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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#155: Swings and Roundabouts

One of my favorite British expressions is “swings and roundabouts”. It’s a tricky phrase to define, but it basically means a situation where good and bad, pro and con, ultimately cancel each other out. You might be up at one point, and down at another, but you’ll always end up somewhere in the middle. For example: “It rained on Friday. The laundry I hung out to dry got wet, but the flowerbeds needed watering, so, you know — swings and roundabouts.”

Much of life is a case of swings and roundabouts; accepting the good with the bad, and going along for the ride. This week’s prompts are all about this sense of balance, and the imperfect situations that we still make work.

This week's prompts

Start your story with a character facing a situation that isn't awful, but isn't great.

Middle School – 34 stories

Write a story that includes a character using the phrase “swings and roundabouts.”

Thanksgiving – 37 stories

Write about a character who gets good and bad news in quick succession — not necessarily in that order.

Angst – 46 stories

Write about a character who is pathologically ambivalent, until something shakes them up.

Narrative – 33 stories

Set your story in a kids’ playground, or at a roundabout.

Kids – 44 stories

Stories

“The story of my life. ” by Feuer Wasser

Submitted to Contest #155

*fowl language* “Listen to me, I still love you, but as a friend, not a husband. I'm sorry. I think we have to tell the kids that we are going through stuff. We don't have to tell all the details, but at least tell them that we -”This was a conversation I heard while laying in bed about a week ago. It was between my parents. I did not hear any more after that because I had thrown my pillow over my head to muffle my screaming. That's all I remember for now, because I blacked out.Even though that conversation was a few weeks ago, they actually...

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“The Email” by Madison Myers

Submitted to Contest #155

Dear Melanie, after what happened at the office last week, we're scheduling in-person one on ones with the entire team to discuss next steps. Please let me know which timeslot works best for you tomorrow: noon, 1:00, 2:00, or 3:00PM. I looked down at my phone to read the email. Immediately it felt weird in my stomach. We were told we'd be off for two weeks after what happened. Especially me, being there the night of the fire. And now I was expected to make time within a day? Was it weird or was I pissed off? Or both? Why were ...

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“Head in the Clouds” by Pamela Baker

Submitted to Contest #155

The throaty blatt of Les’s MG. I’ve just finished tidying up the bar after the big night. ‘Where to, Tiger?’ Les says. ‘The usual?’ I climb in and we’re off, hood down, shirts ballooning, hair swept back, the slip stream catching at the words we fling at each other. The usual idle banter. Missus keep you home last night? More brownie points to earn yet. Les bought the MG last year when he turned fifty. Cost him a fortune to have it shipped out to the island. He has five kids, so his missus wasn’t impressed. Mind you she’s a...

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“Second Chances ” by Kimberlie Luster

Submitted to Contest #155

Green eyes shining in the dappled sunlight, she waits patiently. Sitting frozen, she continues to watch the young girl reading under the large oak tree. Taking note that her blond hair is beautiful and catches the afternoon sunlight, causing it to appear like spun gold. Soon, she thinks, I too will have hair like this. She has waited so long, and time is running out. She just needs to take the girl and be done with it, it should only take one bite and then it's done. It must be done, if she returns to the pack without her other half, s...

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“Swings and Roundabouts” by Kiara Jones

Submitted to Contest #155

My name is Jodi. Jo-jo to my friends. I’m in middle school and my life hasn’t been so great this last year. My grandpa, who has early onset Alzheimer’s moved it three weeks ago and all I ever hear him say is “swings and roundabouts.” Whatever that means. My dad remarried eight months after my mom passed away to a woman who I’m sure is a very nice person, but I’ve been working on my own important personal issues to consider what kind of person she really is. I already have to deal with my douche older brother and thanks to her I now have two ...

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“Whom You Leave Behind” by John Clark

Submitted to Contest #155

I plopped down at the bar. My favorite seat. The bartender noticed me and motioned that he’d be right over. I had beaten the rush and arrived before most of the other regular patrons. “What’ll it be? The usual?” asked the bartender. I nodded. “I just don’t know how you can drink that stuff! But, as the rules say, the customer is always right.” As he scurried away to get my drink, I turned around to survey the other customers. No one was dining yet, but the gaming tables pulsed with activity. Military personnel trickled in. A few ...

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“Miloff” by Britannia Howard

Submitted to Contest #155

I saw Miloff four times. The first was on June 6th, the day Wendall came to stay with me at Velle Acres for one last summer. As the sun’s final rays landed on the foot of my porch, and the frogs croaked from the edge of the forest several yards away, he appeared in the corner of my eye: Miloff. The grass sparkled, the crickets sang, and the world blurred slightly. When I turned my head, he was gone, but the mild ringing in my ears remained. I smiled. “Make a wish, Lux,” grandma would say. “They’re fairies.” Wendall and I us...

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“The Seasons” by Krysta Anderson

Submitted to Contest #155

Winter Prince~Black feathers flutter aroundIn a fury of darkness and cold windThey form into the Winter PrinceHand clenched on his sword that's strapped to his sideThe Winter Prince goes to see the King~People stay out of his wayFor rumor goes around even to this daySaying that the Winter PrinceAnd his sour mood has come again~But nobody knows who he truly isFor the Winter Prince in his wake, is never moodyWhen his Season comes aroundHe's at his brightest and most at easeThe Winter Prince strides past the peopleLike a rolling wave from the s...

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“GUTTER CONFUSION” by Debbie Curtin

Submitted to Contest #155

Just another day, so Randy thought, putting his last-minute notes together. Today they have a job scheduled at the farthest end of the city that just happened to be on one of the tallest buildings in the area. We got this he told Buddy, Linc, Parker and Gavon. It ain’t our first rodeo, right? Just our usual bunch of swings and roundabouts. GUTTER CONFUSION was our successful and highly reviewed business where we continued to take the worry out of the replacement factor for this vital necessity to one’s home or business. Now, we, had to ...

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“A Cookie for You” by Rhonda Allen

Submitted to Contest #155

For the past 5 years, I have lived in a cul de sac with wonderful neighbours. Everyone is so friendly, we often get together for BBQs, holidays or just coffee on the porch. Two weeks ago, I sent out invitations to everyone in the cul de sac for a cookie exchange and tonight was the night. I had received the RSVPs back, and it looked like everyone was going to come. My excitement about this evening, was not just about houseful of people expected, it was about one person, the one person I was really hoping would come or my plans would be ruine...

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“Appearances of Bad and Good” by Debra Koffski

Submitted to Contest #155

I hate when you’re almost asleep, your phone is plugged up away from your body, and then it rings. You think to yourself, do I really want to turn over, after I just got comfortable, to answer my phone at 11 o’clock at night. It’s probably a wrong number. But then you think, maybe it’s a friend who needs you, or your mom. By the time you think all these thoughts you’re wide awake, and you turn over to answer, and they hang up. It’s utterly frustrating!! So, I look at my caller ID, and it was my mom. Oh no, she never calls this late at night....

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“In Sickness” by Lauren B

Submitted to Contest #155

Content warning: profanity and terminal illness. I was really hoping that my wife would die. Not at first. When she was first diagnosed, I just wanted a speedy recovery. Then I could continue with my plan to leave her. Like the cancer in Debbie’s breast, these feelings had been eating away at me for years. Twenty-one years into our marriage, Debbie had grown old, obviously. I had too. What made me so mad was that she invited old age into her body with no protest. While I took my supplements and went to the gym four times a week, ...

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“The Crack” by Rama Shaar

Submitted to Contest #155

Him:February 22, 2021Today she finally did it, and I can’t say I blame her. I just wish she’d given me more notice. Yes, I did see this coming, but I just didn’t know when.I guess it’s time for me to find somewhere to stay.When I asked her where she expected me to go, she snarled that she didn’t know and that I was an adult and should be able to figure it out. Right she is, I guess.I am now at MacDonald’s, sipping coffee and wondering what to do next. I have no one in this world.Why am I still writing in this useless book? Does it change any...

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“why should I care” by James Mckinley

Submitted to Contest #155

I don’t even bother to watch the news anymore. What is the point of hearing nothing but bad news. I go to bed and I am tired. I wake up and I am tired. I leave my apartment and there are people sitting on the sidewalk strung out on something. I walk around them because I have to get to work. I get to work and someone is always calling out sick. My boss tells me I have to pick up the slack, he doesn’t care that I have problems of my own. I go to school 2 nights a week trying to finish my degree so I can hopefully get out of a crappy life into...

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“Chocolate or vanilla?” by Joana Burrows

Submitted to Contest #155

“Chocolate or vanilla?” The fast-food attendant asked. Diana thought for a moment, decided her decision process was taking too long, and ended up saying, “You choose”. The woman looked at her as if she was crazy. Di noticed, so she said: “Surprise me,” which got her a smile from the woman. “Okay. This job doesn’t usually get me tiny powers like this”. Di smiled back. As she walked back to the dorms, she thought about whether to take the long way or not. She couldn’t decide, and it was making her nervous, so she decided to take the short...

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$250

Prize money

194

Contest entries

78

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jul 22, 2022 EST

Won by Lonnie Russo 🏆

Title: Someone Has Died

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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