Write a story where hard work doesn’t pay off.

Posted in Angst on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 28 stories

“Hack” by Deidra Whitt Lovegren

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #136

Your cursor blinks. Your cursor blinks ceaselessly. You delete ceaselessly. Adverbs are not your friend. Adverbs are indicative of weak diction, but you cannot think of a better verb to express the action just the way you want. Certainly you can use an adverb occasionally. You delete occasionally. You delete certainly.You can use an adverb on occasion. You close your laptop. Your writing session is not going well. None of the five prompts are particularly inspiring.You decide to take a break. Make a sandwi...

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“Employee of the Month” by Cindy Strube

Submitted to Contest #136

Employee of the Month “Thanks a lot!”, Brad muttered, dropping the receiver back on the cradle. “BZZZZZZ…” retorted the instrument, announcing that he hadn’t aligned it just right. He clicked it into place.“Oodle-oodle-oo, oodle-” Cutting it off in mid-crow, Brad answered, “HR, Brad speaking.”“a three-night stay for the price of two in our luxurious-”… He hung up on the shrill, poorly enunciated, nasal recording. How had that call reached his direct line? Must’ve been a fluke. A fluke was a type of flounder. He felt like ...

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“The House on High Street” by Michał Przywara

Submitted to Contest #136

Knuckles, Chapman, and Whisky stopped in front of the house at 624 High Street just as the nearby streetlight flickered and then went out. Chapman looked up at the dead light and scratched his threadbare head. “Well, that’s convenient.” Knuckles played with his lighter, grunted. “This the place?” “Uh, yeah,” Whisky said, each word a whine. “I think so.” He pulled a crumpled paper from his vest and squinted at it. And then flinched when Knuckles snatched it. “Man, what is this?” Knuckles said. “Your writing is garbage, you idiot. What is – is...

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“Hard Work” by Jinx York

Submitted to Contest #136

I felt a tickle on my brow and I nervously wiped away the trickle of sweat that had built up there. It felt like butterflies were whipping up a hurricane in my stomach as I sat in my office chair. I peeked over the low wall of my cubicle and looked around, but the only people I saw walking around were a few of my coworkers headed to the break room. I swallowed and rubbed my sweaty palms on my pants as I sat back down.Reaching out to my keyboard, I continued to stab quickly at my keys. Line upon line of code began to scroll across my screen. ...

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“Thirty-Six Seconds” by Maria Avisal

Submitted to Contest #136

One oppressively humid Saturday in late July while the rest of the city was at the beach, Rachel tried to maintain a 7:50 mile pace for a fifteen-mile run. The first mile was easy because she was essentially still asleep. She spent the second mile congratulating herself for getting out of bed, even though she had only gotten five hours of sleep and was still on Mountain time, instead of hitting snooze and convincing herself she would run after work. Her future self would be grateful, even if her c...

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“Vern’s Enormous Hole” by Sharon Hancock

Submitted to Contest #136

It was a suggestion, not an order. Unfortunately, Vern Jerkin, didn’t get the difference. He did, however, get a shovel. And that’s when things went south. Vern wasn’t like other men who spent their days drinking beer on the porch of Burt’s Town Store. He wasn’t married and he had no taste for hunting, fishing, or board games. Vern’s only love in life was work—grueling, hard, work. So, when he lost his job at the coal mine due to an unfortunate accident that was entirely his fault, Vern f...

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“Pitch Black” by Duha Khan

Submitted to Contest #136

A doorbell rang in the blackness of the night, sending a wave of disturbance in the pin-drop silence. Despite it being so late, however, it didn’t take long before the bell was responded. “Karlile?” the woman who opened the door asked in mild surprise. “What are you doing here so late? Is something the matter?” The boy addressed as Karlile stood quietly at her door, a look of deep sorrow creasing his face. “Hi, auntie. Can I come in?” he asked in a tired voice. The woman stepped aside and opened the door wide. Karlile walked in ...

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“A Stitch In Time” by Chris Campbell

Submitted to Contest #136

“I’m telling you, Hugo. People are dying there. Children, old people, even our own mother country’s sons!” “You’re mistaken, State Television tell us it’s nothing. Just boys practicing drills. Is Dad there? Put him on.” “Son, it’s war! You need to come home now.” “There’s no need, Dad. I’m safe he...

