Start your story with someone saying “I quit!”

Posted in Adults on Oct 28, 2022

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✍️ 55 stories

“A bottle of Amontillado ” by John White

Submitted to Contest #166

"I quit! Do you hear me? I quit. You win." I was waiting for a response or for the door to open. I shouted out again. "I'm stumped. I can go no further." Still no answer. I had been in the escape room for just over an hour, or as best as I could gauge. He made me give up my cell phone in the reception room so I couldn't cheat. An old clock on the fireplace mantle ticked with a familiar authority - tik tok, tik tok - but the time never changed. The hands were frozen at 10 o'clock. It was part of a puzzle which I had already solved. Th...

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“Only Women Bleed. Part 2./Never Surrender.” by Jeannie Labelle -Potvin

Submitted to Contest #166

Lilith was furious. Furious and disgusted with her nemesis Ginny.She put her hands up in the air, uttering the words that signalled her defeat.“I give up, I just can’t take this anymore, I QUIT!”Once again she’d found Ginny standing at the kitchen sink, weeping, paring knife in her hand, watching the rich, ruby red liquid pour into the sink,Once again she had endured hearing Ginny begin to sing, “Only women bleed”.The woman knew this wasn’t quite true and yet….she wept.Thankfully, Lilith truly had given up.Her decision to quit rescuing Ginny...

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“Freedom from the Grind” by Robert Stjepanovic

Submitted to Contest #166

I want to quit; I just want out; I want to quit! I whisper it softly to myself, over and over. I want out, I want out. It was just an hour into my shift. I was a fellow soldier behind the monitor, feeling the sting of the customers as they sent their bombs over into our narrow trench. Bags and prizes were everywhere, Winnie the Pooh dolls rolling around in the dust, candy being mixed into a grisly, sugary rendition of a rainbow. I made my way up to the counter, already feeling that subconsciousness knocking inside my brain, throwing up the w...

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“The Greater Good” by Isaias Santamaria

Submitted to Contest #166

“I quit!” “W-W-Wait, Bone,” Roger rushed to stop him from leaving the office, “Y-You can’t just quit.” Bone didn’t turn to his, now former, boss who stumbled beside him, “I can and I did.” “Okay, Okay j-just wait a minute,” Roger stepped in front of him, a hand on his chest, “Just wait, please, just–” he breathed in “–Just talk to me, c’mon Bone, it’s me… ” Bone sighed then looked off to the side irritation prevalent in his eyes, “Fine… Fine, let’s talk then I guess.” Roger nearly did a backflip when he heard this. He escorted Bon...

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“See Through Me” by Dawn Kaltenbaugh

Submitted to Contest #166

The fateful words had just rolled off her tongue, it was too late to take them back. “I quit” is a pretty hard thing to erase once it has been said. Sarah had worked for the worst boss in the world for what seemed like forever. She was condescending, aggravating, and most of all, impossible to talk to. Sarah had many complaints about having to work for Betty, but she didn’t want to lose her job. It had taken too long to find a placement. Oh, how she longed to tell that sorry excuse for a boss exactly what she thought o...

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“Accidents Happen” by Stuart Lawrence

Submitted to Contest #166

"I quit! I'm tired of fighting this!" Clay ended the call and slid his phone into his shirt pocket, sighing agitatedly. He pulled the shifter into drive and headed to the next stop.The store seemed quiet, with a few associates getting their departments ready to open as he guided his delivery cart towards the back of the store. His cell phone rang again; he glanced at it, then answered, "I told you, I'm tired of this; it's been three years, and you can't even get a judge to hear the case.""Listen Clay, this time is different, we have a court ...

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“Loyal in a Violent Way” by Lilac St.Madden

Submitted to Contest #166

Loyal in a Violent WayWritten by: Lilac St.MaddenTrigger warning: Mental health, physical violence, underage substance usage."I quit! I've watched him go from girl to girl for six months straight.""Vienna, don't be a quitter, you've liked him for so long, please don't give up. It could still work out."I spun around on my desk chair, while my best friend, Camryn sat down on the floor."It would've worked if he hadn't Un-rejected Alexa.""It doesn't mean y'all can't be together.""It kind of does.”I began to start crying, I had liked the same boy...

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“Deadline” by Rachel Bronca

Submitted to Contest #166

CW: Themes of death***My dog died last night, my 16-year-old daughter wants emancipation, and Sonja just looked up at me from her desk, and with a realised clarity whispered; “I quit”. My Scotch Finger breaks in my coffee. “You freakin’-what?”. Mufasa’s claws lose their grip on the cliff in my brain. A sparkler ignites in Sonja's eyes and the universal lenses zooms in. A 200kg weighted barbell seems to drop from her shoulders and she loosens a held breath, while I take in a sharp one. Her phone locks and drops like an anchor.“No, you’re...

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“Letting go” by Gabriele Volta

Submitted to Contest #166

Letting go I quit! You know what, I’m tired of my job. I want to start something completely new. I’m tired of knowing everyday what is going to happen, of being able to easily predict the future. Seeing the same people, having the same conversations, every day the same. Insane. It’s been more than 25 five years I’ve been living with this same constant routine. The thought of repeating this process, endlessly, terrifies me. I had ideals, dreams, high ambitions, but none of them came true. To become a professor at a University, paint and p...

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“I'm done with This” by Jaanshvi S

Submitted to Contest #166

"I quit!"I looked up in surprise. Who said that? I turned my head and stared at the man sitting next to me in confusion."Excuse me?" he asked, looking alarmed.I looked at him; really looked at him and realised that those were my words. I smiled at him and said again, "I quit!" This time I knew I was saying it out loud. But my growing clarity was doing nothing for him. I burst out laughing."I'm so sorry, Devin. That was not what I intended to say. It was more of a realisation. I'm quitting," I said, and took a deep breath before carrying on, ...

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“An Insincerity of Sausage Rolls” by Anna Mahoney

Submitted to Contest #166

“Don’t forget to bring a plate tomorrow. Wouldn’t want Suzanne to feel unappreciated.” I saw the telltale glint in Chrissy’s lying eye. This was all her doing. It would have been mortifying except I was immune. Twenty years of corporate life gives you superpowers. “Ladies a plate” is a uniquely Kiwi institution hailing from the time of colonisation. A plateful of finger food is a woman’s entry fee to community events. Stuffed eggs and asparagus rolls are generally over-subscribed. My friend Ping once described her experience with...

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“I met my ''I quit''” by Keva Epale

Submitted to Contest #166

A conversation between two people, acquaintances, possible friends. “I quit. I quit. I do quit!” “How come you quit? “There’s no other way. Quitting is not the end.” “Sit down let’s talk. Tell me more. Why do you quit? And what do you quit?” “It’s not easy to say, it’s not easy to speak out.” “Try, I am by your side. I am your friend. I can understand. I have quit, quit so many times. I know what it feels like to quit. But what are you quitting?” “I am quitting not aligning who I am and my results. I am quitting a...

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“Play Out The Play” by Arrianna Chai

Submitted to Contest #166

“I quit!” No. Not strong enough. “I QUIT and all of you can go to hell!” No. Too passionate. “Tybalt is dead and Romeo banished and… I QUIT!” Yes. That’s it. Dramatic yet tasteful.“Ten minutes til places! Ten minutes til places! Have a wonderful second act everyone!” The assistant stage manager’s voice sharply crackles through the intercom. Outside the dressing room I hear a unanimous “thank you 10!” from the cast and crew. I don’t bother joining them because I finally have privacy, which is hard to come by when you’re sharing...

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“Tits and Cartilage Nuggets” by Ru B

Submitted to Contest #166

“I quit.” Her expression didn’t change when I said that. It hadn’t changed since we sat down at the cafe. Once, I heard someone from a video describe how they ended a toxic relationship abruptly. As one might kill a bug, they said. It’s disgusting, so you don’t want to look at it, but you have to make sure it’s dead. When anyone finds a bug in our apartment, I’m the one to go after it with a plastic container and something flat to put underneath. Though, I’m not sure if I do it because I pity the creepy crawler or just hate the thought of cl...

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“Quitting” by Ralph Emery Barhydt

Submitted to Contest #166

“I quit.” “I quit. I quit. I quit. I quit.” “I am sending in my resignation this weekend and I will not go to the office on Monday. Never again. You may have to go in to pick up my stuff. In fact, you will have to go in to pick up my stuff. Don’t miss my yellow sweater.” “Ok, then,” said Geoffrey. “Is there anybody in the office you want me to bust up? Any windows or mirrors to break? Anybody to kiss goodbye?” Rachel screamed. “I quit.” Geoffrey responded, “yes, honey bunny. I get that part. You may forgive me for not getting ...

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Start your story with someone saying “I quit!”

Submissions are closed

✍️ 55 stories

“A bottle of Amontillado ” by John White

“Only Women Bleed. Part 2./Never Surrender.” by Jeannie Labelle -Potvin

“Freedom from the Grind” by Robert Stjepanovic

“The Greater Good” by Isaias Santamaria

“See Through Me” by Dawn Kaltenbaugh

“Accidents Happen” by Stuart Lawrence

“Loyal in a Violent Way” by Lilac St.Madden

“Deadline” by Rachel Bronca

“Letting go” by Gabriele Volta

“I'm done with This” by Jaanshvi S

“An Insincerity of Sausage Rolls” by Anna Mahoney

“I met my ''I quit''” by Keva Epale

“Play Out The Play” by Arrianna Chai

“Tits and Cartilage Nuggets” by Ru B

“Quitting” by Ralph Emery Barhydt

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about someone who knows it’s time to retire or change jobs, but is hesitating.

Write about a rivalry between two coworkers that has unforeseen consequences.

Set your story at a retirement or leaving party.

Write about someone who has long since quit but decides to go another round for old time’s sake.

Contest #166

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

180

Contest entries

73

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: