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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#166: Game, set, match

Lately, my sporting news feed has been taken over by the retirement of two legendary tennis players — Serena Williams and Roger Federer. Whenever sports stars end their careers, it leaves me wondering what it must feel like to start something new after dedicating so much time and effort into performing at top level.

Of course, retiring, quitting, or changing careers are life-changing events whether you’re a professional athlete or not, and the prompts this week are inspired by the bevy of emotions this can bring to the surface — from trepidation to excitement, to regret or even nostalgia.

This week's prompts

Start your story with someone saying “I quit!”

Adults – 55 stories

Write a story about someone who knows it’s time to retire or change jobs, but is hesitating.

Adults – 43 stories

Write about a rivalry between two coworkers that has unforeseen consequences.

Adults – 26 stories

Set your story at a retirement or leaving party.

Adults – 19 stories

Write about someone who has long since quit but decides to go another round for old time’s sake.

Adults – 37 stories

Stories

“For old time´s sake” by Eileen Nunez

Submitted to Contest #166

They all look nervous, they all check their phones every five seconds, they all close their eyes and mumble something they clearly memorized, some of them bite their nails and this girl in front of me is clearly praying the lord she gets the spot. It amuses me, it really does, because when I see them, I relive the emotions I felt every time I had a meeting to prove myself to someone. I hope I could sit with every one of them and tell them that it is better to surrender to whatever life has planned for them, trust what they know and wha...

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“The Long Way Back ” by Carla Carvallo

Submitted to Contest #166

Summer in the cabin means a whole new set of opportunities. It means a vast supply of watermelons from the farmer's market. It means a clean slate, a chance to reinvent my washed-up self. The return to the cabin means its set of promises is renewed entirely for me. When Dad cuts the engine and our Volkswagen settles in the gravel, I know what awaits me as soon as I hop out. Without a hint of hesitation, I break into a sprint passing one, two, and three houses until I reach the red door with the peonies surrounding the doorstep. I pound on th...

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“Not a Quitter, Not a Winner” by Mickie Bee

Submitted to Contest #166

TW: Themes of mental abuse"I quit", were the words that uttered out of my mouth, as I slammed my moog synthesizer on my ex boyfriend's coffee table- causing it to break it's circuit board, amongst other damages (beyond materialistic).I'm a musician, and I have been in an electro-dream pop band with my boyfriend and his mistress for the last two years. Word to the wise, never pursue music with a love interest- we've seen the outcome time and time again (a la Fleetwood Mac), yet, I didn't heed to that cautionary tale when I decided to pursue m...

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“Row, Row, Row Your Boat” by Alex Tetarevski

Submitted to Contest #166

"I quit," said Alina, as if the words flew out of her mouth uncontrollably, making her stomach turn over. "The real question is, how much money do you want to make, and the answer is, as much as possible." Jonathan walked through the room with confidence. "At the end of the day, in every role in this field, you will find something that interests you more and something that interests you less. The division between the roles is arbitrary." While Jonathan spoke, Alina recalled a lullaby that her mother always sang to her. Row, row, ro...

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“The muse” by Emilie Heroux

Submitted to Contest #166

“I quit!” Steve’s yell echoed through out his apartment, for years he had been working on his artwork wanting to make the leap from hobby to profession, but the endless stream of rejection had driven him to his limit. His eyes shimmering with tears he looked around the room, the walls were covered in what he believed to be his best work, which he hung up for himself to enjoy after each piece failed to sell. What use to make his heart soar now made it fill with despair, after all his hard work, after having poured his soul into these painting...

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“I Quit” by Corrie McCue

Submitted to Contest #166

“I quit! Before you, I will lay down the failure of all of this.” She raises her eyes to the top of the mountain across the lake. Stars begin to fade as the sky becomes bruised with the first hints of dawn. In her outstretched hands, she holds a leather bound notebook. Mist rises lazily from the lake below her. Her toes feel the coolness of moisture on the wooden dock planks.It’s all here, scrawled upon the pages in her minimalist cursive–everything she could remember that had ever gone wrong in her life. No longer would she carry it wi...

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“Baggage” by Marie White

Submitted to Contest #166

“I quit!” she declared, scooting forward on Destry’s stiff suede couch. She hadn’t planned to say it—not today, at least. She’d thought that she could endure a little more rejection, a little more wasted effort. But she’d done everything she could think to do: She’d taken Kyleigh to restaurants. The mall. The movies (even though sitting for two straight hours in the dark was not her idea of a good time). She’d asked her abo...

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“Tits and Cartilage Nuggets” by Ru B

Submitted to Contest #166

“I quit.” Her expression didn’t change when I said that. It hadn’t changed since we sat down at the cafe. Once, I heard someone from a video describe how they ended a toxic relationship abruptly. As one might kill a bug, they said. It’s disgusting, so you don’t want to look at it, but you have to make sure it’s dead. When anyone finds a bug in our apartment, I’m the one to go after it with a plastic container and something flat to put underneath. Though, I’m not sure if I do it because I pity the creepy crawler or just hate the thought of cl...

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“Quitting” by Ralph Emery Barhydt

Submitted to Contest #166

“I quit.” “I quit. I quit. I quit. I quit.” “I am sending in my resignation this weekend and I will not go to the office on Monday. Never again. You may have to go in to pick up my stuff. In fact, you will have to go in to pick up my stuff. Don’t miss my yellow sweater.” “Ok, then,” said Geoffrey. “Is there anybody in the office you want me to bust up? Any windows or mirrors to break? Anybody to kiss goodbye?” Rachel screamed. “I quit.” Geoffrey responded, “yes, honey bunny. I get that part. You may forgive me for not getting ...

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“Veronica's Meltdown” by Patty Cresalia

Submitted to Contest #166

Veronica’s Meltdown “I quit!”, Veronica repeated, “I’m done!” Looking around she noted the grocery store had continued to fill with people. Mostly women, a few harassed-looking mothers with children in tow. All wearing reserved, “mission-ready” faces. Guarding their eyes, the shoppers searched and scanned shelves, yet avoided unnecessary eye contact with others as they pushed their carts down the aisle. The moment Veronica entered the parking lot, she knew it was a bad idea to come on a Saturday morning. After circling the parking...

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“How she become Louisa Anne Horton” by Natalia Nava

Submitted to Contest #166

“I quit!” That was all that Louisa said, all those years of sacrifice were gone, and all because of Amber. Louisa had a hard childhood, however, when she was nine years old she found something she was passionate about. Riding horses, she couldn't love a single thing more than she loved horses. Horseback riding was her escape, the only thing that enabled her to escape her problems. While riding, Louisa felt a connection with the horse as well as with nature. The breeze on her face, that adrenaline that made her heart race, she loved everythin...

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“Doctor?! I barely know her!” by Josh Mullenax

Submitted to Contest #166

The words left his mouth before he could stop them. They flew through the room and out into the ether like colorful songbirds rising the sun on beautiful wings. He stood there, heaving, and looking around the room at those around him- watching in stunned silence. All eyes were on him now except the eyes of the woman laying on the surgical table- hers remained closed. He pulled down his mask and repeated, “I. Fucking. Quit.” He said, exasperating each word as if it was his final. He looked around, suddenly feeling exposed. The bright lights o...

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“Walk-out” by Aaron Tippit

Submitted to Contest #166

"I quit," Derek said as he flopped his head against the headrest. "Yeah?" Lance, his partner, retorted. "To do what? Bag groceries? Flip burgers? Ours is a pretty specialized skill set." "I'm just done," Derek sighed. "After twenty-five years, this job really tears into your soul. If you get to keep one." They sat in an old sedan, built before plastic and crumple zones. A hunched figure piled in rags shuffled by them, pushing a scavenged shopping cart down the dark sidewalk. "It's true," Lance was in his late twenties, his youthful looks...

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“Quitting For The Weekend” by Noelle James

Submitted to Contest #166

“I quit!” he beamed through the phone. Cheers sounded in the background. That must be the rest of the bachelor party. Surely they already had enough to celebrate this weekend, but Brian’s newly found freedom would call for additional rounds at the bar. After a beat I realized I was still silent. “Wait, what?” I asked, as if I didn’t actually hear him the first time. “I quit!” he repeated. More cheers. “WHEN?” I found myself shouting to overcome the growing echoes of joy roaring through the phone. I was acutely aware th...

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“An Excellent Friend” by Stevie Burges

Submitted to Contest #166

That sinking feeling of being called to a ‘three-line whip’ meeting. The guidelines to all staff, if not based in London, were to use the conference video service and dial in from the various offices based in the UK. It was clear that all must attend. She knew her team of work colleagues were perked up, finding this type of compulsory meeting exciting, as indeed was any interruption to their customary, standard routine. But for her, even the rumours swirling around the office regarding the upcoming meeting failed to brighten...

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$250

Prize money

180

Contest entries

73

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Oct 07, 2022 EST

Won by Rebecca Miles 🏆

Title: Letting go

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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