Write a story that includes the line, "Is nobody going to say it?".

Posted in Dialogue on Jul 12, 2024

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✍️ 83 stories

“The Boy with the Lighthouse Smile” by Adekemi Adeniyan

Submitted to Contest #259

With his heart racing like a drum, Olumide stood at the door of his new school. After twelve years in a peaceful village, he found himself in the noisy metropolis of Lagos. He felt insignificant and alone amidst the deafening roar of automobile horns, the chitchat of numerous students, and the towering concrete structures. With his lips closed, he felt the prominence of his front teeth as he stroked his tongue over them. His teeth had earned him the nickname "Bamidele" (meaning "the one who came with me") in his village. He couldn't help but...

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“El Centro” by Kim Olson

Submitted to Contest #259

The restaurant El Centro was now in a new neighborhood. It was no longer, as its name implied, centrally located. The events of the past horrific year had forced it to relocate to a new building on the far southwest side of town. It was now in a cramped storefront that had previously housed a Hungry Head sandwich shop. Business, at first, had been slow, but was now slowly picking up. Every Tuesday morning around ten o’clock, a large group of elderly women took over two large tables, pushed together. There were usually about ten people i...

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“Everything Unfiltered” by Joe Smallwood

Submitted to Contest #259

He wanted to force me off the road because I was driving at the speed limit. But the worst part was that I could feel and hear his rage, even his thoughts.“Damn tourist! Where did he learn how to drive?He sped by me, giving me the finger.Then, I heard everyone's thoughts when I got on the elevator at work. “That tie is so out of date…stop crowding me, idiot…I sure hope it's his cologne I smell and not his deodorant…See you! Baggy pants!The boss was full of questions, but it was what he was thinking that I couldn’t get out of my head.&nb...

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“Elephant” by VJ Hamilton

Submitted to Contest #259

Excitement was in the air. The Little Theatre was mounting its biggest production ever. The crew was erecting the stage for the show called Heaven on Earth. A two-week run, for starters. Sketches in hand, I walked onto the stage amid the whine of a buzzsaw and the scent of freshly sawed pine.Stuart, the set designer, and Bob, head carpenter, were deep in discussion and didn’t notice me at first. As I approached, Stuart moved away from Bob. When I stopped, Stuart flashed an irritated glance at me. “Looking for Wardrobe?” I paid no mind to his...

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“Open Your Eyes” by Jenn Tenney

Submitted to Contest #259

That light is so bright. Is it even possible for my eyes to adjust to it? I blink a couple of times. At least, I think I do. Now I can make out the fluorescent tubing housed in the ceiling tile. Who invented a light bulb that can burn more intensely than the sun? Good lord. I hope they got their money's worth.I see three figures standing on the other side of the room. A stranger is talking to my mom and dad. "...Caused her brain to swell significantly. Only time will tell if she will wake up...."I open my eyes again when I feel a tug on my r...

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“The Monsters We Become” by Jeremy Stevens

Submitted to Contest #259

This amazing story of heartbreaking genius contains profanity. Desire is our new administrative assistant. She pronounces her name De-zur-ay. While contemporary names have run amok with the apostrophe, I do think one belongs at the end of her name. I don’t tell her this, though. Since moving to the South, I’ve evolved in my open condemnation of idiocy and the human condition. My face says it all. And, my tone, over-emphasizing the third syllable. “Good morning, De-zur-AY.” She thinks I am flirting with her, but really, I am not, and I won’t ...

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“Ronald Redux” by Shevach Lambert

Submitted to Contest #259

RONALD REDUX Not everyone was surprised when Ronald Copely came back from the dead. Most people were, of course; not that they would ever admit it. This was Portland after all, a city in which the surreal had a substantial investment, the returns on which could manifest in any number of venues, from the quietly quirky, such as folks over the age of 60, to the merely macabre, such as subsidized housing, to the...

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“Synthetic Anatomic Beauty Kimiko Processing ” by Jarrel Jefferson

Submitted to Contest #259

tw: sexual suggestions It took thirteen weeks to build Kimiko. During that time, I skipped out of family dinners. Every night my dad would ask if I wanted him to bring a plate of chicken and peas or lasagna to my room, and every night I had to remind him that food crumbs could mess up her sensors. This gave me the idea to program her to listen for commands instead of act independently, so she wouldn’t display a curiosity for Dad’s cooking. “喜美子、あなたは私を愛していますか？” I asked her for the first time.“はい、ルカ。愛してます。” she answered exactly the way I...

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“The Wrong Man” by Valerie B

Submitted to Contest #259

King Tobe walked the halls of the castle. It was the darkest hour of the night and he was chasing sleep through the hallways of the castle as if it were a lover using hide and seek as foreplay. He had had neither sleep nor foreplay in so long he’d forgotten what both felt like. The loss of his wife, Queen Aylese, a year ago had left him wretched and haunted – a ghost of a man that even the goddess of rest avoided. As he wandered the halls, he took a mental roll call of the night guards. He had seen many of these men as infants on the breast...

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“The Job Interview” by Bill Cusano

Submitted to Contest #259

Late. I hate being late. That man should squeeze in more, or the subway doors won’t close. Why does this have to happen to me? Come on.The conductor shouts, “Make room.”I think that’s what he said. Suddenly, the car jolts and starts to move. I may make it in time. Be the first to arrive. Let them see how eager you are.Great advice. Not this time. Why didn’t I leave earlier? I paced back and forth in the apartment, practicing my stupid elevator speech for hours. “Sorry I’m late.&nbsp...

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“Ida Rose” by Kim Davis

Submitted to Contest #259

Kentucky winters are fickle. A snowstorm can be followed by a sixty-degree day filled with sunshine. On January 24, 1979 a snowstorm was heading toward the Ohio Valley. It was a Wednesday and chatter filled the school bus as Ida Rose and her friends anticipated the foot of snow that was predicted. Homework took a back seat as they planned their winter escapades fully planning that school would be cancelled the rest of the week. The snowflakes began falling as the bus exited the interstate and merge...

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“A Guest” by Timothy N

Submitted to Contest #259

Oliver Stone clutched the base of a robust green weed, pulling with all his might, his determination palpable.“Weeds shouldn’t be this formidable!” he growled, his voice bouncing with each pull. The weed finally gave in, snapping the roots with a satisfying crack. He threw the weed into a mound of others. His brother, Arthur, entered the outside.“Thank you for helping me with this. I don’t know how long I’d be here if I did it alone.”“Anything for my big bro. Just, do you know where the leather gloves are?” Arthur asked.“Under the sink ...

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“The Graduation” by Bettina Karpathian

Submitted to Contest #259

Ethel sighed. The check-in line was moving at a glacial pace and she was getting more and more nervous. She had only agreed to fly because her niece Meghan had implored her to come to her graduation.“Auntie Ethel, please. You know it will be the first time Mom and Dad are in the same room since the divorce and the bimbo is coming too. Dad insisted on bringing her. I need an adult in the room.”Ethel hated to see her poor niece caught in the middle of all the drama. A shrill ringing interrupted her reverie. She glared around, muttering under h...

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“Not A Match” by Tessa Terrill

Submitted to Contest #259

I'd been alone for so long that I felt like the characters on the TV shows I watched were my friends. But it's dangerous to start blending fantasy and reality, and I didn't want to become one of those people who spent all their time watching TV, so I downloaded a dating app. Then another one. Then another one. Swipe. Swipe. Swipe. Match. Soon, I was buried in profile pictures, one-liners, and so many first dates that the baristas at my local coffee shop tried to pretend they didn't already know my name when they wrote it on the cup. They did...

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“Remembering Mary” by Madeline Honig

Submitted to Contest #259

The air was crisp and clean as Ally stepped out of the driver's side of the silver Honda Accord she had been driving for over four hours. She pulled the wool black peacoat around her a little tighter and glanced around where she had parked. The road she stood on was rocky, the concrete probably poured many decades ago when they extended this cemetery. For as far as Ally could see, there was grass with the occasional stone protruding from the grass, but she knew with logic that there were plenty of tombstones laying flat. Fa...

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Write a story that includes the line, "Is nobody going to say it?".

Submissions are closed

✍️ 83 stories

“The Boy with the Lighthouse Smile” by Adekemi Adeniyan

“El Centro” by Kim Olson

“Everything Unfiltered” by Joe Smallwood

“Elephant” by VJ Hamilton

“Open Your Eyes” by Jenn Tenney

“The Monsters We Become” by Jeremy Stevens

“Ronald Redux” by Shevach Lambert

“Synthetic Anatomic Beauty Kimiko Processing ” by Jarrel Jefferson

“The Wrong Man” by Valerie B

“The Job Interview” by Bill Cusano

“Ida Rose” by Kim Davis

“A Guest” by Timothy N

“The Graduation” by Bettina Karpathian

“Not A Match” by Tessa Terrill

“Remembering Mary” by Madeline Honig

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about two people who aren't admitting their true feelings for one another, despite it being obvious to outsiders.

Place your characters in a tough situation, where nobody wants to acknowledge the reality of what's happening.

In a small town, a powerful family have a dark secret that nobody wants to discuss. One day, an outsider arrives, who's not happy to simply drop it.

Set your story in a world where conversation about one particular topic is banned — but there are ways to get around the rule.

Contest #259

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

297

Contest entries

143

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: