Set your story at a tense event where everyone is unsure whose side they’re on.

Posted in Thriller and Suspense on Mar 8, 2024

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 27 stories

“Gloria” by John Rutherford

Submitted to Contest #241

They liked to share these idyllic quiet moments, in front of the mirrored dressing table, George combing Georgina’s hair. It was something soothing, calming, and therapeutic, a necessary and intimate ritual, an important part of their relationship, which they had been doing together since they couldn’t remember, certainly since childhood. In complete silence - never a word spoken, Georgina in a catatonic state of mind, completely immobile, a trance-like state. George slowly, softly, gently glides the brush through her long tresses of hair. T...

24 comments 24

Read story

“BOUND BY THE JERSEY” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #241

She opened her eyes suddenly, feeling a sense of disorientation wash over her, making her head pulsate. The gleaming white ceiling with two latticed openings above her made her feel uneasy, while the coldness of the floor she lay on gave her chills. Her body shivered unconsciously at the mere thought of lying on the cold concrete floor. A little unsteadily, she managed to get up into a sitting position, thankful that the coldness of the concrete floor had disappeared, and started surveying the dimly lit room in which she was. She was not alo...

15 comments 15

Read story

“Renegade” by A. Torrecilha

Submitted to Contest #241

People always like to ask me what was the worst part of living in a dictatorship. After a while, I understood the morbid fascination that particular question entails, they want to hear about death, policeman screaming at your face, violent riots, strident politicians indoctrinating the people on national television. People expect the loud and abrasive nature of it, but they become very appalled when I tell them how quiet it actually was. Don’t misconstrue my words, there definitely was violence and screams. But in essence, everyone’s life wa...

5 comments 5

Read story

“Trust is a Four-Letter Word” by Raven West

Submitted to Contest #241

I’m still in the process of extracting all the knives in my back as I write this cautionary tale of misplaced trust and betrayal. After just completing my novel, I was cautiously optimistic when I signed up for a panel of movie producers who were looking for the next blockbuster. While waiting for the start of the event, I met Sandra Lindsky at the bar. She told me she was starting a movie production company and was looking for projects about strong women in difficult situations. Excited to be face-to-face with an actual producer, I gave h...

7 comments 7

Read story

“Boxed In” by Paul Hellyer

Submitted to Contest #241

Awakening, it was hard to figure out where he was, his vision obscured by middling light. It appeared to be a rectangular shaped space, the ridges in the walls leading him to believe it was the inside of some kind of shipping crate. However, the most alarming feature of the environment, was the crowding. He could hardly see the ground, as everywhere in the confinement there were people lying in various states of wakefulness. There were some electric lights attached to the ceiling, illuminating the box starkly.The air in the makeshift pr...

5 comments 5

Read story

“Dead Mans Hand” by Timothy Rennels

Submitted to Contest #241

Dead Mans Hand Chad McConnel slapped his cards down on the green felt tabletop. A small cloud of dust coughed in protest. “Two pair. Aces and eights. Your hand’s like your ranch Creed. Nothing but bullshit!” The sheep raising farmer glared at the well-dressed cattleman across the table. “This is one fence you can’t cut!” Connor Creed eyed his adversary with a thoughtful squint. Personally, he felt that 1848 would be a better year if Chad McConnel would be swallowed up by the earth, his sheep with him. For now...

14 comments 14

Read story

“The Last Party” by Aimee Bettencourt

Submitted to Contest #241

I shivered as the sea spray misted onto my skin. Though it was mid-August, the air so thick you can almost drink it, the sun had started to set, and the air seemed to finally cool off. I reached for my hoodie to throw on over my bikini top. Thankfully, Mike had decided to slow down the pontoon boat, deciding that he’d found the perfect spot to anchor and get the party started. It was the summer between high school graduation and the start of our new lives as “adults”. Soon, we would all say goodbye and move to our respective universities, sc...

8 comments 8

Read story

“Aeterna” by Nicolle C

Submitted to Contest #241

Candlelight danced in flickering leaps across burgundy walls, wax bleeding with each passing minute. Gaze fixated at the head of the table, she took a lengthy sip of wine, not breaking eye contact. Despite the heat of her glare, the recipient continued unaware. “I want to thank you all for coming tonight,” the head of the table boomed. The charcoal suit he sported was expertly tailored, hanging from his frame–a frame that was looking increasingly toned as of late. His beard, once peppered, was now a perfectly manicured onyx. As he proceeded ...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Strange Weddings Call for Strange Guest Lists” by Keelan LaForge

Submitted to Contest #241

The couple couldn’t make up the guest list. They didn’t have enough friends. There were very few attending friends and family members: not enough to fill out more than a couple of rows. The venue was hired. It was grotesque in a gothic sort of way. It was an odd place for a wedding, but weddings have been held in odder places than that. “Hey!” shouted Carl, across the aisle, “Why are you all so deathly quiet?” The abruptness of this question made everyone fall into uncomfortable mumbling. Not a word could be made out in the vast theatre. T...

12 comments 12

Read story

“Small Comforts” by Paul Keene

Submitted to Contest #241

“Father! Father!!!” I screamed as I burst into our house. “FATHER!!!” Heavy footsteps descended the stairs. “What is it boy?”“Violet,” I squeezed my twin sister’s name in between desperate attempts to suck air into my burning lungs. I had sprinted all the way here and my throat felt raw from the violent ferocity with which I was sucking in air and immediately regurgitating it. “Violet’s been-” “Calm down boy,” he said, fully coming down the stairs and placing a firm hand on my shoulder. He guided me towards the kitchen table, and we sat. He ...

3 comments 3

Read story

“Anniversary from Hell” by Lynette J.

Submitted to Contest #241

The tables were beautifully decorated. The smell of fresh flowers filled the air. Waiters walked around gracefully to each guest attending to their every need. This party was surely the event of the season. Ted and Marcy were known for their great parties. Everyone who was anyone was there. Rich classical sounds coming from the band made everyone want to dance. Champagne flowed like liquid gold. Kelly was thrilled to be apart of such an event as this. After all, it was Ted and Marcy’s fifteenth wedding anniversary. Kelly made her way around ...

4 comments 4

Read story

“How She Died ” by Anahi Davalos

Submitted to Contest #241

We sat, each to a chair, fighting against our own hands, our backs, our bodies as they cowered under the Inspector. Were we tied? Or were the black almond eyes of the Inspector seemingly wanting to lunge down our throats and take from us everything, anything, keeping us there, leaning back past each of our own undulate spines? I see them all, looking at me, looking at her, begging me not to look at her. Because if I did, would she be able to pull my soul out of my body and brandish it before us all, and with that cadaver of all I’m made of h...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Coffee Stained. ” by Will T

Submitted to Contest #241

“Control yourself.” Bells rung outside, the church’s procession beginning amidst the graveyard, “Myself? What about all of you? You said you loved me. You promised.” “Of course I love you! You believe your own mother and father don’t love you? You’re nothing but selfish! We love you; we do not love this ‘problem-child’ you’re choosing to be.” “You love an idealised version!” His hand struck out and caught the cup on the table, smashing the coffee against the wall. His father’s eyes flickered with anger, but Martin’s ...

5 comments 5

Read story

“The Train Ride” by Donald Haddix

Submitted to Contest #241

Ok this story contains adult references and is meant to be viewed with such knowledge. If you choose to proceed be expecting to be entertained, laughing, curious and if I had more room and ability to go further some other adult emotions;)Your guide to an enjoyable read: Donald Haddix The plot So this is a story of the hot potato… ok… hot dead corpse? So this little...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Ill-Fated Hour” by Sirref Pen Name

Submitted to Contest #241

It roared like the word of God. The gunfire just north of Manassas, Virginia on the 21st day of July in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and sixty-one echoed across the country and the collection of muzzle flash lit the night magnificently the same as a parade of stars falling out of the sky and the smoke spread as a great American plague. Even the clouds appeared as nightmares sketched by a band of angels cast out of them. Morning chimed out the ring of church bells and parade bands. And revealed a small percentage of folks in horrid s...

10 comments 10

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone who is convinced they’re going to be betrayed.

Dramatic – 55 stories

Write about someone who is stuck between two opposing sides and can’t decide which one to choose.

Fiction – 50 stories

Start your story with an unexpected betrayal.

Adventure – 81 stories

Write about a backstabbing (literal or metaphorical) gone wrong.

Horror – 43 stories

Contest #241

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Et Tu, Brute?

$250

Prize money

256

Contest entries

116

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 15, 2024 EST

Won by Liz Grosul 🏆

Title: When I Read Beckett

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

Set your story at a tense event where everyone is unsure whose side they’re on.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 27 stories

“Gloria” by John Rutherford

“BOUND BY THE JERSEY” by Darvico Ulmeli

“Renegade” by A. Torrecilha

“Trust is a Four-Letter Word” by Raven West

“Boxed In” by Paul Hellyer

“Dead Mans Hand” by Timothy Rennels

“The Last Party” by Aimee Bettencourt

“Aeterna” by Nicolle C

“Strange Weddings Call for Strange Guest Lists” by Keelan LaForge

“Small Comforts” by Paul Keene

“Anniversary from Hell” by Lynette J.

“How She Died ” by Anahi Davalos

“Coffee Stained. ” by Will T

“The Train Ride” by Donald Haddix

“Ill-Fated Hour” by Sirref Pen Name

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone who is convinced they’re going to be betrayed.

Write about someone who is stuck between two opposing sides and can’t decide which one to choose.

Start your story with an unexpected betrayal.

Write about a backstabbing (literal or metaphorical) gone wrong.

Contest #241

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

256

Contest entries

116

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: