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

Posted in Dramatic on Jan 3, 2025

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✍️ 90 stories

“A Leaching Memory” by Elizabeth Belhumeur

Submitted to Contest #284

(Warning: Story contains some references to war and death.) I should’ve known better than to forget more than half of what you said to me, but I will never forget the way you made me feel. I remember studying your face as you sat quietly in your tufted swivel chair made of worn cream-colored corduroy as you rocked gently back and forth in the silence of you; my neighbor’s home. Your hands rested behind your head, and your weathered hazel eyes closed behind your thick, out-of-fashion glasses. With every exhale, you’d allow a breath to collect...

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“Plant Lady” by Michal Wright-Ward

Submitted to Contest #284

She knocks on my door early Friday morning. She’s in her early twenties, cute and petite. “Hi! she says. “I’m Tabitha. I just moved here a couple of weeks ago”.“Hi Tabitha”, I answer. “I’m Mike. Welcome to the building. How do you like it?” “Oh, it’s nice”, she shrugs and tucks a lock of blue-black hair behind her ear. “Listen, I have a bit of a situation, and I was hoping you could help”. “Sure,” I say. “If I can. What’s up?” “I have a to get out of town tonight and need someone to watch my plants.” “It’s only for ton...

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“Finding Peace” by Kathleen Papali

Submitted to Contest #284

Trigger Warning: This story explores themes of physical abuse. There is NO actual abuse in the story itself.Abbie sat on the bus and watched the scenery go by, letting her mind wander. Since moving here, the air had been damp and cold, and there always seemed to be a lingering fog just outside of one’s vision. Where she came from, the air was dry; creating a biting cold in the winter, and a searing heat in the summer. She marveled at the greenery of the vegetation. Here, the leaves were always a deep, dark green, and they produced an earthy ...

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“Mirror” by Markus Byrd

Submitted to Contest #284

The rule book felt like a little bit of overkill. I had housesat for practically every single person in the neighborhood. I assumed I was past someone having to hold my hand through it. The process was simple. Keep things clean, mind my business, take care of the pets, and no guests without permission. So simple a kindergartener could’ve done it, but I wasn’t a kindergartener. I was a twenty-two year old woman holding a leather bound book that just read ‘Rules’ across the front. I didn’t know much about the Hinchcliffe’s. At the time, they w...

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“Dirty Lens” by Diane Sintich

Submitted to Contest #284

“GET UP.” My eyes slammed open to the hulking silhouette of my father looming over me, my big brother’s hand in his vice grip. I held my breath as he recklessly dragged us from my room, tripping down the stairs, skidding on the foyer. With sleep in my eyes I searched for my mother, craning my neck, desperately seeking her out as the pale morning light threatened to escape through the kitchen blinds. He whipped us around to the second set of stairs, the tops of my feet burning against the berber carpeting as they scraped the steps, our bodies...

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“You lucky ewe” by Harry Green

Submitted to Contest #284

It was a bright and sunny afternoon, and Harry was about to go up to the stables to feed the horse when Lucky arrived to join the family. Harry was surprised to see someone coming to the front door, they did not get many unexpected visitors, postman Steve being the usual person to come through the gate, the occasional pair of Jehovah’s witnesses, and the annual visit of the man selling the red-cross poppies. This person was carrying something, and they seemed to be quite distressed about it. “Can I help you?” asked Harry as he stepped toward...

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“Great Expectations No More” by Susan Williams

Submitted to Contest #284

“You know this isn’t a great time for something like this, Penny,” my husband began to lecture me as I knelt for the third time over the toilet that morning. I took a breath and steadied myself against the wall. The room continued to spin as I tried to tuck my vomit splattered hair behind my ear. I coughed and felt another wave of nausea hit me. Slow my breathing, I reminded myself, in through t...

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“A girl like you” by Michael Heavener

Submitted to Contest #284

I should have known better with a girl like youThat I would love everything that you doAnd I do, hey, hey, hey, and I do.By John Lennon, Paul McCartneyFor two weeks, a girl sat on the back of the common lounge sofa whenever I played Hearts or Spades with the other guys in the dorm. At first, I took no notice. Then gradually, her presence penetrated my lame-o brain.The games were a focus after classes and before the assigned readings. They lowered our stress and bonded us in a way I doubt any other activity would. Well… except for my trains.I...

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“Joy to the World” by D. Rohan Rowal

Submitted to Contest #284

"You could do with some cheering up babe. Where's that festive spirit?"Max glowered from behind a giant heap of gifts. Bradley could be fun, yes. If only he knew when to stop. Right now, with frayed nerves and a backpack digging into his delts, Max had no patience for his boyfriend's "festive spirit".The elevator doors opened to a mom and toddler duo. Max forced a smile and a nod as they stepped in. Do they talk at that age? Would it be rude to ask?The Jenga tower of gifts wobbled in Max's arms as Bradley pulled a box out. He unpacked, caref...

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“The Naivete of a Teenage Girl” by Kathryn Lester

Submitted to Contest #284

The tree looks the same as it does every year; the same white, not colored, never colored, lights and the ever-constant traditional sentimental ornaments from generations past and childhood memories. That is, the sentimental ornaments and the bright yellow SpongeBob smack dab in the middle of the tree. My mom let my little brother pick it out one year when he was seven and could not be persuaded to choose a different ornament. At the time, I had thought it to be gaudy and very "off" the theme of Christmas. Now when I look at it, I have this ...

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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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“The Cabin in the Cave” by Dan Morris

Submitted to Contest #284

The sun began to fade behind the gray, overcast plateau that Ethan was hunting on, and darkness began to take over the lonely Mesa De Blanco wilderness once more. It wasn’t long ago when the already threatening sky had turned an angry, boiling, black color, and it had begun to rain down hectic sheets of bitter snowflakes and tiny shards of stinging ice. He squinted furiously around him, looking for any sign of the animal he was currently hunting. He had found some spoor of...

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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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“Fragile Alliance” by Cynethea Cunningham

Submitted to Contest #284

Hidden beneath the surface, secrets lay dormant in the small, tightly-knit town of Brentwood. Trust was a fragile thread that held the community together, and when it frayed, the fallout could be devastating. Stella Jones, the town’s cherished librarian, exemplified trust and kindness. Her days were spent amidst the musty pages of books and the innocent laughter of children, her life defined by simplicity and routine.Stella had always found solace in books. Growing up, the library had been her refuge from a tumultuous home life. Her parents’...

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“A Silence Like Thunder” by L. M. Grimes

Submitted to Contest #284

“I am sorry.” Her voice was soft, gentle even, as it always was. It was a voice that used to bring me comfort. Used to. “Are you?” It was harsh, I knew that, harsher than I even meant it to be. But I was….Angry? Disappointed? Hurt? All of these felt both accurate yet inadequate. I was in pain. A pain she caused. “Of course I’m sorry.” Her tone sounded wounded. As if she couldn’t believe I would ask her such a thing. I raised my eyes to look at her. She looked remorseful. And between the words, the voice, and the sad express...

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 90 stories

“A Leaching Memory” by Elizabeth Belhumeur

“Plant Lady” by Michal Wright-Ward

“Finding Peace” by Kathleen Papali

“Mirror” by Markus Byrd

“Dirty Lens” by Diane Sintich

“You lucky ewe” by Harry Green

“Great Expectations No More” by Susan Williams

“A girl like you” by Michael Heavener

“Joy to the World” by D. Rohan Rowal

“The Naivete of a Teenage Girl” by Kathryn Lester

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

“The Cabin in the Cave” by Dan Morris

“Ghost Writer” by Tim Stevenson

“Fragile Alliance” by Cynethea Cunningham

“A Silence Like Thunder” by L. M. Grimes

🌟 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

347

Contest entries

145

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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