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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Write a story where a character must continue to tell their tale to a listener to avoid unsavory consequences.

Posted in Dramatic on Mar 10, 2023

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✍️ 37 stories

“Simply Sympathy” by Michał Przywara

Who’s the stupid bitch now, Ma? Christine wonders. Her heart flutters as her prospect and neighbour, Mrs. Martinez, holds the jar of Crystal Dreams in her palms, rotating it with her calloused fingers, squinting at the label. At 25 mL it fits in one hand, like an old fashioned ink jar.I’m helping people.“How many can I put you down for?” Christine puts on her biggest smile and takes out an order form and pen. She hopes it’s a big number. At just over $50 a unit, she imagines a big payday – fin...

27 comments 27
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“Once Upon All Times” by Laurel Hanson

The grandmother had finally rounded up the children and marshaled them through their bedtime routine like a military operation: brushing teeth, scrubbing hands and faces, changing into pjs, locating stuffed animals that had gotten lost in the excitement of the day. But going to sleep itself, that was another matter for three small children in beds that were not their own. A summer with their grandparents was going to tak...

26 comments 26
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“The Tale of The Two-Headed Whale” by Chris Campbell

“I am Cap’n Cutlass of the ship Golden Plunderer, an’ I’m in the mood for mischief.” The ale house fell suddenly silent at the large, bearded pirate blocking the only exit from the building. “I have conquered the seven seas, outfought the English Navy, and outrun the fastest of Spanish galleons. Who here can challenge my prowess of the sea?” Drinking, eating, cavorting suddenly ground to a nervous halt. Cutlass was notoriously unpredictable. Rumoured to have once cut a man’s ear off for not listening to what he had ...

19 comments 19
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“SHOWDOWN INTERRUPTED” by Susan Catucci

Messenger angels and demons throughout Heaven and Hell had begun spreading the word about an upcoming event that would determine, once and for all, the fate of the world. The polarization of life forms had proven to be a disastrous experiment. God and Satan had watched from their respective vantages and come to the same conclusion. The mortal realm simply could not figure things out on their own and it was time for drastic measures before Planet Earth was reduced to a fading memory, a blip on the radar of ...

18 comments 18
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“Whispers in the Halls” by Micah Zarin

I never thought I'd be sitting here, spilling my secrets to someone I hardly know, but life has a funny way of turning your world upside down. You see, I've found myself in a rather precarious situation. If I don't keep my story going, "they" won't be happy, and trust me, you don't want to see them unhappy. It all began on a stormy night, the kind that makes you want to curl up with a good book and a c...

2 comments 2
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“How Many Milligrams? ” by Maria Lewytzkyj-Milligan

How Many Milligrams?by Maria Lewytzkyj-Milligan1937Popeye would never admit he was wrong. And he absolutely hated that some journalists had appealed to data rather than authority and found out that in fact, the idea that spinach was so nutritious, and the only reason he was even empowered in his cartoon strip, was a misprint. What? he asked.He held the newspaper inches from his face before he threw it to the ground in front of his boss Elzie Segar’s offic...

2 comments 2
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“The Storyteller and the Keeper of Words” by Beth Peterson

As long as I kept my eyes closed, I could pretend everything was okay. I could ignore the rocking of the wooden cart beneath me. The straw poking through my pajamas. The cold nipping at my fingers and toes. The pounding headache that came from having too much to drink the night before.It was the sound of goats bleating in my ear that finally convinced me to open my eyes.There were six of them tied to the cart. Each took turns snatching mouthfuls of straw from my makeshift bed. They stared me down as the...

2 comments 2
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“Raymond's Regret” by Raeghan Holland

CW: gore (abuse, murder, infant death); mental health Maybe more people like me are out there, but who knows for sure. I spend my days lurking local garage and estate sales, looking for old journals and anything that looks like it's lived a life. Whenever I leave my cold, quiet home, I feel this surge of energy to go find something worth learning more about. Whether it's an old book, a name and date writt...

2 comments 2
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“The Anniversary Cake” by Stacey Cooper

The hostess of an anniversary party for her grandparents leaves the following message at a bakery, “You’re not going to believe this. I am a customer and picked up a cake earlier today for an anniversary party. My dog took a bite out of it and I am calling to see if anything can be done to help fix it. If you get this message, please call me.”It is after hours and the bakery has closed for the evening. The hostess makes a call to another bakery that is open until 9 pm. “Hi, I am not ...

1 comment 1
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“The Report Card” by Murray Burns

The Report CardIt is useful for parents to occasionally consider the word “raise”, as in you “raise” your children. We “raise” our children. We don’t get to keep them. We “raise” them, and then someday they leave.The realization that the live-in portion of the parent/child relationship, albeit lengthy, is not permanent, might inject a bit more tolerance, patience, leniency, even mercy, into the role of parent. Think of all those times your kid did something th...

4 comments 4
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“The Rise and Fall of Sir Pee-nut Seedfleenger” by Kevin V

"This is the story of the rise and fall of Sir Pee-nut Seedfleenger and how he came to live with me. It all began the day that Pee-nut hatched. He was very young just like you were when you hatched." "I wasn't hatched, Uncle Steven! I was borned from mommy's tummy," Anna said. Steven smiled. He loved the way she tilted her head and held her index finger high when making her point. He reach...

7 comments 7
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“Quillons and Honour” by David Foster

Henri Castelmagne, the young Comte de Bastignone and one of the officers of the city watch, strode into the small tavern, doffed his plumed hat to shake the cold February dampness off and swept his cloak away from his sword hilt. He’d just come off from the four ‘til midnight shift and wanted his usual glass of wine prior to going back to the guard’s quarters for the night.  He’d discovered the modest tavern and i...

2 comments 2
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“Chatting....” by Julie Grenness

While Tammy was sipping her coffee, she read her latest copy of a parenting magazine. The editors made it sound so easy. They had to keep telling their story with such good advice, so mothers like Tammy could avoid any dreadful, unsavory consequences. Tammy did not want to be a rotten mother. She was waiting for her fifteen year old daughter, Talissa, to emerge from her bedroom. Talissa spent most of her day hid...

1 comment 1
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“The Penpal” by Mandy Cole

The Penpal An actress has been kidnapped by a long-time friend; can she write her way out of trouble? Dear Kyle,            In yesterday’s letter, I wrote a little bit about one of the classes I took in my freshman year at Northwestern. You seeme...

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“Stay with Me” by Mazie Maris

**This story refers to the loss of a spouse, and includes light profanity and a very brief assumed reference of abuse.** Remember that time in Malaga? You and me, and Jonah? We arrived with twenty bucks in hand and no plan at all. I’ll never forget that night. Remember that bar we landed at? I think I was five energy drinks and vodkas in, and Jonah had had at least that much. Remember how much we laughed?...

4 comments 4
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Contest #189

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