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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

“The Most Familiar Voice I've Ever Heard” by Isabelle Saadatmand

Submitted to Contest #166

I see the last bit of cloth disappear around the corner, as the flames grow ever closer to my skin. She’s gone. She left me. My eyes dart around the burning room, panicked. I need to find a way to escape. I could follow her, run out the door and hope I get to the first floor before the fire gets to me, but my legs do not move. They won’t. She didn’t even look back. Maybe she thought I was following her? I feel the heat on my skin, in my lungs, choking. No, she knew. She didn’t look back because she didn’t want t...

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“Happy Teacher’s Day” by Ali Anthony Bell

Submitted to Contest #166

8:05, Wednesday October 5, 2022, World Teacher’s DayI’m an English teacher in an expensive private school in Casablanca. I was hired a month ago as Head of the English Dept. I arrive at school early and punch the clock, none of the material in the classrooms work, but there’s one thing that works, the digital employee time clock that they installed at the start of the school year, just one month ago.I go to my office and open the old run-down laptop that they loaned me, I go onto the ‘koolschools’ platform and check the names of the students...

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“The Quitter’s Killer Smile” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #166

“I quit.” Rico watched Alma from across the table. “Did I say that aloud?” She swirled her wine glass and sipped with smiling eyes. “You’re so beautiful…” He let his eyes well up. She hung on his words. “Thank you, Rico. You’re sweet.” ‘It’s the same old thing. Nothing wrong with her. Always me…’ He leaned in. They touched glasses. “Happy we could meet tonight. Need to tell you something, though.” She looked concerned. “It’s nothing about you. I need to warn you, I’m damaged goods.” She scoffed. “You’re joking, right? You’re beautiful.” Ri...

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“Knockers” by Trebor Mack

Submitted to Contest #166

KnockersTwo prospectors in 1893 thought they had discovered something extraordinary when they found a small patch of ground in outback Western Australia. Today, it remains one of the world's richest gold deposits.Kalgoorlie-Boulder, 600 kilometres east of Perth, is famous for the Golden Mile that sparked Australia's greatest gold rush.Once considered the richest square mile on Earth, the Golden Mile has produced over 60 million ounces of gold.*The inland city, Kalgoorlie-Boulder (referred to as Kalgoorlie from here onwards), lies amongst stu...

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“Pigeon-hole” by Cathryn V

Submitted to Contest #166

Two lines in this story show violence. Another Saturday morning in the pigeonhole--the space not much bigger than a walk-in closet. One tall narrow window, a steep ladder-type stairway where a bedroom should be, a white walled main room with space for sitting, a TV, a small table. The apartment faced the back alley where dumpsters overflowed and if the wind changed, the rotting smell eased through her walls. At twenty-four Laticia knew she ought to have a better place, but signing a twelve-month lease would keep her bound to the promise she ...

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“The Door” by Rhys P

Submitted to Contest #166

There’s a door he sees from time to time. It’s not a real door. Sometimes the image appears over a real door. It’s of rotting wood, green and black with mold, and overwhelmed with water, so much so that it drips onto any real surface he pictures it in. Tonight, he saw the door at an office party hosted at a downtown bar. He spoke with the husband of one of his coworkers. The husband, whose name wasn’t worth remembering, asked what his role was at the company. “Marketing.” He answered, making eye contact only when speaking the wor...

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“Thank God It's Summer” by Christopher Biery

Submitted to Contest #166

“Happy retirement!” POP! Suddenly it was raining confetti on my desk. My otherwise sparkly clean cubicle had been puked on, but my OCD decided to take a pleasantly timed vacation. My smile grew wider than I knew it could. I look up to see Penn, my boss, holding the empty confetti canon, and wearing a rainbow party hat. Ken, my cubey-neighbor, wore the same triangle hat, but upside down so it looked like he had grown a skittles-beard. His bald face made my shoulders dance with my cheeks. I spun myself around in my chair and landed face-to-fac...

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“A Mother Who Loves You Would Understand” by AnneMarie Miles

Submitted to Contest #166

“I quit!” the mother yelled, slamming her bedroom door shut and pressing her back against it. She sobbed a moment, covering her face. There was no one in the room to hide from, but maybe her reflection. The mirrors were facing the other way, but still – she couldn’t risk it. Mothers must keep this part of themselves hidden, even from themselves.Anger, frustration, irritation, guilt, shame… what was the name for all of these emotions wrapped into one? No birthing class or doula meeting prepared her for this. Giving birth was easy. Breastfeedi...

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“The Inevitability of Tomorrow” by Ryan Bradshaw

Submitted to Contest #166

Jameson sat in his office and wallowed in his self despair. The department members had come for their slice of cake, made their small talk, and filtered back out to their desks in the common area. He had feigned eating his slice, slowly sliding the plate off of his desk and letting it fall into the trash just a few seconds after digging at it with his plastic fork. The paper cup filled with punch stayed, but he did take the time to top it off with a small flask he kept in the top drawer of his desk. He always found a way to find the quiet mo...

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“Blank Resume” by P. T. Golden

Submitted to Contest #166

My work history began as many had under sixteen: Dishwashing, gas station attendant, fast-food, landscaping, and house cleaning. I worked my longest job in a greenhouse, over a hundred degrees in winter. Albert was in charge of spraying the chemicals. His hands were stained blue and lacked any fingernails. He acted insane, and rumors were he stirred the toxic brew with his hands and huffed the fumes. He retired at 28. Most likely to a mental hospital or perhaps even hospice. I was 'promoted' to his job the next day--with no increase in pay.H...

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“One More Round, For Jermey” by Anna Brown

Submitted to Contest #166

CONTENT WARNING: Death & substance abuse: “Let’s Go!” Jeremy’s fierce voice barked as he biked down the mountain at brisk speeds, the wind whipping him in the face. He would like to check his watch, but if he looked down, he would crash into the blinding trees around them. Mountain biking was about stamina; how many rounds could you go before it was too much. “Jeremey, wait up!” My hands grasped the handlebars tighter. We reached one of the steeper slopes, and he stopped. Two paths were in front of us, one was a double black di...

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“Enough is Enough” by Jed Cope

Submitted to Contest #166

It was all going so well. Better than I could ever have dreamed of, you know? I had found my unicorn at the end of the rainbow and my life was right on course. I knew it couldn’t last. Nothing lasts forever, I know that much, but just throw me a bone here. Give me more than that fleeting glimpse of how it should be! I deserved more. I certainly put the work in for it. From as far back as I can remember, I looked up into the sky and that’s where I wanted to be. That was where I belonged. I knew that from the very start. Even bet...

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“The tyranny of perfection” by F.O. Morier

Submitted to Contest #166

- “I quit. Yes, I stopped. At least I think I did. Or maybe not. At least that is how it felt.” after a short pause she adds, "At the time I mean." She smiles shyly and shuffles nervously in her chair. -"You say ´quit´ like it's an ugly word." I smile back at her. "I found out soon enough that I couldn't dance at all, so I gave up on ballet," she says, shrugging. -"Okay." I answer. -"And yet not quite." she says shaking her head. "I am a mess of arms and legs. You can call me a confused despair: yes, that would sum up my description." "That'...

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“We all make mistakes” by Saša Celinščak

Submitted to Contest #166

Warning: Murder, suicide, mental health issues.‘Hi Linda, please take a seat. Let me introduce you to Mike Vogel, he is our counsellor from Populus. Mike will be conducting this meeting.’‘Thank you, Paul. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Vogel.’‘Nice to meet you too, Linda. Please, call me Mike. May I call you Linda, or Ms. Johnson?’‘Linda, of course. So, what is the purpose of this meeting?’Paul closed his notebook, pushed himself away from the desk and said ‘Thank you, Linda. I will let Mike explain that, you don’t need me here for this.’As Paul w...

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“If I'm Lucky” by R. Hann

Submitted to Contest #166

TW: Implied/Discussed Sexual Assault (Mild), Car Accident, Amputation/Major Injury, Bullying/Blackmail, Abusive Power Dynamic (Work Environment)---January 10th.Jonathan told me we hired someone new today. We haven’t hired any new people in months, not since the last guy got caught stealing from the company. I asked what their name was and he told me: Azalea. I haven’t met anyone with that name before, and just by name association, they sound beautiful. I know the flowers are, and I like to believe that names are often a reflection of a ...

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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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