Write a story in which a character learns something unexpected about someone they thought they knew well.

Posted in Mystery on Jul 19, 2024

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✍️ 63 stories

“The Air Between The Silence” by Nathalie Clair

Submitted to Contest #260

Maya sat at her favorite table with a cup of tea instead of her usual coffee staring at her phone. She took a breath, flipped over the phone, and opened to the first page of the book she brought with her. She fiddled with the top right corner of the page but instead of turning to a page with words she stared at the blankness, her right leg twitching under the round wood table. Finally, she closed her eyes and took a long intentional deep breath. The coffee scented air filling her lungs, hold for five four three two one and release, she groun...

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“The Devil's Deal” by Derek Macleod

Submitted to Contest #260

Chapter 1Jack slumped into his threadbare armchair, a ghost haunting the ruins of his life. The city's relentless drone pierced the stillness of his apartment. Whiskey bottles, like tombstones of his failures, littered the coffee table. A sharp ring shattered the silence, cutting through the fog of his despair. He fumbled for the phone, irritation a thick fog in his mind. "What?" he growled.Mrs. Finch's voice cut through the haze. "Package for you."Surprise ignited amidst his despair. A package? Unlikely. Yet, hope, a fragile ember, flickere...

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“On the Wrong Case” by Faith Boonstra

Submitted to Contest #260

"Daniel, I know it's common now for both the man and the woman to share the household chores, but, please, calm down!" Daniel looked back up at the wide-eyed woman interrupting him from sweeping the floor. The motion also made him realize that sweat had been pooling under his own black hair. "Sorry, Heather," he stuttered finally bringing himself to his full height. "It's something that I do. I'm so nervous to be taking this case, and I've inherited the habit of cleaning when I'm nervous from my mother." "You sure it wasn't learned?" Heather...

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“No, Not Surprised” by Odiseo Quintin

Submitted to Contest #260

Reedsy Short Story Contest #260: “No, Not Surprised” by Odiseo Quintin Vaughn was enjoying the freedom from previous parental supervision. During this first summer on his own, he would hide from the sun in the shade of his upstairs apartment balcony. From this perch, he noticed a girl (who rented just across the street) walk over to his complex to visit her girlfriend from time to time. Vaughn and Monique would exchange smiles, nothing more. One day she introduced herself and asked him to help her move some furniture using his cargo van. He...

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“Et moi, et moi, et moi” by Madeleine Foster

Submitted to Contest #260

She looked just like me. Well, she had black beehive hair, dark lips, winged eyes - all framed by a patchwork headscarf - but everything else was the same. The chubby face, the slim eyes, the toothless smile. Even the long, freckled neck - a paint-smatter of brown across the clavicle. More a collage than a photo - a crude cut-out of my face plastered sixty years into the past. I didn’t read the caption at first. The visit so far had passed like a daydream - wispy and insubstantial. Art galleries often feel like that. Photography galleries es...

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“Is Memory Lane Always This Bumpy?” by Jeff Meade

Submitted to Contest #260

I was relaxing on the couch a few years ago when my phone buzzed unexpectedly. Facebook Messenger popped up, with a message from a girl I hadn’t heard from in two decades. I was never all that close with her, but her step-sister was the first love of my life. At the time, I thought she’d be my only love. The one I lived for. What a nightmare that turned out to be. I was so taken aback from seeing this unforeseen ping that my heart leapt into my throat. Why was I so nervous? There could only be one reason she was contacting me: something to d...

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“Rescue AID” by William Pepper

Submitted to Contest #260

“Hey! Can you help me find my dog?” Justin asked, nearly out of breath from running next door to his best friend Dreaden’s house. Justin and Dreaden had been friends since they were five when Justin moved in next door. Even though Dreaden was homeschooled and Justin went to public school they were inseparable when school let out. “Again,” replied Dreaden. “What does this make, three times this week?” Justin had a hard time remembering to close the front door all the way when he left the house. It was usually at the sound of Cooper’s barking...

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“A Present” by Monnie O.

Submitted to Contest #260

“Remember that book I bought last week? You asked me to let you read it as soon as I finished reading it.”She pulled that very book out of her bag and held it out to me.“So. I read it.”A soft smile played across her face.“I didn't expect you to read it so quickly. How did you like the book?”“Oh, I liked it a lot. Probably my favorite so far.”“In that case, I can't wait to read it. I'll give it back to you as soon as possible. You needn't worry about its appearance. I won't fold the pages.”“You can safely fold the pages all you want,” she con...

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“Portraits of Death” by Philip Potena

Submitted to Contest #260

My life was supposed to be boring--scripted, unremarkable—a life mirroring the existence of countless other beings just as ordinary as I am. Every day we wake up to go to our insurance sales jobs or some other abomination we chose to pay the bills. The same job that allows us to put food on the table and makes you drink that extra whiskey (or two) on the weekends. Complete with a mortgage, leftover college tuition loans, two kids, and a loving wife. I'm living the American dream. Though technically, nightmares are also considered dreams.&nbs...

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“No dog, dog.” by Jan Holley

Submitted to Contest #260

“Why is everyone looking at me?” “You're the only person who can look after the dog.” Everyone nodded. “I can't look after the dog, what do I know about dogs?” Which was an interesting question, seeing no-one knew who I was. “It's easy,” chirped Simon. “Then why don't you do it?” “We have a cat, they'd fight like, well, cat and dog.” “I cannot look after the dog!” I broadcasted loudly. The dog looked at me. Everyone looked at me. I ended up looking after the dog. We didn't get along very well at first. She did her business all over my ...

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“Elliot” by Abbi McDaniel

Submitted to Contest #260

I whistle as I waltz under the street lamps on my walk back home for the night. The air is bitter but I don’t mind. It’s December in Seattle after all. I spot our house. I couldn’t believe I made it back already. I was too engulfed by my feelings of contentment and ease. I grab my key from my pocket and carefully unlock our front door. “Hopefully she’s asleep,” I think to myself as I creep up the staircase, one stair at a time. As I open the door to our room, I feel an even greater sense of comfort as I see my lovely girlfriend, Nova, fast a...

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“The Love Letters” by Gingers Mom

Submitted to Contest #260

Rose BighamThe Love Letters It had been a week since Caley’s mother passed away. Now she sat in her mom’s dusty attic with creaky floor boards, looking at stacks of boxes and forgotten remnants of days gone by. Each one a potential treasure of memories and history. The air held a musty odor, and she felt the weight of memories, whispers of laughter and tears, of birthdays and Christmases past.She approached an old army chest she saw in the corner and tried to blow the dust off the top. She realized that the chest had belonged to her mother’s...

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“Build A Husband” by Nan Qu

Submitted to Contest #260

After reels became completely flavorless, Jessica ran out of things to do. Her thumb window wiped her phone, back and forth and back. Youtube. Instagram. Reddit. Google News. She chewed through them all. What else. Then she saw it. The app she downloaded a while ago but never felt like it to try. Edam. Her thumb loomed over and cast a shadow. She hesitated. Three seconds later, she tapped on the icon, a purple apple, undevoured. A message showed demanding an update. Jessica was glad about the reason not to proceed. Yet before she c...

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“I Played” by Cheryl Pope

Submitted to Contest #260

I PlayedCheryl Pope147 Sugar Hill Road, Rexford, NY 12148305-393-0303 capope1013@gmail.com I PLAYEDBy: Cheryl Pope The coolness of the tiles was soothing as I leaned against the wall. Clasping my dad’s wrinkled hankie which I carried in my case, I wiped my sweaty palms and upper lip. Closing my eyes, I went over the music in my head reminding myself of crescendos, diminuendos and tricky timing. It was the day of the big audition. At the other end of the hallway, I saw Sylvie and her father.&nbs...

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“THE LAMB AND THE LION” by Glenna Agnew

Submitted to Contest #260

The Lamb and the Lion I heard the door slam and the sound of packages tumbling to the ground. I remembered an expression my grandmother always used just before my brother entered a room. “Gird your loins” was her expression and I quickly came to understand that she meant, prepare yourself for something unpleasant or challenging. A moment later my brother poked his head around the open door of the family room calling out,” I’m back” in a sing-song voice. I gave a quick sigh and pasted a smile on my face. “So how was your foray into th...

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Write a story in which a character learns something unexpected about someone they thought they knew well.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 63 stories

“The Air Between The Silence” by Nathalie Clair

“The Devil's Deal” by Derek Macleod

“On the Wrong Case” by Faith Boonstra

“No, Not Surprised” by Odiseo Quintin

“Et moi, et moi, et moi” by Madeleine Foster

“Is Memory Lane Always This Bumpy?” by Jeff Meade

“Rescue AID” by William Pepper

“A Present” by Monnie O.

“Portraits of Death” by Philip Potena

“No dog, dog.” by Jan Holley

“Elliot” by Abbi McDaniel

“The Love Letters” by Gingers Mom

“Build A Husband” by Nan Qu

“I Played” by Cheryl Pope

“THE LAMB AND THE LION” by Glenna Agnew

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story with a big twist.

Write a story about someone who realises the story of their life has been pre-determined — until they decide to divert from the expected path.

Write a story that includes the line, "I didn't see that one coming."

Write a story using the most clichéd twist of all; it was all a dream.

Contest #260

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

431

Contest entries

132

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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