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-22-2007 01:09

The evidence was there, had anyone bothered to look.

I was sure of it. Was I proved wrong. I had spent the last 4 hours carefully taking apart the old clock, searching for The Lost Treasure Map of the Notorious Captain Jim. Then, I found something! It was a map to a�"run down liquor store on 32nd street.

Jul-22-2007 01:11

Jimmy Donuts was just an old bum.

I couldn’t believe it. Tallulah had spent her savings on this clock. Larry told her that Jim’s map would be in the clock. Sure it was a Jim, but he was defiantly no Captain. We were supposed to make a fortune on this treasure. How long had we been searching?

Jul-22-2007 01:12

How had things even gotten as far as they had?

We had spent the last three years looking for this map, searching yard sales, reading old books, checking with the city records. So much time spent on nothing. Then Tallulah got this tip that the map had been hidden in the old clock. I went to tell her what happened.

Jul-22-2007 01:13

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

“No! It can’t be!” She shouted.

“We can’t do anything about it.” I said.

“Yes we can!” She shouted and pulled a gun.

“What are you going to do!?” I said bewilderedly.

“Where does Larry live? I’m going to find him.” She stormed out. I hoped Larry’s out of town.

Jul-22-2007 01:16

By the way, there all one continus story.

Jul-22-2007 03:15

If I'd known how it would all end, I would never have started it.
Unfortunately I do know how it ends, and unfortunately I may be the one to have started it. Now I find myself in a room, with a gun in hand and my dear lovely Tallulah, dead at my feet. All I need to find out now is the beginning.


Tallulah shook her head in denial while her eyes opened wide with horror.
"Please, I beg you...." she gasped, her eyes wide glaring at the snub nosed revolver in my hand. Frantic she threw the bottle of mine on the table at me and desperately made for the door. I effortlessly chucked my head to evade the hurled missile and squeezed the trigger.


How had things even gotten as far as they had?
I asked her. "I dont know" she replied weakly. "After a while, I just felt disconnected from you. I didn't intend for it to happen but it just did. I still love you." Her eyes peering into mine. I laid down the glass of whiskey and reached into my pocket.


The evidence was there, had anyone bothered to look.
I just regret that I didnt take a closer look sooner. The recent fragant change of her perfume. Her frequent trips to the grocers. How we conversed less and less through the days. There apparently was a problem. And this afternoon I saw for my own eyes what it was.


Jimmy Donuts was just an old bum.
Least I thought him to be. But right now he's the king of the world, evident in the smug smile on his face and the trot in his step. I concealed myself behind an alley as he rounded the corner, met up with his companion and kissed her... Tallulah!



*grins* Im still a bit inspired by the film "Irreversible" and wrote the story back to front. But dont worry, thered be no blood, gore and difficult rape scene to watch here. -.-

Although the names are different, the story is derived from my detective bio that I wrote for another contest, pardon me if it sounds similar =P.

Jul-22-2007 03:18

Bottle of wine... not mine. Bottle of wine. Sorry for the typo. =P

Cheers and good luck everyone!

Jul-22-2007 04:04

And just below the "bottle of mine" I take it you either ducked your head or pulled the whole thing off and lobbed it at Talullah!

Jul-22-2007 07:38

Tallulah shook her head in denial while her eyes opened wide with horror. He kept coming. No matter what she did, he kept getting up and coming at her again. There, in the corner stood his prized possession, a Louisville slugger autographed by the Babe himself. She grabbed the bat and swung again and again, each blow sending bone, blood, and brain everywhere.

Jul-22-2007 08:08

How had things gotten as far as they had? It began so idyllic, a fairytale romance. Everyone said so. After the honeymoon, he changed. Todd had become possessive, phoning her at work, going through private papers. He was always looking for some evidence of betrayal. It was him though who had betrayed her.

The evidence was there, had anyone bothered to look. No one wondered why Tullaluh always wore blouses with sleeves and high collars. The long skirts to cover the massive bruising on her legs from the shackles he used to keep her from escaping his torturous abuse. It had to end, and it had to end today.