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“Butterfly Kisses ” by T. Powers

Submitted to Contest #136

Look down, never look in their eyes. Keep looking down. As my icy, blistered feet splash the mud below, I keep telling myself to never look up. Never into their eyes. My frayed dress is now sticking to my ankles as I slowly wade from my rooms across the yard. The flutter of the hem is so soft on my raw skin, it almost tickles. It feels like a butterfly. I let my mind wander back to my daughter. We used to have pastel pink Mallow Flowers all over the back of our yard. Butterflies would gather every season, mating, pol...

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“Destination Vega Grandis” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #136

“Wake up, Karo. You have an important incoming call,” Sida, the voice in his head, said. “Who is it?” Karo asked with a sleeping voice. “It’s from the Planetary Union.” The name of Planetary Union made him fully awake. It was early in the morning, and his bedroom was still dark. He quickly checked the time via his Neuralink. He could have two extra hours of sleep before getting up for work. While annoyed by the untimely call, he accepted it. He was grumpy, but eager to find what the call was about. Instantly, a 3D motion picture formed in fr...

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“Desires Beyond reason” by Marion Crackower

Submitted to Contest #136

DESIRES BEYOND REASON Elinor Stevencox was average. Average height, average hair, average age. In a crowd of average people, she would pass unnoticed for Elinor Stevencox was as average as can be. Although, Elinor Stevencox wanted to be someone else. She wanted to be something else. Someone worthy of a book! Working at a dead-end job, in a dead-end office, squeezed in a cubicle of average size did ...

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“Can't you work hard, Catherine!” by Naduni De Silva

Submitted to Contest #136

Lying on the bed looking at the night sky I wondered where it all went wrong. ………… “Catherine, where’s my coffee?” “Catherine, why haven’t you still printed copies of this section?” “Catherine, walk faster would you?” “Catherine, why did you swap the pieces from the winter collection with the spring collection?” “Don’t you have eyes, Catherine?” “Why do you keep messing things up, Catherine?” "Can't you work hard, Catherine?" Hiding my tears, I ran around the office all day acting like what they were telling wasn’t getting into my head. It w...

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“Fact or Fiction?” by Rachel Ward

Submitted to Contest #136

There's this woman that works at your local flower shop. You simply cannot stand a household devoid of daisies, so you visit this flower shop once a week. Every Thursday, 1:15 PM, you walk into "What in Carnation? Flower Shop" and speak to a rather monotonous employee named Susan. You've tried and tried, but Susan simply refuses to reveal any personal information about herself. No smile as you enter the store, no "Happy Tuesday to you too!", not even a "You have a pasta stain on your shirt" when you very, very clearly do not know that you ha...

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“O2” by Rachel Connor

Submitted to Contest #136

CHOOSING DAY, Thursday 1,876th I stared up at the shining golden pedestal with longing in my eyes. Markie stood proudly on top of it, their eyes shining brightly. A smile on their face as they stared out into the crowd, laughing as everyone cheered for them. Their pink hair catching the sun, making it seem like the angels were taking Markie away to be one of their own. Now that Markie had been chosen they would be taken to the chapel and be officially crowned. Unfortunately no one from these Outercities ever got to watch the crowning. Hailey...

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“I failed her” by MIKAYA LANG

Submitted to Contest #136

WARNING: There is slight violence, self-harm and mental heath issues. There is profanity as well. I released a deep breath and stared at the ground beneath me. The sun beamed on us brutally. I covered my eyes with my hands, but that didn't seem to help. I could feel the beads of sweat roll down my face. My armpits were wet and sticky. The sweat that ran down my body soaked my feet. I wiped the sweat from my forehead. My sister sat there on the steps in front of our house and wiped the sweat from her forehead as well. "This town is getti...

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Write a story where hard work doesn’t pay off.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 28 stories

“Hack” by Deidra Whitt Lovegren

“Employee of the Month” by Cindy Strube

“The House on High Street” by Michał Przywara

“Hard Work” by Jinx York

“Thirty-Six Seconds” by Maria Avisal

“Vern’s Enormous Hole” by Sharon Hancock

“Pitch Black” by Duha Khan

“A Stitch In Time” by Chris Campbell

“Butterfly Kisses ” by T. Powers

“Destination Vega Grandis” by Sasan Sedighi

“Desires Beyond reason” by Marion Crackower

“Can't you work hard, Catherine!” by Naduni De Silva

“Fact or Fiction?” by Rachel Ward

“O2” by Rachel Connor

“I failed her” by MIKAYA LANG

🌟 Similar prompts

Start or end your story with someone saying “You’ll never know unless you try.”

Write about somebody who knows they’re probably going to fail at something, but does it anyway.

Write about a character giving something one last shot.

Set your story on a baseball field.

Contest #136

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

207

Contest entries

100

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: