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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

“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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“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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“An Imaginary Prank” by Hxmda A.A

Submitted to Contest #87

Valerie took a careful step into her kitchen, nervously looking around. Her eyes glided to the date on her fridge, the numbers circled in a dark red marker as she confirmed the day. It was April 1st. “Mom! I’m going to Amanda’s house-” Her mother came down the stairs in a hurry, quickly pulling her hair into a tight ponytail as she tried to fix her ironed black suit, “you’re not going anywhere, young lady. You still haven’t started your chores!” Valerie groaned loudly, “mom, please! I can’t be here today.” Her mom stopped before her wit...

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“What a Fool” by Ruth Smith

Submitted to Contest #87

What a FoolJosie stood in her yard, looking at her handiwork. Today was March 31st and tomorrow will be April 1st. The first day of April is the day immature people play tricks and jokes on other people and this year Josie was determined not to be pranked. She tested the electric fence she had put around her yard to make sure it was hot. The meter read full strength. Good, any fool would avoid that.Satisfied that her perimeter was now safe, Josie went into her house. She locked the front door and began checking her windows. Those were locked...

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“Magic Waters by Francesca Quarto” by Francesca Mohan

Submitted to Contest #87

Magic Waters: Another Tall-tale "Ah, yes. Ye 'n me 'ave survived yet anutter winter." Or so thought the sheep herder, as he poked at the well-thawed ground with his staff, following the placid, dull-witted mob. They were making their way out of the flimsy pen enclosure where he'd been counting faces, and looking for any signs of illness among them. He knew his sheep better than he would his own children, if he'd had any children. He recognized the oldest to the youngest, and grieved as deeply as a father, at the dem...

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“A Cup of Courage” by Julia Abelsohn

Submitted to Contest #87

They were deep into the woods when he asked her the question. “What’s the most terrifying thing that you’ve ever done?” Stella had no answer for this of course as she had led a quiet life, a sensible life lacking adventure but replete with duty and obligation. Why even the very thought of going on an Internet dating site had almost been an edge that she was far too cautious to put herself on but something had pushed her, well maybe even pulled her to do it. Perhaps it was Delia’s death that had caused the world to tilt on a different...

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“Some have all the luck” by Rachel Quirey

Submitted to Contest #87

Some have all the luck A wedding is set for April fools day, but Maggie feels more the fool than a bridesmaid. Her sister Rebekah has planned a fantasy themed wedding. To make matters worse, she has even chosen her sister’s costume, without any room for negotiation. Pointed ears, a green dress with glitter and sparkles adorned. Then there came the shoes out of it’s box, carefully wrapped in tissue paper, with great pointed toes!. How on earth was anyone to walk in these without falling flat on their face, was beyon...

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“A Girl Called Lenjimmy” by Emmett Wrighter

Submitted to Contest #87

They call her Lenjimmy Busker, and the first of April is her favorite day of the year.You didn’t know that, of course. By the time you had pulled in to the truck stop three hundred miles from nowhere, things like names and days and favorites had ceased to exist in your exhaustion-addled brain. You were dead on your feet and just about ready to keel over if not for the gurgling feeling in your belly. It was the kind of hunger that wouldn’t be satisfied by the half-empty bag of bugles in your passenger seat. The kind of hunger that needed warm...

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“A Trickster's Tea Party” by LM Konkel-Dixon

Submitted to Contest #87

*Featuring characters from "Message from the City" and "A Family Secret"Neri rubs Iki's shoulders. "You got this. You are going to kill it, and it's going to be awesome." She adjusts her friend's hat. "I think you look great, and this whole tea society will love you." She smooths out the skirt of Iki's dress, an elegant white number with a pink floral pattern. "He won't be able to look away.""I feel like that duckling you found and put in little dresses," Iki complains. She was all for dressing up and going out with Pascal, but a tea society...

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“Going at my Pace~ (Title inspired from Stray Kids: My Pace (I LOVE SKZ!))” by Rahaf Safir

Submitted to Contest #87

He’s still sleeping, isn’t he? I hang up, then call him for the seventh time. Of course, he doesn’t, won’t answer. Okay, fine. Don’t answer, Hyun-Ki. Just you wait. I shake my head. What a jerk.I quickly get dressed - and slam the door behind me. As always, all eyes are on me. Of course. I’m the star. The boss of the house. After all, they can’t help it. I wink, not specifically to anyone, but generally, to the dozens of eyes on me. I lick my lips. I’m just starting, baby. Besides, I can’t waste time with them now. I’m on my...

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“The Gods Play Games Poorly” by Tatiana Olin

Submitted to Contest #87

“I told you- I want this to be like Job, but funny.” “But didn’t Yahweh think that Job was funny?” “I’m honestly not sure. They write him as this omnibenevolent creature who only wants good for his creations, but then he tests people for no reason. Like, as a bet.” Muhtal laughed. “No, you’re right. I don’t know how anyone could read that story and not ask why the hell he needed to make that bet with Set. No reason besides a dick measuring contest. Well, guess what, Yahweh? Set won. He always does. Everyone he ever came after is dead i...

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“Xenia's Wish” by Adanna Aitken

Submitted to Contest #87

Some people don’t believe in Faeries or Sprites, I can’t blame them. Some people don’t believe in something unless they have seen it. Although some people want to believe in things so hard that they make up evidence for it. I am Xenia of Dustlynd, I am a student in misfortune management class. It’s not the best job but I get by. I got transferred over after screwing up wishes just to see the disappointment on people’s faces. I always wanted to be a human, oblivious and arrogant to the world not having to care about a...

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“Steve and the Prankster Spirit” by Siobhan Mulalley

Submitted to Contest #87

Yuen woke up excitedly, night had fallen on March 31st. It was a clear night and perfect for all the mischief and pranks he could get up to. As a prankster spirit he lived all year for this 24 hour period. He had planned every trick to the smallest detail. This year the poor unsuspecting human had not been chosen because he had been bad all year. This year he had been chosen because he was too safe and boring. This had been due to a curse inflicted by a misery God who had been annoyed by the human’s intolerable levels of happiness as a child...

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“Walter The Trickster God🎭” by Jade Orien🍀

Submitted to Contest #87

Walter was a vindictive trickster. He would go around tricking people just to get what he wanted. Walter came from a town where the queen and king disliked tricksters, they felt as though tricksters were the devils advocate. So, they burned them to death one by one until they turned to ashes. Walter was the only trickster God left that got away with a plan in mind. Walter used a disguise trick from his book of tricks to change his appearance. "This town will not be associated with tricksters!" The king would say in a demanding voice as he si...

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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.

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