Write a story that involves a mystery — it doesn't need to be crime-related, it should just include something that remains unexplained until the end.

Posted in Mystery on May 8, 2021

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✍️ 79 stories

“Flight 257” by Douglas Maxson

Submitted to Contest #12

Flight 257 It wasn’t unusual for a dense fog to linger at this airstrip. The location provided the right seasonal atmosphere for such a haze. What was strange it positioned above Lindsay’s flig...

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“The Wolf” by John Hansen

Submitted to Contest #12

The wolf pack gathered on a rocky outcrop that ran along the perimeter of the woods. The huge Alpha male took up a position on the highest point as he looked down over his pack. The winter had been harsh and food was scarce, in fact, a couple of weaker pubs had recently succumbed.The leader’s attention focused on a small log cabin in the distance. Until recently it had sat abandoned but, suddenly, there was smoke rising from the chimney indicating that it was now inhabited … and where there were humans there was food. He leapt down from the ...

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“SOPNA” by SHYAMALA BHUVANACHANDRAN

Submitted to Contest #12

“Hello, I am Sopna here and I am coming there right now. Your friend BK had directed me to be there”. Saying so, she went to the address given to her. She found Hemant Kumar waiting for her. As soon as she alighted from her car, he held her hands in ecstasy and applied extra pressure on her wrists while taking her inside. There was a reason for his explicit excitement. Both Basant Kumar, better known as BK for his close associates, and Hemant Kumar were close friends personally and at the same time arch rivals in their business, vying for ea...

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“Wrong Address” by Dave Renton

Submitted to Contest #12

As he walked up the steps to his front door, Miles noticed a package sitting on the landing. From where he stood on the street, it was a plain looking, brown paper wrapped box about one foot long, six inches wide and six inches tall. His pulse quickened as his curiosity began to spin possibilities through his mind like sugar in a cotton candy maker. He hadn’t ordered anything and certainly wasn’t expecting any packages. It wasn’t his birthday, and Christmas was still months away. What could be inside the clean and pr...

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“Listen” by Renee Cole

Submitted to Contest #12

March 14. (1892) I passed my exams today. I’m certain Mr. Wilson in London will give me a position in his apothecary. He and Father are acquaintances. His son, Jonah, promises to teach me all he can before enlisting in the King’s army. He’s insatiably excited about his future.I hoped the nearing seasons’ change would shake Father from grief. Mother left nearly two years. The doctors say nothing of the strange illness which took her. She fares better in her new home than Father is in his earthly purgatory. Her love of gardening survives withi...

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“Ol' Smithy” by Pauline Breatnach

Submitted to Contest #12

The god-fearing citizens of the flower-bedecked village of Wavon went about their daily business one early spring morning. Older men walked with a slower gait. Young girls skipped along happily in cotton dresses. Women with braided grey hair occasionally halted to rest their weary limbs.Greengrocers laid out their cabbages and beetroot carefully on their market stalls. The smell of freshly baked bread wafted from the green door of the local bakery. The village blacksmith fired up his furnace, sending multi-coloured sparks high into the ...

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“Lemon Zest” by Philip Kimmins

Submitted to Contest #12

Lemon ZestShe knows the bodies will be gone by now, but even after twenty years on the job, she can still feel uneasy working a room. It’s only five a.m., but already the sweat is beading her forehead and trickling down her sides as she moves slowly across the baking asphalt towards the open door. She’s glad of her designer shades as the dazzling glare is hurled back at her from the white aluminium siding of the motel, pale lemon of doors and wall panels a blinding assault in the unforgiving light. The door to No. 8 is wide open, a black-and...

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“The Vacuum of Space” by Rose Brassard

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #12

“T-minus fifty seconds.” I took a deep breath, my hands shaking as I reached for the armrests of my seat. The cabin was cramped, and I was sweating profusely under my suit. “T-minus forty-five seconds." I felt a quick wave of terrified panic wash over me, but I pushed it away and stared straight ahead. I could feel my heart beating in my chest. No, it was up in my throat. I focused on breathing evenly and slowly. “T-minus forty seconds." I hated the idea of going into space. I really did. But I’m the kind of person who procrastinates against...

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“The Stranger” by Mike Davies

Submitted to Contest #12

THE STRANGER .1 Minus six degrees, what on earth possessed him to go out anyway, with only a t-shirt and a pair of woollen gloves for warmth? I must be mad, but she was in trouble and he couldn't walk away. His walks in the early hours were a regular occurrence, his insomnia had seen to that years ago. He stood, shivering, looking in the window of a menswear shop. The mannequin looked warmer than he did, dressed in a, Hugo Boss hoodie, and ripped, skinny jeans. The cold was ...

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“Tina's Letter” by Lelo Mpumi

Submitted to Contest #12

“ TINA'S LETTER Sometimes life doesn't turn out they way we want.When growing as a kid, you always have a dream. Some kids want to be doctors,pilots or teachers. That was the same for Tina, she wanted to be a psychologist, deal with other people's problems even though she couldn't solve her own problems. Tina grew up as a smart kid,so dedicated to her school work ,courageous and ambitious. It was so fortunat...

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“The Woods” by Rick Pascal

Submitted to Contest #12

Living “Off the Grid” in the woods gives me and my family the freedom to be ourselves to the fullest. No government intervention, no religious restrictions, and only the limits of nature in her beauty and grandeur to follow our hearts, minds and our own sense of morality and justice. Which, if I do say so myself, enables us to live in peace and harmony with our fellow woods dwellers who have taken up residence alongside us. We relish the smell of the outdoors, living with the Earth, so to speak. Our nei...

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“THE $1000 MYSTERY ” by Aditya Mohanty

Submitted to Contest #12

That night Rajiv went late for sleep. Next day after he reaches his office his boss called him to their cabin and gave him a gift voucher of $ 1000. But this is very unusual for her because he already worked for more than 1 year but still, he can't able to do proper work and also his boss always gets frustrated with him. After thinking for some minutes he takes the voucher and from that voucher, he buys a lot of toys and fruits for an orphan child he adopted from orphan home because he is not married and have no friends he likes to be busy w...

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“Behind The Door” by Valarie Yong

Submitted to Contest #12

I wonder...... What mysteries does this door contained? I hummed as I paced in front of the door. I've never thought that there would be a hidden door like this in my house. Well, it never hurt to investigate it a bit right? I opened the door and immediately, I heard chain clinking against each other. Is the door locked? It wasn't, the door creaked open easily, nothing obstructing it. Then what was that chain? Immediately, my doubts were cleared. The light creeped into the room through the door, I could barely see a small figure, probably ...

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“Rhiannon” by Adam Scopp

Submitted to Contest #12

Drip, drip, drip.My eyes open. Instantly I regret that decision, moaning aloud at the thumping headache that seems to be trying its hardest to escape my skull. Despite every fibre of my body telling me not to, I sit up, letting my vision come into focus which only makes me feel even worse."Oh God." I clutch my head. "I swear, Rhiannon, drinking just isn't your thing." The last time I felt this crap had to be after Katie's party back in the Summer before college started.I look over and see an array of pills covering my carpet and figure I was...

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“I can!” by Amelia Smallwood

Submitted to Contest #12

“I can’t move!” cried Aria.She was submerged waist deep in a murky swamp of brown, and green water. She’d fallen into a riverbed of squelching mud. With every struggle of movement, she could feel herself sinking and tipping off balance. She had got herself completely lost out in the wilderness of Northern England. All around her was a picturesque woodland filled with pine, oak and silver birch trees. Arms of branches outstretched in a shadowed cluster; little circles of gleaming sunlight shone through in spotlight beams over the fallen autum...

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Write a story that involves a mystery — it doesn't need to be crime-related, it should just include something that remains unexplained until the end.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 79 stories

“Flight 257” by Douglas Maxson

“The Wolf” by John Hansen

“SOPNA” by SHYAMALA BHUVANACHANDRAN

“Wrong Address” by Dave Renton

“Listen” by Renee Cole

“Ol' Smithy” by Pauline Breatnach

“Lemon Zest” by Philip Kimmins

“The Vacuum of Space” by Rose Brassard

“The Stranger” by Mike Davies

“Tina's Letter” by Lelo Mpumi

“The Woods” by Rick Pascal

“THE $1000 MYSTERY ” by Aditya Mohanty

“Behind The Door” by Valarie Yong

“Rhiannon” by Adam Scopp

“I can!” by Amelia Smallwood

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that takes place in a small town where news travels fast.

Write a story about a character with a sidekick.

Write a story featuring a protagonist with a knack for getting to the bottom of things.

Write a story that features an ensemble cast of characters.

Contest #12

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

175

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: