Start your story with a character quitting their job, or getting fired.

Posted in Angst on Oct 25, 2022

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✍️ 35 stories

“Su-10’s Interns” by Stevie B

Submitted to Contest #109

Damn, another one had quit on her yesterday! Su-10 (a funny and attractive brunette who worked in the financial industry and who was coincidentally the subject of an ongoing debate among the guys at The Court Street Bar and Restaurant about whether she was really part Asian or only an impression based solely on her use of eyeliner) had had it with interns! They were mostly over-privileged sons and daughters of the upper echelon’s clients at her corporation and in her strongly opinionated point of view were absolutely worthless. Less than wor...

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“Karma and Santayana” by Susanne Perry

Submitted to Contest #109

CW: strong languageFinally, the day had arrived. After forty years of smart-ass students, irrational parents, inept administrators and clueless coworkers, it was my last day in this godforsaken classroom. When I became a teacher all those years ago, it wasn’t to have the summers off as some asshole idiot will tell you, thinking he’s so clever. Yeah. Ha-ha.In truth, my motivation was a love of history. I became a history teacher because history was all I wanted to talk about, all I wanted to read about. I needed a job after college and I want...

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“Panic Attack” by Evan Jackson

Submitted to Contest #109

“ Hey, Luke. Go home man. I can run the store today. This is the last place you need to be.” “ Thank you.” Luke says hugging Nathan hard. He pulls away before his tears betray him. But, Nathan knew. He watched his friend with unmet needs leave the store. He hoped that he made it home. *** Earlier*** His skeleton ached beneath his flesh. This round of depression hit Luke especially hard. He stared at himself in the mirror of his bathroom. He didn’t recognize his own face. When had his handsome young flesh been replaced with all of these lines...

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“Musical Dissonance” by Nisha Shirali

Submitted to Contest #109

Musical Dissonance Alex opened her mouth to sing. A cacophony of notes streamed out of her throat, as if someone had dropped an armload of pots and pans in the kitchen. Freddy put his guitar down and glared at her. “You’re singing off key again. This isn’t going to work. We have our biggest show in a month and you need to be able to sing.” Alex shook her head vigorously. “It’s not me! Your guitar must need a tuning.” “It doesn’t.” He pursed his lips at her. “I think you should take some days off.” suggested Caitlin, the percussio...

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“Fired!” by Kay Northbridge

Submitted to Contest #109

Blazing jets of dragon’s breath blasted through the coffin-shaped box, melting Staleem’s amulet onto his forearm. A wave of exhaustion passed through his tortured body as his magic drained away into the flames, leaving him semi-conscious and only semi-breathing. The harsh stench of his burning hair, combined with the green smoke from his weathercloth gowns, filled the Punishment Room. The sickly concoction wound its way around the corners of dozens of torture and correctional implements, and hung in the air between them, thickening the atmos...

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“The Heirloom-Paisley Real Job” by Linda Gruenberg

Submitted to Contest #109

Hi. My name is Beth and I can read. Except not cursive. I can read texts and I can read what kind of coffee they have at Dunkin Donuts on the board behind the counter. Café Mocha and Café Latte and Hazelnut Mocha and Coco Berry and Toasted French Vanilla. I know the name of every flavor of coffee at Duncan Donuts. Also, I have tried them all. I don’t know which one is my favorite. People always ask me that. People always ask me too many things, but I don’t know.I can read Happy Birthday. I love reading Happy Birthday. I don’t like reading Yo...

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“Lawn Boy” by George Frost

Submitted to Contest #109

Hello, I am Corey Dansworth, but around Fairview, New York, I am known as Lawn Boy. Located north of Poughkeepsie on the Hudson River, I grew up in this scenic town where there are more red oaks than people. That’s what my Uncle Troy says all the time. I used to be smart. I used to be a football star. But that was before my accident. That happened ten years ago before I became Lawn Boy. I am twenty seven now and I live at home with mom and dad. I work at St. James, mowing two acres of lawns.&nb...

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“I almost did it at work” by Kayise Mosotho

Submitted to Contest #109

I had just come out of a disciplinary hearing for throttling my manager. He was messing with my schedule. The one I sacrifice for by working regular overtime. This ego-maniac was interrupting my life and I wasn't having it. He had changed the work schedule without my knowledge. Forcing me to work on the last week of the month. The week I consistently plan in advance for my month-to-month home visits. I had a good mind to twist my wrists as his neck sat constricted in my hands. But I knew the outcome of such actions. My grip w...

