Menu
Prompts
Contests
Stories
Blog

Menu

✕
CONNECT
Editing Design Marketing Publicity Ghostwriting Websites
BLOG
Success Stories
APPS
TOOLS
Book Promotion Sites Book Review Blogs Booktube Channel Guide Book Title Generator Character Name Generator Independent Publishers Literary Agents Literary Magazines Pen Name Generator Plot Generator Publishers Directory Short Story Ideas Writing Contests Writing Exercises Writing Scholarships
ABOUT
About Reedsy Terms Privacy

CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Write a story where the law plays an important role.

Posted in Thriller and Suspense on Aug 5, 2022

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.

Sign in with Google
Sign in with Facebook

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 25 stories

“We can plant a house / WE can build a tree” by Tommy Goround

One day, the guys were all gay and the test tubes broke, the invitro got stuck and Uncle Sam (the government) said that everyone of a certain age had to join a game show to make a new generation. They had us go to our favorite bars to get a draft card. If you were still religious, you could pick up a draft card at Starbucks. The draft was established by the month and year in which you celebrated birth. There was no getting out of the draft just because you were an immigrant, refugee, or crazy. We know this because w...

26 comments 26
Read story

“Mystery in Mayhem” by Greg Gillis

           It was another dismal day in the City of Mayhem, where criminals outnumbered law enforcement three-to-one.            The dark, grey clouds hovered over the city like a blanket. Thunder rumbled so loudly, that it rattled the windows of the 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme that was parked in the shadows on Porter Street. Shards of metal fell from the rusted-out fenders as ...

1 comment 1
Read story

“Interview with the Vigilante” by Graham Kinross

Detective Nunez sips coffee, looking around my apartment as if he’s just a visitor.             “Congratulations on your promotion,” I say. “Officer to Detective, that’s a promotion, isn’t it?” My voice is dead. I keep looking at Billie. Why is she messed up in this? Why did I think I could live a happy life?             “First I want to say congratulations to you,” he says, smiling. He aims an open palm at...

8 comments 8
Read story

“Not Music to My Ears” by Suma Jayachandar

CW: Mention of death by suicide/homicide.“Normally, one cannot distinguish between homicidal poisoning and suicidal poisoning,” a hoarse voice from the witness stand rasps.Unless someone cries too much or too little.I shush my mind. I am not here in the capacity of an advocate or a private investigator. But just as a teenager sent to the courtroom to figure out if she is meant to pursue law.The Judge, honourable C.K. Gopal looks on impassively at the prosecuting witness. And coughs.“T...

11 comments 11
Read story

“Maiden Voyage” by Gregg Voss

Vestal, Ohio The heat. The damn, ever-loving summer heat. It covered like a veil, even at 11:04 p.m., according to the clock on the squad’s dash. A single drop of sweat ran from Officer Todd Fowler’s hairline behind his right ear onto the collar of his navy uniform shirt, which was bear-hugged by a twenty-pound tactical vest that did nothing but absorb all that heat.    Hell of a night for my ...

0 comments 0
Read story

“Race Rocks Diving Tragedy” by Lily Finch

"Race Rocks Diving Tragedy" Hugh Ferris and David Flintoff had been friends since the second grade. They were both experienced divers who loved challenges and taking on bigger and bigger adventures together. They both visited numerous diving sites on Vancouver Island. "Race Rocks," a world-renowned diving site near the vicinity, had been on their bucket list for quite some time. When the opportunity arose to go there, Hughie and David were not about to say 'no' despite a minor incident that had taken place during their last tr...

0 comments 0
Read story

“Immunity” by Ashley Frerichs

Alison McDowell burst through her front door, red faced and shaking, tears streaming from her panic-stricken eyes. As she leaned forward to pry off her shoes, she toppled over and fell head-first into the mirrored door of the front hall closet. Shards of reflective glass exploded all around her, as if to mock and magnify her pathetic state. She crumbled into a ball on the floor, tears and blood coalescing all around her...

0 comments 0
Read story

“Redemption” by Kinsley Stoodley

Emily gently placed her foot on the brake pedal as she approached the red light. She made sure she was completely stopped before she got too close to the white line. Emily, impatient as usual, started tapping her fingers on the steering wheel.   “La, la, la...” she looked around boredly. Across the street a man struggled to lift his bag of flour into the trunk of...

0 comments 0
Read story

“The Elephant necklace” by Chris Holland

John looked up from his work bench, the window to his right giving him a view into his kitchen across the narrow concrete pathway separating his workshop and the house. Jackie was indicating to him that supper was ready by making an eating motion with her hands. He smiled at her, nodding acknowledgement. He switched off his drill press at the wall of plugs and closed the large sliding window above the bench. He ...

0 comments 0
Read story

“There is Nothing Funny About Murder” by Brian Bywater

There is Nothing Funny about Murder  The Sixth Sense Some days have a way of enforcing you should not have decided to get out of bed. From the time his office door opens, admitting a man he would come to know as Joseph H Pomeroy, TJ Scobie is overwhelmed by the recognition, this is definitely one of those days. ...

2 comments 2
Read story

“It Was Never Supposed To Happen” by Donna James

The accident happened in August 2020. This was such a bad, bad time. Russell was ping ponging from place to place. His last job had ended in March 2020. Working conditions had become unbearable. The pandemic also was in full bloom and people were hesitant to venture out. Russell had become rather stir crazy and even his reading and writing were not enough to occupy his random thoughts. He left on Friday a...

0 comments 0
Read story

“Diet Right” by Er Castaneda

TW: eating disorders In 2057 in America, with the introduction of “Diet Rite,” obesity was proclaimed illegal for anyone over 18. Anyone deemed obese under current guidelines was arrested, convicted, and placed in jail until they were starved, force fed “Diet Rite,” or a version of the two.  Because obesity and the associated health care risks became a huge burden on the healthcare system,...

0 comments 0
Read story

“The Good in the Badlands” by Will White

**This story contains violence and briefly speaks of suicide**The fire glowed from the windows of the weathered wooden shack that nestled in the center of Breakers Canyon, only feet from the Missouri river that carved its way through Deep Valley, Montana. The rock face rose up on either side of the valley, speckled with shrubs and trees that thrived in the dusty dryness. Black tailed Prairie dogs scurried to their burrows as the moonlight caressed the nooks and crannies of the Montana badlands.&nbs...

3 comments 3
Read story

“280” by D.C. Reed

The following is part of the official transcript of the People v.s. William Devin Jones. Outside of offending passages, this is how it was transmitted via social media on the day of the trial in accordance to all laws including ADMT 1.6 of the First Amendment which states: To protect the honor and sanctity of truth, debate, and speech, all communications, digital or otherwise, must be communicated in ...

0 comments 0
Read story

“Binkie's Boardwalk” by Zoe Tribley

Binkie’s Boardwalk The morning after, everyone was still here but not as how they came.  Jynx was nestled in the left cup of someone’s bra, flung awry and dangling from the ceiling fan. Due to an influx of runaways lately, him and Nesta came late and shot back the liquor early. He was an orange tabby, mewling in his sleep, and Nesta was a pale rat s...

1 comment 1
Read story

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with a couple sharing a cigarette in a parking lot.

General – 63 stories

Write about a character with questionable morals.

General – 41 stories

Write a story about a character who is trying to become a better person.

General – 33 stories

Write a story that includes someone saying, “It’s not fair.”

General – 68 stories

Contest #158

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: It's All Good, Man

$250

Prize money

272

Contest entries

121

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 12, 2022 EST

A winner will be announced soon.

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!

Tired of MS Word?

Join the revolution and write your book in a tool designed for authors. 🙌

Includes FREE typesetting to print-ready PDF & EPUB files, track changes and collaborative editing.

Explore more writing prompt ideas:

Adventure Writing Prompts ⭢

Comedy Writing Prompts ⭢

Creative Nonfiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Dramatic Writing Prompts ⭢

Fantasy Writing Prompts ⭢

For Kids Writing Prompts ⭢

General Writing Prompts ⭢

Historical Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Holiday Writing Prompts ⭢

Mystery Writing Prompts ⭢

Romance Writing Prompts ⭢

Science Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Thriller and Suspense Writing Prompts ⭢