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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

“The Night Before” by Andrelyn Izquierdo

Submitted to Contest #33

Yesterday was a different kind of day. Getting dolled up for my upcoming presentation tingles still roll up my spine from the night before. Grabbing my jeans, I put them on trying to cover up the bruises inside of my thighs. Moving into my walk-in closet from the bathroom, a shudder comes over me while sifting through my jewelry box. Today is the day I need the right necklace that has my good luck pendant. “Oh, there it is,” I burst out excitedly grabbing my purple butterfly necklace that matches the earrings already on my ears. While openin...

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“Blueberries Jubilee” by Reid Sprague

Submitted to Contest #33

The day was cold and the sky was steel grey. As the wind gusted, an elderly woman in a dragon-print dress hurried from the sidewalk on top of a hill into a modern, glass-walled house. From inside the house the market and ocean in the valley below could be seen intermittently through low-flying clouds. The woman, Francesca, was too busy to take in the view as she normally would from her chair; she was busy getting the items she had just purchased in order on the counter to make a special dessert for her niece's birthday."Alright. Chocalate ic...

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“Love..Loading....Reloading❤” by Sneha Kalmath

Submitted to Contest #33

Suddenly she woke up to a face and it was her roommate Ria staring at her which scared the hell out of her. 'Again you were dreaming? Who was it this time, the guy from florist shop or the one whom you had played hide and seek in bus last week? ' she asked. Myra just slipped out of her bed ignoring her sarcasm. They both knew all about each other which was good sometimes and bad most of the times. Sitting in on WC you always have most amazing ideas and thoughts which actually kind of gets flushed away when you get out. It feels like yo...

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“In Love with Another Man. ” by Khiyah V

Submitted to Contest #33

I had no reason being in love with a guy like him. Was it love? I wouldn’t call it that. Lust, maybe. No. It wasn’t just love... but was it? I didn't know, it was so complicated… it was like a hard algebra problem that you just couldn’t get right. Me plus him, times the square root of our secrecy divided by the x of how many times we saw each other throughout the day equaled our love. Our complicated, toxic, fucked up, love. “Helloooo…” Teedra waved her freshly manicured hand in my face. I guess I was staring into space....

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“The Dream Team” by Jazmin Bogarín

Submitted to Contest #33

The Dream Team “‘...In other words, we’ve taken into consideration your astounding visual skills, and have decided to assign you the task of bringing Ms. Jade's dreams to life.’” Upon hearing this, I started screaming before Skye even had the chance to get excited. Soon enough, we were bouncing up and down in every direction. Taking a break to catch our breath, Skye exclaimed, “I can't believe you got assigned to Jazmin Jade this week!!” “I KNOW RIGHT!!” We started screaming all over again. Suddenly, Skylar froze and sat down before telling ...

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“What's Next” by Sarah Ford

Submitted to Contest #33

“Hey Jaz. So what do you think?” My twin brother joins me on the deck while we watch a few of the pups play in our back yard. “I don’t know yet. What about you?” “Oh. I already told you. I’m staying here. Nothing for me out there.” I sigh. This is most definitely the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. “This is the hardest...

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“A Bloodcurdling Experience” by Nirmit Mittal

Submitted to Contest #33

A Bloodcurdling Experience It all started on an extremely awkward day. I awoke groggily and glanced at the window against my bed. I was taken aback when I saw the view outside, the sun setting in the far distance, just over the horizon. Still in sleep mode after this immensely long nap, I headed towards my bathroom to freshen up, still not believing that I almost missed the whole day. When I was brushing my teeth while staring at my twisted and tangled hair, I felt a sharp pain in my lower lip. That is when I lowered my gaze from my ter...

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“So what Changed” by Avery Gee

Submitted to Contest #33

I didn't have a bad haircut. I repeat not a bad haircut! I got just a haircut. When I left the shop my haircut evoked nothing that would seem like it was bad. I walked with my head held high. I appeared to all as a person that was very proud of their hair. Let the record state ! This was not a bad haircut.I may have been having a bad day ,a bad month, or a bad year. I could see if I was trying to make a change from a bad time I you put a lot on this thing that is a haircut, I knew i could not yes should not but I did!I would like to say that...

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“Asylum ” by Kimberly Moorhead

Submitted to Contest #33

Oralia’s daughter sleeps upright with her back propped against the concrete wall. Her head rests upon a worn canvas bag. The seams are split and frayed, bound together with thick silver tape. Her black hair is dull and matted, falling to her shoulders in tangled knots. Even in her sleep, she scratches at her scalp and the skin around her neck and ears. Oralia doesn’t know if it’s lice, or fleabites, or both. The streetlight arched high above them casts a pale yellow halo over the dark alley where they’ve stopped for the night. She reaches ou...

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“Angel Hair” by Olivia Strom

Submitted to Contest #33

Her beautiful, pale blonde hair fell in flowing waves to her waist. It verged on white, and when light struck it I swear she had a halo. She was as beautiful as her hair was and just as fascinating. I had never talked to her but merely saw her pass in the school halls, her hair trailing in wisps behind her. Junior year I believed it was fate that she sat in front of me in most classes because I loved looking at the back of her head. Admiring her hair everyday became something I looked forward to. She is the most petite and ...

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“The Human farm ” by Miriam Moore

Submitted to Contest #33

There is seemingly no finality to this existence. However, the end lurks in a crevice somewhere unknown to you. He waits and watches you wander through the days that fade in and out like waves crashing and receding from the shore. He finds pleasure and beauty in bringing a cease to such a mysterious, fragile, and contradicting being. “How can I hate you and love you simultaneously? How can you be so astonishing, in the way you exist so loudly and beautifully; yet you destroy yourself?” He marvels life, and he env...

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“Shopping day” by Daniel Longoria

Submitted to Contest #33

“WAKE UP! TIME TO DIE!” “I hate that alarm tone.” “I know, my sweet. I’ll change it later.” Alexi sat up, his legs creaking as he sat momentarily, waiting for the dizziness to stop. He turned off the cellphone alarm checking the time on his watch. 1:00 am. Plenty of time to get ready. Shower, shave, the usual waking up ritual. Looking out the window. It was Snowing, heavily, in April. Climate changed has screwed up everything. R...

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“A Brush with Death” by Jessica G

Submitted to Contest #33

It was time for a change and I knew it. The trouble was that I didn't know what the change should be. I'd gone to the salon at least once a month for the last two years, only to sit in Benny's chair and stare at my long, blonde hair in the mirror before I would sigh and ask for just a trim.I got compliments about my hair everywhere I went. It was arguably the most noteworthy thing about me, or that was how it seemed. Nobody complimented me on my dissertation, nobody complimented me on having a Ph.D., and they definitely didn't compliment me ...

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“Regularly Irregular ” by Clarissa Wojewoda

Submitted to Contest #33

Vanessa was irrationally cocky when it came to her addiction. Addiction was an understatement. She gave the last year of her life to a vicious cycle of drug use. Her drug of choice was heroin. From the minute she let her then girlfriend stick her with a needle, she was in love. Or so she thought. She thought for certain she knew where her dope came from, and what was in it. So much so she thought this that she even decided to take part of her inheritance from the death of her grandparents, nearly six thousand dollars, and use it to use drugs...

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“Growing up” by Riley Cochran

Submitted to Contest #33

I am 12, running in my neighbors backyard, soaking up the sunlight while their dogs run by my side. I fall to the ground and feel the dogs slobber run over my face. I viciously start petting them with all the love I can give and throw the tennis ball across the yard again. I smell the Chinese sausage, hamburgers, hotdogs, and chicken sizzling on the grill, and think to myself what is better than this? My mothers gorgeous blue eyes shining in the sun as she talks to Lindsie, my neighbor. My dads contagious laugh fills in the breeze as he talk...

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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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