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“The Broken Banker.” by Charles Dean

Submitted to Contest #109

I am cold, hungry and thinking it through, I might jump from a bridge tomorrow. If I wake that is. It has been an awful couple of months I would say. I have been mugged, lost my house, my car, my wife, my kids, my job. I lost everything but well…now I doubt I can lose anything else, right? Right? Sigh. Let me start from the beginning, shall I? My name is Carston Dean, I was a very successful stock seller here in NY. I sold stocks for big companies and…I was good. I was really good. One time I managed to sell $2,000 on stocks and that day, I...

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“Misdirected Loyalty” by Anthony Cilia

Submitted to Contest #109

MISDIRECTED LOYALTY John was a Financial controller and Financial Manager for an interstate Branch of a large Food Wholesaler Corporation. Head Office was located in another state so John reported to a Supervisor in the Finance Department. He ran this office made up of 2 females and 1 male assistant that reported to him. Both females looked after Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable respectively. It was a rather odd situation because this young assistant was in charge hired by Malcolm (John’s Supervisor). But although this person ha...

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“NAIL HEAD” by Del Gibson

Submitted to Contest #109

NAIL HEAD by Del Gibson Five years ago, Dr. Roman Wilson quit his job as a clinical psychologist, and this is why… Amanda sits on the soft white leather couch. Her legs are crossed, they are jigging up and down. She is sitting in her psychologist’s office, Dr. Wilson, telling him about her life, and what happened to her and her family, all of those years ago; in the house on Broken Hill. “So, like I was just saying. The first time I saw Nail Head, I was six or maybe seven years old,” she grips the couch with white knuckles. “Mum turned...

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“The Sun Shines Brighter ” by L.J. LaBree

Submitted to Contest #109

CW: abuse, violence“You aren’t going anywhere! You work for me! I own you!”It wasn’t supposed to happen like this.I fight to keep my frame from shivering as her voice claws to an octave higher, the stapler waving around her head like a magpie waiting to divebomb an unsuspecting victim.This isn’t the first time she’s threatened to hit me with the small mechanical device. It isn’t the first time she’s followed through with her threat, either.She screamed and screeched like this for another 20 minutes, never seeming to take a breath in between ...

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“The Prompt” by Ben Rounds

Submitted to Contest #109

Brian’s hands shook slightly as he read the prompt. “Oh, sweet Jesus,” he breathed. “What is it honey?” said Penny, padding into the kitchen on bare feet. Brain frowned and shook his head. He did not like to be disturbed when he was working, but, “It’s this week's Reedsy prompt,” he sighed. “What's wrong with it, honey?” she said. Breathing in deeply, Brian lied. “It’s just that it’s so stupid,” he said. “‘Working Hard, Hardly Working.’ Honestly, what sort of-” The espresso machine flared to life, grinding out a sin...

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“To Whom It May Concern” by Marilyn David

Submitted to Contest #109

“Stop right by that mm…hiccup…mail-box!” Carol signalled to the taxi driver. “I’ve got something ur ...hiccup...gent to post.”“What, right here miss?” the driver moaned as he slowed to a near halt.Too soon the door of the taxi flew open missing a startled pedestrian by inches. “Whoops,”Carol giggled. “Watch it lady, are you trying to get me fired?” the driver protested.Carol slid out of the taxi revealing a suspender clad thigh. The disgruntled driver, now feeling compensated for the unexpected stop scramble...

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“Snapped” by KB Butler

Submitted to Contest #109

He’d called her a loose cannon. Her! Well, she wasn’t going to take it anymore. She was done with this place. Done with Houston, done with him, and done with this job. Cleo Canton pulled her desk drawer out and dumped it into a box. She was angry at herself for letting him get to her. She always kept such a tight leash on her emotions, but everyone had a breaking point. Today was her birthday of all days. Her 32nd year was beginning on a sour note if you asked her. She dropped the desk drawer on the floor. Jonathan Durant had been her boss ...

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Start your story with a character quitting their job, or getting fired.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 35 stories

“Su-10’s Interns” by Stevie B

“Karma and Santayana” by Susanne Perry

“Panic Attack” by Evan Jackson

“Musical Dissonance” by Nisha Shirali

“Fired!” by Kay Northbridge

“The Heirloom-Paisley Real Job” by Linda Gruenberg

“Lawn Boy” by George Frost

“I almost did it at work” by Kayise Mosotho

“The Broken Banker.” by Charles Dean

“Misdirected Loyalty” by Anthony Cilia

“NAIL HEAD” by Del Gibson

“The Sun Shines Brighter ” by L.J. LaBree

“The Prompt” by Ben Rounds

“To Whom It May Concern” by Marilyn David

“Snapped” by KB Butler

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about a character who has landed their dream job, only to discover it isn’t quite what they imagined it to be.

Write about a character who leads a secret double life outside of their day job.

Set your story during the night shift.

Your character sits down at their desk on a Monday morning and finds a completely unexpected email in their inbox. Write about what happens next.

Contest #109

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

162

Contest entries

149

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: