Sleuth Home - Message Boards - Message Board Game Room

Jul-18-2007 14:03

I've been wanting to do some kind of contest for a while now, so here we go. By the way, a huge thanks to Lady Emerald - she knows why. :-)

The rules of 50 Words or Less: Using a given opening line, you must write a story that uses 50 words or less. The opening line does not count toward your word total.

The rules of the contest:

* I will give a total of 5 opening lines. You may choose whichever line(s) you wish to use.

* You may write an entry for as many of the opening lines as you like, but only 1 story for each line. So, your maximum number of entries is 5. If you only like 3 of the opening lines, then write 3 stories. It's up to you.

* If you write multiple stories, they are not required to have anything to do with each other. On the other hand, you may link them into one overall story.

* Your story or stories must make sense. It also should be mystery-related, or be mysterious with a really interesting twist.

* Spelling and grammar DO count. Please. Spellcheck is our friend. (I realise that english is not everyone's primary language. It is usually not difficult to tell the difference between the grammar of someone writing in a not-ingrained language, as opposed to the grammar of someone who is too lazy to learn how to write properly.)

*All entries must be posted no later than 11:59 PM server time on July 28, 2007.

Now, you can't have a contest without prizes, right? Make sure you get those imaginations going! The winner will receive a three-month subscription (compliments of me) and a unique book for their detective (compliments of Ben). Sweet!

Your opening lines:

1. If I'd known how it would all end, I would never have started it.

2. The evidence was there, had anyone bothered to look.

3. Jimmy Donuts was just an old bum.

4. How had things even gotten as far as they had?

5. Tallulah shook her head in denial while her eyes opened wide with horror.

Jul-18-2007 19:39

The evidence was there, had anyone bothered to look.

The sticky reddish-brown substance smeared on the end of the knife was the first clue. The half-dressed body laying spread-eagled in the yard was the second. Two months of children eating peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches and soaking up the sun while I cleaned and cooked all day. Darn summer vacations.

Jul-19-2007 05:41

Jimmy Donuts was just an old bum. His eyes betrayed his suffering like the bottle in his hand spelt out his raison d’etre. No-one knew he was heir to a fortune. When he died, the ten million dollar check donated to the hospital surprised everyone. The envelope was addressed: - “To the only people left who cared.”

Jul-19-2007 09:55

The evidence was there, had anyone bothered to look.

Looking down at the body I saw someone. " I know what happened." said someone. "The person was struggling to live when someone attacked her, stabbed her. I saw it all." "You did it. Police! This man murdered this woman!" "How?" "You knew too much." I said. I did it.

Jul-20-2007 05:07

Tallulah shook her head in denial while her eyes opened wide with horror. The black sedan hit her son and sped off.
Two hours later, she was in the hospital and James Jr. was in a coma. A phone was passed to her. She hoped it was her husband.
“Mrs. Donnaugh?”
“Yes.” She replied.
“That’s what you get for marrying a grass.”

Jul-20-2007 09:36

If I'd known how it would all end, I would never have started it. Lu was against me becoming an informer, but I promised they would never find out. We would be rich, have a new life in a better town, without wiseguys. But they found us and whacked our son. Holding Lu, I felt completely helpless, as they switched off JJ’s life support.

Jul-20-2007 09:37

How had things even gotten as far as they had? I just knew that if I drank, the memories of JJ would go away. At least she wouldn’t be around to remind me of what I once had. I turned in my stupor and re-read her note.

“James,

I have left you. Please don’t try to find me.

Tallulah.”

Jul-20-2007 09:38

The evidence was there, had anyone bothered to look. The money had come from the feds, not some rich uncle. He’d been paid off for informing on his old mob, but they killed his kid, and destroyed his marriage in revenge. Ten million dollars couldn’t buy back his life. That’s when James “Jimmy Donuts” Donnaugh became a bum.

Jul-20-2007 13:33

Bravo Brasco!! *claps hands wildly* That was done excellently! Well put together!

Jul-20-2007 13:59

If I'd known how it would all end, I would never have started it,

"That should not have happened." I thought, looking down at my feet, at my desk. "I did it all wrong, I don't want to pay Shady again!" I had accused the wrong person. "Shady, that shadowy character, I hate him." (dosen't everyone?) Well I better go pay him. I left.

Jul-20-2007 14:04

“How had things even gotten as far as they had? Maybe the police were right, it was suicide, not murder. No, the police are never right, if they were I’d be out of a job.” I guess I was potting about it. “I should go back to work.” I thought, yeah then I would solve the case. I went out.