Write about two people who just can’t seem to understand each other, no matter how clearly they think they’re speaking.

Posted in Sad on Oct 31, 2022

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✍️ 79 stories

“The tutor and Josh” by Carol Diane

Submitted to Contest #76

The air was damp and cold. So cold that Iris’ tank top, shirt, sweater, and fleece lined jacket could not keep the cold from seeping in towards her skin and giving her a harsh chill. She had never been too fond of the bitter weather, however the smell of ozone in the park after the strong rains earlier were relaxing enough to make it all worthwhile. “So Josh, why exactly are you here?” Iris asked with an unintended bitterness in her voice. “Like I told you before, I’m just here to get tutored.” Josh responded. “Your tutoring is at the oth...

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“Translating the Mirrors” by Sara Blanch

Submitted to Contest #76

Being 6 years younger than my twin sister's certainly had it's perks. Sure I was too young to be included in their secrets and plans...they simply saw me as their childish, naive and probably annoying sibling that knew nothing about the nature of the world. Little did they know that whilst 6 years was too big of a gap to be 'buddies' with them...it was small enough that I could relate to, or at understand the basics of what was going on in their lives. Whilst they were going through their teenage angst period I was in the later ye...

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“French Kissing While We Topple Towers” by Ari Fargo

Submitted to Contest #76

When they’d settled in the valley, talk circulated the town like wildfire. There were words everywhere. People stuck signs outside their tents, indicating who lived there. Vendors set up stalls, hanging banners with words that advertised their wares. She could tell her brothers to go to the Southeast marketplace, to the elderly vendor with a face like a boulder, and ask for the moss colored fabric with sunset stitching. When her mother tapped her on the shoulder and asked her to taste the rice, she had words for what it lacked. The ...

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“A Turkish Bus Proposal?” by All The World’s A Stage

Submitted to Contest #76

Maria stepped onto the bus the same way she had for the past week and a half. That’s exactly how long she had been staying here in Ankara, Turkey, volunteering to teach English to refugees living there. She made her way to the small counter near the front of the bus and placed 3 Turkish coins on it to pay for her fare. Since it was only 10 o’clock in the morning, the bus was fairly empty. Maria spotted an empty couple of seats right behind the driver. She slid herself into the window seat to gaze outside at the buildings of Turkey’s capital....

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“Disconnected” by Michelle Ann Solis

Submitted to Contest #76

Tap. Tap. Tap. The sound was deafening. I was trying to concentrate on my chapter but every time I heard the noise, my eyes would wander over to the kitchen faucet and my brain would start pondering reasons why it could have been leaking. ‘Focus,’ I told myself while breathing deeply in and out. ‘So, where are we?’ I checked the page in front of me. It was staring at me, with its bold white empty space; one sentence at the top. I stared back at it. The story was coming, I knew it. If only I could find the words… Tap. That was it. The chair h...

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“Clouds” by Robert Smith

Submitted to Contest #76

Clouds Robert Ellerbruch I am just settled into my window seat when a woman walks down the aisle wearing a leopard print dress. She eases into the seat next to mine. I’m bemused. “Don’t worry, dear, it is not real.” She says. Of course it isn’t, I think, even I can tell it is made from polyester and is as far from real as is possible. I start to point out that I never doubted that she was wearing an actual leopard skin, but she is staring into a small compact mirror putting on lipstick, apparently having forgotten the brief comment. I...

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“Shades of green” by Stephanie Xu

Submitted to Contest #76

There’s a little pot of flowers on the windowsill behind the sink that I stare at every time I get yelled at. She’s got a grey clay pot. Not charcoal-colored, and not exactly ashy either. I’d say she looks kind of like steel, other than the fact that she’s matte, of course. She looks the same as the pots and pans in the kitchen, or the microwave and dishwasher. Everything in here is kind of the same, which is helpful because whenever I get yelled at my eyes just dance around to all the grey objects I can find. I have a game where I try to co...

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“Anger and Sadness” by Nikoline Holme

Submitted to Contest #76

Every time he yelled, I wanted to run away. I wanted to hide and never show myself again. I wanted to cower in a dark room in the hopes that he would never find me. But he never did. He never came for me, and he never did anything. He never hurt me, but I was still scared. It did not matter that he said it was not me. That it was just the stupid drill that could not drill through the wall. Or because he banged his head against a shelf while emptying the dishwasher. Or because he stepped with dry socks in some water. I knew it was not about m...

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“Forgive & forget” by Lynne Buttercase

Submitted to Contest #76

“What?” Evelyn’s question was abrupt. Her eyes snapped to Michelle’s face momentarily before drifting back to study her hands. “What did he do?” said Michelle. “… Mum? What did he do?.” Her tone was patient and calm but her eyes belied weariness. Evelyn concentrated on the button on her cardigan. “Mum… ?” “I told you.” Michelle sighed. “I told you what he did.” said Evelyn. “He… but he was a good man… a handsome man.” Her eyes twinkled as she imagined his face. Her trembling lips straightened into a warm smile. “Yes! He was handsome. Oh I re...

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“From the Middle Child” by Alice Villegas

Submitted to Contest #76

I’m a people pleaser, thanks mom and dad. Well it’s not really their fault, but it is. I was raised by their every word no matter how contradicting they sounded with each other. Mom was as clear as day but dad was as clear as night. You know, those nights when you can hear every leaf rattling in the dark, heavy forest ahead of you. That was him alright! You can just tell that co-parenting was not their forte. It’s a little bit upsetting and it would be great if I could understand them but the only thing that would be better would be if they ...

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“Friendship” by Kaneez Fatima

Submitted to Contest #76

Can you ever picture yourself with someone complete opposite of your personality , well there is a story of Olivia and Madison. Olivia is a 13 year old girl ,who is so talkative that she can make any stranger her friend in some minutes, whereas Madison is a total disaster. That’s what her mom tells to everyone, if she and her mom will be in same room for more than 5 minutes, I bet you, they can fight for years on a same topic. She is a girl which is too arrogant and cocky and you can’t even make her your hi, hello friend in years.So there wa...

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“What if ?” by Johan Jansen Van Rensburg

Submitted to Contest #76

What if we were never supposed to die? What if Eve never ate that fruit? Have you ever thought about the astronomical consequences should the first couple that waked the face of the earth didn’t have an epic fail? I dare you to take a stroll with me. I would like to walk down the road possibilities beyond your imagination. I would like to stretch your mind beyond its ten percent capacity that you daily make use of. Let’s wander into the unknown...into what could have been, into what was supposed to, and, just maybe.....

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“You Don't Say” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #76

“What I am attempting to tell you, is that when it comes to right and wrong, you are wrong. You can be both right, and wrong. That is the measure of any word, its meaning. And who gives it meaning?” “Oh contraire, my friend. Right and wrong, although opposites, are the same in one respect. One can’t exist without the other. It is the same principle as good and evil. The words and therefore the concept only have meaning if they exist in conjunction with one another.” “I see your point, but that does not eras...

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“Still life” by Spencer Bresnick

Submitted to Contest #76

In St Louis a middle-aged couple boarded the bus and created an immediate disruption by bickering over whether to sit in the front, middle, or back of the bus. “I don’t care, sit wherever you want,” he said through his large lips. He wore a well worn knitted paisley sweater which looked rather baggy on him, like it wasn’t his. His eyes were set deep in his sockets, and his nose much too small for his face which gave him a comical look, as if he were never to be taken seriously. His wedding band was on his middle...

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“Never Bright (Epilogue)” by Joseph Robinson

Submitted to Contest #76

Epilogue “You just died!” I roared at Rick who smiled at me carelessly. “If it wasn’t for a miracle, you’d still be dead!” Rick’s room threw me off with how normal it was for a prince. The walls were painted blue and the carpet was eggshell white. He had posters of rock bands and movie stars plaster on every wall. “I’m alright, Naveen. I told you already, I’m not throwing in the towel until you and I tie the knot,” Rick chuckled his hair matted on his forehead and his checks flushed red. “Damn it, Rick!” I grabbed the collar of his black...

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Write about two people who just can’t seem to understand each other, no matter how clearly they think they’re speaking.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 79 stories

“The tutor and Josh” by Carol Diane

“Translating the Mirrors” by Sara Blanch

“French Kissing While We Topple Towers” by Ari Fargo

“A Turkish Bus Proposal?” by All The World’s A Stage

“Disconnected” by Michelle Ann Solis

“Clouds” by Robert Smith

“Shades of green” by Stephanie Xu

“Anger and Sadness” by Nikoline Holme

“Forgive & forget” by Lynne Buttercase

“From the Middle Child” by Alice Villegas

“Friendship” by Kaneez Fatima

“What if ?” by Johan Jansen Van Rensburg

“You Don't Say” by Joe Swanson

“Still life” by Spencer Bresnick

“Never Bright (Epilogue)” by Joseph Robinson

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story told exclusively through dialogue.

Write about a character who is incapable of telling even the smallest lie or half-truth.

Write a conversation that takes place between two people who refuse to say what they mean.

Write about a character who’s always thinking of things they’ll say to people, but who ends up saying very little when they finally get the chance.

Contest #76

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

787

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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