Write about a backstabbing (literal or metaphorical) gone wrong.

Posted in Horror on Mar 8, 2024

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✍️ 43 stories

“Kissing Frogs” by Tanya Humphreys

Submitted to Contest #241

Warning: Olde Timey fairy tale Once upon a time in a land full of magic and mischief… A skinny peasant boy pitched up the grassy bank of a sunlit pond, a large green bullfrog’s legs dangled from his hands like overcooked asparagus spears. “Here m’lady! Here’s the finest one yet.” Princess Rose rolled her pretty brown eyes. Seth said that every time he caught another one. The frog squirmed, it was slimy, and she nearly dropped it as she took it from the lad. “Ugh.” Seth looked up expectantly. Rose raised the frog to eye level. It blinked its...

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“Not The Girl From Kansas Anymore ” by Lo Lace

Submitted to Contest #241

My mind drifted in that in between dream space. The past and my present coiling about; spring loaded, imitating a trigger. Nightmare and reality. Which was better? More reliable? More certain?I woke up with a start as my cat pounced on my bed. The summer night breeze blowing my sheer blue curtains about. “Apollo!” I said annoyed; he meowed rather apologetically. His orange gold, reflective gaze, round and loving, gave me a slow wink. I sighed, easily forgiving and petting him. He was just adorable and not many animals got along well with me....

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“The Knife” by L.B. Goldman

Submitted to Contest #241

Avery approaches with a kitchen knife in her right hand, wielded like a sword. Kate’s back is turned to her; she is browsing through the contents of the refrigerator. In one hand is a jar of strawberry jelly, in the other is a jar of strawberry jelly. Why two? Kate briefly wonders before plunging the knife into Kate’s back. Avery doesn’t drop the knife after she’s done this. For some reason it doesn’t occur to her that she should. Instead she remains very still, staring at the incision (which is much deeper than she imagined it would be...

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“Blood on the Sandstone” by Aeryn Goodspeed

Submitted to Contest #241

“Hey, Trish? Who’s this? He looks like Aunkie.”Purrtrice looked up from her book, over the frames of her glasses, at the calico kit that had just spoken. She had found an old platebell and figured out how to unlock it while Trish wasn’t paying attention. Her fingerpads had scored lines through the dust as she looked through the pictures saved on it, and the hologram screen was displaying a photo Trish had forgotten existed.She kept her face straight as she looked at the kit, inwardly noting the page number she was on and closing the book.“Da...

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“The King's Justice” by Drew Harrison

Submitted to Contest #241

T’was on a night blacker than a cellar-dweller's boils that Aravel Lightsong, Chief Sub-Warden of the Veil Piercers, found herself amidst the reeking marshes. Her companion, one Satchel-Knight Ross, was a grumbler of the highest order, but even he couldn’t help but be impressed at how efficiently the two had worked: robed bodies surrounded the pair in a loose ring, save for the one who still stood. "I say, Ross, this cultist seems to have developed a case of the dreaded blade-in-the-back affliction," declared Aravel, twisting her knife to en...

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“Nighttime Fireflies ” by Chantyl Balshaw

Submitted to Contest #241

She was all of six or seven, eight at most, with a world of worry sitting on her shoulders. The days were full of light from the bright yellow sun, sweet summertime adding joy to each day. The nights would consist of pitch-black skies with fireflies swarming all around, guiding the way. But this was not the case for sweet young Janice. Her days did not have a big yellow sun that would shine bright onto her face, nor did they have pitch black nights lit up with the golden of the fire...

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“One New Message” by John Lyden

Submitted to Contest #241

Martin Brill was a petty man. He hounded the employees at his car dealership over the most trivial of mistakes. “He has no heart,” they would say. “He’s just a bastard.” “If I ran into him in a dark alley…” But Martin Br...

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“Walking With Larceny ” by Eddie Collins

Submitted to Contest #241

The second hand raced around the clock, as one crisp page turned after the other. Able intertwined his fingers as his thumbs chased after the other, his eyes frolicked around the room, and his leg bounced on the opposite side of the desk. Caine glanced up from the papers. “S-sorry.” Able said. Caine reclined in the roller chair and let out a deep caffeinated sigh before plopping the papers on his desk. “Well, sir?” Able asked. Caine removed his glasses and rested his hand on his temple. “You...

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“Shallow Cuts, Deep Wounds” by Anna Sauerbrei

Submitted to Contest #241

The stars are beautiful tonight, swirling in their millennia-old patterns. Orion, Cassiopeia, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor. There are hundreds more, but those are the only ones Jake knows the name of and how to find them. Laying down on the ground, he can see the whole night sky. Outside of the city where the lights don’t wash out the brilliance of the stars. He can smell the grass nearby, freshly coated with dew, but he doesn’t feel it. No, he is laying on hard ground. Cement, with what seems like little rocks digging into his back. Bu...

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“The Sting of the Scorpion” by Zavier M. Ames

Submitted to Contest #241

After days of overcoming violent desert winds of epic proportions, Tarek finds himself in a remote fortress on his way to deliver a parchment that he's guarded as the eyes in his skull. The flag of the caliphate waves with strong winds towards the East. He must deliver the parchment to his allies within the fortress if he has any chance of clearing his name. The secret Order of Assassins are surely looking for him as they speak, but he must enter the lion's den if there's ever a chance to succeed in his revolt. He camouflages himself wit...

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“Bright Side” by Mary Asgari

Submitted to Contest #241

I never knew red was my favorite color until then. The way the moonlight shone on my shaking hands contrasted the maroon drops of blood in such a beautifully striking way. My mother always did teach me to look on the bright side of things, I guess. A small stream of blood was flowing down the short tip of the protruding knife, creating a now pool of blood on my hands and feet. Although the pain was searing, all I could think was how hard it was going to be to clean up this damn rug. I thudded to my knees and succumbed to the all too familiar...

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“One More chance for Lost Love” by Valentine Tarango Jr.

Submitted to Contest #241

"Eric? She's talking to you." "What would you like to drink, sir?" Eric snapped back to reality. He looked at his wife, Kathyrn, and then at the waitress waiting for him to tell her what he'd like to drink. "Um, I apologize; uh, water, no ice, with two lemon wedges, please." "Water, no ice, with two lemons, got it, and a Merlot for you, ma'am." "Thank you," Kathryn said. Once the waitress walked away, Kathryn looked at Eric, puzzled and studying. "Eric, what is going on?" Eric broke eye ...

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“Why?” by Stephen Partain

Submitted to Contest #241

“What have I done, what have I done?” I whisper to myself over and over again. Becky is lying there, in a pool of blood. Dead? Maybe. I rush over to see if she’s still breathing, and she is. Oh, thank you, Jesus! I think her heart is barely beating, so I take out the knife from her back, flip her over, and start doing chest compressions. Five minutes ago, me and Becky were chatting and we were best friends. Or at least, she thought we were best friends. I’m going crazy and I have been for the past five years, I tell myself and as soon as I d...

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“Goodnight, Mommy” by Emily Towles

Submitted to Contest #241

The cold sweat on her palm threatened her grip on the knife. Still, she crept forward. The boy sat unawares, crouched on his knees, his hands and face pressed against the terrarium glass. The snake inside slithered toward the fresh mouse. He’d always been fascinated by snakes. It was his father who’d finally relented and bought him one as a pet. The boy never forgot to feed it, or check its water. She would often find him with hands splayed against the glass, hoping to catch the rare uncoiling. Fresh food was always the most effective method...

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“Chop” by Finn Janik

Submitted to Contest #241

I see you… I see you. Why are you so oblivious? Useless is what you were and useless is what you are. I do not even have every sense, yet I can find you easily. I can kill you easily. I only have four senses; why is it so easy to find you? Come out from the hollow log full of maggots, centipedes… cockroaches. Come out from behind that tree. Your jacket gives you away. Heh. I do appreciate good sport, but this is pathetic. Crying is not going to help your cause. Sigh. Could you attempt to survive a little better? Please. Show me why humans ar...

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Write about a backstabbing (literal or metaphorical) gone wrong.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 43 stories

“Kissing Frogs” by Tanya Humphreys

“Not The Girl From Kansas Anymore ” by Lo Lace

“The Knife” by L.B. Goldman

“Blood on the Sandstone” by Aeryn Goodspeed

“The King's Justice” by Drew Harrison

“Nighttime Fireflies ” by Chantyl Balshaw

“One New Message” by John Lyden

“Walking With Larceny ” by Eddie Collins

“Shallow Cuts, Deep Wounds” by Anna Sauerbrei

“The Sting of the Scorpion” by Zavier M. Ames

“Bright Side” by Mary Asgari

“One More chance for Lost Love” by Valentine Tarango Jr.

“Why?” by Stephen Partain

“Goodnight, Mommy” by Emily Towles

“Chop” by Finn Janik

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone who is convinced they’re going to be betrayed.

Write about someone who is stuck between two opposing sides and can’t decide which one to choose.

Set your story at a tense event where everyone is unsure whose side they’re on.

Start your story with an unexpected betrayal.

Contest #241

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

255

Contest entries

116

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: