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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

“It’s All Fun and Games ” by Rosa Brock

Submitted to Contest #87

I was seven. I remember the blue sky and the soft snowflakes that sifted slowly, seemingly, from the heavens. “Look both ways, Anna” I heard my mother say. “Anna, look both ways“ I barely heard her voice, slowly rising. I opened my mouth and stuck out my tongue to greet a lonely snowflake. “Anna!” I jumped, startled by the sudden exclamation and bit my tongue. The taste of blood flooding my senses. ”Sorry, mom” I looked to my left then to my right. “All clear“ I said smoothly while smiling at my mother who couldn’t possible frown any de...

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“The Washing of the Lions” by Bonnie Seach

Submitted to Contest #87

THE WASHING OF THE LIONS A big company pulls an April Fools’ prank that ends up going horribly wrong . Bernie, the Editor of a widely read newspaper scratched his tousled head . The top button of his shirt was undone and his tie hung forlornly. A noose around his neck would have lent some cheer to his mood. Three empty coffee cups crowded his desk. He drummed his figures anxiously. What was troubling the usually dynamic, confident director of daily news? He loved to remind everyone of the importance of news. “The word comes from the ...

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“Email Fool's Day” by Christian Hanson

Submitted to Contest #87

He was excited to find 150 new emails in his inbox. He was about ready to give up on his dream of blogging but when he opened his inbox this morning, all it showed him was that his patience had finally paid off. Some of them were spam, but he was used to that. He deleted those right away. That still left a good 75 to 100 emails left over to review and see what the heck was going on. Why did it take 6 months for him to receive 150 emails total let alone all in one day? He thought to himself. Before he reviewed all the emails he decided to go...

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“It's The Middle Ages, Sire” by Robert Consiglio

Submitted to Contest #87

“Who is responsible for this mess?” roars Jack Tomlinson, editor-in-chief of The New York Times, chomping on his unlit cigarette so hard that it nearly splits in two. He slaps down the April 1st issue of the paper onto his desk. “That would be our Section Editor Ted Periwinkle,” says Bureau Chief Norman Atchinson. “He’s our best!” Norman turns and leaves. “Perrywinkle, hmm,” Jack grumbles. He depresses his intercom and growls “Ted, this is Jack. I want you in m...

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“A wicked sense of humour” by NK Hatendi

Submitted to Contest #87

Nadia was prepared for anything on April Fool’s Day. Eric, her son, could not be trusted to spend the whole day without coming up with some prank. With his wicked sense of humour, Eric was a man child who never tired of practical jokes. That’s how he was. An only child, who had grown up in a sheltered environment, he struggled to make friends, and his loneliness had resulted in treating his mother as the best toy ever. He had promised his mother a weekend away and knew she loved the scenic drives into the country to visit historic building...

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“Retroverser” by Johan Rosenblad

Submitted to Contest #87

I don't really know what to do now. There is no Internet anymore. The last piece of the Internet the world was concerned about was that crowdfunding page. I saw it too. It was good This is what it said: “Funded in 1 hour!” (Imagine that!) “Have you ever sent a mail or a text that you regretted the moment you hit the “send” button, or later, when the consequences backfired? Have you sent a mail to your boss’ secretary the day after your wild office party, thanking her for the great after-party you two had in her room, and mistakenly hit t...

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“No one told me” by Rachel Quirey

Submitted to Contest #87

No one told me It was that dreaded date, April fools. Lucy was not one for pranks or tricks. She enjoyed the simple things in life, and avoided at all costs any risk of being embarrassed. It was just her bad luck that her nemesis and work colleague Bob, is now paired up with her, for a joint task force. Today should be like any other day, typing away at her private cubical in the office, but it was a team building scheme thought up by an overly excited employer. To gain more experience inside different departments ...

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“Time” by Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #87

I sat for a time watching the black hands roam the face of the clock, hoping for the second or minute hand, to jump from sheer boredom. I sometimes believe we do not pay enough attention to time. It is all we have that’s worth anything, despite the lust for money and accrual of things worth thousands, millions, but only if we can find someone that agrees with our assessment of their worth. But time! Ah, time is an entirely different matter. Our lives are ruled by it. We buy it from others, exchange a piece of ourselv...

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“Can't Fool Me Twice” by Ella Salem

Submitted to Contest #87

It’s the most horrible day of the year. April Fools’ Day. I have hated this day since I was young. I grew up with two older brothers who schemed to constantly make me miserable. The first day of the month of April was their free-for-all. It was a day where they could do the absolute most to drive me nuts and mom and dad would do basically nothing to scold them because it was “all in good fun.” For who? I ask. Not for me. It’s clear who the least favorite child was here. Always in last place after those couple of juvenile delinquents. As I g...

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“HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT.” by Patricia Green

Submitted to Contest #87

HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT. As Maureen slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb her partner, she was thinking about what day it was. The day she hated, when she always got fooled by someone. “Well not today!” She thought to herself. After having her shower and getting dressed, she headed up the street to do some shopping. “ Wearing an overcoat and dark glasses, she immediately spotted several friends in the supermarket who always managed to prank her. Maureen slipped down behind the ban...

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“Discovered Identity ” by Karen Lethlean

Submitted to Contest #87

Discovered Identity Boris poured himself a stiff scotch. He needed to unwind from a day of stressful courts, pedantic attendants, aggressive office brownie point scoring. Pick your excuse but Boris just wanted a drink. Everyone else happy to wait for wine with dinner. ‘You’ve got a good team, don’t worry,’ his partner’s empty, non-therapeutic words. ‘We all know it’s not possible to rely on eye witnesses,’ said David Meyer. His usual sweeping generalizations, oft spruiked. This man might soften his views, compensate for a world with variant...

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“Never can get away” by Katie Hansen

Submitted to Contest #87

Lily sat up on her bed. She groaned when she counted the days in her head. Today was the first of April, and Lily was not excited about April fool's day. She never was. Lily's family always spent the day pranking each other. She could not count the number of times she had opened the drawer to get silverware for breakfast, only to find the measuring spoons there instead. Or that her cup of orange juice turned out to be melted butter. Lily glanced at her clock. She was happy to find that she had slept in enough to miss the first wave of pranks...

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“Welcome, Stranger!” by Andrea Palmieri

Submitted to Contest #87

Welcome, Stranger! by Andrea Palmieri You never notice the scent of your own home until you’ve been gone long enough to forget it. The house smelled so clean and empty. I finally felt like I wasn’t being suffocated by airplane fuel and the sweet stench of sweaty strangers. And my bed. Oh, God, my bed. The clouds did not compare. It was still bright out but I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I’d promised Lenny I would drop by for a beer when I returned home. I’d only be out for a few minutes anyway. As soon as I was up I would get changed and ...

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“Not Your Typical Pixie” by Kodi M

Submitted to Contest #87

If you ask a human to describe a pixie, more often than not they will describe a tall graceful figure with pointed ears and a kind eye. Growing up a pixie, this human vision is engrained in us from the moment training begins. It consists of learning how to safely use the powers we are assigned at birth. The council decides which pixie gets which powers depending on the need for each type. If more water pixies are needed one year, a surplus will be created. Sadly I defy everything about pixie culture and managed to evade the council and creat...

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“Peripheral Isabel you can almost see ” by Richard Hawkins

Submitted to Contest #87

We have all done it. Walk into a room and caught something crossing our path with the corner of our eye and never sure what it was. This is Isabel. A pixie who can change her size in a flash. She can flood the room with a flash to escape or shrink to the size of a mouse and hide behind a blade of grass outside. The reason you can not see her is because she can bend light around her like a prism. She will come to you when you are alone and play tricks on you to keep you guessing where she is. A playful heart who hates sadness and self pity. I...

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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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