A character’s life of deceit unravels as their past catches up with their present. What are the consequences?

Posted in Short Story on Sep 13, 2024

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✍️ 40 stories

“Autumn under the Maples” by James Spurlock

Submitted to Contest #268

English 1010 might have been a very boring course for a physics major if not for an exceptional instructor named Raymond Walker. He was determined to make it interesting for all of his students. The Composition I class that he taught was generally about writing a variety of essays. He wanted to take it further than that. He hoped it would be a challenge. “This is an opportunity for extra credit,” he told them during the first week. “I’ll add points to your final grade if you do it. Just write a short story. The only requirement is that it is...

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“Did You Hear About Bianca Wheeler?” by LC Reid

Submitted to Contest #268

Content warning: mentions of suicide and inappropriate relationships between a teacher and a student * What’s the worst rumour you’ve ever started about someone? I’ll go first: in grade twelve, I told Ellie Jensen that Bianca Wheeler was sleeping with our AP English teacher in exchange for better grades. Ellie, being Ellie, made sure that the story spread like wildfire before the last period bell had rung, and by the time classes resumed the next morning, Bianca and Mr. Keller were the talk of the school. Maybe it’s wrong, but I didn’t e...

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“The Unraveling Hour” by Sean Benoit

Submitted to Contest #268

Sensitive Themes: Suicide, Physical Violence, Mental Health Themes, Substance Abuse, Embezzlement and Financial Crimes, Infidelity, BlackmailThese themes are integral to the plot and character development, contributing to the story's psychological depth and moral complexity. However, they could be potentially triggering or disturbing for some readers.Marcus Everly stood on his penthouse balcony, the chill of autumn seeping into his bones. His gaze swept over Asheville’s twinkling lights, the Blue Ridge Mountains looming in the distance, shro...

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“A Life Not Lived” by Vera N

Submitted to Contest #268

Talia Meyers stood in her corner office, gazing out at the city skyline as if it were a masterpiece she had painted herself. She had risen to the top, one calculated move after another, each step designed to ensure no one would ever know how much of her life was a lie. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the buildings, but it was the paper in her hand that darkened her mood. *I know what you did. It's time to come clean, or I will.* The words felt like a punch to the gut. She re-read them, hoping they'd change on the second pass,...

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“The Taming of the Duke” by Eliza Levin

Submitted to Contest #268

“Tonight?” Rosina breathed. “Shouldn’t we wait until we’re married?” “We could. That would be the proper thing, of course.” “Shall we go back inside before we’re spotted out here alone, then?” I clasped her delicate hands in mine. “But if you really loved me, wouldn’t you want to give yourself to me, society and all its antiquated rules be damned?” “Of course I want to. More than anything. I just worry—” “And those worries are greater than your love for me? Nothing could be greater than my love for you. You’re all I think about, as soon as I...

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“Taking the Fourth” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #268

Christine’s phone buzzed at an incoming message. It had gone to voice mail. She clicked on it and began reading the transcript. ‘Hi, Chris, this is James. Been a while. Hoped we could talk. I owe you an apology. Let’s meet so I can offer it in person. If not, I get it. Hope you’re well. Let me know.’The voice mail started before she’d finished reading. Hearing James’ voice, she almost dropped the phone.The phone rang. Startled, she answered reflexively. “Hello?”“Chris!” It was James at his cheeriest. “What do you want?”“Thanks for picking up...

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“Choices” by Cecilia Heiskary

Submitted to Contest #268

Choices Mary walked out of the house looking for her next fix. She had gotten caught up in chasing drugs. Her favorite fix was oxycodone. She liked the sense of euphoria it gave her. Her story was like everyone else’s. She’d had surgery on her back and they had prescribed Percocet for the pain. She took it as prescribed in the beginning, but the more they gave her, the more she liked it. She had become a slave to her addiction and she hated it. She had lied to so many people she’d lost track of what she’d said to who. It was quite exha...

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“The ashes want revenge ” by Sarah Xenos

Submitted to Contest #268

Kathleen Herbert had a perfect life: a loving husband, a dream job running a small bookstore with her sister, a big house on the beach with two adorable kids and a cute dog. She was blessed with everyone she hoped for in her childhood. She was checking her email, and suddenly, a message popped from her computer. Hi, Lara Western. Do you think you can get away with murder? Her heart stopped, and this figure of imagination or a bad dream. Lara Western is dead. She died in a school fire, and her roommate, Kathleen Herbert, survived. She took a ...

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“The Lesser Man” by Moriah Dai

Submitted to Contest #268

He awoke that morning heavily burdened by what his father had announced at the dinner table the previous night. The words he spoke, though few, resonated within his mind, and their meaning embedded itself into his very flesh. He heard his father's tone as he spoke, could still see his poor mother's face contort as she processed their meaning, and could still feel his face made hot by what they entailed.He sat now on the edge of his bed as the glint of the morning streamed in through the thin drapery and made visible his solid frame. Many mom...

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“Retribution” by Abby Johnson

Submitted to Contest #268

I’ve made a life killing monsters. It started when I was a cop in Fort Worth, my hometown. I had fallen in love with a woman whose husband had been beating her. I found out about it when she came to work (she was a waitress at a diner I frequented) and she had a black eye. “What happened, hon?” I asked. She just looked at me and smiled. “Oh, I bumped into a door.” I had heard that excuse before. I knew the truth of what happened to her. I was a good cop. Tough, lenient when I had to be, and I could spot a victim a mile away. After a fe...

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“Friends and Enemies” by Jim Parker

Submitted to Contest #268

Friends and EnemiesDavid E. had often mentioned his regret at not having seen the sights of the Historic Triangle of Williamsburg, Virginia while living with Debbie and Shewuma. Wisty revealed her surprise to him. Three days retracing the footsteps of early America. Just the two of them. As she rounded a sweeping curve on Rochambeau Road she said. “D.E. I have another surprise for you.” They drove past an enormous wolf head with WELCOME splayed across the top. David E. blurted ...

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“Night at the Loose Screw Tavern” by Ronald John MacLennan Jr

Submitted to Contest #268

Physical violence, or abuse, sexual intercourse (heterosexual), psychological distress Just three months ago, I was Dr. Amber Frost, a rising star in the field of quantum physics, on the verge of a breakthrough that could revolutionize our understanding of parallel universes. I'd had a loving fiancé, a beautiful apartment in the heart of the city, and a future so bright it was blinding.But then everything unraveled.First came the anonymous emails questioning the validity of my research. Then, the whispers in the hallways of the universi...

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“Wicked Repercussion” by Brianna Conner-Lewis

Submitted to Contest #268

“State your name for the record.” Agent Pearce said turning on the recording device and placing it on the steel table. “Logan Bryer,” I answered. “All right Mr. Bryer. Start from the beginning. From your previous interrogations, you said you got the first note almost two weeks ago.” Agent Pearce paused to flip through the paperwork in his hands.I took a deep breath and stared at my fidgeting hands with my watch on my left wrist for a moment. “I woke up as I did every morning, next to my wife sleeping peacefully. I got up to go get ...

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“Bye Bye Baby Doll” by Michael Jefferson

Submitted to Contest #268

Bartender Viggo Rosemenko dabs club soda on the sleeve of his peasant shirt, hoping to clean a tomato juice stain. “The Three Stooges are back again? That’s four times this week. Why don’t you just give them punch cards? It’s two thirty. When are they gonna leave?” Remy Royce, the owner of the Last Call Lounge, shakes his head, replying, “You don’t tell Baby Doll Crosetti when to leave.” “With a name like Baby Doll, somebody should be rockin’ him to sleep,” Viggo replies. “You tell him that, and he’ll put you to sleep for good.” “And that bo...

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“Confession” by Michael Palmieri

Submitted to Contest #268

It was the final day of the trial, just moments before Stan was being convicted for two murders. He already confessed his story once in a private chamber with his attorney and the prosecution, but halfway through they stopped listening and rejected the confession. This led to him taking the stand and getting the judge to allow him to confess his side without interruptions. This is not what the prosecution wanted as it will shine some flaws upon them. “Your Honor, I never thought I’d be in this position—sitting in court, accused of the mu...

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A character’s life of deceit unravels as their past catches up with their present. What are the consequences?

Submissions are closed

✍️ 40 stories

“Autumn under the Maples” by James Spurlock

“Did You Hear About Bianca Wheeler?” by LC Reid

“The Unraveling Hour” by Sean Benoit

“A Life Not Lived” by Vera N

“The Taming of the Duke” by Eliza Levin

“Taking the Fourth” by John K Adams

“Choices” by Cecilia Heiskary

“The ashes want revenge ” by Sarah Xenos

“The Lesser Man” by Moriah Dai

“Retribution” by Abby Johnson

“Friends and Enemies” by Jim Parker

“Night at the Loose Screw Tavern” by Ronald John MacLennan Jr

“Wicked Repercussion” by Brianna Conner-Lewis

“Bye Bye Baby Doll” by Michael Jefferson

“Confession” by Michael Palmieri

🌟 Similar prompts

Your character gets everything they ever wanted — only to realize the true cost.

Write a story about someone seeking forgiveness for their past actions.

Start a story with someone receiving a message from their past self, warning them of the consequences of their actions.

Center your story around a character’s attempt to escape a bad situation that inadvertently leads them back to the source of their problems.

Contest #268

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

286

Contest entries

129

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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