Your character is invited to a secret meeting. Who invited them, and what do they encounter?

Posted in Short Story on Oct 18, 2024

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✍️ 41 stories

“Wrong Choice” by Marta Bartoszewska

Submitted to Contest #273

Alex hated the rain. She hated having to avoid puddles of dirty water, so her expensive shoes wouldn't get ruined. That night, though, as she was making her way to the 24-hour store, she couldn't care less about getting her shoes wet. She could have taken the car, but in her current state of mind, it wouldn't feel safe. To say she was distressed would be an understatement. Her mind was racing, ten thousand different thoughts fighting for her attention at the same time. And then she entered the store, and it all stopped in an instant, because...

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“Undead Reckoning” by Dave Stanley

Submitted to Contest #273

Sean has seen enough slick Netflix and Hulu horror movies to know he should throw away the invitation. Embossed in fancy, red wax seals and a hint of sandalwood odor, the invitation itself is an appealing parchment that should be destined for the recycling bin, along with his poor solo album review in the local alternative weekly paper. “No harm in opening it,” he mutters, as he trudges back to his house from the mailbox. It is three in the afternoon, and he is still in his bathrobe and slippers. Traditional time keeping has lost ...

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“The Veil of Mastery” by Edward J. McCoul

Submitted to Contest #273

“The Veil of Mastery” By Edward J. McCoulAdelaide Whitlock had always been drawn to the mystery that lay beneath the surface of fine art. An expert in evaluating and appraising the world’s rarest masterpieces, she could spot the hidden layers in a painting that most people missed — the brushstrokes that whispered stories long forgotten. But nothing had ever shaken her more than the night she encountered The Veil of Mastery.Three years ago, in the decaying halls of Ravenshore Manor, she had been invited to a secret meeting, w...

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“Fear To Change” by Gary Phipps

Submitted to Contest #273

Davey looked up from his lukewarm coffee, the buzz of the fluorescent lights above fading into the background. He was trapped, or so it seemed, within the confines of a cubicle that resembled a cage, its walls pressing in tighter with each passing moment. The familiar chorus of keyboards clattering and phones ringing filled the air, a repetitive symphony of boredom. The seconds crawled by, barely discernible in their passing. Here, time stood still. Lunch break came and went like the revolving door of routine. He trudged toward the local del...

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“A Meeting in the Library” by Simeon Whiting

Submitted to Contest #273

The brass plaque on the door informed me this was the library. I hadn’t been down to this level before, didn’t even realise hell had a library, but this seemed to be the place. I double-checked the note in my pocket. ‘Things can’t go on like this. Meet me in the library, 1pm Tuesday.’ Yes, this was right. I turned the handle and pushed open the heavy wooden door. The room looked as you would expect – much like the rest of hell. Whoever had decorated had gone a bundle on spikes, fire and mahogany. Satan had chosen an aesthetic and stuck to it...

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“A Song of My own” by Kevin Rebultan

Submitted to Contest #273

She called to me through the trees. I look over my shoulder waiting to hear the echoing trill again. It sounds and I move swiftly, as possible, till the soil and grass turn to wet rock and surf. I walk along the shoreline of a large lake with an islet in the very center of it. And then I hear the sing-song call once more. It’s coming from the islet. A tune I felt like I knew in my bones, but the woman who sang it, I did not know. Our eyes met. I did not stay to hear what she uttered next. Evening fell, but I did not go home. I paced the ski...

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“The Eternal Bargainers” by David Dean

Submitted to Contest #273

Hector Mares found himself standing before the iron gates of Dr. Carlos Biltong’s secluded estate, the cold mountain wind biting at his skin. The estate lay hidden deep in the Andes. It was late, the moon barely visible through the thick mist that clung to the jagged peaks, and the air buzzed with electrical energy. He had been summoned here by Biltong, the head of the science team, to share some critical insight—something that could upend the very fabric of time.Hector had never been one for secret meetings, but in his line of work as an ar...

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“You Shall Go Into That Closet, And Take Off All Your Clothes” by Tucker Sloan

Submitted to Contest #273

You Shall Go into That Closet, and Take Off All Your ClothesBy: Tucker Bradley SloanTRIGGER WARNING: Strong sexual content and dialogue, language, bizarre behavior, brutal and sexual violence, gore. As we approached, I recognized the castle from an old book. It was Sayemontess. It was real. So, whatever challenge may lie ahead, it was all set up by Dominic. I had received his childishly written invitation. All his I’s were dotted with circles. His driver had nice music. I would never forget the following lyric:“And the time will be our time....

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“Harold and The Final Frontier” by Tamara Yewchuk

Submitted to Contest #273

Opening his eyes, Harold is surprised to be alive. It's November 11th an auspicious day for his generation. He did his duty, for his country, but also for the promise of adventure and glory. And for all his glory and PTSD he now rots away in this elder care facility in the Midwest. He misses the ocean. He is surprised not only to reach his 92nd birthday but to have lived without anyone guessing his secret. If his wife knew she never said or let on. She complained about his smoking and his silent moods but was a loving, caring partner. ...

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“Hive” by Brandon Rich

Submitted to Contest #273

The door on the street didn't look like any of the others, but it also didn't have any traits that signified it was special. Actually, it looked shabby. A tall, wood planked portal, peeling. A shaft stuck out a few inches from the center, a round ball at the end. When I reached my hand out to grip it, I had the thought that it wouldn't be the kind that turned. Instantly, the voice in my earbud, more high tech than the door it had led me to, confirmed this thought.It doesn't open, She said. But they will know. Her voice...

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“Stolen ” by Raquel Mora

Submitted to Contest #273

You can live your entire life with someone, but the moment you know they might leave you forever, that is when you take the time to memorize their face. I love my father and he is the only parent I have ever known. How could I ever forget his face? And yet I am trying to memorize the lines around his eyes. They should be much more pronounced for a man his age, but I know that we are not 'normal'. Father does things he should not be able to, but here in the bayou, it is expected and everyone knows better than to bring attention to it, le...

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Your character is invited to a secret meeting. Who invited them, and what do they encounter?

Submissions are closed

✍️ 41 stories

“Wrong Choice” by Marta Bartoszewska

“Undead Reckoning” by Dave Stanley

“The Veil of Mastery” by Edward J. McCoul

“Fear To Change” by Gary Phipps

“A Meeting in the Library” by Simeon Whiting

“A Song of My own” by Kevin Rebultan

“The Eternal Bargainers” by David Dean

“You Shall Go Into That Closet, And Take Off All Your Clothes” by Tucker Sloan

“Harold and The Final Frontier” by Tamara Yewchuk

“Hive” by Brandon Rich

“Stolen ” by Raquel Mora

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story in the form of diary/journal entries about a secret or confession.

Begin your story with someone either being followed or following someone else.

Write a story with the line “Don’t tell anyone.”

Write a story that hides something from the reader until the end.

Contest #273

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

361

Contest entries

165

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: