Write a story with an open ending that gives readers just enough details to draw their own conclusions.

Posted in Narrative on Sep 15, 2023

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?

✍️ 111 stories

“Portrait” by Christopher B.

Submitted to Contest #216

He takes his seat opposite me at the little table and clumsily scoots his chair forward, filling the little restaurant with a sound like a child playing the trumpet. For a moment, as he tries to pretend he’s not embarrassed, I can’t remember if I swiped him, DM’ed him, or found him in a box full of farmers, Christians, or cupids; which is distantly irritating.“Wow, this is, so awkward,” he says and laughs. His eyes crinkle at the corners and the awkwardness is clearly genuine, which is sweet in a way. Oh god, what was his name again?“I know,...

1 comment 1

Read story

“No Pressure” by Andrea Corwin

Submitted to Contest #216

This story briefly talks about euthanasia. "You can't always do peanut butter cookies, Charly! This is for the holiday cookie exchange. The cookies should be festive and creatively decorated," Mary instructed. "Making six dozen cookies is exhausting. It takes me all weekend. I am not about to stand all day in my kitchen rolling out cookies, cutting them, baking, and icing or decorating with sugar sprinkles. It's too much. Bar cookies are what I will make, or little ball cookies in powdered sugar. Take it or leave it! YOU can be Mar...

4 comments 4

Read story

“THERE'S A CATCH IN IT” by Robert W

Submitted to Contest #216

England has many a village like it, but we like to think that Little Wattlingham, hidden deep in the inner recesses of the Herefordshire countryside, is something special. If you want to pay us a visit, don't drive too fast. If you blink, you'll be through the village before you know where you are. And don't even think about stopping to ask for directions. The people who live here or hereabouts can be very secretive indeed. We have always prided ...

3 comments 3

Read story

“House Sitting by Audrey” by Anna Mac

Submitted to Contest #216

The day George and Melanie Hansen summited Mount Everest, their house sitter arrived at San Francisco General Hospital via paramedic transport, strapped to a gurney, writhing in pain. The house sitter, Keiko, was advised she could expect a full recovery from a peptic ulcer. Twelve time zones away, five miles above sea level, the Hansens smiled jubilantly for photos, unaware of their urgent need for a new house sitter…“Hello, is this Miss Audrey, with the house sitting?” The woman’s voice—lilted by a sing-song accent—competed with an emergenc...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Oblivious” by Ian Grogan

Submitted to Contest #216

Trigger warning: some offensive language.The door was barely unlocked before Captain sauntered into the apartment, over to his bowl, downed a few gulps of water, dripped all over the floor and wandered off into the living room. Phil barely had time to unhook him before he started his thirst-quenching quest. He, too, walked into the apartment with a slight hunger. After gently removing his shoes, he locked the door, sat the leash down on the counter in the kitchen and made his way towards the fridge. Phil meticulously spread a dollop of ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Mystery of the Basement” by Valerie Landrum

Submitted to Contest #216

In the heart of Colorado's Montezuma County rugged terrain, an air of timeless grace permeated every crevice. The landscape, etched with the hues of the earth and kissed by the warm embrace of sunlight, offered a serene and ageless backdrop. An abandoned Prairie Ranch house that had languished in vacancy for decades stood amidst the rolling hills and under the vast, unending sky. Among those rolling hills, Emma and Grace, along with their husbands, Jackson and Mark, would embark on a fresh start. Their venture led them to the desire to pur...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Taking Aim” by Lara Deppe

Submitted to Contest #216

This story contains content that includes issues of mental health, suicide, and physical violence. You pull your black hoody closer tighter around your face as you turn your bike down your tree-lined street toward home. The streetlights are on and making you a stretched black shadow on the deserted block as you pass through their coned light on the bumpy pavement. The red-brick rambler at the end is yours. The house is dark, and the shades are drawn. No one will be home for another three hours or so. Your mom is staying late tonight to se...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Twisted First Dates” by Ella Reynolds

Submitted to Contest #216

The inside of the restaurant made her gulp, standing in the doorway. But the host had already spotted her, and there was no backing out. There were waiters in nice pressed white shirts and black pants carrying covered platters around. She expected them all to have small mustaches, but was disappointed to find they all looked like normal people. Her phone buzzed again. I’m at the table in the back. It's private. She grimaced a little, but ran a hand through her hair and took a breath. She needed to do this. Striding to the back, she l...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Never Cross the Double Line” by Lynne Boyd

Submitted to Contest #216

I saw her as I topped the hill, walking down the center of the road, just as if it was a path to the lake, or a walk in the park I thought to myself. My window was down and I could hear her chanting something, but couldn’t quite make out the words. I pressed the gas and made a quick descent down the hill, threw the brakes on, shifted into park and jumped out of the car. “Never cross on the double line. Never cross on the double line.” She couldn’t have been more than three years old. She wore a pink dress and white flowers, a play...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Risk Management” by Octavia Kuransky

Submitted to Contest #216

Risk Management Octavia Kuransky It’s funny what you’ll do when you’re desperate. Well not funny. Funny is not the word. Interesting. Sometimes shocking. It depends on the nature of the desperation. What you will do, I mean. How far you will go. It depends on the nature of the desperation, also maybe your age, your race, your gender. But, by way of example, let’s say you’re broke. A certain kind of person of a certain background will - let’s say - eat the tough part of ...

3 comments 3

Read story

“Show Me” by Joseph Kunkle

Submitted to Contest #216

Guts fascinated Chalktawl. The bayou offered up a host of entrails from American Alligators, swamp rats, feral hogs… and humans. Chalktawl has seen them all. Including those of Tex. Crouching on his knees, Chalktawl lifted a lumpy strand of a transversing zig and zag for a closer look. He tilted the willow stick. The large intestine descended back into the heap. If he hadn’t been 4-F, he’d seen plenty of guts on D-Day. Summoned by U S Marshall Louise LaBlanc, Chalktawl Jones arrived. They were gone. The guts. Gone from where they’d gushed a...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Up and to the Left” by Levi Michael

Submitted to Contest #216

We both liked reading people. That’s how we met. We’d worked together for three years, said a few words in passing, but never really noticed each other, until the day in the breakroom when we were the only two who could tell that Herb was obviously lying. We laughed and Herb shot us a glare and the rest of the group just went along as he dismissed us and continued his story. Unable to stifle our laughter we both apologized and left, only finally letting the laughs rip when we were almost halfway down the hall. I’m sure Herb still hear...

0 comments 0

Read story

“When Carl Came to Visit” by Taylor Barnard

Submitted to Contest #216

It is curious that large places can become small after years of indifferent familiarity. Take this house. I know each crack in the floorboards that run along the living room’s western wall. There is a small hole in the fireplace tile. When I sit just so in the felt armoire that Denise took from her aunt’s home after that unfortunate accident, I can make out tiny pulses of smoke, which unfortunately waft into the house. Rather than patch the hole, Denise forbade me to use the fireplace. When we moved in it felt so grand. But any space can be...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Room 23 ” by Adrienne Ellis

Submitted to Contest #216

She walks with confidence, each stride of her 5’9” frame an intentional move towards her purpose. She’s not arrogant, but she knows she is a beautiful woman. She wears a flowing white dress that makes her golden-brown skin glow in the late summer sun. Her large brown eyes have always betrayed her every emotion. Drag queens are jealous of her long, curled lashes. She will use her looks as a means to an end, but only if necessary.She knows he is following behind her. She does not know, however, how close he is. She can’t run, lest sh...

2 comments 2

Read story

“If He Follows Me” by Catherine Corning

Submitted to Contest #216

All I could focus on was his eyes. Brown with gold swirled into them, making them the most beautiful things to look into. My eyes slowly moved from his eyes to the rest of his features. Features I have admired thousands of times before. The stubble surrounding his chin and his beautiful lips. Soft and... “Hello,” he says as he waves his hand in my face, bringing me back to reality. “Sorry,” I whisper, my cheeks heating up as I look down at my feet. This experience has become more frequent recently. I find my mind wandering off while look...

0 comments 0

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story in a coffee shop without using obvious words to describe it (e.g. barista, coffee cup.)

Narrative – 69 stories

Write a scene in which a character’s behavior or reaction to something is affected by a past experience — without saying what that experience was.

Character – 51 stories

Include dialogue that shows that a character is socially awkward.

Dialogue – 28 stories

Include a scene in your story in which a character's body language conveys their hidden emotions.

Character – 25 stories

Contest #216

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Show, Don't Tell

$250

Prize money

284

Contest entries

115

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Sep 22, 2023 EST

Won by Hazel Ide 🏆

Title: Long Live the King

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 with an open ending that gives readers just enough details to draw their own conclusions.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 111 stories

“Portrait” by Christopher B.

“No Pressure” by Andrea Corwin

“THERE'S A CATCH IN IT” by Robert W

“House Sitting by Audrey” by Anna Mac

“Oblivious” by Ian Grogan

“Mystery of the Basement” by Valerie Landrum

“Taking Aim” by Lara Deppe

“Twisted First Dates” by Ella Reynolds

“Never Cross the Double Line” by Lynne Boyd

“Risk Management” by Octavia Kuransky

“Show Me” by Joseph Kunkle

“Up and to the Left” by Levi Michael

“When Carl Came to Visit” by Taylor Barnard

“Room 23 ” by Adrienne Ellis

“If He Follows Me” by Catherine Corning

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story in a coffee shop without using obvious words to describe it (e.g. barista, coffee cup.)

Write a scene in which a character’s behavior or reaction to something is affected by a past experience — without saying what that experience was.

Include dialogue that shows that a character is socially awkward.

Include a scene in your story in which a character's body language conveys their hidden emotions.

Contest #216

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

284

Contest entries

115

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: