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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#33: Bad Hair Day

The best stories are the ones that make us feel something; the ones that tap into some kind of universal emotion or experience. And there is one feeling that stands out as being particularly universal. More than joy, sadness, fear, or love. More than the excited nerves of a first day at school, or the sweet relief of a spring breeze after a long winter. Something that connects us all is the feeling of... a bad haircut.

This week, your challenge is to write a story that evokes the feelings of a bad hair cut. (Whether or not your story involves this actual plot is up to you!)

This week's prompts

Write a story about a character who can't make up their mind about something.

Character – 64 stories

Write a story about a character who's too polite to tell someone they don't like a gift given to them.

Funny – 49 stories

Write a story about a character making a big change.

Teens – 65 stories

Write a story set in a salon or barbershop.

Fiction – 70 stories

Write a story about miscommunication.

Fiction – 48 stories

Stories

“Welcome to the Enchantress Salon” by Danny Caves

Submitted to Contest #33

The front door of my hairdresser salon, Enchantress, smashed open into the wall with the loud bang. I jumped my scissors cutting a larger section of the hair, black strands hopelessly spiraling onto the ground. I barely missed the customer's ear by an inch as our attention moved to whoever barged in. At the door stood a woman. Pink. Her hair was neon pink shining even through her pristine white slouch hat. Wild stands showing here and there. Wow. How did she manage to do it? Tears streamed down her pretty face smearing heavy makeup int...

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“Hair Today Gone Tomorrow ” by Shira Tanny

Submitted to Contest #33

I’m one of those few individuals who does not like attention. I’d rather stay home and read a book or watch a happy-feel good movie. When I am invited to a dinner party, I pray that there will be an attention-seeker there. I am content to have my siblings brag about their accomplishments or complain about their spouses. I enjoy listening to the noises around me and detecting how many conversations I can follow at once. Sometimes others might look at me as uninviting and cold, but really I just enjoy listening or talking to one person at a ti...

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“First Date” by Breda Gjyzeli

Submitted to Contest #33

“Really, a hair salon?” Elena asked, wearing a confused look on her face.“Yup,” replied Noah, pushing the car door closed, as he had insisted on picking her up for this surprise. He placed his hand on her lower back as he led her towards the small doors. He felt her muscular back with the tips of his fingers and got self conscious of his bulky body for a moment, but quickly cast that feeling aside.“You are weird,” she said laughing, referring to their conversation a few days back at the gym, when he finally asked her out, where he ...

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“A Blessing Disguised ” by Jasmine S

Submitted to Contest #33

Tristan was 7 years old. He had been growing his hair all his life. He never wanted to get it cut until now. Something was happening in his life and he wanted to show his support. He was nervous yet excited. He woke up that morning with a little anxiety. He did his usual routine of brushing his teeth, washing his face and combed his long, thick black hair for the last time. He loved his hair. He thought it was magic. It just grew and grew and it was so long it made him look like a warrior. He remembered watching movies where the strong...

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“That Day We Met” by Stephanie Jeannot

Submitted to Contest #33

Braiding salons are a fixture in the Harlem community and so, anybody knows that you can go to that town located in the uptown section of Manhattan, if you are interested in enjoying the luxuries of professional hair braiding. I was acting on my instincts when I made the decision to get braids, thinking that those same stylists who create awe worthy braid styles for the bulk of their customers would be able to do the same for mine.Braids are both convenient and fashionable. It is the crown a woman does not have to take off for a lo...

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“A Cut In Time” by Shantesh Patil

Submitted to Contest #33

Twenty years since I last came here. When the cost of a haircut was in the single digits. The salon had been uprooted from its original corner and made it's way across to the other end, with 2 stops in between. After this, there would be nowhere left to go. The capacity of the salon had since grown from one to two. I wondered if the staff count had doubled as well. I was without a means of transport for the day and had to go somewhere close for a trim. What I considered a decent saloon all those years ago, now appeared shady and rundown...

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“The Bronze Setter” by Obsidian Eagle

Submitted to Contest #33

A few months back, around Christmastime, I needed to get a haircut just prior to the company staff party. Fortunately, as I was walking around downtown I happened upon a quaint little barber shop called The Chipper Clipper. It wasn’t the fanciest place I’ve ever had my hair cut at, but it did feature a fairly laid back atmosphere. The apparent manager was a typical hipster who greeted me cheerily, although he continued to play video games on a medium sized television mounted high up on a wall. He was racing against his friend and both halves...

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“Golden Years” by Laura Austin

Submitted to Contest #33

Frank Remington and Harry Forsooth had lived in the same nursing home for three years. Both had terrible hearing loss and most of the other residents didn’t even try to speak to them so they only had each other for friends. Frank had a naturally cantankerous personality that had not improved with age, and Harry was pretty much always sick or in discomfort and tended toward crankiness so they were a matched pair, even if they argued constantly. Frank peered over at Harry, who was studying his newest crosswor...

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“A Cup of Coffee” by Melida Tham

Submitted to Contest #33

It was another normal Monday. Sibley got into her car and drove to her local coffee shop. She worked there as a baker for about a year now. When she got there, there weren't any parking spaces left. She circled the block multiple times and 30 minutes passed by. She didn’t even realize it but she was going to late for work. However, out of all times she circled around and around, there was one parking space. But, it could only be used after 1. She looked over at the dashboard clock and saw that it was only 7 am. She decided that she woul...

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“The Case of the Gator” by Marcial John Macaoay

Submitted to Contest #33

“No, it’s not me. I swear. I was just doing my job.” Mr. Hardy pleaded as through the jail bars. “Don’t try to play me. I know you were the one that wanted the alligator to attack at the game.” “I don’t have anything to do with that alligator. Believe me, I’ve never seen before in my life.” Mr. Hardy said with a worried face.“Yes, you have. In fact, he’s your pet.” Detective Johnson said with utmost confidence.“What are you talking about? That alligator never set foot in my house.” Mr. Hardy questioned.“Because you kept him somewhe...

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“Americanos” by Miah Sam

Submitted to Contest #33

|1| Unedited. He was all of what I imagined when I met him. Nothing could’ve been what I expected. His looks, personality, all deceiving. I still pass by the coffee shop though. I pass by it every day, looking inside, but never going in. I walk the same path everyday, pass the shop we used to go to, pass the coffee that lured us in. On my way to work it never crossed my mind. As if I was just passing by another shop, it became unapparent to me. Another day, I set off on the same path on my way to work. I was slowly ...

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“Rise of Ravatin” by La Fayette Watkins

Submitted to Contest #33

The child of the reventar never spoke. He was never one to entertain the likes of the egyptian gods, yet he never spoke to anyone, for that matter. He was distant from every person to come in contact with him. He would walk the lone desert lands by himself. Until he met martin. Martin was the opposite of ravatin. He was a kind and talkative soul. He never got into many problems with people, and he was a very outspoken kid comparative to ravatin. He was the one who talked in the pair, while ravatin was the leader. The quiet leader. Although R...

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“The Yearbook” by Ky'm Young

Submitted to Contest #33

Lora tossed and turned in her bed. It was so hot. She tossed off her covers and looked back at her long-time boyfriend Aaron. She took in a big, long breath and quietly tip-toed out of the room. When Lora entered the kitchen, she let go of the breath that she was holding. She walked to the refrigerator and scanned the very bare racks. I’ll have to go to the store tomorrow, thought Lora. She wandered around the kitchen once more, looked back in the refrigerator for good measure, and then reached up on her tippy-toes and grabbed a gl...

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“A Perfect Day” by Lauren Oertel

Submitted to Contest #33

Andrea dusted off her walking shoes and tugged them on, then bolted for the door with enthusiasm. Her watch showed 6:15 p.m. Behind schedule already! She planned for a perfect day today, no matter what tried to get in her way. Well, technically a perfect half-day since it was already the evening. Better late than never though. Andrea cautiously placed her phone on the counter, locked the front door behind her, then rushed back inside, rethinking the idea to leave the phone behind. I can do this, she told herself, taking a deep brea...

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“Her Name Is Jude” by Brianna Bailey

Submitted to Contest #33

“I feel like I’d name her something sweet and simple. Something like Ellie or maybe…Claire!” Her eyes lit up as she stared at the night sky. The only thing to interrupt the silence after her proclamation was the din of the crickets in the woods surrounding the truck. I put on a smile because I felt I had to, but it soon faded away. She always strikes up this conversation when it's quiet nights like this. It’s always these times when she's daydreaming about the future. The stars echoed my concerns but remain...

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$50

Prize money

296

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 20, 2020 EST

Won by Phoebe Barr 🏆

Title: Pennies and Years

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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