Start your story with someone discovering a photograph that has something written on the back.

Posted in Valentine's Day on Oct 25, 2022

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✍️ 196 stories

“My Best Friend” by Katie Ingold

Submitted to Contest #103

As I picked up the last box, a photograph fluttered to the ground. Two preteen boys with their arms wrapped around each other smiled at the camera. They rocked mullets and sleeveless t-shirts, their mischievous grins bright for all to see. When I flipped it over, I immediately recognized the chicken scratch scribbled on the back—My best friend. Mason. We were closer than brothers, permanently joined at the hip, as my mother would say. Where there was one, you’d find the other. Memories flooded my mind. Sleepovers and camping. Bas...

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“Three Voices” by Amanda Lieser

Submitted to Contest #103

The photo is worn, it is well loved. The right bottom corner is torn slightly. I can imagine my mother’s long fingers pulling gently on the edge to place it in this dark wooden frame. It’s a small frame. The glass is coming away from the edge. I imagine she bought it at a big box store for less than $10.00. The frame is dusty so I grab a piece of paper towel and gently buff away the proof of time ticking on. I turn it over and stroke the velvet back of the frame. I turn the clip holding the frame closed over with a sigh. T...

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“Zachariah Was His Name, and Micah Was Mine” by Lily Rebecca 🐰🐾

Submitted to Contest #103

July 1978. The day this photo was taken. A faded photograph of my mum and dad with my older brother. Well, he was my older brother. He died. In a coma. He had been hit by a car and had gone into a coma. Seven years later, after tedious waiting and anxiously staying up late thinking the worst possible things, he woke up. Once, for thirty minutes. He died after that. His eyes fluttering away, and his mind ascending to the place of dreams. Heaven. Tears have been shed, memories have been thought about that could have been made, but it wil...

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“The Photograph.” by Marsha Webb

Submitted to Contest #103

Anna stared hard at the photograph she had printed out earlier. He was pleasant looking, dark, floppy hair, chocolate brown eyes, a play of a smile about his lips. He was looking straight at the camera, confident she deduced. She turned the photograph over and read what she had written again “Bobby, thirty-eight, storeroom manager”.“I will give it one last chance” she said aloud to herself.“If this is a disaster, I`m giving up.”Anna poured herself a large glass of chilled, white wine, took a long, refreshing sip and picked up her iPad. Buoye...

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“Mommas secret ” by Olwethu Ntimbane

Submitted to Contest #103

Mothers. We all have a mother figure,whether she left when you were young or raised you to be the person you are today. Whether she lives across town or lives in the next room. Whether she died when you were young or lived to see your children. Each one of us has a mother,the person who brought us into this world and history teaches us to honour our mothers for as long as we live. And I am no different. All that I am, or hope to be,I owe to my angel mother. My mother is my root, my foundation. She planted the seed that I base my life ...

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“ The Photograph Will Speak For Itself.” by Babika Goel

Submitted to Contest #103

After a hot shower, Mini was searching through her cabinet, dumping clothes on the floor in search of well-coordinated and attractive nightwear. All she could find were enormous sweatpants and shirts; she did not know how they had ended up in her life, but there was nothing suitable to wear tonight. She went around to the far end of the dresser, where she stored her old clothing in a dresser unit, leaving the pile of garments on the floor.She opens the top drawer unit and finds the rusted and battered tin box with her name in large black cur...

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“The Music Box Mystery” by Kira Krieger

Submitted to Contest #103

Steven winded up an Anastasia-style music box. His eyes closed and his head lolled onto his pillow as the metal keys began to sing. His thumb rubbed against the photo on the lid. As the little dancer spun, the picture fell. "No, no, no," he said, fumbling for the photo. He found the picture face down. "Hmm?" he continued. Rylee rushed to the door, throwing a t-shirt over his damp hair. "What's wrong?!" Holding up the photo, he answered, "What's this?" "A photo of mom and dad on their first anniversary?" "I know what the pi...

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“The Dimensionals ” by Lena Martinez

Submitted to Contest #103

“I AM GOING DAD, IT DOES TAKE A WHILE TO WALK FROM THE BASEMENT TO THE ATTIC!” Athena shouted as she slammed the trap door to the attic. “God he could be a real pain in the butt sometimes.” Athena said as she began looking around. “Time to clean up I guess.” Athena said as she began picking up boxes and moving things around. An hour later, Athena has cleaned up everything except for her mom's chest, it's been 4 years since she looked through her stuff. She sighs and begins opening the chest knowing her father would yell at her once again for...

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“Loving Arms of a Robot” by Annalisa D.

Submitted to Contest #103

The woodsy smell of sandalwood soap greeted my nose, as I watched the steam delicately roll out from the cracks in the bathroom door. The sound of water beating like rain against the shower curtain and fiberglass floor of the bathtub, soothed me. I opened Julian’s leather messenger bag with the intent of leaving a handwritten note. Inside his bag, a photograph caught my eye. The photo was of him wearing a white lab coat, a man and a woman in military uniforms, and a woman in a lab coat similar to his. With a glance at the sleek, b...

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“Scions and Sleuths” by Ian Mitchell

Submitted to Contest #103

“Harris, take a look at this,” FBI agent Lane said to his partner, holding up the photograph. “What do you have there?” the brunette asked, taking the picture from his hand. The image depicted a middle-aged white gentleman with chestnut hair in a grey sweater-vest. “Yeah, this resembles our latest vic. But not quite the same guy.” “Check the back.” “‘Gas station in Texas. Position fortified. Do not engage.’” She frowned. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” “No idea. But that’s not the only on...

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“The Modest Vixen of 1944” by Elizabeth Maxson

Submitted to Contest #103

“You’ll have to ask your grandpa,” my grandmother said casually. It was a standard response in our family. My dad sent me two blocks to ask my grandmother what time we were meeting at Friendly’s for ice cream, and I was sent to my grandparents’ garage to get his answer. I walked into the two-car garage and instead of finding my grandpa, I saw two pictures of a mysterious woman in my grandfather’s chest-high, emerald-green tool chest. They were both wedged into the lid. The lid was exceptionally heavy, so he rarely kept it open. H...

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“Rendezvous in the Cabinet ” by Eric D.

Submitted to Contest #103

Maximilian was a proficient agent for a discreet sub-sector of the English government, in fact one of the best there was. He was as charming as he was frivolous with a strong penchant for Irish whisky and bedding unconventional brunette women he barely met that usually foreboded his assignments. His thick black curls had streaks of grey on his sides always combed back that left them spiraling to the back of his head. Max was usually dressed to the nines, custom black or grey suits and lavish jewelry to match, but this time he came in sl...

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“32 years ago” by Eldritch 30

Submitted to Contest #103

As I sat about covered in the musty smell of old books and diaries, a thought struck me. "Let's have a look at some of those old photo albums, Ma!" I called after my mother who, as she always is, was busy in a world of her own. "We don't have time for that nonsense, just pack up your things in neat stacks, your father will be here any minute now, wanting to take them to the raddiwala and those books are not going to recycle themselves, now are they?" I huffed and puffed and went back to work, knowing there was no way I could convince my str...

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“The Photograph” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #103

Chelsea sat upon a dust-covered raggedy old wooden chair that had been in storage in her childhood home’s attic for more than twenty years. Cobwebs were scattered about the rafters and the stench of stale air pierced her nasal cavity. It had been three weeks since her mother passed away, and it was Chelsea’s duty to sort through her belongings and decide what was worth holding onto before the house was sold. &nb...

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“Mother Knows Best” by Sorcha Wilde

Submitted to Contest #103

1 JanuaryI remember putting your photograph carefully back in its frame, I remember leaving, the injection, nothing much else.They told me, when I came round, that you had to bring me back here because I’ve been imagining things again.I felt sure I spoke no words at all, mother, but you were good enough to explain the whole dreadful scene to the doctors, to tell them all the odd things I’ve been saying, how I imagined there was something written on the back of that picture, my own name indeed.How typical that was of me, of the ridiculous and...

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Start your story with someone discovering a photograph that has something written on the back.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 196 stories

“My Best Friend” by Katie Ingold

“Three Voices” by Amanda Lieser

“Zachariah Was His Name, and Micah Was Mine” by Lily Rebecca 🐰🐾

“The Photograph.” by Marsha Webb

“Mommas secret ” by Olwethu Ntimbane

“ The Photograph Will Speak For Itself.” by Babika Goel

“The Music Box Mystery” by Kira Krieger

“The Dimensionals ” by Lena Martinez

“Loving Arms of a Robot” by Annalisa D.

“Scions and Sleuths” by Ian Mitchell

“The Modest Vixen of 1944” by Elizabeth Maxson

“Rendezvous in the Cabinet ” by Eric D.

“32 years ago” by Eldritch 30

“The Photograph” by Greg Gillis

“Mother Knows Best” by Sorcha Wilde

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about a character looking for a sign.

An apparent coincidence occurs. Write a story about a character who suspects paranormal, spiritual, or criminal causes.

Write a story where a character runs into someone they’ve seen in their dreams, or enters a building they’ve dreamt about before.

Write a story about someone who starts noticing the same object or phrase wherever they go.

Contest #103

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

814

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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