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

Posted in Short Story on Sep 13, 2024

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✍️ 93 stories

“Church Floors” by Lila Weiser

Submitted to Contest #268

My grandmother died two Tuesdays ago. August 30th. After the funeral her kids chose a sticky note color and claimed the things they each wanted from her house. Art and memorabilia were pulled out of copious file folders as my aunt rummaged through her nightstand to find her wedding band. My grandmother’s calendar was on the table, unclaimed and full of slash marks through the days leading up until she went to the hospital, which was two days after my brother and dad had visited her (notated in her calendar, and slashed through). I went...

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“"I'm sorry."” by Rehaf Imran

Submitted to Contest #268

My latte’s bitter. It’s gone cold from the chilling AC blasting throughout the cafe. The checkered black and white tiles, dusty gray marble counters, and the 80’s radio blasting through behind bring me back to my senses. I pick up the small white cup, and bring it to my mouth, savoring the cold liquid for a bit. There’s barely any creamer, and the coffee grounds are not fully mixed in yet, but it’s nostalgic to think about. This place isn’t really known for anything, besides the obscene magazines, and old Hollywood posters of actors way past...

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“The Pardon” by Brian Reindel

Submitted to Contest #268

The name of the corner bookstore is Books and Nooks. They serve beverages and baked goods to patrons who enjoy swimming in nostalgia and reading from a rare selection of physical books. They are mostly regulars, like the bearded elderly man who reads old Tom Clancy novels with torn dust jackets and dogeared corners. Or, the young boy who indulges in relished classics: “Treasure Island”, “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” and “Robinson Crusoe”. But I’m not here to visit with them. I’m here to visit with another regular named Isla Miller. I murder...

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“Please Forgive Me ” by Zoey DeLeve

Submitted to Contest #268

“Please forgive me” I beg and beg. “Please forgive me. I know I have done you wrong and that I have treated you poorly and that I should've done you better. I should've listened to you when you were speaking, "I say. “Please forgive me” I begged again. “Please forgive, I know I haven't been the best to you and i didn't give you what you needed. I'm sorry I didn't think it out when I was breaking up with you. Please forgive me,” I beg yet once again. I continue to beg and beg and say “It hasn't been easy to get over you. I know you are in a r...

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“Perfidy” by D.C. Wright

Submitted to Contest #268

“’And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.’” Mathew 27 9:10 The man’s body swayed gently in the bre...

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“Not a Party Person” by Frieda Winning

Submitted to Contest #268

“Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.”“Technically”, I corrected – I was an honest sinner at least, “I am going to sin. Future tense.”I added a pause.“I am going to commit a theft if you want to know it precisely, Priest.” Another pause.“Does God need to know exactly what I am going to do for this to work?”The Priest’s voice was laced with this special something, this tone of religious revelation that went beyond the mundane good and bad, black and white, right or wrong.“God doesn’t demand. He is no judge, no court, nor punisher. Forgivene...

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“Past Is Prologue ” by Renee Yancey

Submitted to Contest #268

He is dying. She knows that and doesn't know how to feel about it. Is she supposed to be unset? He is her father. She should be grieving. Moving towards the house she grew up in, her steps slow as she reaches the porch. A creak as her foot hits the bottom step. A pause as she waits for her heartbeat to catch up. A thousand memories flood her mind with just that sound. Jumping over it, as not to alert him. Sitting on it, locked out of the house. She pulls in a deep breath as she prepares to climb the others. The squeak of the screen door b...

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“The Forgotten and The Forgiven” by Paislee Cheatham

Submitted to Contest #268

It had to be the coldest day in November yet, but George was just glad the sun was shining. Johnny would have liked that, he always loved the cold, brisk air of winter with the sun beaming down warming his face. Today though George didn't have time to bask in the sun, he had to make it up the hill through the treacherous woody terrain and get back before nightfall. George only had one thing on his mind, he had to see it through or it would likely be the death of him. Today, on the anniversary of Johnny’s disappearance, he was determined to v...

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“What I Wish You'd Say” by Carina Caccia

Submitted to Contest #268

Blair was never particularly creative – at least, she didn’t think so. In high school, her friends had taken visual arts, photography, music and drama. She was always at their showcases, always in the audience, always a guest (once even a muse!) but never the artist herself. And at university, she’d taken forensic accounting, but the course wasn’t nearly as colourful as the artist retreats or improv. nights her friends attended – not to her, at least. Rather, her degree was grey and overcast like a storm cloud, and if it were a person, it’d ...

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“Journey's End” by Janet Lorimer

Submitted to Contest #268

JOURNEY’S ENDBy Janet Lorimer The tale is told of a poor shoemaker, a bitter man, who plied his trade in a small shop on a narrow street in Jerusalem. One day his work was interrupted by a great commotion outside. Curious, the shoemaker went to the doorway in time to see a man, covered in blood and sweat and dragging a great wooden cross, stumble and fall against the outer wall. Angry, the shoemaker berated him. “You’re bad for business. Get away from my shop.” The injured man tur...

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“"The Shadow of Redemption"” by SK Gill

Submitted to Contest #268

In the quiet town of Everbrook, nestled between rolling hills and ancient oaks, lived a man named Thomas. Known for his stern demeanour and sharp intellect, Thomas had spent his life building a reputation that masked a deep-seated regret he carried like a shadow. His days were filled with the routine of a successful lawyer, attending court sessions, meeting clients, and drafting legal documents. Despite his professional achievements, Thomas’s nights were restless, haunted by memories of a case that had changed the course of two lives forever...

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“The weight of Betrayal.” by Timona Mugo

Submitted to Contest #268

The summer air was heavy with the scent of jasmine as Mark sat on the porch swing, his gaze fixed on the worn wooden fence that separated his backyard from his neighbor's. He had been avoiding Sarah for days, the guilt gnawing at him like a hungry wolf. He knew he had to face the music, no matter how difficult it would be.Sarah was the kind of girl who lit up a room with her infectious laughter and unwavering optimism. They had been together since high school, their love story a familiar tale of teenage romance. But Mark had let their relati...

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“Thief” by Michael Lewis

Submitted to Contest #268

Mom is in the living room knitting intricate patterns for some item of clothing. Outside the window, an ice cream truck trills its usual cheerful tune. It's a sound I have grown to love. Charlie, the ice cream man, had arrived on his weekly round. I put down my train set. “Mom, can I buy a cone?” Mom glances up from her knitting, “Ok, take it out of the vase, but only a penny cone, mind you.” I get up from the floor and walk out to the hallway. The old, semi-circular, dark brown hall table stands in the corner next to ...

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“Dear Self” by Elisabeta Malinschi

Submitted to Contest #268

I've hurt many people I care about this past year. Many of which I've also reconciled with since then. Not so hard to believe is it? For when one is truly, honestly sorry, anyone forgives them. The funny part is they long for it, for closure, for ending the conflict. And the easy, painless way is to wait for the other side to ask for forgiveness and you, mercifully, to give it. Become the bigger person and pat yourself on the back for letting it go. What you're actually doing is allowing yourself to get away with it without any consequences....

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“Too Late, Too Late” by Audrey Kim

Submitted to Contest #268

The ceremony was simple, but all around, there tears. Tears, warm embraces, and words of comfort and condolences. But one woman stood out among them all. With her hair as red as a copper coin, her bright green eyes filled with tears as she walks in her designer heels. The woman stood out among the sea of black, not just because of how expensive her clothing is, but because she was not welcome. As soon as the woman walked past said warm embraces and comforting words, they turned to frigid glares and hushed tones as they looked at the woman. ...

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 93 stories

“Church Floors” by Lila Weiser

“"I'm sorry."” by Rehaf Imran

“The Pardon” by Brian Reindel

“Please Forgive Me ” by Zoey DeLeve

“Perfidy” by D.C. Wright

“Not a Party Person” by Frieda Winning

“Past Is Prologue ” by Renee Yancey

“The Forgotten and The Forgiven” by Paislee Cheatham

“What I Wish You'd Say” by Carina Caccia

“Journey's End” by Janet Lorimer

“"The Shadow of Redemption"” by SK Gill

“The weight of Betrayal.” by Timona Mugo

“Thief” by Michael Lewis

“Dear Self” by Elisabeta Malinschi

“Too Late, Too Late” by Audrey Kim

🌟 Similar prompts

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

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

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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