Write a story in which an important message is cut off, leaving characters to wonder or puzzle out what was left unsaid.

Posted in Mystery on Feb 16, 2024

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 49 stories

“The Ghost of Austin” by JP G

Submitted to Contest #238

It is my first time journaling what happened. A year has passed yet the incident still haunts my thoughts. Not knowing is the hardest part. I write this message primarily in hopes of finding clarity and peace so that I may let go and move on. Let me offer a brief introduction. My name is Jacob. I’m 32 years old and retired‒thanks to a fortunate business venture early in my life. Soon after retiring I crossed paths with my girlfriend Myra, who was starting her own business as an influencer and blogger. We hit it off instantly as her b...

2 comments 2

Read story

“The Missing Orb” by Tracie Boudreau

Submitted to Contest #238

The Missing Orb “We have to do it this way. She is probably looking down on us thankful we are doing anything at all,” said Nancy. “Yeah but it is not a real service is it?” replied Nancy. It is a Zoom call. I think she would have liked something fancy, a party where people dress up. There should be beautiful flowers. There should be lots of people mingling...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Spring Broke” by JoEtta McCluskey

Submitted to Contest #238

“Come here,” Gran Gran had directed. “Let me see if I can fix those coveralls before your momma gets here.” I would quickly run to the bathroom, step out of my pants and slip on the robe that used to hang on the bathroom door.“Eden, how many times have I fixed this very same pair of coveralls?” Gran Gran used to ask, peering over her glasses.“This summer or all of them?” “This summer, last summer, the summer before that,” Gran Gran would chuckle. “Doesn’t matter. Pick one.”Tapping my finger on my chin, I would attempt to recall the...

4 comments 4

Read story

“The Long Walk Back” by TC Cook

Submitted to Contest #238

The sweet scent of summer wafted through the tree line, showering the mountain with the fragrance of pine, and clearing out any remnants of the morning dew. The sun had fully risen but was still a few hours from its highest point. Warm enough to not need a heavy coat, but cold enough that the crisp chill of the wind rushing down the hillside would nip at any exposed skin. We got out of the car and Walker took a big inhale of the fresh air and said, “Perfect weather!” We got out of my humble sedan and laced up our boots, strapped on our...

0 comments 0

Read story

“It Burns From Within” by Edd Baker

Submitted to Contest #238

CW: Strong violence and gore, as well as some sexual themesThe rain had lessened somewhat, the heavy battering akin to the beating of war drums now but a gentle chatter. This was a blessing for First lieutenant Wright, not because his clothes would not get further soaked, his unform already drenched as if recently baptized, but because his line of vision was now clearer, and the less muddy the already dewy ground became, the better for travel. He looked up at the full moon, the light peeking through the thick canopy through whatever cracks a...

4 comments 4

Read story

“Covenant ” by Diana Jo Filip

Submitted to Contest #238

It must have been around noon, when she realized how badly the snowstorm hit the city and fed all local media channels with war-like traffic reports: everything was covered in virtuous white. White shit falling happily down from a crazy-land, owned by some cryogenic gods. Frozen state for heartless times. Christmas was still a month away. Gift list forgotten in a Barbie-colored app. Bills lined up and ignored for weeks in her inbox. Whiskey bottle standing tall and courageous like a Viking warrior blinking twice and meaning yes. “Yes, take m...

4 comments 4

Read story

“Illegal Radio” by Kyra Howe

Submitted to Contest #238

I couldn’t believe I found it. An old radio hiding in my grandfather’s attic. I didn’t even know radios like this still existed after the technological revolution of 2088 when the government ordered all electric devices, including old ones, to be permanently destroyed. They couldn’t risk the AI forces regaining power through even the smallest charges. Lights, music, vehicles, and anything else with any connection to electricity at all was shut down and burned over a decade ago. And yet, there I sat, on the dirty floor of my late grandf...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Lost Connection ” by C.N. Jung

Submitted to Contest #238

“Nah, bro. That’s crazy!” Levi couldn't believe his ears. He chomped down on a cheese puff, feeling the artificial cheese cling to his fingers. The orange dust was everywhere, but who cared? "You're telling me she actually said that with a straight face?" He flicked the crumbs off his hand with a little more force than was necessary. "Yeah, for real, I swear!" The crackle from Levi’s headset almost drowned out the delirious excitement in Mack's voice. “She looked me in my eyes and, no cap, said, ‘I wouldn’t go out with you if you were ...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Numbers at Night ” by M B

Submitted to Contest #238

I was a ham radio enthusiast back in the early two thousands. This was in Varunkirk, North Carolina - along the coast. I thought I had it made back then: I had a job as a manager at a grocery store and I’d found a rental house that was pretty cheap. It was an older house and small, but for someone who had just moved out of his parents’ place it was a palace. I’d always had an interest in radios so as soon as I scrounged up enough money I bought myself a radio set and a license. Long into the evening after my shift I wou...

3 comments 3

Read story

“Mr. Alvarez” by A. Torrecilha

Submitted to Contest #238

My dear children, If you are reading this, I am dead. Hopefully you will read that part with an ominous voice, like a Morgan Freeman type of narration, I always wanted to sound like that. In fact, that is my post-mortem wish, to forever sound like Morgan Freeman in your memories. Anyhow, I think we have gotten a little bit out of topic. I am sure you are overtaken by emotion at this moment. If not, I will haunt your inheritance and now that I am dead that’s a lot easier to do. But, you see, emotions are a tricky business. I know I have not ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The doom of Saint Lawrence” by Charles Dean

Submitted to Contest #238

As a man of the church, I always thought we were the sole creations of God... How foolish we were.I now know that there are things we cannot comprehend. Things that have no logic. Nightmarish things that defy God. There are things amongst the stars that defy our beliefs and mock the ignorance of our ilk.To whomever finds these writings. My name is Father Thomas Greenwich and this will be…my valediction.We were en route to a monastery in the Pyrenees mountains. The monastery had stopped answering our messages two months ago, so I was sent to ...

3 comments 3

Read story

“PARTIAL TRANSMISSION” by Stuart Foley

Submitted to Contest #238

INCOMING TRANSMISSION….SENDER: HIGH COMMAND……….DOWNLOADING…….4% ……. 36% ……. 78% ……. ERROR! TRANSMISSION MISSING CLOSING REQUEST. DECODING PARTIAL TRANSMISSION….. _______START PARTIAL TRANSMISSION_______ [SOL 127 - 0724 ] Sergeant Jay Hopkins, you are to head east of the town of Grenrik. Our foot soldiers are being pinned down from Imperialist artillery fire in that direction and data shows you are the only Javelin in the area who is capable of dealing with the threat. Reconnaissance suggests two artillery guns with t… _______END ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Devil of Fallujah” by Davy Holland

Submitted to Contest #238

The Sergeant handed the folded American flag to my mother. His stoic ridged face showed no emotion as he stared into the face of the sobbing woman breaking down in front of him. Even though he was very fond of my father, and considered him a friend, he couldn’t let his feeling of loss interfere with his sacred duty. He rose up from his knee and bowed his head towards her arms. Slowly raising his knife-like hand to his brow, he delivered a perfect salute to our flag. Another marine immediately began to play Reveille through his bugle. My hear...

2 comments 2

Read story

“The Neighbor” by S.d. Schwarz

Submitted to Contest #238

“Hi, Dalia, it’s Craig again. How’s the leaking faucet? I called HOA three times yesterday and they refuse--” Delete. “Hey Dalia. Not sure if you noticed, but some beige Mercedes has been taking everybody’s parking spots and the HOA continues to sit on their asses sipping their White Claws watching reels of that new country pop singer--what’s her name?--dating that one football player--what’s his name? instead of--” Delete. “Morning, Dalia. Did you see that letter in the mail yesterday? Someone’s been leaving a sock in the lobby ...

6 comments 6

Read story

“Four Orders of Garlic Knots” by A. B. H.

Submitted to Contest #238

“Why do they keep hanging up? I want your pizza, take my money!” I dial again. It’s one in the morning, this is the only place open late enough for those of us who have the late night munchies. Pizza World is open until three every night, even weeknights. It’s Monday, well, Tuesday now, and my friends and I have just smoked our first bowl. As you could imagine, we’re in dire need of food. I wandered outside by myself after my third attempt at calling Pizza World, thinking maybe my reception was poor, but my phone keeps hanging up as soon as ...

2 comments 2

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

Start or finish your story with a speaker unable to finish their sentence, perhaps overcome by emotion.

Angst – 93 stories

Write a story in which a conversation takes place where the true subject is only implied.

Dialogue – 40 stories

Write a story including the line “I can’t say it.”

Dialogue – 59 stories

Set your story at a silent retreat.

Angst – 44 stories

Contest #238

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Aposiopesis

$250

Prize money

285

Contest entries

98

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 23, 2024 EST

Won by Weronika L 🏆

Title: Five Turns of the Hourglass

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

Write a story in which an important message is cut off, leaving characters to wonder or puzzle out what was left unsaid.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 49 stories

“The Ghost of Austin” by JP G

“The Missing Orb” by Tracie Boudreau

“Spring Broke” by JoEtta McCluskey

“The Long Walk Back” by TC Cook

“It Burns From Within” by Edd Baker

“Covenant ” by Diana Jo Filip

“Illegal Radio” by Kyra Howe

“Lost Connection ” by C.N. Jung

“Numbers at Night ” by M B

“Mr. Alvarez” by A. Torrecilha

“The doom of Saint Lawrence” by Charles Dean

“PARTIAL TRANSMISSION” by Stuart Foley

“The Devil of Fallujah” by Davy Holland

“The Neighbor” by S.d. Schwarz

“Four Orders of Garlic Knots” by A. B. H.

🌟 Similar prompts

Start or finish your story with a speaker unable to finish their sentence, perhaps overcome by emotion.

Write a story in which a conversation takes place where the true subject is only implied.

Write a story including the line “I can’t say it.”

Set your story at a silent retreat.

Contest #238

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

285

Contest entries

98

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: