Write about a character who would have complete happiness, if it weren’t for that one thing.

Posted in Character on Mar 3, 2023

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✍️ 63 stories

“Listen” by Daniel Fernandes

Submitted to Contest #188

Language Warning: A few expletives. Listen with your heart not your head. Understand these words like the lyrics of an artist that's dead. Ain't asking for much just forgiveness that ain’t ever said. Exposing thoughts as I tolerate empathy with lead. Read this out loud like a presentation. Evaluate the pain like a burning sensation. I was your radio, but you changed the station. Regardless of what was said you never paid attention. Kept you on me like a phone, but you faded. Adjusting feelings that can't be calibrated. Interrupted by...

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“The Chipmunk” by Story Time

Submitted to Contest #188

Harriet Bowson would have had the perfect yard if it hadn’t been for the chipmunk.She had taken great pains in creating a wonderland for nature. Native plants and flowers sprouted throughout her little, fenced-in paradise. Consultants had been brought in when she first purchased the house to advise her on how to construct a sanctuary for both herself and whatever miniature wildlife might grace her with their presence.As the yard was taking shape, she found herself dreaming of butterflies. Monarchs and swallowtails, luna moths and red admiral...

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“The Lightness of Heavy Objects” by Delbert Griffith

Submitted to Contest #188

“If it weren’t for cilantro, I’d be completely happy,” Lenny said.The other members of the HOOD (Helping Others Overcome Depression) therapy group stared at Lenny. Some had looks of amazement on their faces, some nodded knowingly. Dr. Angstrom cleared his throat and popped an Altoids into his mouth.“That’s some bullshit, Lenny. Nothin’ wrong with cilantro,” Rudy stated.“Shut up, Rudy.” Belinda glared at Rudy after she spoke. She didn’t like Rudy; he was a pudgy, sweaty splodge of a man who always arrived at the HOOD meetings with alcohol on ...

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“Gabriel's Horn” by Jack Kimball

Submitted to Contest #188

The old man knocked tobacco out of his long-stem pipe. “I would like you to solve the mystery of happiness,” he said, pointing his white eyebrows at me.The only thing I hoped to solve was finding my way out through the labyrinth of corridors in my uncle’s estate. Hell, I barely graduated from State three months ago. And the only thing my Creative Writing major did was land me a waiter gig at The Ram’s Head Steakhouse in town. Solve the mystery of happiness? I knew Uncle Clarence was some industry titan—but really?He kept right at it though. ...

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“True Beauty” by Helen A Howard

Submitted to Contest #188

Figures differ depending on where you live, but here I’m one of the 1,300 born with a cleft lip. A genetic fault caused part of my upper lip to split on the right side reaching to my nose in the early stage of my mother’s pregnancy. ***It could have been the perfect lesson. If it weren’t for one thing! Or one person, to be precise.If I’m going to talk about this, I should at least be honest. It was more than one person, but she was the kingpin; the skittles would not have fallen had she played it straight.There’s a high-pitched hum in my hea...

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“Chaos at the Cryptocurrency Conference” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #188

[TW: all 5 prompts + multiple douche bags + Toxic Positivity]“So, what’s the catch of the day?” I ask the waiter, already knowing I’m going to reject it as I like to screw with people–be oppositional, as they say. I’m also desperately trying to impress Monique.“Glad you asked. The catch of the day is line caught Hogfish Snapper,” the waiter says all in one breath, because he trying to take his share of orders from the 200+ attendees of Blockchain Overdrive's VIP dinner in Palm Beach.“I think you can do better than Hogfish. Ask the kitchen to...

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“SIX LETTERS TO ILLUMINATION” by Kajsa Ohman

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #188

SIX LETTERS OF ILLUMINATION I didn’t really think much about happiness until I had the opportunity, in a Scrabble game, of adding ‘piness’ to the existent ‘hap’. Indeed, the act of putting ‘piness’ on the board would have brought happiness to almost anyone, and it certainly made my opponent’s day, my opponent being my fifteen-year-old nephew. “Piness! Ha ha ha!” The very fact of my playing Scrabble at all is an indicator of the indescribable ennui in which I normally wallow; though most people play—at least claim to play—Scrabble fo...

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“The Tree of Knowledge” by Rama Shaar

Submitted to Contest #188

Trigger warning: The story contains sensitive material that some readers might find disturbing and/or triggering. “Now who is this?” Zoe said squinting at the laptop screen. It jolted me out of my engrossment in yet another horrific local news story. Something about someone who destroyed the lives they were supposed to protect. Just what is wrong with human beings sometimes? “Who’s what?” I asked, happy to be brought into the world of Zoe and her little tizzies. “This person I don’t know sent me an email wanting me to go to his offic...

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“The Shaman’s Apprentice” by Viga Boland

Submitted to Contest #188

It was another glorious day at the Revitalizus Resort in sunny Barbados. The shaman’s young apprentice took his time trimming the bougainvillea bushes in the lush gardens surrounding the resort’s sparkling “adults only” pool. There was no need to rush. Islanders conserved their energy especially when it was well past noon. It was too hot to work fast.The apprentice worked slowly. He liked to listen to the tourists to learn their language. Perhaps one day he might go to North America. It would be wise to be able to speak English.Snip, snip, s...

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“The English Lop” by Alexey Williams

Submitted to Contest #188

And among the ruins were the cages of the English lops. The house had burned, yet the lop cages had been spared as they sat in a shed some fifteen feet from the house. The lops made not a sound as I approached. They all appeared unharmed in their cages. I'd settled on setting them free as it was a terrible thing to be unfree, and they had earned their liberty as far as I was concerned. Their metal cage doors were opened, and I simply coaxed them out with a hand. The lops were so docile that in spite of all that had passed some of them didn't...

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“Drug of Choice” by Nona Yobis

Submitted to Contest #188

They’re all the same. At first, you feel invincible, at one with the universe, so Zen that you’re certain you’ve found Enlightenment. The high reaches to the stratosphere, and the feeling is so warm and calming, it’s like being engulfed in the very essence of love itself. But it doesn’t last. I’ve tried so hard to find the perfect drug, but no matter what I try, I can’t find one that gives me a lasting high. I’m not picky, either.I’ve gone to several different dealers, traveled the world searching for the next promise of ...

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“Miracles Happen” by Stephanie Stevens

Submitted to Contest #188

Miracles happen.The daffodils bloomed before the snowdrops fell this year, making the churchyard a veritable carpet of yellow. However, in late March,primroses blossomed among the graves, and some late daffodils put theirdelicate heads on the northern facade of the church. Together they replenish the yellow hues in time for Easter. On Good Friday morning, I turn my face to the sun. The weather is unseasonably warm, and the sun’s golden rays reach the rich earth, encouraging growing plants to bud forth. Birds twitter in the trees, nesting, wh...

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“Cardinal” by Mya Sandberg

Submitted to Contest #188

CW: sexual assault, abuse, suicide It is snowing outside. It has been for some days. It has been relentlessly chilled, and a pink tint sits upon my face from the cold. I am sick and have been for years. I bring my fingertips closer to the strings, feeling every ache of my body intensify and the rate of my breathing quicken in pace. I can not do it. No matter how many times I have tried. No matter how many times I attempt to bring it to life, this aspect of me that has been gone for so long, it is always futile. I will never play the guitar a...

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“Just a Piece of Paper” by Ali Anthony Bell

Submitted to Contest #188

Aziz Bellali is checking his mail at home.“Hey love, come and check this out! The Muhammad bin Ali al-Haj University wants to give me an award! And it’s even on my 65th birthday!”“That’s great, you deserve it!” his wife Aisha responds cheerfully.“But I can’t accept. Come and read the mail.”Aisha comes over to his side and reads: Dear Dr. Bellali,We would like to thank you for your recent talk at our university and for the inspiration you’ve been to so many people in our country...

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“Stay hungry” by Ash Egan

Submitted to Contest #188

She says, "Why don't you look like that?"I stop scrolling. It's some glistening, rippling torso with a haircut. Stripped to the waist. Almond skin pulled tight over solid muscle.I look down at my stomach, bulging amiably over my waistband. Lightly dusted with sugar from the half-eaten donut in my other hand.She looks back to her phone again and strokes our cat, Belle, sitting in her lap.Back to the gym.For the next two months, I'm there every day, 6am. Weights, bike, cross trainer. Weights, bike, swim. I'm surrounded by washboard abs and shr...

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Write about a character who would have complete happiness, if it weren’t for that one thing.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 63 stories

“Listen” by Daniel Fernandes

“The Chipmunk” by Story Time

“The Lightness of Heavy Objects” by Delbert Griffith

“Gabriel's Horn” by Jack Kimball

“True Beauty” by Helen A Howard

“Chaos at the Cryptocurrency Conference” by Scott Christenson

“SIX LETTERS TO ILLUMINATION” by Kajsa Ohman

“The Tree of Knowledge” by Rama Shaar

“The Shaman’s Apprentice” by Viga Boland

“The English Lop” by Alexey Williams

“Drug of Choice” by Nona Yobis

“Miracles Happen” by Stephanie Stevens

“Cardinal” by Mya Sandberg

“Just a Piece of Paper” by Ali Anthony Bell

“Stay hungry” by Ash Egan

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that starts with the line “So, what’s the catch?”

Write a story about someone who is determined to not have their day spoiled — but the universe is trying their patience.

Write about someone who thinks they just got a great deal on something, only for them to realize…

Write about a character who’s attending a dinner thrown in their honor, but deeply embarrasses themself during their speech.

Contest #188

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

258

Contest entries

133

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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