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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#188: But There's a Catch

In life, there’s almost always a catch. The beautiful new shoes cause blisters. The exciting promotion at work leaves you feeling out of your depth. The free upgrade to first class comes with a screaming kid for a neighbor. If something seems too good to be true, maybe it is!

We might call these drawbacks ‘the fly in the ointment’; the little things that spoil what would otherwise be wonderful. With this week’s prompts, we’re encouraging you to lean into those frustrations, big and small. Will your characters be able to find a workaround, or is this as good as it gets?

This week's prompts

Write a story that starts with the line “So, what’s the catch?”

Dialogue – 96 stories

Write about a character who would have complete happiness, if it weren’t for that one thing.

Character – 63 stories

Write a story about someone who is determined to not have their day spoiled — but the universe is trying their patience.

Funny – 48 stories

Write about someone who thinks they just got a great deal on something, only for them to realize…

Mystery – 32 stories

Write about a character who’s attending a dinner thrown in their honor, but deeply embarrasses themself during their speech.

Funny – 19 stories

Stories

“Leaning Both Ways” by K A Hamilton

Submitted to Contest #188

“You really should try the margarine, Jim. I swear it's just as good as butter, and if we both use the same kind, we can save on fridge space.” “I don't know what you have against real things, Margaret.” “It's made from – see? – vegetable oil. Vegetables are real.” “Touché. But I'm late for work.” A kiss on the forehead, a pat on my pregnant tummy, and the conversation is over. “See you tonight.” Easy for him to say. He doesn't have to fit three dozen deviled eggs into limited shelf space every third Tuesday for the garden club. Worse, ...

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“Wow, That's a GREAT Deal!” by Liz Orvis

Submitted to Contest #188

“Sydney, there are ten more boxes out on the porch!” “Okay....thanks”. How did this happen? I don't even remember buying any of these things. I wonder how much money I spent altogether? It must have been quite a bit because I got a notification from my bank that one of my accounts was at or near zero... which isn’t great because I don’t have any extra money this month. I have a disease called Bipolar Disorder 1, which means I sometimes have high, highs (called Manias) and low, lows (called Depressions). The goal is to...

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“Our Night” by Keith Maynard Jr

Submitted to Contest #188

The chill of the night air helps one relax as they peer out into the lush starry sky. Resting on the marble ledge – no drinks needed, just a whiff of the air quenches thirst. Dan smiles as he listens to the jubilation of his family behind him. A hand reaches out and touches his back – a familiar feeling he knows well."Dear, you good?", he hears the sweet voice of his wife ask. His smile grows brighter as he replies, "Never better". She leans against the marble making sure to touch his shoulder as she takes a sip. A picture-esque scene is the...

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“Gestalt Therapy, Interrupted” by Richard E. Gower

Submitted to Contest #188

Sensitive content: Profanity, violence, gore, capital punishment.So, what’s the catch?Colson reflected now, that it was a question he should have asked, when Ziggy promised that snatching the courier’s bag with the cocaine would be easy pickings. A walk in the park, he said. Maybe, just maybe, he should have thought it through, and told Ziggy to go fuck himself.Back in the Varner supermax, time had always dragged, and Colson had a lot of it on his hands. There were mainly two things that you could do there by yourself besides pulling your pu...

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“BEHIND THE HORROR :The True Terror of Theme Park Halloweens” by Ruth Simms

Submitted to Contest #188

BEHIND THE HORROR The True Terror of Theme Park Halloweens So, what was the catch? You must sign a non-disclosure agreement. I read the add: “Can you stay in a room filled with hundreds of giant hissing cockroaches? Would you enjoy lying in a glass coffin while dozens of live rats crawled on you? Do you have screws surgically implanted in your head to support metal spikes? If you have any of these or similar qualifications, there’s a job for you at one of the country’s largest Halloween events…” As a writer who likes to pick up odd...

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“A Gift from the past” by Pamela Clarke

Submitted to Contest #188

A GIFT FROM MY PAST by Pamela Clarke “So, what’s the catch?” I asked in a shakey voice. My throat was suddenly dry and there was a tightness in my chest. Mr. Joseph kindly brought me a chair and I took a tissue from my pocket. I was grateful to sit down, and took some deep breaths. “No catch. You have told me how you come to own it, and we have carefully checked what you said, and everything seems to be in order.” His nice face was smiling at me, and I just stared at the mellow wood, which had become part of me. I wiped the tears from my c...

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“RIDING FOR FREEDOM” by Melinda Madrigal

Submitted to Contest #188

1961 "So, what's the catch?" I look around the room. Many more people I don't recognize enter the room. "Ayesha, the catch is we go to jail, we get beat, spit on and cursed at." I knew this is a strong possibility. I just didn't know it would happen so soon. Present Day Wow, look at me. I can't believe this was me, a girl in college fighting for her freedom. This picture was taken in 1961 the year I joined the fight for freedom. I still remember to this day the meeting that took place where we decided enough was enough. 1961 The meeting ...

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“The Ferret and the Three Keys” by M B

Submitted to Contest #188

“So what’s the catch?” the gray furred ferret asked, her arms folded over her leather-clad bosom. Her muzzle was turned up in a smirk as she challenged the male coyote. The ferret leaned against the wall of the cellar the impromptu meeting was being held in. A few lanterns hanging from the wall were all the illumination they were provided with. The coyote’s ears twitched as he grinned a toothy grin. “The catch, my dear Farah, is quite simply the fact that the bank is only the second most secured facility in our kingdom. No one has ...

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“To Bargain With a Faerie” by Zoë Page

Submitted to Contest #188

“So,” I said tentatively, “what’s the catch?”I sat awkwardly perched on a tall stool by The Upturned Pint’s bar, swizzled round to gaze at the faerie before me. Its alien beauty struck me – I had never seen one in person before, had only ever heard stories of their strange human yet inhuman likeness. This particular one had long, silky hair the color of green apple; its skin a waxy, pale color, like an apple’s flesh; and red lips just a shade too deep to be natural, bold against the drapes of its hair. Little accents of gold leaf adorned its...

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“A Love as Pure as Gold” by Maggie Hardy

Submitted to Contest #188

“So, what’s the catch?” “That is for you to determine, young king. Though you must swear to accept any and all consequences.” The young king stared at the shining goddess. In his mind, deep within, he knew this had to be too good to be true. Though he couldn’t possibly imagine any consequences with such a gift. So, he turned those doubts away. For what evil could come from a golden touch? Besides, his kingdom was too close to financial ruin. It was up to him, and him alone, to fix it. “Do you accept my offer?” The goddess asked.&nbs...

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“Patience” by Astrid Nolan

Submitted to Contest #188

“So, what’s the catch?” I heard my lone customer call out from across the room. He was facing the wall of crystals, messing with the organization that I set up that morning.“Huh?” I responded from my seat behind the counter. “I don’t think I understand the question. You give me money, and you get to walk away with the item you bought.”He exhaled loudly. “No, I mean, how do these stones work? Do I just… hold it? Will it give me my inspiration back?”Without looking up, I conjured the instructions that I heard Auntie Athena repeatedly...

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“Verified Author” by Nathan Landrum

Submitted to Contest #188

I asked my AI Ghostwriter to write the book my AI Outliner had drafted from my dreams. It took thirty minutes, which cut things close. I had an appointment with the AI Beta Reader Collective. (The online service is always in high demand, but I don’t have the hosting budget to keep a team of critics on my server.) I managed to submit the first draft in time. They didn’t like it, complaining that to plot was rote and the characters unrelatable. I almost decided to call it quits and start over. I’ve never been very good at taking criticism, b...

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“If It Wasn't For that One Thing ” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #188

Horace Nathan Wright was digging the hot muggy weather of the southern Georgia coast. Dressed in his neatly pressed soldier’s uniform with his boots shined to a high gloss, he sat wearing the ribbon he had won for valor. It was June 1945 and all was right with the world if it wasn’t for that one thing. His mama, Shatilly, would be at the bus stop in Washington D.C. with his fiancee Louanne Maples. His future seemed to be lined with happiness for sure if it wasn’t for that one thing. Sure was pretty this time of year,...

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“The Trouble with Singularities.” by Ken Cartisano

Submitted to Contest #188

Future History. I was there. I saw how little weight the professor’s opinions carried against the institutional forces that make the decisions. I needed no further convincing on the futility of his protests. “I hate to bore you all with the same set of facts again,” the professor began, “but the problem with this project, is that the theory predicts a second singularity, of unknown coordinates, somewhere outside the facility. Which means it could pop up anywhere.” “We’re all aware of that professor.” “And this committee finds such a ...

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“Quid Pro Quo: An Allegory” by Dan Coglianese

Submitted to Contest #188

Priscilla ignored her friends, Stacie, Charlotte, and Maya as they sat outside the most popular Starbucks in Mechant Lake. It was on the corner of Tullamoor and Elm, where the most foot traffic on a bright Saturday in June would pass. Scrolling through her most recent Tik Tok video uploads, Priscilla sighed in exasperation. Stacie rolled her eyes and said, “Ok, I’ll bite. What’s wrong, darling?” &...

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$250

Prize money

258

Contest entries

133

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 10, 2023 EST

Won by Tom Bombadil 🏆

Title: The First Idol

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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