Re(lie)ability [an unofficial challenge]

Alright, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to my first unofficial Vocal challenge of 2025!

If you are new to my page or my challenges, you can feel free to find some more information below (the pillar post for all my challenges) or just sit back and enjoy the ride.

This challenge is one I have had in mind for a while -- I just was not sure if I would have the muster for it, but I think by lengthening the time before the deadline, and the amount of time I get to review, this will be an awfully fun challenge.

So let's get into it!

The Prompt

Write a story from the perspective of an unreliable narrator.

This is a heavy prompt, and if you entered my challenges last year, you know I like to keep it pretty open ended, so let's discuss!

First of all... What is an unreliable narrator?

An unreliable narrator is a storyteller that is untrustworthy. This might mean that they mislead the audience (deliberately or not-so deliberately). It is a narrator that is unstable -- maybe an egregious liar, maybe someone dealing with insanity, memory loss, etc.

But hey, the reason for the unreliability isn't in the prompt! You get to decide why your narrator is the way they are. Find/create a story that could be twisted, could be misinterpreted, could be lied about, could be seen in different ways...

Think outside the box!

So, some notes...

• Your story MUST be told in first person, from the perspective of this unreliable narrator.
• YOU GET TO CHOOSE why the narrator is unreliable. Is he lying? Is he manipulative? Is he insane? Is he clinically unstable? Is he too young to remember correctly?
• YOU GET TO CHOOSE who the character is (all demographic info - age, gender, species, whatever, etc. etc.), and all other aspects of the story, including the genre. There is no criteria about what kind of story it is or what it is about. This means the story can live in the realm of fantasy, if you so choose!
• I am definitely a sucker for the more sinister things (deception, etc.). But if you have another kind of story in mind, I wanna see it!!

Other Criteria

Word Count: 350-1000 words

• Note: This is not a sentencing. If you are sitting at 303 words or even 1,098, I'm not gonna have a big beef with it. I'm not gonna sit and count every word, this is just your guideline to keep in mind. If your story is nearing 2,000 words though, we're gonna have a bit of an issue. Try to keep within the 350-1,000 word mark! Please please!

Link back: Just cuz I like it when you do this! Embed a link at the end of your story to this page, or just mention it at the end if you're not sure how to embed. Not a requirement, just a fun lil thing.

Comment: A REQUIREMENT. Come back and comment a link to your story once it has been published! If you don't tell me, I won't know you entered!

• The entries will be acknowledged with a reply and inserted into a list at the bottom of this post. Come back in a few days after you've entered and make sure I added you in!

FAQ

Can I make more than one submission? Yes! However, only one submission per creator can be featured in the Top 3!

Can I submit a story that I have already written? I've usually said yes in the past, but I think I'm gonna start saying NO. I'd love to see some fresh work! Get those gears moving!

Important Dates

This post is being made late on January 14th. Usually I keep challenges open for a month, but we're going to stretch this out a little bit to give more time for YOU and then later more time for ME to get the results back to you.

Deadline: This challenge will close on Friday, February 28th, 2025, at 11:59pm MST.

• I do try to send out reminders one week before the deadline closes to anyone who has expressed interest in entering. If everything goes to plan, I will send that reminder out on Friday, February 21st.

Results: The results will be posted on Friday, March 7th, with the possibility of extending one week to the 14th if I get more entries than initially expected!

• This post will include the Top 3 entries (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners), as well as little blurbs rationalizing my choices. There will be links to all submissions included at the end.
• Prizes? Currently, my prizes are community-based and not monetary. The prize goes to the 1st place winner only, in which I will read, like, and comment on FIVE of your posts that I have not yet read, as well as subscribe if I have not already.

If you have any questions about the prompt, feel free to comment below! I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Happy writing everyone!

♡♡♡ Belle ♡♡♡

The Entries

All entries will be linked here in the order in which they were submitted.

1. "Eyes in the Sky Radio News" by David E. Perry
2. "The Honey and the Avocado" by Diane Foster
3. "You Must Believe Me" by Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred
4. "Family Dinner" by David E. Perry
5. "Rekrah’s Requiem" by Paul Stewart
6. "Nectar of the Gods" by Whimsical Wanderer
7. "Self-Proclaimed God" by Euan Brennan