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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#19: Talking Shop

While Black Friday and Cyber Monday might be behind us, there are still weeks of shopping ahead as many of us gear up for Christmas. 

While Hallmark holiday movies might have us believe that holiday shopping is a relaxed and cheerful activity that involves dipping into quaint shops with a hot chocolate in one hand and a bag of goodies in the other — we know the truth. Often, holiday shopping is a chaotic, several hour-long excursion through a packed mall, where you down cups of coffee just to keep yourself going. Or maybe you prefer to shop online, from the serene comfort of your couch. Finally, perhaps you avoid the whole thing altogether, because, like the Grinch, you know that "Christmas doesn't come from a store."

Whatever the case, it's clear that shopping can conjure up a range of emotions in different people. And your challenge this week is to capture those very emotions in a short story about... shopping!

This week's prompts

Write a short story about someone in the middle of a very long and busy retail shift.

Funny – 41 stories

Write a short story about someone searching for the perfect gift for their partner.

Romance – 60 stories

Write a short story about someone watching a convincing infomercial. 

Funny – 20 stories

Write a short story about a shop that takes place over a span of years.

Narrative – 41 stories

Write a short story about someone based on their shopping list.

Character – 49 stories

Stories

“The Shopping List” by John Steckley

Submitted to Contest #19

The Shopping ListThe List A man is walking ahead of you in the supermarket where you do your shopping. When driven by the curiosity that sometimes suddenly captures you in such situations, you look over his shoulder. You pretend to be reaching for something high on the shelf above him. What you are really doing is looking at his shopping list. You just can’t resist, as you believe that you can read people’s personality or lifestyle in their shopping lists.. What you see written there makes you feel pretty confident that you kn...

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“Disillusion” by Jonathan Purvis

Submitted to Contest #19

In the jail cell. Location: CLASSIFIEDNo one ever believed me. And now no one will.10 months before. The Year is 1965. No one believes me, but I don’t expect anyone to. After bringing the country out of the Great Depression and winning World War II, the suited men were heavily respected by everyone. Parades, oh the parades. The smiles, oh the smiles which shadowed over the tents, shelters, ashes, and tears from the decades left behind. Indeed it was a new age, an age of perfection. The suited men could do no wrong. Every law, every way to co...

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“A CANTICLE FOR LOBACHEVSKY” by Andrew Grell

Submitted to Contest #19

“Why don’t they take their receipts? Why didn’t she take her receipt in my cab? I handed it to her with her change. On the news, every few weeks, tick tock, someone leaves something valuable in a cab. A violin. A secret file. A child’s first drawing, now not taped on the refrigerator. So simple, brother. Sorry, I mean Father. Father brother, eh? Take a receipt, pocket it, have it if you forgot something, you get it back.” John Dunne Mahaya, graduate student and part time New York ca...

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“Shopping for Clovis” by Guillaume Boisset

Submitted to Contest #19

Our canoe lurched as I took a swipe with my axe at the pole supporting the weathervane on the roof of the Louvre Palace. Sparks punctured the moonlit December night as my glinting axe connected. A metal on metal screech briefly drowned out the wind. A rooftop cat hissed as the canoe flew past. “Night Watch is up! We’re going back to the Arthalaska,” Tremblay shouted from the stern as a musket ball whistled by. “Just one more hit and it’s ours. Hard about-turn starboard and a final pass,” I replied looking back at him. Fear was etched on his ...

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“Remembering Harry” by Unknown User

Submitted to Contest #19

 “Maybe I chose the wrong year to play Santa’s helper. Guess I can’t back out now,” she thought, while entering the mall.The best part about Christmas to Elisabeth, is giving. It’s the one time of year where most people are kind to each other and don’t mind spreading a little cheer. Elisabeth adores driving through the Emerson’s neighborhood, just because they celebrate with caroling, egg nog, tree trimming parties, hanging lights around the roof top, wreaths on their front doors and plastic Santa Clauses on their lawns. In fact, this m...

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“Psychic Reader” by Eva Chang

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #19

“Excuse me, do you have any rose quartz larger than this?” The beady-eyed girl seemed to stare daggers at Emma; not out of being simply a frustrated customer, but more out of deep fear. She needed this rose quartz, badly, and she might die if she didn’t have it.  Emma forced a smile. During these moments, she wished she wasn’t the sole Moonstone employee working at this witching hour. A woman had to pay her college funds somehow, though. “Let me check the back.” What that really meant was that they didn’t have anything bigger than that ...

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“Christmas Chaos.. Or Is It?” by Dianne Bramble

Submitted to Contest #19

Kate swore that after last Christmas, she would never work retail again. Yet, here she was in her friend's bookstore two days before Christmas. What had she been thinking!Her friend, Ginny, had called her yesterday in tears.“Please Kate. I know you hate retail, especially at Christmas, but I'm desperate. Two of my best staff called in sick and I can't find anyone to replace them. I really need your help!” She pleaded.Kate rolled her eyes. She couldn't leave Ginny in such a bad situation. She took a deep breath and said “Sure, Ginny. As luck ...

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“Joys of Christmas ” by Cathryn Grossenbacher

Submitted to Contest #19

It was a snowy day in Chicago, Angelique had started her first day at Bob's Barrel of Toys and she was very excited. She had always seen herself as a hard working woman and loved children so this was going to be a piece of cake, right? Or so she thought. Little did she know, this would be the most eventful day of her life.  8'o clock, right on the dot. Angelique had been stocking the shelves when her coworker opened up the front doors of the store. Suddenly, her ladder began to shake and a loud rumbling was heard. Clinging onto the ...

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“I'm Dreaming of a New Job for Christmas ” by Arianna Harding

Submitted to Contest #19

"Sir?""Excuse me I need help over here!""CAN ANYONE HELP MEEEE?"If my life had a soundtrack right now it would be a chorus of chaos; crashing cymbals and screeching violins accompanying a tone-deaf choir.Hi, my name is Dave and I work in retail.Over the holidays.Sacrificing my dignity and my sanity for $13 an hour.In other words, welcome to my own personal Hell.Today has been particularly crazy because the store I work at is having a "buy one toy get one 50% off", and customers, pardon me I forgot that we are supposed to refer to these miscr...

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“Dragons do not make good customers ” by Millie Spence

Submitted to Contest #19

It was 9 AM on a Friday. Black Friday to be precise. Ruby was shaking in her boots, ready to be greeted with angry alchemists looking for bottles of immortality for 70% off. She was rummaging around the candlelit shop when she heard the bell of the door ring, signalling someone was there. She popped her heard over the counter slightly, causing a pile of spell books to fall off of the counter. She heard the person scoff, disgusted.“You should be more careful.” An old looking fairy cast a judgemental eye over at the teenage witch. Beside her w...

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“You are my gift” by Martin Veronica

Submitted to Contest #19

"What a weary day?"Helen exausted almost trembling to keep another step. The entire day was a day of quest yup it was so as she had planned to buy an extraordinary present for her hubby. Mr. Orea is a middle aged man who was a workaholic spending 24×7 engaging in his business firm. Every night he used to be too weary than Helen looked at present. His involvement in work is rather the effect of his love on his family which he wish to cherish. A worn-out Helen was in a dilemma whether the present she bought for Orea would impress him or not. S...

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“The Best Gift of All” by Maricelle Tuando

Submitted to Contest #19

“Are we going to make it?” panted Geneva as they walked down the snow-strewn sidewalk. She and her best friend Hazel had been combing all the shops and stores of every street in the city to find a Christmas gift for Hazel's husband, and they had no success in finding the perfect gift for him.“Yes, I think so. Do your feet hurt? Mine’s do...” Hazel replied, clutching her handbag. She stopped and stared at her friend, who was busy rearranging her woolly mittens that were slipping off her numb hands. The winter this year was unbearable, and the...

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“The Man with the Purple Scarf” by Renée Chatelain

Submitted to Contest #19

Bitter cold wind rushed down the streets and rattled frost-bitten trees. Ice-covered the dim streetlamps and rough roads. A few brave souls ventured out into the frigid winter wonderland to complete last-minute Christmas shopping. Their boots clomped and slipped on the slick sidewalks as they fought against the roaring winds.  A bright purple scarf flapped vigorously in the gale. Its yarn fingers reached for the snowflakes that were beginning to fall quite heavily. The naughty scarf succeeded in unwinding itself from its owner’s sh...

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“He Who Left” by J U L I A N N A 🥀

Submitted to Contest #19

I wake up to darkness. My big bed I find empty and cold. It takes me a minute for the bliss of forgetting to fade, but I then I remember. I remember everything. The ache in my chest settles in, sinking into every nerve, every muscle, until my whole body groans with the weight of heartbreak. Every morning it’s the same. Forgetting. Remembering. And the throbbing pain. I don’t know if its too early to get out of bed and I don’t bother checking the clock. I want to stay wrapped tight in my sheets, protected from the sadness. I glance over ...

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“Summer Lifts” by Lindsey Starrberri

Submitted to Contest #19

I sat on the couch with Mat and Tracey. Bip came over and jumped on the couch, his tail wagging happily. I pet his golden fur and propped my socked feet up on a brown footrest. Tracey and Matt were discussing politics, and my brother Jake was playing soccer outside with his buddies.When we come to Tracey's house for the summer, there's usually a lot of excitement. But with Tracey being 3 months pregnant, her sister in law has nothing to do. Thank God for TV!I sagged on the couch, a bowl of jello in my hand. I shoved a spoonful of orange jell...

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$50

Prize money

211

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Dec 13, 2019 EST

Won by Kelsey Marlett 🏆

Title: Man-Eater

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 | Many Hands | 2024-09

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