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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#109: Working Hard, Hardly Working

For better or worse, a lot of our identity (or at least, how people perceive us) is tied to what we do for a living. As well as making up the daily rhythm of our lives, a lot of our goals and aspirations are career-based. Whether you’re a workaholic or living for the weekend, this week we’re diving into the world of work, writing about dream jobs — and the not-so-dreamy jobs.

This week's prompts

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

Dark – 34 stories

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

Angst – 35 stories

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

Thriller and Suspense – 16 stories

Set your story during the night shift.

Dark – 53 stories

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.

Thriller and Suspense – 24 stories

Stories

“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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“Mr Tiggs Saves the Day” by Blue Green

Submitted to Contest #109

Mr Tiggs searched endlessly for his tea towel, until he spotted in the mirror that it was stuck to his back. Bother these bristles! Taking the tongs he kept especially for such circumstances, he removed the tea towel and proceeded to dry the polished acorn cups, before setting one down on the low round dining table. He poured himself a cup of nettle tea, and settled into his most comfortable armchair. The bright early morning sun streamed in through the window as he leant back in his chair, casting an eye around the neat walls of his cosy bu...

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“Tripping Between Dimensions: A Job No One Talks About” by Elizabeth Fenley

Submitted to Contest #109

My new job isn’t exactly my dream job—unless it’s one of those drunk, stoned trippy dreams. It’s surreal, and I can’t tell anyone about it. Kind of like the first rule of Fight Club. The NDA I signed before I knew the details was clear. I’m an imaginary friend for children in other dimensions, other realities. I know, that sounds like I’m halfway to Cuckoo’s Nest and massive doses of lithium. But it’s true. &nbs...

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“The monster in the basement” by Lily Rama

Submitted to Contest #109

Scrape... scratch...scrape...Jim can hear the monster's claws scraping against the cement floors as it creeps closer-he can see the eerie shadow closing in, the darkness of the illumination a haunting black. Jim can feel how the room grows cold, like Jack Frost has whistled an icy melody into the air. Jim only huddles closer to the wall, as he shakily hides in the little corner behind the water heater.He had never meant for any of this to happen, he hadn't wanted to take the late shift, he hadn't wanted to stay here, he hadn't, he hadn't, he...

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“The Phantom Sandwich Eater” by Sharon Williams

Submitted to Contest #109

Good morning, Pam, I hope you’ve had a good weekend. I’ve had several communications from parents concerned that their children’s lunchboxes have been interfered with. They state that you are already aware of this issue, but have failed to address it. Please can we meet as soon as possible to discuss this matter. Kind regards Reverend Peter Day Chair of Governors, Great Hallingbury Junior School Pam Weston pushed back the chair from her desk and sighed wearily. This was a good start to her working week. She started every sch...

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“Nursery Rhymes” by Kendall Defoe

Submitted to Contest #109

No one is too happy about working at that time of night, but at least the job pays well. And the other thing – the thing that I do not share with any of the other ones here – is that I get to work alone. No one to bother with about birthdays, how their kids are doing in school, what did you think of that show last night (the one that I did not watch and never would). No, I liked it up there at night. At least I did for a while. Let’s see if I can paint you a picture. We are a tech company. We handle assets and sensitive data for many Fortune...

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“Bear, With Me” by Bradley Warren

Submitted to Contest #109

CW: violenceA bear meandered at the edge of the backyard, big and brown. Bears weren’t native to the area, so this merited some wide-eyed gawking. It even earned the kids’ attention, had them scrambling over furniture—and each other—to join Liam by the sliding glass door. Emily looked uneasy.The apple tree at the back of the yard had dropped fruit in a ten-foot radius around its base. The bear gobbled them up. With its dog-like face and mannerisms, and the way it used its tongue like a spoon, Liam found it rather cute. But the cloud of dirt ...

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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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“The Story of Cesar: An Unremarkable Person” by Bruce Friedman

Submitted to Contest #109

The lighting in the Sumerian galleries of the New York Museum of Art was intentionally subdued due to the fragility and extreme age of the objects on display. Astonishingly, some of the most beautiful pieces of art in these galleries were estimated to be more than four thousand years old. They provide the opportunity to explore the dimensions of an early and sophisticated civilization that flourished and then disappeared. Unfortunately, this particular collection is largely ignored by most of the visitors to the Museum in favor of more popul...

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“Fired!” by Katharine Widdows

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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“Caught between Killers” by Courtney Moore

Submitted to Contest #109

The eyes of a killer hold me hostage. His silhouette is unmistakable, even in the dark. Black orbs take the place of eyes. They disguise any hint of emotion. The steely gaze frightens me, but I know enough to hide the fear. I stare back, basking in the stillness of this moment. Any sudden movement could set him off. That’s the last thing I want. Panic pushes at the gears in my brain, but I ignore it. I continue to hold his gaze. The seconds seem to last a lifetime. I wonder if the cold bothers him as much as it does me. He doesn’t show any s...

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“She Picked Me” by Noelle C. Lee

Submitted to Contest #109

She Picked Me 1974. New York City.The East River and the hospital flank the highway. There is a small tunnel that goes under an apartment building just south of the hospital alongside the river. The roar of the engines inside the tunnel was unnerving and ominous. The wind off the tires of the vehicles moving quickly was chilling, dangerous. Debris flew into my eyes which makes crossing the road very forbidding. When it was snowing or raining, the tunnel provided shelter but there was no room for error. Moving an inch in the wr...

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“The Promotion” by Mackenzie Littledale

Submitted to Contest #109

The Promotion by Mackenzie Littledale I was an assassin, yet nothing and no one I’d ever faced shook me to my core like seeing my mom in this hospital bed. Her supine frame—twenty pounds lighter than just a week ago—made me feel powerless, not the invincible son she’d raised. A forked tube disappeared into her nostrils; her mouth hung open. I’m six-four and my knees wobbled at the thought of losing her. I dropped down into the armchair and pulled up to her bedside. Her hand felt frail, even though just two months before, this same hand had...

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“Jace's First Day in the Police Force” by Chris Chevalier

Submitted to Contest #109

xxx NYPD Building on 1 Police Plaza Jace opened the door to the NYPD Building. As soon as he stepped foot into the precinct office, he was greeted by a very short but stocky man who eerily looked exactly like Booster from the Mario RPG series. “Ahh, Jacen Riders!” he spoke with a grunting Texan accent, “Pleasure to meet you, youn’ man! Name’s Boomer. Officer Boomer Snifrit.” The two shook hands. “Boomer? Snifrit?” Jace tried not to laugh. “It’s actually Boomer Snifrit Whiffit.” he added. Jace chortled. Then a croak of pain left...

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“Elevator in the Sky” by David Brown

Submitted to Contest #109

Samantha Wringley truly thought she’d landed her dream job. She’d graduated at the top of her class with a double major in electrical and mechanical engineering and had been aggressively courted by numerous universities to carry on with her master’s degrees. Several large corporations had also offered to not only hire her, but cover all the costs of her post-graduate education. However, Sam was tired of academia and ready for a new direction, and ‘What could be more exciting than becoming a citizen crew member of the TSC, the Transnational S...

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$250

Prize money

162

Contest entries

149

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Sep 03, 2021 EST

Won by CJ Rodgers 🏆

Title: Diner At The End

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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