an external skin; except he had taken off the jacket and hung it on the double door refrigerator and had immediately got to preparing to cook. The apartment was on the lower east ...

2 comments 2
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“Honesty in Secret” by Glennj Russell

Submitted to Contest #55

One Saturday, Daddy took me to the bar-be-que joint with him. “Dirk Wilson’s Bar-B-Que” it said on the big chimney for the bar-be-que pit. The “Dirk” part wasn’t really Daddy’s name. His real name was Thomas. The whole name of the place came from puttin’ Daddy’s last name with the first name of the partner he had when he had his first bar-be-que joint. Daddy said it had gone bankrupt when his partner ran off and left town with a waitress and took all the money with him. I don’t remember what Daddy said Dirk’s last name was. But I sure ...

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“Mom's Readings” by Shaia San

Submitted to Contest #55

Here I am at my monthly tarot card reading done by my overzealous mother. She told me that it is my duty and responsibility as her daughter to support her as she has done the same for me over the years and naturally I have no argument for that. It’s actually not as strange nor as terrible as one would expect and she has improved drastically since our first meeting. She also loves to speak in parables like she is an actual sage. But let me not discredit her too much since she did get better.      “ Do you have any te...

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