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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#87: Fool Me Once

From trickster gods to office pranks, humans have long been fascinated by mischief and mayhem. There’s just something about breaking free of the rules of polite society and causing a bit of chaos that appeals deeply to our psyche.

This week, let’s embrace that playful spirit. Whether it’s someone being pranked or doing the pranking, there’s plenty of opportunity to dive deep into your characters’ motives and reactions. No joke — it’s time to break out the (metaphorical) cream pies and throw some anarchy at your protagonists.

This week's prompts

Write about a mischievous pixie or trickster god.

Kids – 206 stories

Write about someone who’s spent a whole year planning a big prank, and now they’re finally ready to pull it off.

Middle School – 75 stories

Write about someone who hates pranks and spends April Fools’ Day doing good deeds instead.

Holiday – 69 stories

Start your story with a big company pulling an April Fools’ prank that ends up going horribly wrong.

Holiday – 82 stories

Write about someone who goes to great lengths to avoid being pranked on April 1st, only to realize they had the date wrong and it’s already April 2nd.

Holiday – 60 stories

Stories

“The Linden Tree” by Laurence Tryon

Submitted to Contest #87

The Linden Tree stood hollow at the center of the village square. She had seen many generations of farmers and their families gather under the shade of her fluttering leaves. The village of Chamarandes was nestled along a portion the Marne River. Its few houses stood in the River’s valley. The land was green and lush, with cow pasture land and bordered on all sides by hilly temperate forests of deciduous trees, a few conifers thrown in at random. The Linden Tree felt alone in her cobblestone square, ...

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“April Fooler” by David Hann

Submitted to Contest #87

For some reason I’ve always been drawn to tricksters. When I worked for the Seem-To-Be Players Children’s Theatre I convinced the theatre manager/director to do a series of trickster tales. The company did several skits based on research I did about tricksters, drawing from Native American, Black American, Euro-American, and Hispanic American stories about tricksters. The Trickster Tales were very well-liked by the children and by their teachers. Maybe this experience led me to play my own tricks. I bought a rubber spider, an ugly black thi...

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“The Trickster” by Anickson Jean

Submitted to Contest #87

I placed my hand gently upon the crystal feeling the darkness that swirled inside its depths, but as time went by that darkness seemed to disappear as a light shone from my hand until the darkness was completely gone. I stepped back and watched the crystal shine brightly cured of the darkness that had infected it. The whole room seemed to light as well revealing the dark walls and relight the burnout torches. “Awesome, we purified another crystal”, Luna said as she flew around in joy.”That just leaves two more. She zipped onto my head await...

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“UTKAL DIWAS” by SHYAMALA BHUVANACHANDRAN

Submitted to Contest #87

Praful caught hold of Chotu and asked him about Utkal Diwas. The small boy otherwise unaware of the day, knew that it fell on a holiday. Without understanding the significance of the subject, he could easily talk about Utkal Diwas as was taught to him by his school. Both Praful and Chotu made a good pair, happy and playful. Praful a young aspiring guy looking for an employment was very fond of his nephew – Chotu for his innocence. Nephew was after all a small boy of seven years with an eye and ear for spicy news. Praful caught hold of the bo...

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“APRIL IS FOR FOOLS” by Claire Tennant

Submitted to Contest #87

Charlie was always a mischief-maker by heart, it gave him immense pleasure to see his “prey” squirm. His younger siblings were always good for a laugh; as neither of them were wise enough yet to figure out who the instigator or the practical joker was. It was usually Charlie, of course. At the grand age of ten, Charlie looked forward to April Fool’s Day immensely. The thing was he had to remember that he was the fool if he yelled ‘April Fool’ after midday. Charlie had decided that this time he would have it all in control. It still...

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“The Biggest Prank Yet” by Roxie Piatigorski

Submitted to Contest #87

It was a fine day and everyone was doing the usual. Including Leopold, who was busy tending to his gardens and orchards at his dacha. However, he still couldn’t catch a break; after all, a certain pair of mischievous mice were always up to no good. Just like always. This time, they were plotting the biggest prank that they could ever come up with. They decided that they were going to tar and then feather him into oblivion, so all they had to do was get two buckets, one of which they could fill up with tar while the other bucket could be fi...

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“Pranking the Prankster” by TASPIA ALAM

Submitted to Contest #87

"Tomorrow would be the day..." This thought circled around Levi's head as he tried to sleep. He couldn't believe it was actually happening. He, Jayden, and Kyle were finally going to get revenge. Or so they thought. Flashback to one year ago... Levi and his two best friends were sitting at the back of their school. They were hiding from the school's biggest prankster Jace, after getting a bucket of milk poured on them and a few punches thrown their way. "We are going to prank him back whether it's now or in 5 years," everyone agreed. Being...

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“Never repay” by Idachaba Faith

Submitted to Contest #87

James the CEO of an international beverage company is happy and excited that this week we are moving straight from march into April, he is much excited about the first of April because this year he has decided to pull a prank on Smith who pulled a massive prank on him last year. Last year, April 1st, James was at a beach with his lovely wife, having an amazing time on a caravan sports infinity zero gravity chair. The crimson rays of sun kissing his face and arms, with the cool and gentle breeze which was pregnant with the smell of sea-salt b...

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“All At Sea!” by Colin Devonshire

Submitted to Contest #87

“Not now, Samantha, thank you, can’t you see I’m thinking.” “Yes, sir.” Chief Jones flapped his fingers at the door behind her, Samantha ducked her head and backed out to her desk in the adjoining room. Chief Jones was not the chief of anything, but he was managing director of Westwing Lines and had more than his fair share of problems. “How can I see if he’s thinking?” she muttered to herself. She returned the bank manager’s call, “Sorry, Mr Arbib, he’s tied up, I’ll get him to call you.” “Don’t worry, I’ll call him, maybe I’ll ...

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“Trixie the pixie.” by Brie Button

Submitted to Contest #87

There once was a pixie named Trixie. Her name was suitable to her personality. She was the trickiest pixie in the pixie community and she was only five. She enjoyed playing tricks on her friends, family, and neighbours her favourite tricks though are on the people of high authority that's when they are the funniest. So far her best prank was on the principal in her school. It was her first day of school and she had big plans, at her school the principle had private chats with all the kids in the school. Her plan was to say the most absurd th...

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“The First Eclipse” by Carlo Sarrosa

Submitted to Contest #87

Once, when all we knew was young, there was only the Creator. He did not constantly watch the worlds He made, rather, He simply created them, starting them on the path to be the world they wanted to be. With the potential of His mind, the peace of His spirit, and the fight of His will, these beings were born to a universe of endless possibilities. Rarely has He ever answered a summons, but on this fateful time, a particularly sullen world called out to Him. “Give us light, we beg of you,” its people said. “Through your guide, we may becom...

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“Jade Earrings” by Tolly Maggs

Submitted to Contest #87

Why do I trick humans? What do I gain from tormenting them through deception? What do I have to gain from a little cloak and laughter?Why, my little Erelyn, it’s all so I can have stories to tell.Erelyn opens pulls the drapes and windows wide in her tower – not enough for the wind to blow out her fresh candle, but just enough for me to squeeze in, my cape of stars and moons billowing around me as I step towards her. She smiles softly, and the dawning sun smiles with her, greeting me most pleasantly. I smile and she chuckles that usual soft c...

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“Laverna” by Sarah Ben Sabat

Submitted to Contest #87

Laverna, ‘goddess of thieves’...that’s what they call me...the few who still know my name, that is. I’ve mostly been forgotten, like many of the old gods. Few are those who pour out a libation of boozy goodness with their left hand in my honour, nowadays. Instead I’m forced to steal my own beverages. I’ve come to develop a real fondness for whiskey, something that wasn’t around back in my day. My people, the ones who inhabit the criminal underworld, also seem to have a penchant for it. The sweet, strong, spiced wine mixed with water that the...

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“Dark Sprite” by Ryan Dupont

Submitted to Contest #87

The young girl stood in the center of a dirt path before a thick, black, tangle of forest. The wind rustled the trees, making the gnarled and wicked branches appear as if they were alive. Wooden signs on both sides of the seldom traveled road bore words of warning in dark red paint, as if written in blood. Turn Back, Haunted Woods, Beware, and Enter At Your Own Peril, where among the many phrases used to persuade travelers to choose another path. The girl was not afraid. Her purpose was certain. Glancing back one last time at her encampme...

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“Tricky Nixie the Pixie” by Sue Marsh

Submitted to Contest #87

Tricky Nixie the Pixie Suzanne Marsh Nixie watched quietly as the lightning bugs danced around her head. Time seemed to stand still while she sat there. She loved the odors of the green forest; she loved adventure and mischief. She thought of her friend Dixie; wondering what she was doing on this warm summers eve. Nixie decided to walk around the forest to see if she could find Dixie. Dixie, had chosen to leave the forest to see how humans lived. The more Nixie t...

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$50

Prize money

492

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Apr 02, 2021 EST

Won by Catherine Hill 🏆

Title: Samill the Trickster

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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