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

“M is for Mother” by Rose Willows

Submitted to Contest #260

Sensitive Content: Murder, Sobriety, Language The last handful of earth scarcely touched the shiny black casket when the press began to swarm. Like flies to shit, Luca thought. His father’s voice echoed in his mind, scolding him for such language. Except his father was no longer here. The family barely got to see his body lowered into the ground before they were ushered away, large black umbrellas shielding them from unwanted photographers. Rocco Bianchi, rut...

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“A Mother's Murder” by Brooke V.

Submitted to Contest #260

A hand falls to the floor, just visible through the crack of the cupboard door. The tile is smeared with red. A small boy shrinks into himself, breathing heavily but quietly. He presses his face into his knees, which are pulled up to his chest so that he can squeeze into the cabinet. In the darkness, he hears footsteps, then the slam of a door. He lifts his head slowly, then reaches out to push the door open. He blinks as his eyes adjust to the fluorescent light, and as his vision comes into focus, he meets the lifeless gaze of his mot...

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“Phaedric's Legacy” by Kimberley Connor

Submitted to Contest #260

Phaedric’s Legacy Nan was looking forward to my apprenticeship and I was excited about starting. I didn’t think of my grandmother as old, but rather ageless. She was certainly not young, but neither was she wrinkled or frail. Even so, she claimed she needed to pass on her secrets before the grave stole them away. No one expected her to be leaving us any time soon, but the world was an uncertain place and tomorrow was not guaranteed. Besides, if I was t...

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“Fatima Meets A New, Old Friend” by Ebhoni Sanders

Submitted to Contest #260

Fatima was always a loaner. A rebel in fact. She was not the type to be a follower, but she never wanted to be the leader. Fatima was a social butterfly with a beautiful spirit and a great sense of humor. Everyone wanted to be Fatimas' friend. It wasn't that Fatima didn't like making friends or didn't know how to make friends, it was just easier to keep socializing to a minimum. Fatima also found comfort in her own company, to have peace and quiet was therapeutic in several different ways for for her mental stability. Things that most peo...

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“Post Trauma, 2007: Love and War” by Heidi Fedore

Submitted to Contest #260

Candice blinked several times, trying to see the illuminated clock, which read 2:35 AM. A nightmare portraying her ex-boyfriend, Ken, plunging into the Puget Sound and feeling like she was plunging too had jolted her awake, gasping for air. She slid back under the covers and concentrated on square breathing, like a Navy Seal staying calm. Inhale for four, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four. I’m okay. Ken is okay. I hope. She needed sleep; her alarm was due to chime at 5 AM and then she’d be on the road to Vancouver, Washington, tw...

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“The Second Son's Daughter” by Asa P

Submitted to Contest #260

She was alone in the apartment, which was not an unusual occurrence. Even in childhood, in the long bygone years when she had still lived at home during elementary school, more days than not had been solitary. In those years, the boundaries had been firm, though, and she would never have done what she was doing now. Her father’s bed took up more than half of the room, yet left a space just wide enough for a locally sized human being to wedge through. Said human being could then sit on the edge of the bed and look out the window which took up...

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“Red Sneakers and Hidden Lies” by Nova Nite

Submitted to Contest #260

(sensitive topics include mentions of kidnappings) Red, dirty sneakers thumped against a gravelly forest road at a steady pace, the surroundings were practically silent however the earphones secured in the brunette woman's ears blared loud music, enough for it to drown out her own thoughts. All she needed to focus on right now was running, pretending like she could run away from every problem she'd ever had in her life.The tall stocky built woman was the only one in the dense forest, she enjoyed the solitude, even if it was only for a thirt...

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“Everything about Laila” by Chandrika Manikandan

Submitted to Contest #260

Laila was magic, or so I had always thought. Her confidence, humor, and beauty all made her incredibly mesmerizing. She was like a siren—the way she lured people into her life, making everyone fall in love with her with only her voice, and then the way she tore apart the very people who loved her. May 12, 2023. "Hey, I can't come today," the text read. It was 6:17 am, but I read the text at 9. "I'm going to call in sick for work, too; I just feel super nauseous." Laila and I worked together all week, planning our perfect Friday, s...

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“The Fortune” by René Sadae

Submitted to Contest #260

Hearing the front door open, without looking up, Madeline offered an inquiry off-handedly as she hovered over her pot of stew, “How did your appointment go Sweetheart?” After several moments of silence Sabrina answered, “Mommy, please come and sit down with me.” “Oh my goodness” Madeline replied while continuing to stir, “You sound so serious Sabrina.” “Mommy please.“ Sabrina’s voice withering into a softness, delusive of her wish to order rather than request, “Please. Come here.” Madeline stopped mid-stir, staring into the copper splash-bac...

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“Besties” by Renie Smith

Submitted to Contest #260

Besties Betty smiled as she answered the phone. She knew it was her best friend Andrea. “Hey, girl, what’s up?” “Yes! Let’s go. I’ll pick you up in about half an hour.” The new department store was having a grand opening and lots of sales. It would be so much fun to see all the specials. They loved to shop together. As she drove to Andrea’s house she remembered when they met in the maternity ward after each having their first baby. She smiled. Those first babies were all in their thirties now. They were both empty nesters. It seemed like s...

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“A quiet suburban community” by Noemi Csokas

Submitted to Contest #260

My grandfather was understandably doubtful. I could see doubt slowly creeping into his pupils, with the hardness of his generation, like a curtain falling straight from his thick, unkempt eyebrows. But we should go back to the start.It was a warm September morning. Sunday, to be precise. Just 10 minutes earlier, I arrived back at the house in a panic I had never felt before, and which I suspected could be fatal in certain circumstances.I was still clutching my shirt and breathing heavily when my grandpa walked in from the back garden and saw...

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“Mama said, Dad said” by Poppy LaC.

Submitted to Contest #260

Contains Profanity, Gore, October 22nd, 1985 It’s the disgusting meatloaf again. Mom always makes it on Tuesday nights. Maybe I can distract her long enough to feed some to Rover. I break the silence with a question Mama hates to answer. “Mama, what happened to Dad? I know you said he ran away but why? I wanna know the whole story.” I watch Mama sigh, holding her head in her hands. “I've told you this before Marty, it’s a complicated story. I don’t want you worrying about him, he’s out of our life now...

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“Marital Problems” by Paul Chappel

Submitted to Contest #260

My day started badly when my wife came home late, she had been dismembering some paedophile piece of work in her murder house but had got caught by the traffic on the return journey. As she walked through the door, wiping her shoes on the matt, I called out from the adjoining lounge in a hushed whisper, "Hey Darling. Rough day?"She sighed as she said "Urgh, traffic was murder." Then she noticed our son in my arms and lowered her voice, "Sorry... How's my little killer?"I smirked, "Well I'm doing okay... oh you mean the kid? Seeing my wife sm...

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“The School Bus ” by Megan DuPree

Submitted to Contest #260

Caroline was sitting on the school bus staring at the raindrops racing each other down the window pane. It was August and the lack of air conditioning combined with the fact that she couldn’t open the window due to the rain had her feeling suffocated. The humidity commingled with the B.O. wafting from the other middle school kids surrounding her in the worst, most disgusting way. She was acutely aware of her legs sticking to the blue vinyl seats and wondered how many butts had sat in this seat before her. Her earbuds were making her ears hur...

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“The last day” by Atr Sep

Submitted to Contest #260

I remember the last day of my first year of middle school. I’ll never forget that day, I’ll never forget how red my cheeks were, how messy my hair was, how watery my eyes were, how everything was distant and blurry, and the feeling of the shards of glass pricking the skin of my face, hands, and legs.That day, I had lost everything I had gained that year. Now, I’m haunted by these memories. So,I might as well tell you the story of how it all unfolded. It all started when I was on a call with my best friend, Maya, the day before the last day. ...

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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

“M is for Mother” by Rose Willows

“A Mother's Murder” by Brooke V.

“Phaedric's Legacy” by Kimberley Connor

“Fatima Meets A New, Old Friend” by Ebhoni Sanders

“Post Trauma, 2007: Love and War” by Heidi Fedore

“The Second Son's Daughter” by Asa P

“Red Sneakers and Hidden Lies” by Nova Nite

“Everything about Laila” by Chandrika Manikandan

“The Fortune” by René Sadae

“Besties” by Renie Smith

“A quiet suburban community” by Noemi Csokas

“Mama said, Dad said” by Poppy LaC.

“Marital Problems” by Paul Chappel

“The School Bus ” by Megan DuPree

“The last day” by Atr Sep

🌟 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

429

Contest entries

132

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: