A character overhears something at a black-tie event that puts the night in jeopardy.

Posted in Mystery on May 10, 2024

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✍️ 46 stories

“ Where are you from? (Raqs sharqi - رقص شرقي)” by John Rutherford

Submitted to Contest #250

The goddess Aphrodite, wearing her magic girdle of love, her bedlah, so desirable, so beautiful, she shimmied in front of my eyes. My eyes were mesmerized by her enticing, swaying body, I imagined they were on extended stalks like a bugs bunny cartoon character. Her snake arm movement accentuated the soft dark olive skin as her long luscious dark hair cascading over her bare shoulders and arched back, her jeweled belly quivered enticingly, the sheen of her lean muscle tone shone under the spotlights overhead, and at the side of the stage. He...

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“My Words” by Hannah Lynn

Submitted to Contest #250

Flashing cameras created orbs of lights dancing around the lobby. It was not my first time at the Manhattan Club Gala, but the anticipation washed over me as if it were. My novel’s position as number one on the bestseller list was tenuous and hung on for dear life.Standing at the bar, I listened to the conversations floating through the air. Greetings were exchanged with various levels of sincerity, making it difficult to discern between friend and foe. We were, after all, each other’s competition for the coveted award.As...

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“The Secret in Dragon Bones” by Alexandra Caulway

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #250

The walls of the event hall are glass. Transparent panes lead to a curved ceiling decorated with painted dragons, the modern walls a recent installment after a fire forced us to repair them. Instead of reconstructing the ancient style, the architects went for simplicity, clarity. Something different. It feels at odds, though, with the rich warmth of the ceiling and the deep colors of the jewel-toned dragons. The glass lets the night in, and from my spot at the entrance, I watch the guests arrive in glitter and black and finery, paradin...

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“Echoes On The Bayou” by Laurie Spellman

Submitted to Contest #250

At a very young age, I realized I could pick up sound ranges like having the hearing of a canine, so I got the nickname Echo. My friends would tease me, but I knew I could use it for good someday. Army Ranger school was no joke, but I did it, one of a handful of women earning my commission and an assignment in the Military Police. After several tours of duty and over a hundred missions, I returned home and started the "Echo" LeBlanc Private Detective Agency.The transition from military to civilian life was tough, but starting my agency gave ...

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“What a Shame...” by Miriam Rhodes

Submitted to Contest #250

“It’s a shame isn’t it?” “What is?” “That the groom is a whore.” “What?” “You didn’t know?” The pair lowered their voices then to a more appropriate volume, but I’d already heard more than enough. More than I should’ve. More than I was supposed to. It’s none of my business, I reminded myself, gritting my teeth and trying to actually focus on the program that I’d only been pretending to read before. I tried. I really did. But little words kept slipping through. Words like “all the time” and “at their engage...

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“The Gassing of Hampshire Manor” by Brian Haddad

Submitted to Contest #250

A polite nausea rose up in Emmett's abdomen as he plunged back into the swarm of hungry entrepreneurs, investors, and politicians on the main floor of Hampshire Manor. His palms and armpits were swampy. He grimaced eloquently and nodded subtly at people who may have been making eye contact with him as he slipped through the crowd. Soon, he thought, you will all be dead. He tugged at his shirt collar, wishing he could loosen the tight bowtie that was ruthlessly strangling him.Moments earlier, wandering aimlessly through the halls of the mansi...

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“Pier 33” by Daniel Dundin

Submitted to Contest #250

Hannah hated to admit how good she felt in the dress. The fabric, the cut, the draping, it all exuded richness. And the way people looked at her, with some mix of envy or longing. There was an allure to it.However, someone with a keen eye could see the fit was ever so slightly off. It was the littlest bit loose at the shoulder and just a tad long at the hem. A perfectly tailored couture gown, just not for her. For her roommate, Claire.The pochette was even more enviable to some. It was beaded and glistening with garish hardware meant to be r...

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“THE STAR OF ALEXANDRIA: A GALA OF SECRETS” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #250

The intricate patterns of the marble seemed to dance beneath her feet as she tiptoed through the sea of elegantly attired guests. Her eyes, trained to detect the slightest anomaly, swept over the crowd with a precision honed by years of experience. Every shimmer of silk, every glint of diamond caught her attention. Still, she remained vigilant, searching for subtle hints of trouble amidst the opulence. Tonight, she was not just Sarah Monroe, the detective, but Sarah Monroe, the chameleon. Dressed in a gown that mirrored the sophistication o...

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“The Invincible Clementine Finch” by Milly Orie

Submitted to Contest #250

This story mentions violence and death. May 1, 1902In retrospect, it would have been safer for me not to investigate the case.I was bold–perhaps too bold. Years of being nicknamed the Invincible Clementine Finch had softened my reserve, probably. Or perhaps I wasn’t born with any. The name didn’t come without reason–not that I’m one to boast. I fell off a train as a girl with hardly so much as a scratched knee. I chased down an armed robber once with nothing but a hat-pin as a weapon. No need to fret, of course; he was just fine.&n...

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“Hiding ” by Beverly Goldberg

Submitted to Contest #250

She hated these events, but her parents insisted that she attend. At sixteen, plump and uncomfortable in the fancy, hideous dress her mother had bought her, she was miserable. It was pink, ruffled, sleeveless and belted at the waist with bow at the back--a true horror for someone built like her—so she went around the large ballroom looking for a place to hide.She saw a large floral arrangement and walked over to it. It wasn't tall enough, but she saw a chair against the wall a few feet away, and slowly pulled it behind the arrangement. Slidi...

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“Turkey in the Straw” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #250

Elliot D'Blanca was a career diplomat in the United State Department. Like his father and his father before him, serving his country in a diplomatic capacity was what he was born to do. Educated in the terms and meanings of the diplomaticese language, Elliot moved in the elite inner social circles reserved for ambassadors and heads of state. Involved with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) at the Hague in Brussels, Elliot was hosting a gala for some of the top brass who occupied offices at the NATO Headquarters, strict...

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“Formal Wear and ESP” by Kristin Johnson

Submitted to Contest #250

Inside the glittering museum gala, Lila Tinker fidgeted with her floor-length blue ballgown. Thanks to her work as a receptionist at an art gallery, she’d snagged an invite to the social event of the year, and she hoped it would add some excitement to her life. No date, but she had a killer dress from one of those rent-a-gown places.The dress covered up the scars from the accident, for which she was grateful. Snagging a cocktail that smelled like the tropics, she wandered out into the well-dressed crowd, ready to mingle—and to find some face...

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“THE JUNE JAMBOREE” by Melinda Madrigal

Submitted to Contest #250

"Miss Kayla Swanson, you are cordially invited to this years June Jamboree on the 2nd of June 2024. Dress code as required. Men in suits and a black tie. Women in black and white dresses. We hope to see you there." I can't believe I'm invited to this year's June Jamboree, the social event of the year. This is unbelievable. I wonder why I'm invited but I don't care. Keep the dramatics down Kayla. I'm calm. I have to find a dress, a black and white dress. I leave my home and go to the mall. I spend hours at the mall trying to find the right dr...

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“A Night To Remember” by Giovanna Ramirez

Submitted to Contest #250

So far, the evening had been swell. The music hall was enraptured in gold decor. Tables were draped with fine purple silk and pristine silverware, while the food was hardly touched by its guests. Dispersed all around, the guests laughed boisterously and clinked their champagne glasses. One guest was enjoying her meal, however. More so, this woman was inhaling her food with restlessness. While wiping the bechamel from the corner of her mouth, a hand gently tapped her shoulder. “Margot, you okay there?” spoke another woman wearing a brig...

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“Inquisitive Consequences” by Mark Lew

Submitted to Contest #250

He was talking on his phone to someone else, but sitting next to him on the bus, I was subjected to his half of the conversation. “Yes, it’s a dinner party and of course you’re invited!” he insisted with such verve anyone within earshot couldn’t help but hear what he declared to whomever was on the other end of the line. “It’s open invitation. Everyone who wants to come, can.” A momentary shock froze me; I’d never heard of the likes of it, wondering how they could pull off a dinner event without a clear number of expected guests. Within mome...

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A character overhears something at a black-tie event that puts the night in jeopardy.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 46 stories

“ Where are you from? (Raqs sharqi - رقص شرقي)” by John Rutherford

“My Words” by Hannah Lynn

“The Secret in Dragon Bones” by Alexandra Caulway

“Echoes On The Bayou” by Laurie Spellman

“What a Shame...” by Miriam Rhodes

“The Gassing of Hampshire Manor” by Brian Haddad

“Pier 33” by Daniel Dundin

“THE STAR OF ALEXANDRIA: A GALA OF SECRETS” by Darvico Ulmeli

“The Invincible Clementine Finch” by Milly Orie

“Hiding ” by Beverly Goldberg

“Turkey in the Straw” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

“Formal Wear and ESP” by Kristin Johnson

“THE JUNE JAMBOREE” by Melinda Madrigal

“A Night To Remember” by Giovanna Ramirez

“Inquisitive Consequences” by Mark Lew

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story in which someone is afraid of being overheard.

Write a story about a child overhearing something they don’t understand.

Write a story in which someone can only hear one side of a conversation and must piece together the meaning of what they’ve heard.

Your teacher tasks you with writing a story based on an eavesdropped conversation. When the story is published, your subject isn’t happy.

Contest #250

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

226

Contest entries

105

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: