Start your story with a character telling their best friend that their spouse is having an affair, only for their friend to “shoot the messenger”.

Posted in Dramatic on Sep 23, 2022

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✍️ 29 stories

“What Friends Are For” by Michał Przywara

Submitted to Contest #165

I’m almost glad Jim’s running late, because I’m about to break his world, and damn it, he’s my bro. He’s my guy. We go way back. But if there’s bad news he’s gotta hear it, and it’s my duty to tell him. That’s what friends are for. I’m not really good at this touchy-feely stuff, so I hope this cake place is all right. They got a decent coffee here, and a bitching key lime pie. Man, that shit is bananas. If pies were women then this one would be– Oh, there he is! “Hey Jim!” Yeah, he sees me. Ooh, is that a new jersey? Looks pretty dope. Looks...

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“Till the Stars Grow Cold” by Kyle Bennett

Submitted to Contest #165

"Goddammit Riley, you shot my tit off!" The the pain is a searing, living thing that burrows into me like a hungry animal. I have enough clarity to realize that it was a glancing blow, the bullet had not gone into my chest. I don't think it did, but it's bad enough and clarity is fading fast. I make the mistake of looking down at my left side, seeing the torn and mangled flesh and the blood. So much blood. My cartoonishly red hand is making a futile effort to cover it, to staunch the flow, to put it all back the way it was. I feel blood ru...

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“The Only Dog I Know” by Kendall Defoe

Submitted to Contest #165

“Mildred, we need to talk.” This was a real surprise. Usually, we would have our tea and scones at a local café – D’Angelo’s; please try their quiche and sauces if you have a chance – and there would be a lot of talk about our families, children, the problem of housekeeping and housekeepers, and what the weather was like as we stared out across the neighbourhood. That day, the weather was quite beautiful, and we found the perfect spot on that beautifully tiled patio with a table that did not wobble, chairs that still had the padding on – per...

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“All Your Love Is Gone” by AnneMarie Miles

Submitted to Contest #165

TW: Sex, violence, and strong language. We used to make love to The Doors. It wasn’t even my favorite band or my go-to music genre, but something about Jim Morrison’s voice in Riders on the Storm was insanely sexy when I climbed onto my husband’s lap and invited his mouth onto my breasts; We weren’t really the type of couple that had exotic, acrobatic, or porn-esque kind of sex, but having been together for nearly 15 years, the very fact that we could both still excite the other, laughing and moaning and biting, always made...

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“Kissing the Messenger” by Delaney Howard

Submitted to Contest #165

Danny Morton and I became best friends on the first day of kindergarten. We were both 5 years old. Even then, I knew we’d be friends for a long time because when I stumbled up the bus steps, he didn’t laugh like everyone else, including the driver. He simply held out a little hand with long fingers, helped me up, and then made room for me on the green vinyl seat next to him. He was kind, gentle, and sweet. He never lied or tried to hurt me. So, why was Danny doing this to me today when the pile of files on my desk weighed more than I did, an...

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“Only the Truth” by Tyler Porter

Submitted to Contest #165

“Joe…I need you to sit down,” Seth said as he gingerly stood in the kitchen of his best friend’s home. He’d specifically picked this time to show up unannounced. He knew that Tina would not be home. In fact, beyond that he knew exactly where Tina would be at this time on a Tuesday night. The same place she’d been going for the last several months. Not every Tuesday, but most Tuesdays. She would blame it on work. Say there was some sort of emergency and that it was all hands on ...

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“Don't Shoot the Messenger” by Todd Crickmer

Submitted to Contest #165

“Julia, hey, would you like to get a coffee?” Laura asked as she tried to hide the concern in her voice. Julia glanced around her cubicle and after a moment of thought, said, “Sure, let’s go. There’s nothing here that can’t wait.” Grabbing her purse from under her desk, Julia quickly stood. Then spinning to face her colleague and coworker of four years, immediately noticed the look of uneasiness on Laura’s face. As the two friends waited for the elevator, Julia turned to Laura and asked, “Is everything alright?” “Oh yeah,” Lau...

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“Lunch Time” by Carol Styron

Submitted to Contest #165

Lunch TimeEvery Saturday afternoon for the last fifteen years, they have been meeting for lunch once a month. That’s a lot of lunches, but for best friends that met in college and hit it off instantaneously, it was not enou...

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“Oh who is he.....? ” by Smilenotfound404 Smile

Submitted to Contest #165

HeartbreakGeorge’s DayI was walking to Clay’s house when I spotted Gemma, his girlfriend. Before I could alert her to my presence, I noticed she is with a guy, who is not Clay. At first, I did not think much of it, but then they started kissing. I was shocked at that sight and panicked. Then I slowly reached out for my phone to take a picture of them, which I could show to Clay later. “Surely, he will want to know”, I thought to myself.I was no longer walking; I have started to run to Clay’s house. Once there, I barged in as I have the key t...

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“Messy” by Frog Gun

Submitted to Contest #165

As I put on my white dress I anxiously wait for his return. I flock around the house all day cleaning and taking care of my two daughters. All the while thinking about the twist of the doorknob and his slow tried footsteps creeping through the door. I love him very much but he’s been acting quite strange lately, staying at work for late hours and coming home very timid and disconnected. When he walks in the door he doesn’t burst into his talkative self. He slithers through the house mumbling angrily and he makes his way into his office and ...

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“My Wife is Having an Affair” by Malanna Henderson

Submitted to Contest #165

word count: 1959My Wife is Having an AffairBy Malanna Henderson"My wife is having an affair!"When Birney Jones blurted out those shocking words, I froze. I could hear him pouring his heart out to my father while I quietly crept back to the kitchen to prepare dinner.Mr. Jones was one of my father’s patients and a good friend. Dad and mom used to double date with Birney and Carlotta. They were all jazz enthusiasts and often met at the Minor Key, a popular jazz night club. I hadn't paid much attention, but they don't see each other socially any...

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“I Shouldn't Have Shot the Messenger” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #165

Two rather conservatively attired young men who look to be in their early thirties are sitting at the bar consuming their second beers on the evening. One of them, Albert, looks rather happy-go-lucky, while the other one, Nigel, has quite a serious look upon his face, not in keeping with his being in a bar. This expression causes Albert to speak with a trademark smile: “Why so glum, chum? You don’...

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“The Lismore Ladies Who Lunch Club” by Marilyn Filewood

Submitted to Contest #165

I inserted a pounding purple heart, followed by a thumbs up emoji, into the test message, then pressed "send". This was the standard way to accept an invitation to coffee from a member of the Lismore Ladies Who Lunch Club. The Queen Bee of our group, Melissa, had just sent me a personal invitation to an urgent coffee meeting in half an hour and I was beyond excited. It would be just the two of us to have a great conversation and, as a bonus, I could get out of the house. Two years ago, together with my husband Callum, I had relocated aw...

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“I'm Sorry to Be the One to Tell You This” by Gary Wells

Submitted to Contest #165

It was another wonderful summer afternoon in Lyons. The skies were clear, the sun was warming everything comfortably, and flowers were in bloom throughout the Jardin botanique de Lyon.However, Jennifer Halston was under a cloud as she marched down Av. Félix Faure.Less than an hour earlier, she had confirmed something that she had suspected for several weeks - her friend Henri Somnier was cheating on his wife, Ines.Jennifer had worried for days what she would tell Henri’s wife, Jennifer’s dear friend, if it could be proven that Henri was havi...

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“You're gonna carry that weight.” by Charles Dean

Submitted to Contest #165

You’re gonna carry that weight. I always loved November rain. Its light, gentle and cold touch.I don’t really know why I am thinking about it now but, it somehow brings me some peace of mind. After all…it was a long day. I was run over, chased by the police, oh, and I was shot by my best friend. But; I won’t lie, I deserved that last one.Details might be a bit fuzzy but I think it all started about a year ago.I was a lawyer, working at my friend’s firm. “Robert & Richards”. It's a decent firm downtown New Orleans. I used to have a n...

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Start your story with a character telling their best friend that their spouse is having an affair, only for their friend to “shoot the messenger”.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 29 stories

“What Friends Are For” by Michał Przywara

“Till the Stars Grow Cold” by Kyle Bennett

“The Only Dog I Know” by Kendall Defoe

“All Your Love Is Gone” by AnneMarie Miles

“Kissing the Messenger” by Delaney Howard

“Only the Truth” by Tyler Porter

“Don't Shoot the Messenger” by Todd Crickmer

“Lunch Time” by Carol Styron

“Oh who is he.....? ” by Smilenotfound404 Smile

“Messy” by Frog Gun

“My Wife is Having an Affair” by Malanna Henderson

“I Shouldn't Have Shot the Messenger” by John Steckley

“The Lismore Ladies Who Lunch Club” by Marilyn Filewood

“I'm Sorry to Be the One to Tell You This” by Gary Wells

“You're gonna carry that weight.” by Charles Dean

🌟 Similar prompts

Begin your story with somebody getting (or taking) the blame for something they didn’t do.

Write a story that includes the phrase “This is all my fault.”

Write a story where a murder occurs — and the suspects are all pointing the finger at one another.

Write a story about a corrupt politician trying to avoid blame at all costs.

Contest #165

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

203

Contest entries

106

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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