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

Posted in Adults on Oct 28, 2022

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 26 stories

“Promotion” by Michael Maceira

Submitted to Contest #166

The city street was buzzing. Hot dog carts were smoking, pedestrians swarmed the crosswalks, and the downtown high-rises caught the morning hour in their dark windows. Paolo felt it all; everything had clarity. Today, Paolo was a winner. As he stepped smartly into his office building, he saw the only person that could bring down his mood. Blaine bounced through the marble lobby in his tailored suit, with high-water pants proudly displaying fire-red socks that matched his suspenders. His smiles at everyone, from custodians to upper man...

5 comments 5

Read story

“Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold” by Joseph Monachino

Submitted to Contest #166

All the sales representatives have a healthy competition amongst themselves every month. The 2 representatives that are usually first and second are Jerry and Linda. This month, at this point, Jerry is ahead of Linda by $ 1000. Today, being the 23rd day of the month, the quota must be met in one week’s time. The 28th day of the month has arrived. All the employees sales are listed on a chart. Jerry has reached the quota for the month. The list indicates that Linda is $ 5000 below the quota requirement for the ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Betrayed” by Ann Davis

Submitted to Contest #166

"I cannot return to work. I need to file for Family Leave." "If you want to remain an employee here, you need to return with the rest of the staff. We have been off for several months and we need to return." "My son has a compromised immune system. He is not able to return to school or daycare. I need to stay home with him during this time." "I will not approve your leave and you have not provided the proper paperwork." "But I did. You asked me to provide a doctor's note from my son's doctor. The note stated that he was not cleared t...

1 comment 1

Read story

“The assistant County Treasurer” by Ed Lowry

Submitted to Contest #166

The year was 1983. I was excited because I had just gotten out of school. I graduated finally with a degree in accounting. It was before the internet. It was with landline phones still around. And the area was Central Illinois. Cass County had the same treasure for many years. I was excited for the opportunity to work for Mike Bass. But it wasn't long before strange things began to happen. I sold my home in a small town not too far away to be close to work so I could walk to work everyday to work with Mike. But Mike wasn't the only one I had...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Trade of a Lifetime” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #166

A memo went around the trading floor. Finally, after threatening, after complaining, after squeezing in few added weeks to his already long vacation allowance, after working remotely two days a week, and after years of discussing his rich bucket list, Allan Buckley put in his retirement notice. Three months from now, he would be gone. “Don’t hesitate to call me if you need advice,” he’d told the colleagues that crowded him on the cramped trading desk. “But it would be a sign of weakness!” It was a long time in coming. At 64...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Tom and Barbara” by Kelly Sibley

Submitted to Contest #166

“I can’t believe you just did that!” “What I did! What about what you did!” “What? I did nothing!” “I didn’t kill him! That’s totally on you, buddy!” * It’s not often that co-workers are responsible for the ‘accidental’ death of their boss. But unfortunately for Tom and Barbara, an undeniable dead body is hard to ignore. * “I didn’t know he was allergic to lima beans! It’s not like you go up to your boss and say, ‘Hey, Satan, could you give me a list of all the foods you might be deathly allergic to?’ Now is it!” Wide-eyed, ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Time Flies When You're Having Fun” by M.M. Romero

Submitted to Contest #166

Henry finished the TSB’s six month training program in three - partly because they desperately needed more agents in the field and partly because he was just that good. His reflex times were off the charts, his aptitude tests were in the highest percentile, and he won every combat challenge they threw at him. More importantly, Henry was a company man through and through. He believed in the TSB’s mission. But all the skills and all the care in the world could not change the fact that Henry was a green recruit with zero field experience and an...

0 comments 0

Read story

“The Confession” by Kimberly McFetridge

Submitted to Contest #166

Melissa has been my office mate at Monroe County Community College for the past five years. We are each other’s confidants and supporters. We also have the same silly senses of humor. More than once, raucous laughter has escaped from our office and has been heard at the other end of the corridor. We hit it off right from the get-go. We quickly discovered that not only do we both love hiking, biking, and practicing yoga, reading historical fiction and mystery novels, and watching Game of Thrones, but we share similar views about life. We love...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Problem Solving” by Ava Woodrum

Submitted to Contest #166

“We. Need. Solutions!” A short, round, chubby man stood up at the head of a long white conference table and slammed his stubby hands down. The plump man grabbed his cup of coffee off the table and walked towards the TV. He pressed his stubby finger on a statistic that read ‘23’ on the TV and cleared his throat. “This is on average how many verbal fights have occurred between your two fellow co-workers, Jennie and Ryan, in one week.” “I didn’t realize it was that bad, Mr. Mark,” a co-worker muttered under their breath, as they t...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Before I Begin” by Octavia Kuransky

Submitted to Contest #166

By: Octavia KuranskyBefore I begin, there are a few things you need to know. I am average. Average weight – hippy but average weight. Single.Not young. Never spent a night in jail. But in 1993 – I killed a man. I was never caught. Questioned but never brought to justice so to speak. And with that in mind, I can begin. Why am I telling you this? Because I am thinking to do it again.See, the first time I killed a man it was really an accident. We were standing on his veranda, leaning on a thin wrought iron rail that was really too fr...

0 comments 0

Read story

“"May the Best Man Win"” by Timothy Schmid

Submitted to Contest #166

Paul Ingram shook from fear as the semi truck's trailer walls closed on him. He wanted to flee, run away, and hide from the trauma he had endured. However, his moral consciousness was stronger. "You won't leave your coworker, will you?! You won't let him suffer!" Paul squeezed his ears closed and shut his eyes, counting to 10, drowning out his coworker's grunts of pain. It did not work. Instead, words echoed from the man sprawled on the ground, muttering, "Help! I-I am dying... "SNAP OUT OF IT, PA...

0 comments 0

Read story

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with someone saying “I quit!”

Adults – 55 stories

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

Adults – 43 stories

Set your story at a retirement or leaving party.

Adults – 19 stories

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

Adults – 38 stories

Contest #166

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Game, set, match

$250

Prize money

181

Contest entries

74

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Oct 07, 2022 EST

Won by Rebecca Miles 🏆

Title: Letting go

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 26 stories

“Promotion” by Michael Maceira

“Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Cold” by Joseph Monachino

“Betrayed” by Ann Davis

“The assistant County Treasurer” by Ed Lowry

“The Trade of a Lifetime” by David Ader

“Tom and Barbara” by Kelly Sibley

“Time Flies When You're Having Fun” by M.M. Romero

“The Confession” by Kimberly McFetridge

“Problem Solving” by Ava Woodrum

“Before I Begin” by Octavia Kuransky

“"May the Best Man Win"” by Timothy Schmid

🌟 Similar prompts

Start your story with someone saying “I quit!”

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

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

181

Contest entries

74

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: