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

Posted in Thriller and Suspense on Jul 16, 2021

Submissions are closed!

Sorry, we are no longer accepting submissions. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

✍️ 190 stories

“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.

83 comments 83

Read story

“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...

182 comments 182

Read story

“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...

12 comments 12

Read story

“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...

18 comments 18

Read story

“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.” ...

10 comments 10

Read story

“Whatever Happened to Natalie Park?” by ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕒 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕨 🏳️‍🌈 (Inactive For The Summer)

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?

10 comments 10

Read story

“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...

13 comments 13

Read story

“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...

23 comments 23

Read story

“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...

8 comments 8

Read story

“The Fate I Didn't Want” by Ant Man 🐜

The reason I wrote my life story for you was in the hopes that you, or possibly anyone could read it, and believe me. Everyone else thinks I’m a liar and a traitor, but in truth, I am someone just like you. I know what it is like to be human, but they don’t.My name is Nabilah. It supposedly means, ‘a person born to goodness’, but no one seems to care. I have spent the last two years on the run, trying to blend in, hide from what people think I did. They think I savagely murdered my own family, my sweet adoring fam...

20 comments 20

Read story

“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...

13 comments 13

Read story

“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.

56 comments 56

Read story

“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. ...

12 comments 12

Read story

“Kind of Embarrassing” by John K Adams

“Maybe it’s a WITSEC family,” said Kevin, Jimmy’s friend from two doors down.Jimmy shook his head. “A wit what?”“You know. Witness protection? Run by the government? You haven’t seen the movies?”“Movies?”“The one with Steve Martin is fuh-nee! Maybe he’s in there.” Kevin pointed at the house in question. They watched from the curb across the street, leaning on the fire plug. Jimmy pulled his hood over his knit cap.“I don’t think Steve Martin... Why would he need…?”“He played a guy the mob was after...

4 comments 4

Read story

“Sorely Mistaken” by Joseph Sauers

Dr Fletcher sheltered under a desk in a colleague’s office until long after the sounds of smashing glass, splintering wood and snapping metal stopped. He’d been hiding there for nearly three hours, fearing for his life. The demonstration that began outside the clinic some six hours previously had started peacefully enough; most of the sign holders sat in folding chairs they’d thoughtfully brought along, drinking tea and coffee and striking up the occasional chorus among the more vocal members of the crowd. The son...

2 comments 2

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

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

Dramatic – 168 stories

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

General – 213 stories

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.

General – 123 stories

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.

Dramatic – 91 stories

Contest #70

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: To Err Is Human

$50

Prize money

848

Submissions

Ended on 23:59 - Dec 04, 2020 EST

Won by Irene Rebello 🏆

Title: What you made me.

View details

Win $50 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $50!

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.

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

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

Submissions are closed!

✍️ 190 stories

“An Unfortunate Series of Events” by Writer Maniac

“December 2 ” by 𝒮𝒶𝓅𝓅𝒽𝒾𝓇𝑒 ~♚

“No Second Thought” by Elliott Laurence

“Veil” by Skyler Woods

“Demonomania” by Joshua Insole

“Whatever Happened to Natalie Park?” by ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕠𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕒 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕨 🏳️‍🌈 (Inactive For The Summer)

“Asking to Die” by Molly Leasure

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

“Ignorance WAS Bliss” by Amy Hodges Laurenzo

“The Fate I Didn't Want” by Ant Man 🐜

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

“The Ghost of the Past” by Lord Hunkyhair

“The Deceivers Among Us” by Zahra Daya

“Kind of Embarrassing” by John K Adams

“Sorely Mistaken” by Joseph Sauers

🌟 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

848

Submissions

Win $50 in our short story competition 🏆

Tired of MS Word?

Explore more writing prompt ideas: