Can you recommend a surprise short story?

One well - known 'the surprise short story' could be 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry. It has a great surprise ending that really makes you think about the nature of love and sacrifice.

Sure. There's a story where a man is suspected of murdering his wife. All the evidence points to him. But at the end, it's revealed that the wife faked her own death to frame him and run away with her lover. The mayhem throughout the story is all about the man trying to prove his innocence while everyone believes he's guilty.

Emily was a book lover. She had her eyes on a rare first - edition book in a local bookstore but it was far too expensive for her. One day, she received a package. Inside was the very book she desired. It turned out that her grandmother, who knew of her love for the book, had been secretly saving up to buy it for her. This unexpected gift was a pleasant surprise that made Emily's day.

There is also 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' by Ambrose Bierce. A Confederate sympathizer is about to be hanged at Owl Creek Bridge. As he is falling, he imagines escaping and making his way back home. But then, suddenly, we find out that his entire escape was just a brief hallucination in the moment before his death, which is a very surprising and somewhat cruel ending.

"Five Extremes of the Origin","Our Love Is Hard to Turn White", and "A Collection of Strange Tales and Inferences in the City" all had unexpected endings. Among them, the former was a fantasy novel with a bizarre protagonist and a story full of surprises; the second was a short story with an unexpected and gentle ending; and the third was a mystery detective novel with an enjoyable ending. I hope you like this fairy's recommendation. Muah ~😗

Another one is 'The Necklace' by Guy de Maupassant. A woman borrows a diamond necklace from a friend to attend a ball. She loses it and spends years in poverty trying to pay off the debt she incurs replacing it. In the end, she discovers that the original necklace was actually a fake. It's a shocking ending that makes you re - evaluate the whole story.

One characteristic is the unexpected ending. It catches the reader off - guard, like in many Edgar Allan Poe short stories.

A little boy, Jack, was cleaning out his attic. He found a dusty old box. When he opened it, he found a letter addressed to him from his grandfather who had passed away years ago. In the letter, his grandfather told him about a hidden treasure in the garden. Jack dug up the treasure, which was a collection of old coins and a locket with his grandfather's picture. It was a heart - warming surprise.

A surprise prophecy that changes the course of the story would be quite engaging. It could send Harry and his friends on a whole new quest. And perhaps a surprise appearance of a mythical wizard from the past who imparts some crucial knowledge or power to the main characters.

A great way to make a surprise short story more interesting is through the use of emotions. Build up the tension and anticipation in the reader. Let's say a character is waiting for important news. Make the reader feel the character's anxiety. Then, when the surprise comes, it can be even more impactful. Also, use dialogue to create intrigue. Characters can say things that seem ordinary but have a hidden meaning that leads to the big surprise.