A character gets caught red-handed breaking the rules, but they refuse to admit any wrongdoing. What happens next?

Posted in Dramatic on Nov 22, 2024

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✍️ 45 stories

“Alienation” by Jed Cope

Submitted to Contest #278

It wasn’t the first time. Memory is a tricksy old thing. Rehearsed until they stick. Edited selectively. We seldom get the director’s cut, and yet we’re the director. So yeah, I feel short changed by memory. But then I’ve been cheated by far more than memory. And memories are all I have. Memories are all we will be one day. It wasn’t the first time, but it was the first time I began to see. Eventually, despite my unwillingness to acknowledge what I saw, let alone accept it, I discerned the patterns that had been there all along. C...

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“A Letter of Apology” by Jonathan Frank

Submitted to Contest #278

A Letter of Apology Gary Joseph Lundgren407 Golden Meadow RoadPortland, ME 04101 Hi Gary, I did an online People Search and found your name. I hope you remember me. I’m Richard “Richie” Grogan, and we went to Camp Apache twenty-five summers ago. I now attend an Alcohol Recovery Group, and this week our assignment is to write A Letter of Apology to someone we’ve wronged. Soon as I got this assignment, I thought of you, Gary Lundgren, from summer camp, and what I did to you when we were ...

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“Zero Tolerance” by Dave Bede

Submitted to Contest #278

Jay was none too happy on the first day of high school when Robbie brought home the pamphlet about the school’s zero-tolerance policy. “Weren’t any of these teachers ever kids themselves?” he said as he read of the draconian punishments for any violence whatsoever. “I don’t see an exemption for self-defense. Surely they told you that was okay?” Robbie shook his head. “Mrs. Provencher, that’s my English teacher by the way, she said if you get attacked, just let someone tell a teacher. You won’t get in any trouble, and the attacker will get fi...

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“No apologies” by Claudiu Popa

Submitted to Contest #278

I walk into the bathroom to an assault on my sense of smell. I don’t need to see it to know but sure enough, the turd is there, floating in the water. I hate the smell of other people’s shit. It’s all bad, sure, but I know the nuances of mine: somehow sharp, cutting. This has a nauseating dullness to it. “Mabel!” I call to my youngest. “Dear, you forgot to flush the toilet. Can you please come here and do it?” “It wasn’t me.” I hear her high-pitched voice behind me before I even have a chance to turn. Was she following me around again?...

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“The Wicked Redhead (Part 2)” by Keila Aartila

Submitted to Contest #278

***After breakfast and clean-up, I stayed in the house acting as prim and proper as expected. That evening, Dad came back in the house. “That horrible mare has been in her stall for 2 days now! No one can move her! We need to clean that stall! My ranch hands are all afraid of her, and I can’t say as I blame them one bit!” I stood in front of my father and looked at him directly. “I can.” “No, Young Lady, you cannot!” “You know I can. You’ve seen me,” I said calmly. “I know you can go to your room.” He pointed firmly toward the stairs. “That’...

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“The Naughty List” by Bärbel Morsch

Submitted to Contest #278

"Little Timmy forgot to brush his teeth. Twice!" Kris Kringle's voice boomed through his workshop as if he was announcing the apocalypse.Ethel Kringle-Claus lowered her crochet needles. "Little Timmy?""Yes, Little Timmy Morgan, 247 Tinsel Drive, Washington," Kris declared with the gravity of a judge about to sentence someone for stealing cars. "And last Tuesday, he didn't clean his room.""There are husbands who never clean their workshop," Ethel remarked drily.Kris deflated slightly and got up from his desk.After three centuries of marriage,...

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“Standing Her Ground” by A Vittoria

Submitted to Contest #278

**This is part of a much bigger story** June 2019 Cue the pre-exam breakdown. My heart felt like it was about to explode. There was so much writing on this one exam, and I couldn't shake the feeling like I was going to blunder again. I laid out all my notes, my textbook marked and labelled. Praise the Lord for open book exams. I was as prepared as I could be. That wasn't in dispute. Now all I needed was food to fuel me through the next hour and a half.'Apple and hummus, and I'll be good to start,' I muttered to myself as I made my way t...

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“Clay Pigeons.” by Konstantina Cheiladaki

Submitted to Contest #278

It was three days since you last called. No, I should clarify, since you answered. Since you answered your damn phone and stopped breaking protocol.And it’s not like you didn’t know the rules. You needed to check in once every day. Not every twenty-four hours. Every day. Thursday before midnight, and then Friday, just as the day turned, counted as two check ins. Yet you never stretched it like that, always called at noon sharp, another day where you were human and in vicinity of your landline. Mark had been huffing and puffing since day two....

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“When a shark bites” by Travis M W

Submitted to Contest #278

With a little bit of bad luck, unfortunate Mackie kickstarted the worst events of his life thus far. Yes, I know you’ll argue that the end of the world as we knew it would rank much higher, but he wasn’t even two years old when that happened; you can hardly hold the apocalypse against a baby. But I digress. Despite our boy being a professional, despite being so cautious, he hadn’t predicted that a paladin was privy to his plan. Getting caught red handed does throw ...

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“Piece of Chicken?” by Sun Shine

Submitted to Contest #278

The responding officer’s summary of the incident was as follows:LEOs arrived on scene at the Highway 42 truck stop at 0715. Victim reported theft. Victim produced security footage and identified employee Starla Moore, closing shift employee as suspect. Suspect’s address is listed as 1700 S. Harbor Rd. Ms. Moore was located with Chick’a’liscious merchandise in her possession. It’s a long way up from the bottom. Then, the bottom falls out.BiPolar, a slew of personality disorders – if you can name a psychological unbalance in Starla’s...

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“ Folded Hands” by Mason -

Submitted to Contest #278

I looked across the table and tried to make eye contact with him but he was looking down at his cards. I held my gaze hoping that he would look up at some point but he just kept staring down at his lap where he held his hand. “Henry, c’mon man hurry up,” I told him while still holding my gaze. “There’s five of us. If everyone takes as long as you, we're gonna be here ‘til tomorrow.” He took his time to respond. John was about to smack him across the head but he spoke, “We didn’t establish a time limit,” he said with half hi...

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“Ambition” by Daniel Dupuis

Submitted to Contest #278

“Arms up,” the man said. A smile touched my lips, and I did as I was told. I knew that I’d fucked up, there was no denying it. This meeting was a formality, not a death sentence. I lifted my arms lightly above my head, my suit coat hung along my shoulders like torn-back sails. The man patted me down, unholstered my gun and tucked it along the back of his waistband and I looked at him with a questioning glance. The nerve of this one, I thought but remained silent, smelling the wafting cigar smoke pouring out of Father’s office. “You’ll get it...

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“The Day They Met” by Eline & Eduard

Submitted to Contest #278

“You’re telling me…” - Mr. Tabrenacle rubbed his eyes - “..you’re telling me that’s not a bookstore?”Eduard was standing in front of the large display window, shifting his weight around nervously. The words “Eduard’s Books Galore” shimmering in golden lettering on the glass.“Well Steve…” - he ventured, rubbing his short beard - “I mean it’s more of an event than a store you see?”“An event.. right.” - a clipboard was produced, a pen was clicked menacingly, and the man took on an even sterner air. “First of all, my name is Mr. Tabrenacle, Stev...

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“It was an accident” by Brian Carney

Submitted to Contest #278

Devon felt good and powerful walking down the street toward his girlfriend’s house. He was sure he would get lucky; he was having a momentous week. The head of his gang's name was Tony, but everyone called him Eight for some reason. If you listen to the stories, it was based on the number of bodies he had taken in his life. Not bad for only being 24 years old. Eight had given Devon a special job to do. Last night Devon completed the job and knew Eight would be happy with him and may give him a bonus. &nbsp...

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“The Churchgoer” by Olivia Brady

Submitted to Contest #278

The Churchgoer ran up the stairs in a feverish haste. The church with all its ancient stairs and crosses of the Lord Almighty, loomed above him as if it knew what weighed upon his heart. The churchgoer ran through the doors, the echo of his stitacco footsteps filled the empty church. “Father! Father please! I need to confess!” He called out, not having any care for how loud his desperation rang through the long cold halls. The Churchgoer saw candles tenderly glowing by the altar, the only sign of life in the church, he knew someone was here,...

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A character gets caught red-handed breaking the rules, but they refuse to admit any wrongdoing. What happens next?

Submissions are closed

✍️ 45 stories

“Alienation” by Jed Cope

“A Letter of Apology” by Jonathan Frank

“Zero Tolerance” by Dave Bede

“No apologies” by Claudiu Popa

“The Wicked Redhead (Part 2)” by Keila Aartila

“The Naughty List” by Bärbel Morsch

“Standing Her Ground” by A Vittoria

“Clay Pigeons.” by Konstantina Cheiladaki

“When a shark bites” by Travis M W

“Piece of Chicken?” by Sun Shine

“ Folded Hands” by Mason -

“Ambition” by Daniel Dupuis

“The Day They Met” by Eline & Eduard

“It was an accident” by Brian Carney

“The Churchgoer” by Olivia Brady

🌟 Similar prompts

A family argument gets out of hand. Neither side will budge, requiring a mediator with unusual methods.

An apologetic letter or email from an old flame suddenly arrives — many years too late.

A court or disciplinary hearing is taking place — but the person accused does not know what they’re apologizing for.

On their deathbed, a relative/friend/partner admits to a horrible crime. Will the narrator reveal the secret or keep it hidden?

Contest #278

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

262

Contest entries

101

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: