Write a story about someone who finds someone’s diary, and tries to reunite it with its owner. It’s up to you whether they read it or not!

Posted in Mystery on May 19, 2023

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✍️ 52 stories

“Short Story Ideas” by Shannon C.

Submitted to Contest #199

It’s 90 degrees in the shade today, and even hotter in the middle of the city. This is the fourth bag of trash that Jay has taken outside. He doesn’t understand why anyone would eat this slop. His apron is stained, and his hair is greasy from the air inside the building. He hates this job. No one seems to out with a guy that always smells like food. He had dreams of becoming a great writer one day. Or even just a decent one. He was pushing 33 and wasn’t so sure that was going to work out for him now. Such is life. The job paid the bills and ...

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“Coming Home” by Valerie Williams

Submitted to Contest #199

My name is Clair. Which means ”bright” or “clear” and I suspect my parents chose this name because they had something in mind for me. For my life or, more precisely, their life. They wanted a bright child. I always wished they had spelled my name with an “e”. Claire. Just like Anne of Green Gables was proud her name had an “e” because “A-n-n’ looks dreadful, but ‘A-n-n-e’ looks so much more distinguished.” I’m not distinguished, but maybe if my name had an “e” I would be. Maybe if I was Claire I would be dazzling, interesting and m...

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“The Stranger Within” by Ian James

Submitted to Contest #199

Neil's still a no-show. Five days, I've kept a vigil at the canteen, but it's all been for nothing. It's like he vanished, no trace, no word. Why did I ever pen that desperate letter? What was I thinking?***It all began with the new canteen owner and his crew. They seamlessly fit in with us students, making it easy to embrace them. But among this friendly group, Neil stood out to me. I couldn't help but notice him; his laughter, oh so charming, danced with the gentle sway of his Adam's apple. And his hair, perfectly dishevelled, held an irre...

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“A Real Page Turner” by Bob Faszczewski

Submitted to Contest #199

As John Jordan turned over the first shovelful of soil at the groundbreaking ceremony for his new insurance office in the Rehobeth Beach Coastal Mall he struck an unusually hard object. He reached down to retrieve what felt like hardened cardboard. He had found some type of book, like a journal or diary. John wanted to begin a new chapter in his life with his new business, so he hesitated to op...

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“No Good Deed Goes Unpunished” by Paul Besancon

Submitted to Contest #199

Scott walked through his rainy neighborhood. It was near midnight and all the shops were closed. But those neon lights forever glowed on those dark, sullen streets, watched over by old apartment buildings and high rises off in the distance. The harsh barrage of rain on asphalt gave off that familiar musty, oily aroma that some city dwellers found comforting, despite the wet chill. But Scott just wanted to get home. After working a 14-hour shift at the warehouse, his feet were crying out for mercy while his back struggled to remain upright....

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“When two opposites meet” by Arter Grim

Submitted to Contest #199

There have been a series of murders in the small town of Lockwood. Nobody knows why they were done. None of the victims were related to one another. The only thing that connected these cases was the senseless violence of it all. The authorities claim that they were doing everything in their power to find the one responsible and "bring down the hammer of justice upon them", but we all know that was very unlikely to happen. As such, people have been going back home before sunset so that they may feel safe. Yes, right before the sunset. It’s al...

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“The Curious Enigma of Miss Stillman” by Will Oyowe

Submitted to Contest #199

SENESTIVE CONTENT: Contains swearing and sexual jokes. John found it near the Rugby grounds. It was around 8:30 am when he saw it lying there, the black book with a red strip attached to it. At the front, read the word Diary. He, Ben, and Ollie were outside. Leaning against the black brick-slabbed cricky wall near the school's main entrance door. They watched the stream of students heading into school through it. A wash of black trousers and red jumpers. The boys usually did this every morning to avoid getting crushed. “Do you th...

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“Ships in the Night” by Greg Gleeson

Submitted to Contest #199

Aaron smiled; he loved his life – he was young, good-looking, sporty, and had great mates. He was fortunate enough to live in the cool, clean mountain air and, commuting to work via express train, still enjoyed other advantages the city offered. He knew most of the faces on this carriage, if only a handful of their names. ‘Hey tosser, wake up. We’re here.’ It was Ben – his bestie. Aaron woke with a start and looked around to get his bearings. ‘I was thinking,’ he began. ...

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“Plotwist” by Stephen Lake

Submitted to Contest #199

June 17th Local police surround the area of the house of 21 year old Jason Florence. Jason Florence was a young college student who recently moved out of his parent’s house to share a 3 room apartment with two of his closest friends. Police are investigating the cause of death, but it has been rumored to be a cause of murder… I never thought how littered my friend’s room was until I had to clean it for him. At least, Jason, the other roommate, knew how to clean up when it was the proper time. Now, don’...

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“Too close for comfort ” by Ada Barume

Submitted to Contest #199

The handwriting was squat and wide, each letter nudging the next, tussling for space. She hadn’t meant to read it. She had intended to just post a picture of the cover. It would have been easy for its owner to recognise with its embossed initials, QL. Small and gold in the lower right hand corner. Q, who on earth has a name that starts with Q, she could only think of Quentin. But the cover was a deep fuchsia so it felt more likely it belonged to a girl. Although it was always best to consider all possibilities, men like pink, and grown women...

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“C’est la Vie” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #199

The ancient vendor lifted a plastic sheet from his wares that lay on top of an even more ancient, if that was possible, drab blanket. Ashes fell from his reeking Gauloises onto the faded US initials in one corner of the blanket. The old man looked up, his eyes hooded in the sort of contempt you’d expect from a dusty peasant trying to eke out a living with a display of mostly junk to a goofy, smiling, and obviously, American tourist. “Hi,” said Mark. “I mean ‘bon jour’” At least he was trying. The tourist guide said the French appreciated i...

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“PANDORA'S DIARY” by Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #199

PANDORA’S DIARY It was her fault I found the bloody thing in the first place so she only had herself to blame. I hated that stupid rug chest at the bottom of our bed because I kept stubbing my toe on it when I got up in the middle of the night to pee. But she insisted that it was chic, so, when I bashed my foot one morning and bent down to push the trunk back into position, you can hardly blame me for opening and reading the diary I found fallen between the baseboard and the chest. I mean, I didn’t actually know it was a dia...

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“The Past Becomes Present” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #199

The Past Becomes Present I’d better hurry or I’ll be late for work. I pick up my pace to nearly running. It’s not like I can drive faster, as I’m taking the bus as my usually reliable old car is in the shop, having a long overdue repair job according to the mechanic. Good, there’s someone in the bus shelter. That tells me that the bus has not been there recently. I’m surprised by what else I see.&nbsp...

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“Dear C,” by Jim Caldwell

Submitted to Contest #199

Dear C, The deafening music amped up from the family room. With the heavy beats, the table lamp wobbled. Rob grumbled under his breath as he read his newspaper. “Those girls are something else. I don’t ever remember the boys’ friends being this loud.” Turning to the sports section, he tempered his annoyance. Deep inside, he was aware that he would no doubt miss the ruckus this coming September, when their youngest entered the University of Kentucky. Empty nesters he and his wife, Josephine, would be then, the whole house quiet. &nbsp...

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“Anita and Desire” by David B Fraser

Submitted to Contest #199

Anita didn’t know someone had left a diary on her desk. She sat down in her corner office on the fourteen floor of the Jamal Schaefer Building to slog through another workday. She shifted about in the stiffness of her suit. She powered on her computer. She downed a mini bottle of an energy drink. She sipped away the taste with a vanilla cream latte. She cleared that away with a swig from her bottled water. Her eyes widened awake and she began. She pulled the elastics off a bundle placed on her desk. In the bundl...

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Write a story about someone who finds someone’s diary, and tries to reunite it with its owner. It’s up to you whether they read it or not!

Submissions are closed

✍️ 52 stories

“Short Story Ideas” by Shannon C.

“Coming Home” by Valerie Williams

“The Stranger Within” by Ian James

“A Real Page Turner” by Bob Faszczewski

“No Good Deed Goes Unpunished” by Paul Besancon

“When two opposites meet” by Arter Grim

“The Curious Enigma of Miss Stillman” by Will Oyowe

“Ships in the Night” by Greg Gleeson

“Plotwist” by Stephen Lake

“Too close for comfort ” by Ada Barume

“C’est la Vie” by David Ader

“PANDORA'S DIARY” by Charles Corkery

“The Past Becomes Present” by John Steckley

“Dear C,” by Jim Caldwell

“Anita and Desire” by David B Fraser

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story on a warm summer evening with a full moon, when everything feels magnetic and your character’s about to meet someone important.

Write about a character having a spiritual experience at a concert or a nightclub.

Your protagonist walks past an intriguing stranger, then turns around to take another look at them. The stranger turns around, too. Write about what happens next.

Write a story about a character who returns home changed by someone they met on a trip.

Contest #199

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

256

Contest entries

143

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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