Write a story that begins with an apology.

Posted in Dramatic on Dec 20, 2024

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✍️ 81 stories

“Young Man's Blues” by Ralph Emery Barhydt

Submitted to Contest #282

“Ow!” “Oh my gosh, I’m sorry. Please excuse me, I was in such a hurry and kind of out of it. Please accept my sincere apologies.” The most beautiful woman Brad had ever seen was holding his arms and smiling straight into his face God, what a beauty, I am going to buckle up and talk to her. “God bodkins, no worries. Let my catch my breath, you are so beautiful.” Brad was dazzled. “Well, thank you, Brad. It is Brad isn't it? Such a strong, good name. Gracious.” Brad was suddenly sputtering and found it hard to put together a recognizable ...

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“I love you, I’m sorry” by Luciana Francis

Submitted to Contest #282

“I love you, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for not saying what I should have said three months ago. I’m sorry if I made you feel like I’m a burden. I’m sorry if I took up all of your time. I’m sorry if I made you feel like you couldn’t escape me. I’m sorry I was afraid of telling you what I should have said before, when I never used to be afraid of telling you anything. There’s so many things I wish I would have done three months ago, because maybe I could have prevented this from happening. My heart aches at the thought of all the memories I have wi...

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“The Man you Once Knew” by Billy Edaem

Submitted to Contest #282

“I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry, El. I’ll get help. I’ll do whatever you want me to do, just please don’t leave. Not like this.” I begged my wife to stay. I knew deep down I didn’t deserve the second chance she gave me and that pleading with her for a third was a selfish bid. Elaine and I were married just five years, but together since junior high. She’s the only woman I ever dated, the only woman I had ever been with. She was the only woman I knew how to love. On my...

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“Mother Invasion ” by James Little

Submitted to Contest #282

“I’m sorry!” Aurelia cried, bowing her head repeatedly, her golden hair falling into her flushed face. Alex crossed his arms, his sharp blue eyes wide with disbelief. “You what?” “I didn’t mean to!” she protested, clutching at the hem of her oversized shirt—one of his. “Mother tricked me into inviting her and your mother aboard!” He pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering under his breath. “Our mothers. Here. On my ship.” She shuffled awkwardly, her fluffy socks scuffing the floor. “I didn’t think they’d actually show up!” Alex threw up hi...

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“Don't Cry” by Barbara Minshall

Submitted to Contest #282

It is a cold, mid-January evening, Elizabeth Brooks shudders, feeling a foreboding hesitation in the air, the snow crunches beneath her feet as she steps through the shadow of the front porch of their modest cottage by the lake. She's tired. It was a busy workday at the textile company and she hopes her husband, Tom, has brought something home for dinner. She sees him through the stained-glass window in the door, his tall, dark, refracted image moving quickly, carrying boxes? She turns the door knob, enters and looks at the suitcases on the ...

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“Wendy” by Johanna Parry

Submitted to Contest #282

I'm sorry, Wendy. It's only taken me 60 years to say this. You. With the green eyes and crooked smile. I kept wanting to believe you love me. Yet, yet, yet...the signs were always there.I think it really only hit me when I saw a movie called "The Bad Seed," where a dangerous little girl found ways to cause the death of people she didn't want in her life.We shared a bedroom. The green of your eyes did nothing to hide the jealousy you harbored for me. Our parents were struggling to discover a reason for your late emotional development. The poo...

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“Psychology of a Guilty Man” by Trevor Bondy

Submitted to Contest #282

Dear Cassandra, I watched life leave your eyes. The stark expression when you laid motionless on our carpet, which now stained blood red, a red darker than that of a rose. Thoughts of you haunt me and I don't go a day without thinking about what I did to you. It was only natural that nobody found out. Your hair, once silk-smooth, was now hardened and gritty and tainted with blood. I sunk to my knees, gliding my hands across you, trying to make sense of what I had just done. I started from the top and made my way down, covering your body wi...

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“From Afar” by Natalie Dokter

Submitted to Contest #282

Amelia Krasinski “I’m so sorry I did that. I so thought you had said goodbye, lol. It was kind of loud in there, wasn’t it? I didn’t mean to be so rude lol. It was great running into you guys. You should have come over and had pizza with us. It would have been fun catching up more. ” SENT The story I’m about to tell you is one I recall with great agony-crusted shame. A moment I’m not proud of, but I hope to find at least one soul who can relate so I don’t feel quite so bad about myself. Misery loves company and all that. I have social anxie...

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“Regret” by Debbie Curtin

Submitted to Contest #282

Regret. This day was one to smash up, shove in a box then burn it in a raging fire. I struggled through the darkest hours ever imagined until looking back brought a full life that I once had, until now. The word regret had now found a way to play over and over in my head. Outside, the wind called to add another chill moment to my life. As the night raged on, I stared soulfully at the full moon. Throughout the dark hours, sleep was not in the cards, but soon a new day was here to face in full force. I struggled to get out from under the cover...

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“MEA CULPA” by Frances Goulart

Submitted to Contest #282

MEA CULPA It’s me, Eve. Don’t hang up. I mean don’t stop reading. And don’t look to see how long this message is. If we were on better terms right now, I would make this short. But we aren’t on good terms are we? So I am going to make this long, Eve, and I want you to hear me out. I know you won’t pick up the phone because you are punishing me so I am texting you and yes, texting is going to sound less personal, but what is my alternative? Carrier pigeon, letter by drone, Western Union telegram? Sorry, if t...

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“Innkeeper” by Faith Noel

Submitted to Contest #282

“I’m sorry, cousin! There is no room!” I looked at the mother-to-be, her hands clutching a hidden stomach. Layers of linen did all they could to conceal what lay beneath. A thicker layer of material was loosely wrapped around her sable hair. It crossed over one of her eyes, partially hiding the disappointment I had caused. Her lip trembled and she averted her face, sharing a knowing glance with her husband, whom I had yet to know personally. My involvement with them had been distant; this was my first knowledge of a child. He looked at ...

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“A mother’s love” by Henry Ramos Acosta

Submitted to Contest #282

My son. I love you and I always will and I am sorry. Mother. I did it; and I wish I had not; and I am sorry for having done it. We chose to enter. Weren’t we warned? You knew the consequences. You understood that if you stepped foot through the opening, you should leave your hope behind. Yes, it’s below freezing. It does not matter what kind of warmth you begin with, we were never meant to leave. If we turn around, we lose everybody. “I refuse to let you go back. Pick up your backpack and march soldier!” Ross wouldn’t even make eye cont...

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“What Was Never Said” by Elizabeta Zargi

Submitted to Contest #282

I owe you an apology. Not the kind of apology you might expect, but one rooted in all the things I stayed silent about, the battles I didn’t fight, and the times I let you believe this was normal. Not because I was wrong, but because I let it go on for so long. I should have stopped it sooner—for myself, for the children, for all of us. You deserved better. I deserved better. But the truth is, I didn’t know how to stop it. It wasn’t until I felt completely cornered, stripped of any alternative, that I realized leaving was no longer just an o...

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“The path to recovery” by Mekell Welcome

Submitted to Contest #282

It was the day of my mother's funeral, and I looked around, hoping to find my old neighbor. I was really scared because I honestly didn't know how our conversation would go. Finding her across the room I went and knelt by her chair. "Flo, please forgive me for breaking in your house 5 years ago. I never meant to hurt you in that way, and I am so sorry for what I did to you." Her eyes filled with tears; my fears disappeared. "I have waited for you to get yourself together and I am so glad you have. Your apology is all I really wanted to hear....

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“Lucky Mart” by Maisie Sutton

Submitted to Contest #282

“I’m sorry boss, better luck next time,” Victor said to the man across the counter. And he meant it—this dude looked like he could use some luck. The other man’s name was Rick, although Victor wouldn’t find that out until many months later. On this day, Rick slowly shook his head and slid his losing $10 Scratcher ticket across the counter, muttering “Just toss it.” He walked away with the shuffle of an old man, but his face was that of someone closer to forty. Victor knew he would see the man again next week when he once again tried hi...

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Write a story that begins with an apology.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 81 stories

“Young Man's Blues” by Ralph Emery Barhydt

“I love you, I’m sorry” by Luciana Francis

“The Man you Once Knew” by Billy Edaem

“Mother Invasion ” by James Little

“Don't Cry” by Barbara Minshall

“Wendy” by Johanna Parry

“Psychology of a Guilty Man” by Trevor Bondy

“From Afar” by Natalie Dokter

“Regret” by Debbie Curtin

“MEA CULPA” by Frances Goulart

“Innkeeper” by Faith Noel

“A mother’s love” by Henry Ramos Acosta

“What Was Never Said” by Elizabeta Zargi

“The path to recovery” by Mekell Welcome

“Lucky Mart” by Maisie Sutton

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story where a character relives the same event over and over again.

Write a story where someone who has done something wrong seeks a fresh start.

Write a story set in a world of darkness where light is suddenly discovered.

Write a story that starts and ends in the same place.

Contest #282

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

267

Contest entries

124

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: