Write a short story that ends with a twist.

Posted in Mystery on Jun 27, 2021

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✍️ 154 stories

“Little Cruelties” by Mark Jackson

Submitted to Contest #27

Tuesday, 4th of September 2018Even though I know you don’t care, I’ll tell you anyway: Since you left, I’ve been asleep most of the time. I still think about what happened with you and the kids, and how I ended up like this. I’ve written it all down here, between the pages of this notebook. Who knows, they might even use it against me one day. A motive. Yesterday, I got out of bed around one, it’s amazing how long you can sleep for if you simply lie there. The longer you lie, the more tired you become. Keeping the windows and vents sealed he...

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“For The Love of Money” by Maya Zauberman

Submitted to Contest #27

Zauberman For The Love Of Money ClickBefore I can even blink, the weird man with the ski mask has the business end of a shot gun pointed straight at my face.“Give me the money”. His voice is low and hoarse, as though he’s just getting over a cough.I start to laugh while shitting my pants.Oh god, oh god, oh g...

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“Mr. Brown's Retirement Plan” by Dana Schellings

Submitted to Contest #27

Everyone, no matter how ordinary they might seem, has at least one extraordinary story to tell. Take the case of an ordinary man named Mr. Brown, a retired truck driver from a quiet New England town. Mr. Brown spent decades driving produce all over the country until his company took him to dinner at a moderately priced restaurant, handed him a gold-plated watch and showed him the door. Since then he’s spent his days watching golf on TV, feeding the ducks in the park, and plotting to kill his wife. Mr. B...

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“Why a Lottery?” by Scott Blanke

Submitted to Contest #27

Hordes of robed populous crowded around the few stalls. The stench of unwashed bodies permeates the air. The market holds little produce and what there is fought over valiantly. Waves of heat come off the sands making up the floors. Street urchins wearing rags beg on every corner. The customers ignore the emaciated beggars. The crowds are so dense, one has to bull one's way up to any stall. Rudeness is the norm. The background hubbub is deafening. No one seems to be listening. A r...

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“What a Lovely Irony” by Lily Kingston

Submitted to Contest #27

Isn’t it ironic? Me, a comedian, a man made of jokes, in the most miserable place that you could ever possibly imagine. I stood over her casket and brushed my fingers across its polished wood. As I stared at the casket’s outside, I didn’t dare look inside. To see her pale face and flushed cheeks. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and moved on, letting a line of her family members file behind me. Throughout the rest of the funeral, all I heard was a cacophony of apologizes. “I’m so sorry.” “She was too good for this world.” “There was noth...

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“The Scepter of the Priest” by Ahmed Wael

Submitted to Contest #27

The gates were wide open, thick high gates of pure gold, decorated with many elegant hieroglyphic symbols and spells that prevent the king's enemies from trying to assassinate him. Hiding behind them a very large hall, at the end of which the great throne made of pure gold settles in the middle between two statues for two giants with the head of a jackal and a human body, a huge throne that accommodates a giant, which makes the queen appear slim in size.The guards advanced inside the hall pushing a short, slim man compared to the two giant g...

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“Cownapped!” by Charlie Murphy

Submitted to Contest #27

“OK, I'm off to work,” I said, holding the doorknob.“Bye Mommy. Have a great and super day!” Norman said, turning his blonde-mopped head from his coloring book.“Thank you. And as always, behave for Mr. Lemon.”“I will, Mommy!”I took one last look at him then left, closing the door. I walked to my car when I spotted something gold. I walked straight ahead in the street and stopped. “MOO!” uttered the gold cow who was the size of a house cat.“What the... A gold cow?” As soon as I said it, it disappeared. I blinked. “I must need more sleep! I go...

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“It Came Out of the Sky” by Lee Kull

Submitted to Contest #27

The noise jolted Zara awake. A massive boom, like distant thunder, but somehow different. She listened in silence, but hearing nothing more, she relaxed and closed her eyes, trying to regain the blissful peace of slumber.A kind of distant humming became faintly perceptible, but it took her a while to realize it was steadily growing louder. She got up. Slipping her feet into her slippers, she glanced at the plush hot pink pompoms adorning them, and scurried to the window. She squinted outside, not knowing what she expected to see but certainl...

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“Celie Goose” by Pamela Saunders

Submitted to Contest #27

Mrs Celie Goose was thinking hard.It was nowhere near Christmas – in fact it was summertime. Her goslings had grown and they were all preparing for their migration with lots of wingercising. So, all would seem to be well in the Goosey world, but it wasn't.Her friend “Red” Rhode was sick with fear for her little chicks, and so was another friend, Puck Duck, who was, or had been until they disappeared, raising his ducklings by himself since their mum, Trixie had abandoned them for Jake Drake.The ducklings had not been seen for more than a mont...

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“The boy in the bubble” by Kari Hyp

Submitted to Contest #27

“Despite my Ghoulish Reputation, I Really Have The heart of A small Boy. I Keep it in a jar on my Desk” -Robert BlochWould you steal a human heart if you had no heart yourself? There were those days that the Hulgri attempted to steal little children’s hearts. These vicious creatures-often charged for smuggling the precious silver coins from Prince Axel’s towers in exchange for a heart or two down the Greinfait River across Mount Orage- were ugly as they were cruel. Dark-moss-gr...

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“The Murder of Jonathan De Franco” by Mayur Multani

Submitted to Contest #27

*Knock knock* She got of her couch, and looked through the eye hole. There was a man who didn't look like a postman or a delivery guy. He knocked again and again. He had a suit on and dashed right in as soon as she opened the door. "Hey what the hell?" she angrily followed him. "Who are you?" "Get out!" she kept yelling.The guy shut the door, then rushed towards the windows in the living room and slammed them shut too. "I'm gonna call the police!" she picked up the telephone. He walked across, disconnected the television plug and the tel...

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“It ends with a twist” by Kat Gruszka

Submitted to Contest #27

Her hair was missing. He could not get this image out of his head. She had the most beautiful hair. He was sure every father thought this about their daughter. However, her hair was always perfect. It was smooth and shiny and this beautiful blend of blonde. He chose to believe that it was her natural hair color, but at this point, he didn’t remember. There was also a slight wave towards the bottom. She used to call them her “beach waves”. His vision started to blur a little. I guess it made sense that she ended up on a beach. She a...

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“The Small Murder” by Matt Strempel

Submitted to Contest #27

“My client wishes to enter a plea of not guilty, Your Honor,” said Brian Henry, the court-appointed attorney for Gavin Small. The lawyer unbuttoned his ill-fitting suit and sat down beside his client.“Are you sure?” replied Judge Milton.Unperturbed, Henry stood, buttoned his jacket, and said, “We are, Your Honour.” He unbuttoned his jacket and took his seat once more.The judge raised his considerable eyebrows, sighed, and announced that the state’s number one prosecutor, Carlton Lancaster may proceed.“Thank you, Your Honor,” the dashing lawy...

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“Abel” by Emily Vega

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #27

As much as Abel loved his wife, the smell of roast pig in the sweltering Arizona summer air made him fall in love in ways he’s never experienced before. The sun was strong and held the kind of power that conducted heatwaves to reach their twisting hands from the ground to the sky, cutting through stale air and red sunlight. Abel had been sweating in places he used to be sure he couldn't sweat; summer in Arizona does that to you, no matter how quickly you move through and how much water you douse yourself in. “How many flies ...

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“Buzz Kill” by Kelly Gerber

Submitted to Contest #27

There are few places as pungent as a high school gym, especially during a boys’ varsity basketball game. The Jordan High boys were a talented bunch of players. Think more “hard work and tears,” less High School Musical. As team mom, I got to sit on the bench behind the team, organize the team volunteers, and keep my mouth shut. I love my kids and would do anything for them. Being team mom was one of the many little ways that I could demonstrate that small truth. So I sat in the bleachers, listened to the squeaky sneakers and the basketball’s...

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Write a short story that ends with a twist.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 154 stories

“Little Cruelties” by Mark Jackson

“For The Love of Money” by Maya Zauberman

“Mr. Brown's Retirement Plan” by Dana Schellings

“Why a Lottery?” by Scott Blanke

“What a Lovely Irony” by Lily Kingston

“The Scepter of the Priest” by Ahmed Wael

“Cownapped!” by Charlie Murphy

“It Came Out of the Sky” by Lee Kull

“Celie Goose” by Pamela Saunders

“The boy in the bubble” by Kari Hyp

“The Murder of Jonathan De Franco” by Mayur Multani

“It ends with a twist” by Kat Gruszka

“The Small Murder” by Matt Strempel

“Abel” by Emily Vega

“Buzz Kill” by Kelly Gerber

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a short story that takes place on a train.

Write a short story about a jury of people tasked with making a decision. (It doesn't necessarily need to be a court jury.)

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

Write a short story that takes place in a quaint, idyllic, English village.

Contest #27

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

378

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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