Write a story in which a character discovers that a truth they've believed their whole life is either false or not the whole story.

Posted in Dramatic on Feb 7, 2025

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✍️ 73 stories

“Hindsight” by Frances Hogg

Submitted to Contest #289

“I’m so glad that you’re finally visiting here, Honey. I know you have always had issues with Natasha.”“My reason for staying away has nothing to do with your wife, Dad.”“I understand. You must have so many terrible memories—”“No, Dad. That’s the point. That’s why I’m here. Because I don’t have any memories of this place.”He looked surprised. “You don’t remember living here?”“Of course not,” she said. “Remember? I was sent to a foster home, and you never came to get me!”“Barbi, I’m sorry. It was for your own good. Things were so complicated ...

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“Hip Hop Entity” by Summer Austin

Submitted to Contest #289

"Rock on!" I yelled out, at the paraders. They just continued to toot their tubas and bang their drums down the street, unphased by me. The crowd was cheering wildly. This St. Patrick's day was quite vibrant, green leprechaun hats and streamers to go around, people even little kids having fun and waving their streamers.Someone said ," Look!" and pointed. I looked and their was a parade float, with SpongeBob. "Oh, god," I muttered. I went down the street looking for a hot dog stand. "Hey, Summer," they called. I looked and my old friend Wayne...

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“MozonCorp 3” by W B

Submitted to Contest #289

I always knew I was destined for great things. My parents were both born on Level 2 but ascended to Level 5. Whilst it was still menial labour, their skillset was better suited to the more complex products. However, with elevation came complacency. Upon moving into their new, more spacious sleeper pods; with meat privileges and an increased wine allowance, their productivity flagged.When I rose to level 90, my first act was to remove any alcohol from Levels 1-10. But I’m getting ahead of myself. At school, I exceled. I worked out that m...

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“Keeper of the God Stone” by Jennifer Abrahamsen

Submitted to Contest #289

Keeper of the God StoneThe sun beat down on Meara’s mottled skin and she wished, not for the first time, that she looked like the other tribe members. The deep reddish-hued skin tone, unique to the Yahkanah people, must have evolved from a need to protect itself from the sun’s rays. Meara’s skin only had some of that protection. She was unsure if her skin was deep brown with bright patches, or pink with dark brown patches. Either way, it was only half-decent at protecting itself from being burned by the sun. Right now, the lighter skin patch...

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“Living A Lie” by Jessica Macias

Submitted to Contest #289

“What?” I whip around and look at my older brother. “I…yeah. You heard me,” Hunter says, looking a bit nervous. “No, no, no, no, no. You cannot just say that.” I scoff slightly and look at him with a hint of anger and surprise. “I can and I did, Julia.” He crosses his arms, looking back at me. “You’re telling me I’ve been living a lie? I thought our parents died in a car crash and now you’re telling me that they are still alive?” I say as I step closer to him, still not believing him. He stays silent, his sparkly blue eyes wandering everywhe...

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“Randy's Chance” by Robert Johnson

Submitted to Contest #289

With all the trademarks of a complete and total creative void, Randy decided that he would have to simply start typing if he was going to get anything done by morning. This was day three of his three-day plan to have a completed (and hopefully decent) short story to present to his group that was to convene at the Ipswitch quad in less than twelve hours. He had nothing to show at this point, and if he resigned to his weariness with a quick nap, he was sure he would have nothing to offer tomorrow, solidifying his existence as a man of no ...

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“What's Your Magic Number?” by Lisa Mc Beach

Submitted to Contest #289

Mandy opened the freezer and took out a box of toaster waffles. There was only one left. She shoved it, still frozen, into her coat pocket. As she closed the freezer door, she caught a glimpse of the only three photographs she had of her parents: one on her third birthday with her mother, one with her dad when she lost her first tooth, and one with her siblings and her dad fishing. She always wondered who had taken that photo. She grabbed the huge stack of papers off the kitchen table and crammed them into her messenger bag. Accepting a job ...

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“A Case of Aisiodoxiopia” by E. K. Rebeles

Submitted to Contest #289

Alayna woke up before the rooster’s crow, as usual. The small shack she called home was always a little chilly in the morning, but it didn't bother her. She glanced out the window to see the bright field of flowers, with the vivid sun rising behind the trees. She slowly stood, stretched, and meandered towards the kitchen, smiling at the happy photos on the wall and the beautiful bright blue paint and gorgeous matching wallpaper. She smiled at grammy’s old dog Luna, a small terrier, who always liked to sleep curled up in the corner. Grammy l...

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“In Her Father's House” by Asa P

Submitted to Contest #289

“This is your home.” The young woman tried to follow her father’s words. Her mind which never stopped whirling was in overdrive.“This is your home. Your home has been with me since you were five years old. No matter where life’s journey has taken you, you always eventually come back here to me. Hell, do you even remember anything from before I brought you home?” He was saying.Though she usually avoided looking directly at the person who was speaking to her, the young woman looked up as she placed her phone face down on her folded leg. T...

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“CORONA” by Luca Anderson-Muller

Submitted to Contest #289

CORONAAt lunch, while most teachers were trying to eat, the youth outside had gathered together to chant:—MOONEY! MOONEY! MOONEY!The staff room’s communal microwave was loudly alerting that it had finished its heating of a sandwich, but all the teachers could hear were children shouting:—MOONEY! MOONEY! MOONEY!Mr. Greenwood, the school’s careerist social climber, kissed his teeth and flipped over the front of his newspaper, loudly exclaiming:—What is going on out there?With this remark he intended to impress upon the rest of the staff—but pa...

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“Court of Public Opinion” by Pete Gautchier

Submitted to Contest #289

Prompt: Write a story in which a character discovers that a truth they’ve believed their whole life is either false or not the whole story. Court of Public Opinion The phones were buzzing, lighting up the predawn night. Fingers moved deftly across their glowing tablets sending messages across the electronic skies. A great commotion interrupted the airwaves of daily life. An immense crowd gathered at the national courthouse. The morning mist covered the ground as the assembly continued to gather in the early sun. ...

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“It Never Made A Difference” by Helana Kimble

Submitted to Contest #289

Elisha sat on the porch eating vanilla ice cream with her little sisters. She liked to take her time and savor the taste of the smooth, silky cream sliding down her throat. But her favorite part was when the ice cream settled in the bottom of the cone. When she bit into it, that vanilla goodness shot all through her mouth, and the cone remained crunchy to the end. That was one of the many treats they had in the summertime. It was a nice, warm, sunny day, and they were sure to enjoy it. The girls lived in a nice house with their grandpa...

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“Beneath The Surface” by Cynethea Cunningham

Submitted to Contest #289

Kelsey’s heart swelled with pride whenever her father, Dennis, offered his sage advice. He upheld strong values, was a caring parent, and was well-respected in the community. As a child, Kelsey believed her dad was the kindest and strongest person ever. Dennis always supported Kelsey, offering advice that helped her overcome many difficulties. He was her go-to for guidance, always ready to help her find her way in life.Growing up in the charming town of Cedarville, Kelsey enjoyed a happy childhood. Her family was well-regarded, and their hom...

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“sometimes you don't see the things that change you” by Gary Gallant

Submitted to Contest #289

Sometimes you don’t see the things that change you Sarah Jameson listened to the staccato beats of the rain on the attic's roof. She did not like the way her 30th year started out. Two weeks ago, she had a party, followed the next week by a funeral. In between, her parents had been killed in a car wreck two days after her birthday. Sarah wrapped her plaid sweater more tightly around her shoulders. A dank, musty smell assailed her nose as she moved boxes around to clear a space. Then, she sat down on the attic floor in front of a large green ...

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“The 1981 Oldsmobile” by Steve Krysak

Submitted to Contest #289

“It just drove by again,” said Donovan Hunton, his voice laced with paranoia. He moved his head away from the tiny slit in the Venetian blinds and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger. “That’s the fourth time in an hour. Can’t you see? I'm not making this up!”His wife, Alicia, stood at the bedroom door, her eyes brimming with tears, a dam about to burst. She took a deep breath as if to suppress her emotions, but her voice came out shrill and cracked. “I just don’t see it, honey. You’re really scaring me. Look at yourself.”Donovan ...

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Write a story in which a character discovers that a truth they've believed their whole life is either false or not the whole story.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 73 stories

“Hindsight” by Frances Hogg

“Hip Hop Entity” by Summer Austin

“MozonCorp 3” by W B

“Keeper of the God Stone” by Jennifer Abrahamsen

“Living A Lie” by Jessica Macias

“Randy's Chance” by Robert Johnson

“What's Your Magic Number?” by Lisa Mc Beach

“A Case of Aisiodoxiopia” by E. K. Rebeles

“In Her Father's House” by Asa P

“CORONA” by Luca Anderson-Muller

“Court of Public Opinion” by Pete Gautchier

“It Never Made A Difference” by Helana Kimble

“Beneath The Surface” by Cynethea Cunningham

“sometimes you don't see the things that change you” by Gary Gallant

“The 1981 Oldsmobile” by Steve Krysak

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with the lines: “The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here.”

Write your story as text messages or an online conversation between two characters — and at least one of them isn’t who they say they are.

Write an open-ended story in which your character’s fate is uncertain.

Your character is getting changed in the bathroom of a nightclub or restaurant, then emerges looking completely different. Why?

Contest #289

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

364

Contest entries

155

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: