Start your story with a character accepting a bribe.

Posted in Adults on Oct 31, 2022

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✍️ 48 stories

“The Complicated Morality of Application Fees” by Gregg Punger

Submitted to Contest #159

Julianna always thought of herself as a kind, generous person, and she never intended to own and run an apartment complex. But, when she inherited the place from her father, who she knew was a horrible miserly man, she just didn’t have the heart to sell the place. She just couldn’t think of what would happen to those poor tenants. Also, she thoroughly enjoyed the income. It allowed her to quit her awful receptionist job and focus full time on her art. Since acquiring the place, she actually hadn’t spent much time on her art, but that is co...

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“The Rooftop” by Ellen Kommel

Submitted to Contest #159

They said it would be simple; harmless. “The easiest five thousand pounds you’ll ever make,” they told me. I admit, I was bedazzled by the way their Brioni suits hugged their sculpted arms. The tall one leaned forward over the counter, close enough that I could feel his breath on my lips. He smelled of smoke and sandalwood. The shorter one spoke softly of all the things they knew about me: where I lived, who my parents were, how empty my bank account was. His voice was as smooth as top-shelf scotch; his intimidation sounded like poetry and s...

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“When Charlie Met Polly” by VJ Hamilton

Submitted to Contest #159

Charlie Bemis tugged at the celluloid collar around his neck as he waited for the judge to grant him a private audience. He peered out the tiny window at the people on the dusty street of the mining town outside. A man was arriving on horseback; two others were preparing to leave. Women in bonnets and long aprons carried woven baskets as they stepped carefully around horse-droppings. “Next!” said the clerk and soon Charlie was ushered into the judge’s chambers, sparsely decorated with a 44-star flag, a map of the Idaho Territory, and a pictu...

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“An Officer and a Benefactor ” by Maria Avisal

Submitted to Contest #159

The first time it happened was during his first shift on the police force, when his uniform was pristine, and he was bursting with pride and naivete. A silver foreign-made SUV flew past them on the rough road, and his partner pulled their patrol car off the shoulder and flicked the sirens on, kicking up dust as he sped to catch up. The SUV pulled over immediately, and his partner winked at him with his hand on the door handle before he stepped out of the driver’s seat. “Now you get to learn everything they didn’t teach you in academy,” his ...

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“Blow Out Your Candles, You're 16!” by Ashlyn Oboyle

Submitted to Contest #159

Her hands were shaking as she carded her fingers through his hair. The tears that had been steadily falling down her face had since run dry as if her whole body had been squeezed free of any other tears. Her throat felt sore from the screaming that had been ripped out of her mouth. “Do we have a deal, Cassandra?” The woman in question looked up and narrowed her eyes, a sniffle betraying her furious persona. Cassandra gingerly placed her husband’s head onto the ground as she stood up, “What do you mean? You… you killed him. There is no deal....

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“The Academy and Beyond” by J. V. SUMMER

Submitted to Contest #159

The Academy and Beyond“Justin has to get into Carleton.” Justin’s father stands in front of my desk after refusing my invitation to sit. He has loosened his Italian silk tie to show he has dashed straight from a highly important meeting to do quick business with his son’s eighth-grade English teacher. He raises perfectly groomed black eyebrows at me. “I see,” I say as if his statement were a simple fact. Carleton Preparatory School is an elite private hig...

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“The Outside Corner” by Gregg Voss

Submitted to Contest #159

The business-sized envelope was new with sharp, square corners and it was stuffed, taking up almost as much space on the bar as the spicy club wrap on Mike’s plate. Benny the bartender, the owner of the joint, walked by with a passing glance as if he had seen it all before, and moved on to wipe down some tumblers on a rectangular black tray. Mike stared at the envelope for a long while, wondering if h...

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“Cáca Meala” by Rose Godwyn Veil

Submitted to Contest #159

{ cw; swearing }"Ah, no, I'm terribly sorry but I don't believe we have that book in stock any longer."With a small swipe of a fingertip across the tip of his tongue, Rían turned the page of the book lying just out of view of the customer in front of him. A loud, unhappy grunt left the patron. Rían only glanced up at the towering figure— yet another orc with a less than inviting disposition, the third one that morning. Their eyes met only briefly, and then something dropped onto the counter with a soft, muted thud. "Hm?" Rían humme...

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“Who is at Fault” by Karen Lethlean

Submitted to Contest #159

Who is at Fault? Boris poured himself a stiff scotch. Been long day, with more than usual legal argument. He needed to unwind. If he took this bribe what would be the outcome. The courts were stressful, even in the office he always felt everyone was trying to score more brownie points, beat him to the pot of gold, everything he did included a look over his shoulder to make sure someone hadn’t already beaten him to the punch. “You’ve got a good team, don’t worry.” Empty, non-therapeutic words from outsiders. Pick your excuse but he just wa...

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“Gerrit's Game” by J.T. Bancroft

Submitted to Contest #159

There was no rain yet, but the night above was gray and brooding. Storm clouds lowed in the distance, the sound masked by the monotonous moan of the sea.Gerrit McCole wore a dark scowl. Before him was a small and freckled kid wearing a baseball cap that was too big for his head. The kid nervously handed Gerrit a damp wad of cash.Gerrit snatched the money from the child, then counted the assortment of bills. He tried to hide a smile. It was all there, all hundred dollars.“So you’ll make sure I win, right?” the kid said, his voice timid and af...

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“The Bribe ” by Maddie Vander Wiede

Submitted to Contest #159

I walk out of the police department and get in my car to see a guy sitting in the back seat. "Did you close the case?" he asks, and I nod. "Did you get the file and evidence?" he asks, and I nod again so he throws a bag in the passenger side then gets out and leaves. I lock the doors and open the bag seeing a shit ton of money. I blow out a breath then open my bag pulling out the case file. I sigh then just put it back driving home. I am sitting on the floor in front of the fire later that night when I feel someone sit next to me. "You did...

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“Harmless” by Jed Cope

Submitted to Contest #159

Harmless is the most dangerous word going. I know that now. The problem is that we don’t think! If an alien came down and examined one of us they would see all of our potential. They would marvel at the walking miracles that we undoubtedly are. Then they would conclude that we were a danger to ourselves and everything we encounter because we wilfully squander our potential and live a life of ignorance and instant gratification. We want it all and we want it now, regardless of how that pans out. Regardless of the cos...

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“Proud Fathers” by Greg Madden

Submitted to Contest #159

John Mason’s wife dropped her husband off at John Mason Auto Body Repair at 7:30 am on her way to her admin job three miles away. Four hours later, John studied his watch and knew his son, Randy, would arrive in the next 30 minutes at noon. The boy wasn’t always the best worker, but he was dependable. Randy was a senior at Lebanon High School and got out of classes at 10:16. He worked Monday through Friday afternoons at his father’s auto repair shop. He washed cars, picked up parts and supplies, swept the floor, and cleaned the restroom. It ...

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“The Road Test” by Jenny Blur

Submitted to Contest #159

Ingrid’s head hurt so bad she felt like her brain was breaking out of her skull and trying to leave her, just like her friggin’ husband did. In this case, though, she deserved it. She’d spent last night cross-legged on her bed blotting Jed’s face out of photos with a black Sharpie while she listened to sad, breakup music. She drank so much wine she fell asleep with her clothes on. This morning she was hungover and slumped over the break room table at the Department of Motor Vehicles where she worked. Her eyes were slammed shut and her he...

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“Highly Confidential” by Jelena Zivkovic

Submitted to Contest #159

[possible triggers: social injustice, physical abuse, murder, suicide]“Here’s a little something for your troubles.”, he says while handing me the envelope, side-eyeing me while I put the photographs away, “Make sure to destroy them, or next time he won’t be so generous.” At this point my whole world is spinning. I take the envelope and put it in my drawer, next to the photographs. I’ll be honest, the amount of money is tempting, but this case won’t let me be. There is nothing I can do, nobody to go to. Everyone's in it, everyone that c...

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Start your story with a character accepting a bribe.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 48 stories

“The Complicated Morality of Application Fees” by Gregg Punger

“The Rooftop” by Ellen Kommel

“When Charlie Met Polly” by VJ Hamilton

“An Officer and a Benefactor ” by Maria Avisal

“Blow Out Your Candles, You're 16!” by Ashlyn Oboyle

“The Academy and Beyond” by J. V. SUMMER

“The Outside Corner” by Gregg Voss

“Cáca Meala” by Rose Godwyn Veil

“Who is at Fault” by Karen Lethlean

“Gerrit's Game” by J.T. Bancroft

“The Bribe ” by Maddie Vander Wiede

“Harmless” by Jed Cope

“Proud Fathers” by Greg Madden

“The Road Test” by Jenny Blur

“Highly Confidential” by Jelena Zivkovic

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story in a world where the currency isn’t money — or at least not money as we understand it.

Write about somebody down on their luck who unexpectedly comes into a large amount of money.

Your character checks their balance at an ATM and is surprised by the number they see.

Write about a character who’s never encountered a problem they couldn’t buy their way out of — until they do.

Contest #159

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

216

Contest entries

88

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: