Start your story with an ending and work backward toward the beginning.

Posted in Fiction on Oct 25, 2022

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✍️ 201 stories

““When The Limits Are Pushed.”” by Ellie Tucker

Submitted to Contest #89

Trigger Warning: self harm, and suicide. There she lies. In a bathtub, with red water. An empty bottle of pills, and a red, blood stained blade falling out of her hands, onto the bathroom floor. It was over, Her body had reached the limit. Her emotional, state had reached the limit. This is how it ended. In a few hours, her mother would come home from her late shift at work, and wonder why her own child didnt come to greet her at the front door like she usually did. The house was silent. When her mother got home, she waited for Leslie to wal...

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“Doin' the Laundry” by Glennj Russell

Submitted to Contest #89

"Mama Didn't even Remember the spankin'" McKee said in amazement after Mama finished doctorin' him up and went back in her room to lay down. Well, I said," at least ,for once, I didn't get a whippin' for somethin' YOU did!" McKee made a ugly face and went in the livin' room to watch TV while I breathed a big sigh of relief about last night at the Laundromat bein' forgot, just in case Mama had still been mad, and then went and saw to the little babies' diapers. Ever since the night Mama caught Daddy down in Prichard at the Copacabana honky...

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“Rabbit's Totem” by Tanya Humphreys

Submitted to Contest #89

We had been four great friends- four young rabbits who’d known each other since we had first opened our eyes and grown fur. Now there was just us three. We foraged together, played together and talked about girl rabbits. We now wept together as well. Sam is the biggest of us. His thick coat was a rich chocolate brown that matched his soulful eyes, his big flop ears and tail tipped in black as if dipped in an ink pot. The ladies did swoon when he looked their way. I am Seth, my twin’s name was Robbi...

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“The circle of love” by Quirky Being

Submitted to Contest #89

The grass was almost touching their knees but it did not bother them, as Sushil and Garima whirled over the earthy dance floor. Sushil going down on his knees to propose to her was a bonus over the fact that after so many years she had met him in person again, at the same place where they had seen each other for the last time. She was wandering in the open corridors of the building which used to be her school when a voice from her back made her stop on her way. “Hey!” The voice was from the person she had never forgotten. Sushil, the guy she...

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“An Awkward Kind of Death” by Jake DeBolt

Submitted to Contest #89

“Divorce, man. It’s an awkward kind of death.” Beverly nodded slowly, her eyebrows furrowed as she looked me up and down. “I’m not trying to be dramatic or anything,” I said, shooting her the most disarming smile I could muster. “It’s just the truth of it. I mean, if I had died or something... I don’t know, maybe it’s a selfish thought, but I feel like it would be easier on both of us. A clean break, you know?” Beverly pushed her glasses up, leaning back in her chair. “Is this really how you want to open with me?” I shrugged, taking my cues ...

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“A Bang and a Whimper ” by Gracie Farrar

Submitted to Contest #89

John brought the bottle of liquor to his lips and swayed under the blazing mid-morning sun. He kicked a piece of loose concrete down the sidewalk as the liquid scorched his throat. It tumbled off into the grass, and he briefly considered picking it up and lobbing it into the street.His apartment loomed a couple blocks before him, with its crappy A/C and questionable security. That window there looked into his kitchen. John had left his brother, Seth, resting against the stove, arms crossed, eyes drooping with disappointment as he escaped out...

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“Shadows across the Water” by Mike Burgess

Submitted to Contest #89

Darkness arrives quickly here. I expected to spend all my days watching the sun rising up on one side of me and sinking again to the other. I now regret every day I took it for granted, paying little attention to its stately procession at the top of the sky during summer, its furtive low dash in winter, and all phases in between. When our last visitor leaves, an attendant checks nothing’s missing and makes sure we’re behaving ourselves. Then they switch off the lights, including the spot which burns into my eyes all day. I wish t...

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“Little time and little things are needed” by Livelongandprosper 39

Submitted to Contest #89

All characters and plot are based on real people and personal experiences. I watched Alan chuckle coyly at some of Joe’s jokes, Isabella discretely change the radio to her favorite rock channel, and Mark distractedly shove some chips into his mouth while looking to the sky, which I had no doubt was the bluest I had ever seen. The picture made me smile at myself, this was definitely a happy ending, well, maybe I should rather say a happy beginning, because thanks to them my story hasn’t but started. “What are you smiling for?” Sarah...

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“Young love” by Anoush Hovnanian

Submitted to Contest #89

I sat in my car for a moment. Looked at the letter again. Written quickly, on a simple page. Not on a card, not with sweet words. Simply critic instructions. I should have known. I should have guessed a long time ago, but this made it so obvious. There were so many signs… But you are oblivious when you want to be. How did I not see this coming? It had always been coming. His months of avoiding me, his lies that just went on and on. So many lies. All those signs and I still saw none of it coming. My hands started shaking, trembling more and ...

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“Untangled” by DJ HOBBS

Submitted to Contest #89

Whenever James applied himself to a task, he went about it methodically with patience and care. He never undertook a job of work he was ill-suited for, so his practised movements might have fooled a person unfamiliar with his personality into thinking he was a skilful, dexterous sort of man, but he was not. He liked coffee because it was simple, yet Jenny only drank tea, and this was why he’d made a mess of the tray as he scooped her tea bag out of the mug and flipped it into the bin. He’d never made tea before. James removed the milk jug, t...

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“A love story in five parts” by Arch R

Submitted to Contest #89

The Follow Up She felt the heaviness of a boulder right above her legs as she climbed up the last few steps before arriving at his doorstep. He had asked her to come over without explaining why. She had asked to meet at a park. Neutral territory. Four weeks after they had decided their relationship wasn’t worth saving, she wasn’t sure what there was left to say. That’s not true, she had a lot to say. She had written it all down. But she wanted it said on her terms, unlike the last few months where she felt like a floating dust particle in ...

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“Tears shed on the rubies” by Willow Kendr

Submitted to Contest #89

Sitting and blankly staring at the wall was all Lana could do or at least that was all, the nurse had told her she could do. Her shoe traced the outlines of the grey square tiles that the hospital floor was covered with. Her hands were shaking. Her whole body was, in fact, as if she was an autumn leaf being carried out and about by fierce gales. Her blue incandescent eyes pierced through the room, judging every single person and object they could land their gaze on. Her shoulders sunk. Everything in the way she looked contradicted each other...

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“Bitten” by Iona Coppin

Submitted to Contest #89

Chrissy wondered how long he had been standing there, watching her. From the startled expression on his face, she could tell he wasn’t expecting to get caught. How many times had he done this before, uninterrupted? How many times had this little boy silently crept in through the window he had just darted out of and stood next to her bed while she slept? --- Chrissy’s alarm buzzed furiously on the bed side table, it was set to get increasingly louder and more urgent the longer she ignored it. Still it hadn’t woken her. Toni stormed into the ...

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“Past means Pain” by Anonymous 1

Submitted to Contest #89

Henry still felt nauseous from the flight. His red-rimmed eyes throbbed rhythmically with pain, while his left knee felt numb from sitting eight hours on the plane. He walked towards the bathroom, his eyes scanning his own reflection. Shit, he looks like a man who just woke up and ran straight to the airport. He combed his thinning hair with his hands and straighten his tie. He needs to look presentable, he's an actor, a stage performer. He needs to look like one. Henry clutched at his chest. He didn't know why he felt so nervous, it's not l...

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“Emma James PhD ” by Lyn VJ Bennett Wilson

Submitted to Contest #89

I have attended many graduation ceremonies through the years. First as a student, then as a professor, now as a psychologist for Repair Hope. This graduation was a bit special. Rhiannon Tremayne is simply, one of a kind. As her psychologist, I am proud to be part of this moment in her life. Cary Alden, my dear friend, and founder of Repair Hope sat on my right and on my left the indispensable Mrs. McCarthy, the household chatelaine. Cary sat up tall as the president of the Hospitality and Culinary Arts pro...

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Start your story with an ending and work backward toward the beginning.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 201 stories

““When The Limits Are Pushed.”” by Ellie Tucker

“Doin' the Laundry” by Glennj Russell

“Rabbit's Totem” by Tanya Humphreys

“The circle of love” by Quirky Being

“An Awkward Kind of Death” by Jake DeBolt

“A Bang and a Whimper ” by Gracie Farrar

“Shadows across the Water” by Mike Burgess

“Little time and little things are needed” by Livelongandprosper 39

“Young love” by Anoush Hovnanian

“Untangled” by DJ HOBBS

“A love story in five parts” by Arch R

“Tears shed on the rubies” by Willow Kendr

“Bitten” by Iona Coppin

“Past means Pain” by Anonymous 1

“Emma James PhD ” by Lyn VJ Bennett Wilson

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that spans a month during which everything changes.

Start your story with a character taking a leap of faith.

Write a story where one person is trying to say goodbye but keeps getting interrupted.

Write about someone who is always looking toward the future.

Contest #89

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

719

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: