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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#158: It's All Good, Man

With only a few episodes left to air, the legal drama Better Call Saul is coming to an end. Along with the Breaking Bad saga, this spin-off garnered dozens of nominations and countless fans around the world through excellent character development and storytelling. Saul Goodman’s colorful suits, elaborate scams, and wordplay (“It’S all Good, man”) will be hard to forget.

Whether you're familiar with the series, or this is your first time hearing about it, there'll be something for you in this week's prompts — inspired by the show's characters and themes.

This week's prompts

Start your story with a couple sharing a cigarette in a parking lot.

Adults – 66 stories

Write about a character with questionable morals.

Dark – 41 stories

Write a story where the law plays an important role.

High School – 24 stories

Write a story about a character who is trying to become a better person.

Middle School – 42 stories

Write a story that includes someone saying, “It’s not fair.”

Middle School – 72 stories

Stories

“Ellen's Gams” by Tod Moran

Submitted to Contest #158

Ellen’s Gams They’re just bad kids. They need to go away, for a long time. Judge Ellen Morphonious There are many stories about Dade County Circuit Court Judge Ellen Morphonios. A few false, others exaggerated, some she told herself in her autobiography, Maximum Morphonios: The Life and Times of America's Toughest Judge. But the one most often repeated in the Justice Building, most in character, one that always brought a smile to those hearing it, was the incident known as Ellen's Gams. But before we get to the incident I will introduce y...

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“The Elephant necklace” by Chris Holland

Submitted to Contest #158

John looked up from his work bench, the window to his right giving him a view into his kitchen across the narrow concrete pathway separating his workshop and the house. Jackie was indicating to him that supper was ready by making an eating motion with her hands. He smiled at her, nodding acknowledgement. He switched off his drill press at the wall of plugs and closed the large sliding window above the bench. He had planned his workbench to give him a panoramic vista of the countryside, the rolling verdant hills made way for a green fertile v...

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“Redemption” by Gloria Parker

Submitted to Contest #158

Emily gently placed her foot on the brake pedal as she approached the red light. She made sure she was completely stopped before she got too close to the white line. Emily, impatient as usual, started tapping her fingers on the steering wheel. “La, la, la...” she looked around boredly. Across the street a man struggled to lift his bag of flour into the trunk of his car. Another man, whom Emily presumed to be homeless, walked across the parking lot with his single backpack on his back. He went over to the first man’s car and grab...

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“It Was Never Supposed To Happen” by Donna James

Submitted to Contest #158

The accident happened in August 2020. This was such a bad, bad time. Russell was ping ponging from place to place. His last job had ended in March 2020. Working conditions had become unbearable. The pandemic also was in full bloom and people were hesitant to venture out. Russell had become rather stir crazy and even his reading and writing were not enough to occupy his random thoughts. He left on Friday afternoon and went to spend time with a friend, if you could call him that. Mark, the so-called friend, was also dealing with his own chal...

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“The Web That Binds Us” by James Ashton

Submitted to Contest #158

There’s a comfortability that comes with silence. The way that the background noises come into full focus. Passing cars, squeaky shopping cart wheels, and the gentle chime of bells ringing as shop doors are pushed open; all become the soundtrack of one's own life. On the right there’s a restaurant that’s been there since the seventies, you can tell by the yellowed menus that they still use. The owner Stan has been there his whole life, right behind that counter. He grew up in this place, opened his restaurant in this place, raised h...

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“The Forget the World Cabin” by Mel Cote

Submitted to Contest #158

Trigger: Death, addiction, suicidal ideation, cursing/languageThe Forget the world cabin. That’s what their grandfather had called it. A small cabin high in the mountains nestled on a ridge that overlooked a deep crevasse. Jude and Harry in their teens had renamed it the Fuck the World cabin in honor of their grandfather. The man had lived off the grid, out of spite. Outfitting the small cabin with solar panels, a generator, and a water collection system, he taught them how to live apart from the modern world. &...

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“Be The Change” by Nightmare's Edge

Submitted to Contest #158

I stood with a kitchen knife in hand, staring down at the blood pooling below the woman I just stabbed. No feelings, other than disappointment. “Damn it, it wasn’t supposed to be like this! I am trying to be better!” I looked around, trying to find a way to fix this, but no luck. That's when I noticed who I assume was her husband standing in the door. I could see his body flex, as if he were trying to decide to run or attack. Neither of us moved for a long moment. I heard him quietly repeating his wife's name. His eyes darted back an...

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“Truth or Dare” by Lavender Blue

Submitted to Contest #158

Truth or Dare Truth or Dare should be a children's game, like hopscotch or tag. It has no business in Daria Fordam's house. Daria is in eighth grade like the rest of us and we are all too mature to play this game. Lindsay is up and the group calls out “Truth or Dare” and she giggles like a baby being bounced on someone's knee. “Dare.”she laughs and we can barely hear her voice for the laughter in the room. She should have said 'truth' because we all know about her and Daniel under the bleachers anyway. That...

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“A love like that” by Whitney W.

Submitted to Contest #158

HIMBethany had flown into town for a few days from Ohio, and he couldn’t not show up. It might be weird, but it would be weirder if he didn’t show.HERDustin came. She didn’t think he would, but he had.HIMBesides, it wasn’t like it would just be the two of them. There would be a lot of their classmates and strangers. It was fine. It had been thirteen months since they graduated, and ten months since they broke up.HERShe was standing too close to the band when he arrived, so she didn’t hear or see him. She didn’t want to appear eager, but she ...

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“(title is at the end) ” by Camryn Leigh

Submitted to Contest #158

Its raining. It’s been raining for days actually,I used to love the rain.It once felt like a giant hug from the earth, it made me feel loved.Things have changed.Each day I feel like I’m drowning,As I’m walking down the street, clothes starting to weigh on me,I watch a leaf flow down the street and be taken into a storm drain by the rain.Never to be seen again.One day it might rain just enough to take me too Laying on my bed, Staring at the old glow in the dark stars on my ceiling, I think of what my life co...

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“The Rooftop Runners” by M. G Teagan

Submitted to Contest #158

“One day they will go too far, Stefan!” his older brother's words played back in his head. “Soon we will have to rise up and dare to be free again!” Sixteen-year-old Stefan watched a tired, silver dawn emerge behind the smokestacks of the main factory where he had just ended his twelve-hour night shift. The factories surrounding the town created a controlled border that forced the population into labor. No one could leave. As the p...

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“Black Dahlia” by Hyacinth Maris

Submitted to Contest #158

It isn't fair. You walked upon floors of shining gold and jewels, bathed in exotic spices and fragrant flowers. Your hands are as soft as silk, never daring to lift more than a silver spoon to coat your tongue with the honeyed fruits of my labor. Hatred swarms my blood as the flies that plagued my broken body do. My tears are the only water I can drink, bitter and burning against my lips. You will be immortalized within the palace walls; your porcelain body laid to rest. I will be a lump of dirt, a sacrifice to the Earth in hop...

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“The Last Cigarette” by Brandi Yetzer

Submitted to Contest #158

“Got any cigarettes left?” Zoe rounds the corner, her fire red curls whipping behind her as she falls to the concrete floor beside me. Before I can answer, her black nails are wrapped around the cigarette in my mouth, and pulling it to her own.After a deep drag and an exhale of relief, she’s returning the cigarette to its former position. I suck in before asking a question I don’t want the answer to, “Are they freaking out in there?”She laughs, “Of course.”“I just couldn’t think of anything real to say,” I hesitate, waiting for the right wor...

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“A Brief Interlude at a Party” by Rebecca Terenzoni

Submitted to Contest #158

The night air was stifling. The month of August had never seen such an oppressive heat wave. The humidity pressed up against the windows, the brick and paneled buildings, and saturated the air until everyone was panting and sweating and begrudgingly patting down their poufy and frizzed hair. It clung to every breath, every particle of clothing, and made everyone miserable and short tempered. Despite the absence of the sun, the heat had become more unbearable in the blanket of the night. Completely a contradictory to basic laws of nature. Tho...

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“Finding a Fun Girlfriend” by Madeline Honig

Submitted to Contest #158

Billy zipped up his black leather jacket and took out his gray beanie from his pocket and pulled it over his ears. He looked at Allison from behind as she zipped up her puffy light pink jacket. He put his hands on either side of her arms and rubbed them up and down hoping the friction would cause some heat for her. He was only an inch or two shorter than him but he liked her height. She fit him just right. Allison dug into her jacket pocket and held the gold packet of Marlboro lights and a neon green lighter o...

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$250

Prize money

245

Contest entries

103

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 12, 2022 EST

Won by Scott Christenson 🏆

Title: Your Cat™️ Customer Service

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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