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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#159: Money, Money, Money

Like it or not, money makes the world go round. And while it (supposedly) can’t buy happiness, it can certainly change your life — for better or worse. This week’s prompts have money on the mind; whether your characters are winning big, or down to their last dollar, it’s time to start counting your cash.

This week's prompts

Start your story with a character accepting a bribe.

Adults – 48 stories

Set your story in a world where the currency isn’t money — or at least not money as we understand it.

Fantasy – 62 stories

Write about somebody down on their luck who unexpectedly comes into a large amount of money.

Teens – 49 stories

Your character checks their balance at an ATM and is surprised by the number they see.

Adults – 32 stories

Write about a character who’s never encountered a problem they couldn’t buy their way out of — until they do.

Angst – 25 stories

Stories

“Never Trust an Icosohedron” by Cajek Veilwinter

Submitted to Contest #159

“How dare you refuse me a discount, mortal!” The icosohedron yelled, nearly rattling the wooden walls of Kerrik’s damp apartment above the goldsmith. “Shh!” Kerrik said in a loud whisper. “You don’t want the neighbors to hear us, do you? Also, I’m not exactly mortal myself,” he said, pulling at his gray flesh. Kerrik’s client turned a shade of green usually reserved for the freshest lettuce. Kerrik sighed, smoothed out his new coat and tricorn hat and sat back down.  “I told you before, you folks are new. You’re not made of cotton...

7 comments 7
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“To Build a Nest” by Eleonora Shaba

Submitted to Contest #159

And what's more calming than the gentle spring breeze caressing your face while the sun rays leave small kissess all over your skin before bidding goodbye, leaving the moon to comfort you for every hardship that you went through the day. It would definitely be my favourite fragment today if it wasn't for the small chiwawa constantly barking at me for the past 5 minutes, the taunts of its owner adding to the delightful  music to my ears.“Screw you,” I scowled. “You illegitimate child of a dog and rat! You're ruining my tranquility!”As a ...

3 comments 3
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“Blood Oath” by J Stephens

Submitted to Contest #159

“Please Dr. Tepper, I’m not sure I can do this,” the distressed medical student explained while considering her options.  Surprised by her level of resistance, the esteemed chairman and hospital administrator reasoned, “Ms. Gaines, I don’t believe you fully understand the situation before us. That boy wasn’t going to survive either way.”   “You may be right, but we both know he didn’t die from his wounds. He was given the wrong blood. I overheard the nurse tell the ER doc she mixed up the two patients...” Helen Gaines clarif...

1 comment 1
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“Pondscum” by Candela B

Submitted to Contest #159

I knew his type. The type of lily-livered trickster who could trap someone with his tongue from a mile away. The type of slimeball whose oily charm served as lubricant to get away with whatever he pleased. The type of pondscum whose eyes were as dark and inscrutable as the bottom of a bog, opaque enough to hide behind. He was smartly dressed in a crisp brown suit, but I knew better than to be fooled by clean attire. His slick skin shone under the fluorescent lights as he smarmed his way up to the counter, and I made a mental note to mop...

1 comment 1
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“A World of Memories” by K. M.

Submitted to Contest #159

The market town bustled with people, someone bumped into me and I jumped out the way of someone else almost walking right into a man. “Watch it girl,” the small stout man, who I could only describe as frog-like, growled. “Sorry,” I exclaimed grasping my black pointed felt hat to my head as a cold wind blew through the cobbled street. “Over here,” Blake shouted from where he sat on a barrel in front of the book shop, his deep black fur shimmering purple in the late afternoon light. I hurried over and he jumped down as I pushed open the ...

0 comments 0
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“2,047 Wages” by Mary Duke

Submitted to Contest #159

She hadn’t realized that Ferrin was so young. Ferrin had been on the island before she was born. Diara remembered mother saying something about him arriving to Duskrik the same year dad’s favorite work horse died, and Berna would have been three at the time so...about 17 years ago. She thought long and hard, Ferrin couldn’t have been older than her cousin Richard who was about 35? She couldn’t be sure. Either way it wasn’t often that a man under 35 had a missing fore-arm and an eye patch. Diara was sitting by the window in her room. The hous...

4 comments 4
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“Happiness” by Cassandra Nichols

Submitted to Contest #159

At 6:25 am on the dot, my alarm started to chime out into the dark of my bedroom. The shrill buzzing sound pierced my ears, waking me from my dreamless sleep. I sat up and pulled away the dull grey linen sheets off my body. I peeled off my slept-in clothes and got into my outfit for the day. White shirt, black pants, black socks, and black shoes. From the top of my dresser, I took out a small pair of diamond stud earrings, an heirloom from a great grandmother on my mother’s side. Today was a special occasion, so I felt the justification that...

8 comments 8
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“Give Me "Credits" For This Purchase” by Joseph Monachino

Submitted to Contest #159

The universe is vast. The 100 human beings on the spacecraft destined for planet “Sorial” are grateful for this fact. Their beloved planet, earth, has been destroyed by Armageddon. The 50 males and 50 females are thankful for their fortuitous situation and fate. But they are puzzled as to what world they will be living in the rest of their lives. Will it be utopian? Or will it be dystopian? Their journey will be 2 days before they arrive there. The humanoid commander will educate them as to the world they...

1 comment 1
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“you don't need money” by James Mckinley

Submitted to Contest #159

You don’t need money The world was evolving, the ideas and concepts of the 20th century were fading as a new generation of people began to mature. The designations of Generation X, Generation this that or other was lost. The invention of cyber currencies that were derived from computer generated algorithms had come of age. As computer savvy teenagers and 20 something young adults began to find more creative ways to engage in commerce, the governments of the world were falling behind. The use of coined money and hard currency was being repl...

2 comments 2
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“Cha-ching” by Aleksandra Ouwerkerk

Submitted to Contest #159

You know how they say that one may loose their tongue? Well, it kinda is more scary than you think. You see, in my world, all of your verbs are very precious. I live in a world where there is money, but it really doesn’t count. What does count is how many verbs you can say, you understand, you know. I live in a city called Mouthful. Ironic! I know! The thing is, that the city’s name have changed few times, even in my life time and it’s because of the patriots. The birthgivers who want their offspring to know where they come from. Forgi...

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“The Payment” by Jeneane Vanderhoof

Submitted to Contest #159

Werner didn't want to think about losing the house. He had known the time was coming, when the banker would be knocking at the door asking for payment. Every morning as the household woke he found himself praying to the God’s (he didn't really believe in) that today wasn't “the day”. On the day, that finally was, “the day”, when Werner heard the knock it was accompanied by the scatter of the presence of every other in the house. They all knew what a knock at the door meant. Something bad. The bank would be seizing one of them, as p...

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“The Stranger” by Gigi Gibson

Submitted to Contest #159

Anna slipped into the leather banquette for the twentieth time this month. “Good Morning,” said Trudy as she poured a steaming cup from the pot. “What’ll it be today?” “Just coffee thanks. I’m waiting for someone.” Anna pressed the warm mug to her lips and breathed in the sensuous aroma of freshly ground beans. Trudy picked up another order as the stranger shifted onto the seat across from Anna. Dressed in a black trench coat, hat, and sunglasses, he asked, “So, you’ve found someone?” “Yes,” whispered Anna. “Her name is Trudy. She’s ...

6 comments 6
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“A Taste of Milk & Honey” by Sean Sorce

Submitted to Contest #159

WRITER'S NOTE: This is a retrospective of Esther when she first meets King Reuben Grealth of the Northern Kingdom of Rissindell. This short story will be added to one of my future books; one of them being a prequel to The Blacksmith's Nephew. Please enjoy the reading.It's a busy and hot day at the marketplace here in the Capital of Rissindell. The streets were full of people, either vendors or buyers or tourists, that left little to no elbow room. I cautiously pulled a wooden wagon full of milk cartons. As I have done so, I was trying t...

2 comments 2
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“Stop, Drop, and Roll” by Cindy Strube

Submitted to Contest #159

Stop, Drop, and Roll Gloria did a drive-by again. It’s the opposite of a smash-and-grab.  What she does is more of a “stop, drop, and roll”. She stops long enough to do a drop-off, then — on she rolls. We even have a name for it; we call it “getting Gloria’d”. We never know what’s going to be in the stash when she strikes. Usually there’s food. She helps the food bank clear out the week’s surplus before the next allocation arrives. “Just take everything!” they tell her, happy to be rid of it. She distributes her haul accor...

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“Tooth Faerie” by Sheri Dusseault

Submitted to Contest #159

 It is a hot day in this dusty grey city. Abe and the rest of the demolition team created much of the dust by tearing down this derelict old building. Long ago, it was considered a trendy boutique hotel. This area of the city was once a favoured place of bohemian artists, writers, intellectuals, and their hangers-on. It was a kind of Soho wannabe. In the forties and fifties, you would see the fashionably shabby elite taking coffee or wine at the sidewalk cafes and bars, discussing weighty subjects with self-serious smugness, talking a l...

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$250

Prize money

216

Contest entries

88

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 19, 2022 EST

Won by Daniel Allen 🏆

Title: Blood and Cookies

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!

Prompts | Big Blue Hand | 2024-11

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