Write a story that ends by circling back to the beginning.

Posted in Short Story on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 214 stories

“The Story You Already Know the End To” by Daniel McMurray

Submitted to Contest #42

Mr. Finley lived the kind of story where you already knew how it would end. The story you might find collecting dust on the shelf. The story that you’ve read a million times and the ending just doesn’t wow you like it did on the first reading. Mr. Finley was brought up in a middle-class family along with a few other siblings before and after him. His parents had met in college and decided that they would spend their lives together, settled down in a suburb where they would raise their kids and send them to a nice school. And so Mr. Finley we...

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“The Final Scene” by Tobi Thomas

Submitted to Contest #42

I looked up at him as he floated down, resplendent in his superiority. His wings catching the dying light, the flames of destruction quieting down almost as if in anticipation of this moment. He landed softly, folded wings, sad look on his face, but firm eyes. He knew it would come to this. I told him it would come to this. Several times in fact. He walked forward his taking in everything. The horror I rained down on the nation I once called home. I warned them all that this would be the result of them defying me. They did, with his blessing...

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“Hello, Mama.” by Steven Pittaro

Submitted to Contest #42

Light. Piercing, white light, blinding. My eyes flutter open, taking in the world. My wings beat back and forth, but I stay on the ground. I am a bird. This I know. I have wings, but they don't work right now. I am in this green plant, hiding from the bright, and the predators. I do not know what exists out there. I need worms if I am to survive, but I have found no worms. No mother to bring them to me, or to chew them up. I have a vague memory of my mother feeding me worms, a few days ago, but now she's gone. A predator may have gotten her....

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“Cold Blood” by Audilia Kalyana

Submitted to Contest #42

It was July when Casey first understood what tragedy meant. She woke up, blood coating her arms and trickling down to the porcelain floor in staccato beats. Her lips were blue and trembling, her throat hoarse from the screams that reverberated on the walls for the entirety of last night. She didn't realize that she was still shaking. She stumbled out of bed, disoriented and slightly confused. She braced herself against the walls momentarily, before continuing her stride; she was pursuing answers, Her one-track mind led her to an old, rickety...

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“Two lives” by Elora Stott

Submitted to Contest #42

Sarah returned home to her family from another day at her job and headed straight to the kitchen to start preparing their tea. She had a good job; she made a lot of money working in investment management by helping her rich clients make even more money. It meant that she led a good life, could afford everything she ever wanted for herself as well as her husband and two children. Each weekend Sarah had two days off which she often spent at play dates or kid’s birthday parties surrounded by yet more children and parents who loved to talk about...

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“A Sunset in Southern Spain” by Danielle Jauregui

Submitted to Contest #42

The air was crisp, but the sun was still warm as Laura exited the unassuming building where she worked. It was half past six in the evening—or the afternoon, depending on how you looked at it. Growing up in England, Laura had always regarded this hour as the evening. Back home, it was a time to have supper and settle down for the night, but not in Spain. Particularly in the south of Spain, where she had resided for the past eight years, half past six was the time for an “afternoon coffee,” or a cafecito as the locals referred to it. Half pas...

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“My Best Friend that is Watching Above ” by Mayli S

Submitted to Contest #42

Dedicated to Rainn “As I sit here and think of all the time we had together, and how it felt like you were in my life for so long, I cry to know you’re gone forever and that there’s was so little time spent with each other”, I write in my journal as I finally accepted the news I would’ve never expected to hear. Six months ago I found the most perfect puppy there possibly was. It was a dream come true, it was all happening so fast. I found the one, I was so ready to get him, and in two days I would meet my best f...

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“A Turn” by Sachethan Shanigaram

Submitted to Contest #42

‘Why isn’t there anyone in this bus’ cried Tyler. Cause its school tryouts, day replied Charlotte. On a Saturday, seriously?. ‘Yes and we are the only ones trying out loser’ said charlotte in a sarcastic way. Tyler is a fifteen-year-old tall red-haired boy and his twin sister Charlotte is also tall and has red hair but is much thinner. ‘Hey look Ava’s here ‘said Charlotte in an excited mood. Ava is a short blonde girl who is also fifteen years. Ava came strolling in with a wistful look on her face. ‘What happened to your face’ ask...

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“Daughter of the Sun ” by Akila R

Submitted to Contest #42

My palms are made of fire. I noticed it several days ago, when a horrible itch spread across my skin and I scratched my palms furiously, like a wild animal. Red blossomed like roses underneath my brown skin and they stayed there, blushing prettily. They burn. I’ve been filling the sinks with cold water from time to time and dipping my hands in just for a little relief. Sometimes, my palms feel so hot that I imagine steam rising from the pool of water until it is as scalding as my skin. If I squint hard enough, I can pretend that it has...

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“Sweet Genevieve” by Donald Baxter

Submitted to Contest #42

It's an interesting view. Not that it can last, but still, one has to appreciate the world as it comes, not as we might wish it might be. Clearly, I can see sweet Genevieve, a bruise on her beautiful forehead, the centre of this whole mess. Next to her is Bishop Grandin, the sadistic bastard. The two of them holding hands. What has it been? Two, maybe three days since this all started? It was only yesterday that the Bishop and I had our little meeting. Genevieve wa...

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“Together in the Dark” by Lisa Slaikeu

Submitted to Contest #42

“I would rather walk with a friend in the dark than alone in the light.” The quote was written in cursive in the center of the black chalkboard with white chalk in the Introduction to Philosophy class along with the current date in the top right corner of the board, the fifth of March. The window near the teacher's desk of the room showed a cloudy, dark gray sky. Students filed in, took their seats, and placed their textbooks on their desks while they waited for the professor to start class. Quiet chatter filled the classroom before the bell...

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“Tomorrow to Fresh Woods” by Ted Villamarzo

Submitted to Contest #42

Henry is the kind of man I like. He has that quality to face situations squarely, and when finished, whether in triumph or disaster, can start anew, like the quote of his favorite line from Milton’s poem: Tomorrow to fresh woods and pastures new. His attitude is… somewhat strange. When asked, at the playground where coaches are looking for students to teach: “Hey! Are you a good Tennis player?” “I don’t know,” Henry said, “I haven’t played Tennis before.” I was surprised. Not the standard answer. But it’s just a simple truth for him. ...

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“A Fishy Rescue” by Dorothy Williams

Submitted to Contest #42

A FISHY RESCUE Parrots wait in the trees around the back door as we return from early training in the Pony Club. Seed on the bird feeder sets Libby’s excited tail wagging for her following breakfast in the enclosed verandah. She leaps against the flywire, gloats when rosellas fly circle round and return, realising she’s kidding. Cheeky kookaburras hop up to the wire hopefully to smell her breakfast after swooping on their own. Shy king parrots wait until I take Libby indoors.After loving pats and knee nuzzles I set to...

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“Arrabella Parson” by Kristen Bintley

Submitted to Contest #42

"Tis not in the stars to hold our destiny but in us"- William Shakespeare.CRASH! Slivers of glass littered the floor like stars in the dark. Every crunch of David Thompson' footsteps echoed through my body. The faint glow of a lamp illuminated his muscles, tight with tension and eagerness. He stood firm in front of me, yet I was alone in my house, my darkened home, with nobody but my sub-conscious at my shoulder. The weather was stormy outside, I couldn't bare to look out the window. My eyes were closed to the outside world of betrayal and...

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“Home” by Ellie D

Submitted to Contest #42

There is a house to my left, new, but old in it's fashion. My personal taste does not aim towards it, but my beliefs say that it will make someone proud to present it to a crowd. I built this house, in hopes that someone will want to proclaim it as "home." Their home. Two floors, a simple layout. Maple wood across the floors, furnished with the finest finish, of course. It would need to be polished once or twice a month, a situation I blame children for. The walls hold an alabaster white, not my pick, but the deadline for me to do so was pas...

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Write a story that ends by circling back to the beginning.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 214 stories

“The Story You Already Know the End To” by Daniel McMurray

“The Final Scene” by Tobi Thomas

“Hello, Mama.” by Steven Pittaro

“Cold Blood” by Audilia Kalyana

“Two lives” by Elora Stott

“A Sunset in Southern Spain” by Danielle Jauregui

“My Best Friend that is Watching Above ” by Mayli S

“A Turn” by Sachethan Shanigaram

“Daughter of the Sun ” by Akila R

“Sweet Genevieve” by Donald Baxter

“Together in the Dark” by Lisa Slaikeu

“Tomorrow to Fresh Woods” by Ted Villamarzo

“A Fishy Rescue” by Dorothy Williams

“Arrabella Parson” by Kristen Bintley

“Home” by Ellie D

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that ends with the narrator revealing a secret.

Write a story that ends in the past.

Write a story that ends with a character asking a question.

Write a story that ends with one character waiting for the arrival of another.

Contest #42

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

903

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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