Write a story that includes the line “I should’ve known better.”

Posted in Dramatic on Jan 3, 2025

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✍️ 37 stories

“The first time I saw you.” by Trudy Jas

Submitted to Contest #284

Anticipation.Arriving too early.Distress.Wiping sweaty palms on the back of jeans.Doubt.Looking at self in every reflective surface.Misgivings.Turning to the go home, then changing mind again.AnxietyBreathe! Just frigging breathe! I’ve been pacing up and down the arrival hall for the past twenty minutes and it’ll be another ten minutes before the plane is scheduled to land. Then fifteen maybe twenty minutes before he finds his way here. I whimper and escape to the bathroom one more time.Stop panicking, keep it together!We met online, exchang...

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“Walnut Street” by Story Time

Submitted to Contest #284

There was a way to love a moving man. Kate couldn’t say she’d ever learned what that way was, but she knew there had to be a technique. After living in New York for most of her twenties, she thought the one bright spot about moving back to her small hometown might be the lack of coming and going. People loved New York, but all the upwardly mobile men she met had their sights set on settling in Europe or Dubai. It wasn’t rare for a guy to take her out, buy her a disgusting drink, and then tell her “New York is over.” She wanted to meet someon...

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“Millenium Dad” by James Scott

Submitted to Contest #284

Spam and concrete. I looked around at the sad state of affairs and knew immediately something had gone very wrong. The grey box I was presented with paled in comparison to the Christmas I had left behind. The warm lights, smells of cinnamon and table laden with steaming dishes were now miles away, locked behind the door of my mother’s house. Carols and laughter were left dwindling in the cold winter breeze that had chased my exit.Dad had claimed New Year’s Eve as his own, years ago. He knew Mum would have fought tooth and nail to retain Chri...

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“A Taxidermist’s Guide to the Love and Care of Undead Pets” by Mary Butler

Submitted to Contest #284

The squirrel in the pink tutu was staring at her.Morgan Finch leaned closer, squinting at the squirrel in the pink tutu as if proximity would make it less horrifying. It didn’t. The glass eyes were crossed—one pointing skyward, the other glaring accusingly at her wallet, pleading for release from its eternal tutu-wearing humiliation. “Ten bucks,” the seller said, her gravelly voice sounding as though she’d been gargling ashtrays. Morgan squinted at the taxidermied squirrel’s half-missing tail and garish tutu, its crossed eyes plead...

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“The Girl and the Desert” by Dana F

Submitted to Contest #284

It was the summer before college, when the world seemed to lay out in front of her, just waiting to be walked upon. Any path, in any direction, could be hers. Ava was young and grown up all at the same time and she was ready to have adventures. It was the year 2000 and the world hadn’t ended, as predicted. Anything was possible. She was going to visit her friend Ryan. Ryan was a girl who never missed an opportunity to tell people her name meant “descendant of the king”. She thought she was so cool for having a boy’s name. Ava thought it was ...

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“Functioning Adult Status” by Maisie Sutton

Submitted to Contest #284

September 15, 2024Functioning Adult Status Application Dear Universe, I respectfully submit this claim as evidence that I have reached “Functioning Adult Status.” I kindly request that you review my “Hard Lesson” summary below, along with the required “Life Lesson Impact Statement.” For your convenience, these lessons are listed in chronological order but are not necessarily in the order of gravity or life impact. My therapist has indicated that these rankings may change over time as I become more mature and better able to understand m...

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“I'm Not Crazy” by Savannah Hoover

Submitted to Contest #284

TW: This story contains mentions of mental illness, blood, and... murder? You'll have to talk to him about that one.You still think I’m lying, don’t you? You’re judging me. You think I’m some kind of monster, right? I can see it in your eyes, I can hear it in the way you’re reading these words, like you think I’m crazy. You think I’m just making this up, trying to get out of something I did. I can feel it. You’re judging me, aren’t you? I can hear you saying it in your head: “He did it. He’s guilty. He’s crazy.” Well, guess what? You’re wron...

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“Once? Forever to be more precise...” by Iqra Sarakwas

Submitted to Contest #284

I need to hurry; I have an appointment with Dr. Gupta, a Neurologist. I take my phone and look at my reflection in the mirror. "hm, I've lost plenty of weight", I speak to myself and then descend the stairs, with my son waiting in the car. As I settle into the passenger seat, he starts the engine. I Suddenly realize "Wait, My reports!", glad I remembered at the right time but Charles sighs "Dad.." and head upstairs to get them. As he returns with the reports, I give him a genuine smile, maybe it'll cover me being vague. We drive toward the c...

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“Three Bits of Symmetry” by Colin Wadeson

Submitted to Contest #284

*Adult content*It was 3 AM and snowing outside. The police officer gave Frank his details and left the Cotton residence having not, in Kelly's opinion, been much of a help at all. 'Thank you, officer,' said Frank, and shut the door.'Is that all?' said Kelly.'What did you expect? A forensics team? Dusting for fingerprints?''Well, why not? We pay our taxes, don't we?'The officer had traipsed snow over the laminate oak flooring in the hall. Frank pointed to Kelly's feet. 'Careful you don't slip.''Don't slip? Don't slip, he says! I sli...

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“Preparing for Harpo” by Shawanna Hall

Submitted to Contest #284

As Shawna awoke early one morning she noticed that the sky was still dark. She rolled over and saw that the clock on the nightstand read 5:25am. She had nearly overslept, as her mate's alarm was set to go off in five minutes. She had grown accustomed to getting up at least twenty minutes before her mate's alarm. He was accustomed and insisted that she have breakfast ready for him when he awoke each morning for work. Her heart started to pound thinking about what happened when he didn't wake up to breakfast on the table. Harpo, her true mate ...

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“What could go wrong?” by Scarlett Bailey

Submitted to Contest #284

What could go wrong? The Choice It was dark. The type of darkness that sent men running. A darkness that was impenetrable. A darkness that made Mother Happy....It was 2100 when Mother first introduced her laws, the world was euphoric. No more crimes, no more unnecessary punishment. With poverty gone the world would be free. You could go out into crowded markets and not have to worry about having your money stolen so other poor, disgraceful souls could benefit from your loss. You could leave your doors unlocked overnight and have no chanc...

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“Romeo & Juliet: Living Tragedy?” by Jay DeBurgh

Submitted to Contest #284

Romeo, in the tomb, takes poison, dying as he kisses Juliet. As Friar Lawrence enters the tomb, Juliet awakes to find Romeo lying dead. Frightened by a noise, the Friar flees the tomb. Juliet kills herself with Romeo's dagger. A black hooded figure enters and sees two young useful humans who she can use for her own mischief. Lifting her black gnarled wand the witch raises them both from death to be her puppets with full loving hearts. Their suffering will be my joy.Her black cloak flaps around her as she speaks."Conjur them up, hold them dow...

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“Ghost Writer” by Tim Stevenson

Submitted to Contest #284

I was between three filths and two thirds of the way through what had become for me a very standard length of short story when the block happened. It was a somewhat mawkish love story. Fellow writers will know that once characters are established in a piece of writing they take over and carry the plot down lanes that the author in no way envisaged when pen first went to paper, or finger to keyboard as the case may be.This star struck couple proved supine in this respect. Not only did they make none of the usual attempt to override the tale o...

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“Emma Goes Outside” by Andrew Elliott

Submitted to Contest #284

“Emma Goes Outside”Short Story by Andrew Elliott Emma lay sprawled on her bright blue bed, her fingers absently tracing the soft fabric beneath her, a great imitation of silk, she had been told by her mother long ago. Above her, holographic stars swirled in mesmerizing patterns, casting a dim glow across her futuristic room. The walls vibrated with light, reflecting her mood, their current muted blue in synch with her simmering frustration. Surrounding her, a cocoon of gadgets...

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“Horses” by Oliver James

Submitted to Contest #284

For twenty-three years, I attended the same church every Wednesday evening and Sunday morning. My family would sit together in a pew near the back or towards the middle, the front rows unofficially reserved for the most enthusiastic congregants. My mother was the exception in our family, and the reason we attended so faithfully. She stood, arms lifted above her head, tears flowing, and joined her prayers in the language of the Angels with the chaotic symphony of others. Their voices together produced a roiling boil of indecipherable noise ju...

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Write a story that includes the line “I should’ve known better.”

Submissions are closed

✍️ 37 stories

“The first time I saw you.” by Trudy Jas

“Walnut Street” by Story Time

“Millenium Dad” by James Scott

“A Taxidermist’s Guide to the Love and Care of Undead Pets” by Mary Butler

“The Girl and the Desert” by Dana F

“Functioning Adult Status” by Maisie Sutton

“I'm Not Crazy” by Savannah Hoover

“Once? Forever to be more precise...” by Iqra Sarakwas

“Three Bits of Symmetry” by Colin Wadeson

“Preparing for Harpo” by Shawanna Hall

“What could go wrong?” by Scarlett Bailey

“Romeo & Juliet: Living Tragedy?” by Jay DeBurgh

“Ghost Writer” by Tim Stevenson

“Emma Goes Outside” by Andrew Elliott

“Horses” by Oliver James

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone who receives a gift or message that changes their life forever.

Center your story around a character spending their first holiday alone.

Center your story around an unexpected guest who changes a traditional get-together.

Set your story in a place where everything should be familiar to your character(s), but isn’t.

Contest #284

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

353

Contest entries

148

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: