You thought he was dead, but there he is, right in front of you on the street, smiling at you.

Posted in Mystery on Jul 15, 2021

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✍️ 412 stories

“Dark Side of the Internet” by April Mohn

Submitted to Contest #52

It was 7 a.m., the alarm on my phone went off, like it does every morning, at this time. That was when I usually took my jog around the block. It was my daily ritual, but it has been avoided over a month now. I hit the dismiss button on my alarm and turned to my left side, staring at the wall. I was extremely exhausted, from tossing and turning all night. "I can't keep doing this," I said to myself. "I must try to get motivated." So, I gruntly made my way up, from my bed, my feet hit the floor and I stretched. The silence through my home, fi...

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“Golden Hour, Months Ago” by Kermit A Frog

Submitted to Contest #52

Outside, the air is full of water. It isn’t rain or fog. It isn’t mist either. It’s just water, water that can’t decide if it would rather fall to the ground or hang in the sky. Out the kitchen window is a mossy, hidden nook surrounded by sheltering trees. A rabbit huddles at the foot of one, though it can hardly be seen. Sunrise was a few moments ago, but it was a sunrise only for those above the clouds. What a glorious thing it was, too. Pity the poor earth-dwellers who missed it. In front of the small house, on the other side...

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“The mishap ” by Juliet Asike

Submitted to Contest #52

~ The mishap ~ Tried so hard to catch some sleep but the early morning sun kept cutting it short with its rays piercing through the window. I tried to stretch out of the bed and drag my sleepy self to the window but I’m pulled back with a bash at the bunk above me. “My bed doesn’t have a bunk”, I said confusingly, not knowing whether to rub the sleep off my eyes or my head which was hurting from the collision with the bed. “Finally, she’s up”, Nancy s...

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“Runner” by Jen Ponig

Submitted to Contest #52

Alex is riding his bike through town making deliveries for the post office. His backpack is heavier than usual; it’s a busy day for Sleepy Hollow. Alex thinks about the destination of his package, and his legs carry him there. His body has memorized the circuitous route of the roads; he leans into his handle bars, digs his left foot down and sails around the corner. His thoughts are beyond the bike and his backpack. He’s got wings on his heels and he’s sailing across the finish line. Coach told him he’ll make varsity this year if he can make...

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“My Heathcliff” by Ally Dash

Submitted to Contest #52

Charlene tells me it’s normal to think I see him. Sometimes it’s just the way someone walks. Their grey hoody. Or their haircut. For about 30 seconds, my world stops, my heart pounds. Then they turn around. I realise it’s not him, and my surroundings come back into focus. It couldn’t be him anyway, I tell myself. I know it couldn’t be him. Because he’s dead. * Falling in love with Michael was like living my own romcom. We’d caught eyes over a bookshelf in the library. His hazel brown eyes sparkled; his smile twist...

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“Time Machine Miracle ” by Carol H Rad

Submitted to Contest #52

The time gate was closing and only one of us could pass the gate. It was a frustrating moment. I was looking dejected and could not stop looking at him. We were too close to get to the black hole shadow. I could not believe my journey was over there. I wished I could grab his hand. I could not count the seconds, I saw lights, lightening and I could see him going down, and he vanished. The gate opened and I got into it. Next thing I could see was my younger brother standing in front of the power box, with a half-burnt shirt, and smoked face. ...

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“The Shopping Trip” by Carolyn Sternes

Submitted to Contest #52

My shoulder is bumped for about the tenth time since I got out of the car less than a few minutes ago. My grip tightens around the tiny hand I am holding, determined not to let go. Once again regretting my decision to listen to the social hype about how bad it is to put a child on a leash. I would love for any of those people who say no to spend even an hour at the shops with a kid who loves to run away. This was our first outing to the city shops. Normally I was only brave enough to take Jaiden to the local shop at best. But being a single ...

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“Why Roscoe Why” by Judith Buskohl

Submitted to Contest #52

Jamie had another dream about her last boyfriend, Roscoe being alive. All she could see was Roscoe standing in front of her with his hand out stretched toward her. His mouth was moving and she knew words were coming out. The words sounded weird and like it was another language that she couldn’t understand. It sounded like she had heard it before ,but she couldn't understand what he was saying. It bothered her when she had the dream because she always felt like she was letting Roscoe down. Their relationship hadn’t been what an...

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“Charlie ” by Nyra Azavedo

Submitted to Contest #52

Ivan collapses to his knees and wipes the sweat off his forehead. The shovel drops onto the dirt, landing beside his blistered fingers. His shirt is coated in blood that wasn't his. Rumor had it, Charlie had no family. And if he did, no one loved him, which is probably why his family deserted him and never came for him since Ivan moved into the neighbourhood seven years ago. Charlie wasn't all right up there. People maintained their distance. So if anything were to happen to Charlie, would anyone even notice he was gone? Ivan met the...

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“Breathing” by Tiffany Lau

Submitted to Contest #52

“Well... My apartment’s over there. Talk to you later?” “Yep,” I replied, waving, and then looked to the side. My eyes locked onto another’s pair. Two holes, dark and soulless, and a face, strained to plaster a smile on, looked back. I averted my eyes down, watched the toy train choo choo around the snowy village on display, sipped my coffee, and then continued on my way. Two holes, a mouth to pump steam out, and a strained smile... I thought he was dead, but there he was, smiling at me. ------ “Ah good morning Be...

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“Present” by Patty Wojtach

Submitted to Contest #52

Why won’t Ivette just shut up? Lauren thought to herself. Lauren never sucked up to Ivette and was never truly considered a member of the team. This zoom meeting will never end! If it wasn’t a pandemic, she would be in the office and could just sit at her desk avoiding the meeting altogether. She was sure Ivette preferred it that way. Lauren would roll her eyes at the way Ivette preached about her devotion to her religion, which, in Lauren’s perspective, had no business in their meetings. Ivette was ramb...

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“Dopamine” by Lauren Veit

Submitted to Contest #52

The thing about death is that it takes a very long time. There’s planning to be done. There’s the wake and the funeral and the food and the gifts. There’s phone calls and texts to be answered. First there are sleepless nights. Then you have the days spent staring at the ceiling. Then afternoons clearing out the house. All of this turning into weeks in your planner that you never bothered to fill out. You knew there was someone in charge of watching you. There was always someone to usher you to the church or the house or the grief counselor. ...

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“Good Friday Resurrection ” by Gilbert Were

Submitted to Contest #52

The Good Friday was my first major denominational celebration since my infamous decision to join the Opus Dei. I perceived this day as conceivably one of those day’s that binned believers somewhere between grief and joy; not sure whether to mourn or celebrate the glorious but painful death of Christ. Of course, Christ had died to free us from the burden of sin as per the lessons, and who would mourn being relieved of their burdens, no matter what the cost had been. But again, how would you celebrate someone much superior losing his life for ...

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“Culpable” by Cheyenne Niel

Submitted to Contest #52

“I’m coming!” Sheri sprints through the house while narrowly avoiding tripping over the unkempt floor with garments and beer bottles on the way to the door. She swings it open to see that a man who looked about 6 feet tall, dirty blonde hair, hazel eyes that looked more green, was standing there. “Can I help you?” “My name is Jared Smith. I’m a detective for the case of your missing son.” He holds out his hand for me to shake it. “Oh! I was told you wouldn’t be able to come till later to discuss the case.” I shake his hand and open the...

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“He's still dead.” by Sejal -

Submitted to Contest #52

WARNING: mentions of self-harm and gender dysphoria. My feet pounding on the floor, trying to escape his grasp, his slimy fingers reaching for me. "Please stop." I wail, turning back. "You left me. You think you'll ever be a true wom-" I wake up in a cold sweat, for the 4th time in a row. I shiver and sit up, reaching for my water. After trying to calm myself I try to go back to sleep, but I just can't. 'I'm not going to sleep, might as well do something.' I sigh and slip out of my blankets, heading to my kitchen. I pour cold ...

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You thought he was dead, but there he is, right in front of you on the street, smiling at you.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 412 stories

“Dark Side of the Internet” by April Mohn

“Golden Hour, Months Ago” by Kermit A Frog

“The mishap ” by Juliet Asike

“Runner” by Jen Ponig

“My Heathcliff” by Ally Dash

“Time Machine Miracle ” by Carol H Rad

“The Shopping Trip” by Carolyn Sternes

“Why Roscoe Why” by Judith Buskohl

“Charlie ” by Nyra Azavedo

“Breathing” by Tiffany Lau

“Present” by Patty Wojtach

“Dopamine” by Lauren Veit

“Good Friday Resurrection ” by Gilbert Were

“Culpable” by Cheyenne Niel

“He's still dead.” by Sejal -

🌟 Similar prompts

Twenty minutes before you are about to get married, you find your mother and your fiancé kissing passionately.

Every year, one person is sent to the moon. This year, though you hid in terror, it is your turn to enter the rocket.

"Come with us,” two burly men in gray suits say, grabbing you by the arm and handcuffing you. “You know what you did.” But you have no idea.

You are the only one in the supermarket during a blizzard. Feeling creeped out, you decide to leave, when suddenly you find a baby abandoned on the floor.

Contest #52

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

958

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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