Write about a character who everyone thinks is guilty of something terrible, but isn’t.

Posted in Thriller and Suspense on Feb 27, 2021

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✍️ 198 stories

“Keep The Paper Coming (A Reedsy Fanfic)” by Zilla Babbitt

We sat quite lazily on short stumps on the edge of Rhonda's lake. About an hour before, some of us had dared each other to swim, but after Leo emerged covered in leeches the rest of us decided not to try it. We'd felt safe sending Leo first, though; he was always that guy to put his neck on the line for things like that. Critiquing bad stories and swimming in suspicious lakes? He's your man.Scout and I were trying to make a fire in the center of the circle of stumps, to no avail. "I just don't get it," Ru kept...

148 comments 148

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“December 2 ” by 𝒮𝒶𝓅𝓅𝒽𝒾𝓇𝑒 💎

Police swarm me, forming a circle around the rusty metal chair I’m sitting in. Everywhere I look, I see darkness surrounding me, except for the little light above my head, making me a spotlight in the center of the room. “Son, I’m asking you for the last time. Did. You. Do. It.” “No.” They all groan, and the chief whispers something to them, and they...

172 comments 172

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“Veil” by Skyler Woods

Fernando didn’t kill his son, Adam. But everyone believed he did. He had to clear his name and prove his innocence. He also had to rescue his son. Fernando spent time inside of a maximum-security state prison. But tonight was a special night. Fernando’s wife helped him escape prison. Fernando had bruised and bloodied knuckles from knocking the daylights out of a prison guard. Fernando never punched a man before. He fractured a man’s jawline and broke his nose.A few days ago, Fernando killed the Dev...

21 comments 21

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“Demonomania” by Joshua Insole

The clock ticked away, quiet and slow. White walls, white floor, white ceiling. Bars on the window, a guard at the door. Fluorescent lights overhead. Bare table, naked metal chairs. All bolted to the ground, of course. Mirror on the wall — fake. People on the other side, clipboards and notebooks in hand. Silence in the room. “How’s she doing?” “She’s fine.” ...

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“No Second Thought” by Elliott Laurence

What was Joel thinking? What he did will cost us our lives and cost this company more than ten million dollars. He’s lost it. Our retirement, our pension, gone; it's madness, is what it is. To sell company formulas and not give a damn; give no second thought to put us in danger. What the hell was he thinking? We’ve lost everything. I can’t grasp it. I could kill him, literally kill him. We’re ultimately g...

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“An Unfortunate Series of Events” by Writer Maniac

The opening and closing clicks of the shutters of the cameras feel like a part of me now. Lights flash, some white, some blue, some red. I’m blinded. Chester is walking behind me, his hand on my back, trying to protect me from the crowd and comfort me at the same time. My parents and Courtney got left behind, calling everyone they knew to get enough money to get me out. Microphones are shoved at my face, trying to get a word out of me.

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“Yesterday ” by Abigail Airuedomwinya

DETECTIVE DRAYMON AND RUKKIThe wedding band had started to fade. It wasn't a real diamond in the first place. Rukki held it against the afternoon sun filtering inside the small apartment and then looked away, frowning. "Why do you think he would murder Ms. Juliet?"Rukki was tired of talking. The afternoon sun was hotter than she'd bargained for and sweat had begun to mar her forehead. She closed her eyes for a second, pretending she knew why a detective with a balding head would knock on her door in th...

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“Asking to Die” by Molly Leasure

(Author's note: this is another experimental piece. Determine the killer. If you want to add your answer to the comments, feel free!)That practiced smile. It’s pinned to her cheeks, peeled back over her teeth, tightened into place. And as fleeting as she’d like it to be, it’s stuck—for hours, for days. This entire week will see glimpses of it until her lips crease. Because she hates the holidays.And she hates me.“Backroom.” Mother gestures behind her. Fold me into the fu...

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“Ignorance WAS Bliss” by Amy Hodges-laurenzo

(This story picks up where Hunter and Prey left off)It was an hour later when Ana Lee was about to wash the refrigerators, the whole city began to shake. Like everyone else, Ana Lee ran outside but she was more concerned than fearful. These buildings were old and anything might make them fall. Ana Lee lost her glasses as they were knocked off her face by a panicked townsman and was unable to get to them...

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“Whatever Happened to Natalie Park?” by ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕒 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕨 🏳️‍🌈

They all think I did it. They all think I killed my best friend. I didn’t, though. However many times I plead innocent, they don’t believe me. They think I am lying. I’m not, though. Even though I was the last person to see Natalie Park alive, I did not kill her. They say I’m crazy. They say I’m deranged. They say I deserve my own padded cell. Why would I kill my own best friend?

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“The Ghost of the Past” by Lord Hunkyhair

“Where are you taking me?” I ask for the fifth time, as Levi leads me forward, a blindfold over my eyes. “I’m still not going to tell you, no matter how many times you ask.” He replies, laughter in his voice. Without warning, he stops walking and I smash right into his muscular back. I use my hands to push myself away from his back and I rub my forehead.

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“Under the Moonless Sky” by A.g. Scott

I forgive her.A few hours ago, before sunset, the blood on my hands was fresh crimson. Here I’ve sat, watching it drip, watching it dry. Now, under the moonless sky, it seems a deep midnight purple. Almost black. Almost nothing. What do I make of that?Cecilia is just across the clearing. No, that’s not quite right. Cecilia is far, far away, and yet very near. I know that if I get up, walk over to the conspicuous nest of felled oak branches, and brush a few of them aside, I’ll see her body lying there pa...

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“Hope in midst of chaos” by 🕊 🎀 𝒱𝒶𝓇𝓈𝒽𝒶 𝒱𝒾𝓂𝒶𝓁 🎀 🕊

I felt chills on my spine. I was sweating so bad I thought I might pass out. I couldn’t make out the figure that was approaching me slowly; I was panicking, why had I agreed to this? I wanted to run so bad but I knew I’d have to pay the price either way. I tried to hide behind a dusty cupboard but my insides flipped out as I felt a cold hand grab my shoulder and cover my mouth before I could shriek for help.~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Ryder“Hey Ryder, wait up,” I stopped short in my tracks as soon as I heard Caden; my...

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“So many sinners” by Moon Lion

You are all sinners, evil, despicable, atrociously awful and sick. I can say this because I know. You see, I have lived for a tremendously long time. So long, that I cannot even remember how it started, what my family was like, or whether I lived in a cave, a caravan, a Victorian horror house, or if I've been alive for only the last fifty years, hunting in the chaotic depths of some metropolis. ...

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“The Deceivers Among Us” by Zahra Daya

“Blue did it.” Sweat glistens on my forehead, threatening to spill down. The slight tremble in my hands is no aid to me. I know that I should speak now to tell them. Tell them that I didn’t do it. The fact remains that the bloody knife lays at my feet next to the body. Pink’s body. The blood glistens eerily back at me as it drips off the blade and stains the floor. If only I knew. ...

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Write about a character who everyone thinks is guilty of something terrible, but isn’t.

Submissions are closed!

✍️ 198 stories

“Keep The Paper Coming (A Reedsy Fanfic)” by Zilla Babbitt

“December 2 ” by 𝒮𝒶𝓅𝓅𝒽𝒾𝓇𝑒 💎

“Veil” by Skyler Woods

“Demonomania” by Joshua Insole

“No Second Thought” by Elliott Laurence

“An Unfortunate Series of Events” by Writer Maniac

“Yesterday ” by Abigail Airuedomwinya

“Asking to Die” by Molly Leasure

“Ignorance WAS Bliss” by Amy Hodges-laurenzo

“Whatever Happened to Natalie Park?” by ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕒 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕨 🏳️‍🌈

“The Ghost of the Past” by Lord Hunkyhair

“Under the Moonless Sky” by A.g. Scott

“Hope in midst of chaos” by 🕊 🎀 𝒱𝒶𝓇𝓈𝒽𝒶 𝒱𝒾𝓂𝒶𝓁 🎀 🕊

“So many sinners” by Moon Lion

“The Deceivers Among Us” by Zahra Daya

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone who’s so obsessed with a goal that it leads to the destruction of their closest relationship.

Write about someone trying to atone for a mistake they’ll never be able to fix.

Write about two people who know they’ve made a mistake, and one of them wants to tell the truth but the other wants to lie about it.

Write about a character who’s so afraid of making the wrong choice that their indecision ruins the very thing they were hoping to keep safe.

Contest #70

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

875

Submissions

Win $50 in our short story competition 🏆

Tired of MS Word?

Explore more writing prompt ideas: