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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Write a short story in which a specialist is called upon to carry out a job.

Posted in General on Feb 21, 2020

Submissions are closed!

Sorry, we are no longer accepting submissions. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

✍️ 42 stories

“The Nameless Man” by Taryn Morlock

Very few people knew of his existence. Of those few, all but one were dead. Which is why it was such a surprise when he heard the heartbeat-quick rap on his door. Slowly, ever so slowly, the grizzled man shifted from his seated position. His joints cracked as he stood, turtle-slow, and yet the way with which he moved seemed to reflect the man he had once been, a man who could, whisper-silent, slip through the shadows. Yes, his younger self did show- reflected in a warped fun...

8 likes 1 comment 1
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“The Girl” by Alana Carpenter`

She was born prettier than anything. Serena's mother brushed her hair every day to soft silky hair. Serena's hair was much like her mother's only golden to the touch. She also had a kind and loving personality such as a dolphin, and much like her mother when she was younger. Serena also had her own beliefs, when she grows up, she would be the most perfect, kind, and caring Queen in all of the lands.Serena loved to play in the Royal Garden, she would climb up on the hedges, swing upon the vines, and even play with other Royal childr...

5 likes 2 comments 2
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“Basham's Theory” by Jay Seate

Basham’s TheoryBy Troy Seate Some men look toward retirement like a capsized sailor might look at a spit of land on the horizon, but Edgar Basham hadn’t been one of them. He missed the intrigue of the pursuit. He had cultivated a slight paunch, but retained the eyes of a cunning investigator above his salt-more-than-pepper mustache. He maintained his theory that, although God remained an unsubstantiated hypothesis, good and evil most definitely ...

4 likes 0 comments 0
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“A babysitting job involving a boy and a ghost” by Chenchen Du

“Hey, John. Want to talk about the ghost you saw?”Dammit. That was a wrong conversation starter. As the words slipped out of her mouth, Ting immediately felt the urge to bite her own tongue off. You probably do not know this, but it’s portrayed as a common way of committing suicide in Chinese drama. Yep, that’s another random fact that is inappropriate to sprinkle in the conversation ...

3 likes 5 comments 5
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“When the Plumber Goes to Hell” by Arthur Tiberio

Of all the disparate legends of the world, there remains one commonality. Perhaps it is not immediately evident, and perhaps there are those who never truly recognize the significance of the fact, but there are some truths that outlive the contempt of men.It begins, as it must begin, with a whisper.Not the breathy notes of a woman in love, nor the conspiratorial tones of millions of intrigues occurring in millions of colorful bars, though each is a story of its own. It is not a child's precious secret, and it sneers...

3 likes 0 comments 0
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“Should death be the end of it - your opinion matters!” by Julian Race

There are two things in life we can be sure of, the first starts right from the moment we slide down the tunnel of love only to be slapped around by the midwife the moment we pop into this world, and the second is that at some point we are all going to shuffle off our mortal coil and die. One could also put it in a nut shell and state that we all have our own sell by date and I suppose in addition, some of us may also have a “use by” date which in both cases are more likely to be unknown to ourselves but in the case of the latter, is usua...

3 likes 2 comments 2
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“Dying Fire” by Sam Lohr

He stands alone in the wing, back slumped against the door. One hand grips his trumpet, the other, a piece of paper. Behind him an orchestra begins to tune as men and women shuffle to their seats, ready to forget the outside world and all of its trouble for a night. Yet here he stands, eyes swollen and watering, wanting nothing more than a grieving moment. A broken soul dressed to the nines.Somewhere, many miles from here, his brother is dead. Struck through the heart with an errant musket ball.Burying the letter in his cumm...

3 likes 0 comments 0
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“Unfavorable demons ” by Kari P.h

“Kore, you have a mission.” The leader of my block says; he brandishes a pistol out from his belt-pocket and hands this to me.It’s not like I have a choice either way: why ask?“Yes, commander.” “Good. Now, remember your mission: find the peasant that had betrayed this company and bring him to me alive.”How I wish that I had listened to those words. Alive.           As I shifted my feet back-a...

3 likes 0 comments 0
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“The Specialist” by Steve Cripwell

It’s not my normal job but it has become a specialism of sorts. Don’t get me wrong, my full-time job can be pretty exciting. It gets the adrenaline rushing through my body every day. This task, however, is mind-blowing for someone like me. A dream come true. My day to day job, you ask. My business card reads Consultant which can mean something specific, of course, but it really gives me carte-blanche to do anything I want. So that’s what I do, hire myself out to the highest bidder and I have an unusual skill set. Skills that a...

3 likes 0 comments 0
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“The Specialist” by Cindy Bennett

Sitting in the corner booth at Big AL’s Takeaway, Patrice couldn’t help but notice how empty the usually bustling place was. As far as a burger joint went in the quaint little town of Napier, situated in the north island of New Zealand, This one was the most popular. Especially for the teens, young adults demographic. Patrice had to book her booth in advance if she wanted to be seated in her favourite spot! “Everybody wants to rule the world”, Tears for fears was droning away, quietly on the duke box situated at the back of the...

2 likes 0 comments 0
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“The Adventures of Malachi Norton: The Mystery of the Missing Memory” by Lee Kull

My dear friend Malachi Norton and I received letters and callers at our London apartments seeking our detective services on a nearly daily basis, but even so, my friend refused to interest himself in any of the cases, claming they lacked novelty. Average, run-of-the-mill crime had always bored him; he craved a challenge worthy of his outstanding mental capabilities. The nearly catatonic appearance of my friend, sitting motionless in his armchair, remained unchanged for the major portion of the day. He was seated thus in perfect silence, ...

2 likes 2 comments 2
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“illusion of a friend” by Rory Freed

I got a phone call from the police station this morning. It was the usual thing they say when they call me. "Come to the station it's an emergency." I was hoping for a day off but oh well. I get to the station and walk straight to Chief Sander's office not even waiting to check in at reception. "Ah detective it's nice to see you." I huff at his formalities. He does this everytime. "Honestly Kian no need to be so formal around me. I've known you since we were 7." Kian rolls his eyes and points at the chair in front of his desk "Well Alina ...

2 likes 0 comments 0
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“Reasonable Doubt” by Katherine Varga

       I always took being a professional typographer for granted until the day my town’s most infamous alleged psychopath asked me for reassurance that she wasn’t crazy.          * * * * *                          I got the summons during my usual morning jog&nbsp...

2 likes 0 comments 0
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“The Perfect Man” by Shirley Hartnett

Ok, so I was twenty-five and my parents were getting nervous I would be a lonely old spinster like Old Aunt Gerta. I insisted that twenty-five was still young and I had dating under control. After all, I had subscribed to Love me online dating app. I had filled out my dating profile and swiped through ten matches per day. Each match I selected meant meeting for a drink or coffee and spending an hour listening to the boring routine first date diatribe.My mother didn’t buy into the earnestness behind my dating r...

2 likes 0 comments 0
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“Special agent truck driver” by Shelby Schwartz

It’s been years since I’ve done a job like this. I quit for a reason and they know the reason too. Instead they call me twenty-two years on the dot to ask me to do a job. Apparently, no one else is good enough. What happened to the others I worked with? I guess I’ll find out. That is if I go. Instead I pace around my living room in my apartment, overthinking this decision. To haul specialized freight across the country. Not to mention heavy. So, I’d be going as fast as maybe 45 miles per hour. Surrounded by men with guns. I’ll have a gun ...

1 like 0 comments 0
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Contest #27

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This week's theme: Agatha Christie

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Ended on 23:59 - Feb 07, 2020 EST

Won by Natalie Frank 🏆

Title: Seaglass

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