Write a story that includes the phrase “It’s all fun and games…”

Posted in Dialogue on Apr 12, 2024

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✍️ 58 stories

“...Blow Your Head Off ” by Mary Bendickson

Submitted to Contest #246

...Blow Your Head Off Caution: Based on true story. Contains gore.It's all fun and games...until you blow your head off! Before the nineteen sixties, before I made this my home, our lovely town was known for stately elm trees canopying the main street north of the river. But a deadly elm tree disease raged through infecting them all. The ones not killed quickly succumbed to progress as the street was widened to four lanes instead of two for the thoroughfare through town. The men's garden club decided to beautify the landscape by planting a f...

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“Dancers of the Sea on the Mystical Coast ” by Kristi Gott

Submitted to Contest #246

The flow of the watery world on the Mystical Coast brought a sense of wonder to those who lived there. It was a sunny day in June of 1898 along the rainforest wilderness coast.Near the river bar at the ocean the black and white whales leaped and splashed, joyfully singing and dancing in the waves with squeals, whistles and hums in their fun ocean playground. The games stopped when short, sharp, quick distress calls came from the six month old whale calf. In the dialect of whale language the calf cried for her mama.Nuzzling the calf...

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“Best It Can Be” by Jack Kimball

Submitted to Contest #246

The eight of us gathered, lost souls one and all, at the recruiting station. We were waiting in a light rain. Every Sunday morning at 10:00 am our district had a drawing, but rumor said the number of groups to cover all the days, and even the hours of every day, were growing more and more.This morning, Adam had come down with me. He tilted his head back like he does, his eyes a little too wide open, so I could tell he was scared. The last time we'd both gotten notice our numbers came up '1' and '2'. Can you believe it, our numbers '1' and '2...

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“The Things We Did for Fun” by Ty Warmbrodt

Submitted to Contest #246

War. Such a despicable cause of death and suffering. Yet every boy emulated it in his play. We had chosen our sides. The battlefield was drawn. Ten young boys were ready to battle for the ultimate prize – bragging rights. The rules were simple, if you were hit, you were out. The team with the last man standing won. We gathered our bags of ammo and headed to the field. Large round hay bales provided cover when needed. We dashed, we dodged, we fired. We worked up a sweat as one by one people were out. Then the game came to an abrupt halt. D.J....

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“Chances Are...” by Martha Kowalski

Submitted to Contest #246

It’s all fun and games until the odds aren’t in your favor. Until you lose track of the count. Until you lose track of your mind.They should ban mathematicians from casinos. Well, they do sometimes – you’ve been kicked out of three casinos in Vegas for counting cards. You didn’t mean it. But how can someone tell a mathematician to stop counting something? It’s like telling a fish not to swim. Especially with an eidetic memory – you, not the fish. Fish have like a three second attention span. And even if they had an eidetic memory, what would...

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“Reckless” by Kristina Lushey

Submitted to Contest #246

“Nancy Docherty, there is no way on earth you are going to the fair in that ridiculous outfit.” I’d whipped my brother Sean’s flat cap and scarf from his wardrobe, and wore a plain black blouse and black pants, with a trench coat over the top to finish off the outfit.I spoke with unwavering confidence, my eyes gleaming with resolve. “Just because it is a man’s cap mammy, doesn’t mean I can’t wear it. It looks grand.”Aware that she was wasting her breath, she sighed and said no more. I was an active child, often playing football with the loca...

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“Little Brown Wren” by Trudy Jas

Submitted to Contest #246

Trigger warning: Sexual violence, suicide/self harmA little brown wren is unremarkable, easily overlooked while it hides under bushes. It doesn't have a big voice, just a small chirp. It slips in and out, you never know it's there. Being a brown wren has served me well, I've never had to deal with admiration, attention, conflict or pressure.Nobody sees me so, I don't exist.I earn a scholarship to an expensive east coast school. My roommate belongs here. I don't. She is a force stronger than anything I've ever known.She looks me over and find...

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“Save The Cat” by Scott Christenson

Submitted to Contest #246

Seventeen-year-old Nigerian-American Elijah was a chess prodigy–a new force to be reckoned with in East Bay's competitive chess circuit. For the past two years, he dissected famous chess matches like a surgeon. The infamous 2005 showdown between Carlsen and Nepomniachtch flickered on his screen when his little sister, Zuri, burst into his room.“Hammy is…gone!” Zuri wailed, tears streaming down her cheeks.“Zuri, don’t interrupt me while I’m studying!” Elijah snapped, his mind spinning with chess moves. But he immediately felt regret seeing ho...

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“Reeling by the Wind” by Togo F

Submitted to Contest #246

“Pass me the line.” Shouted Josh, tinkering with the rod. I knew nothing about fishing. The term “line” held no significance to me, aside from it referring to a rope-thing. His backpack contained all sorts of trinkets, tiny toys, metal balls, worms, all neatly organized in separate canisters with transparent lids. Their purpose and use unclear to me, I brought him the entire bag. “Thanks man. Finally, I got you out of that hole.” &...

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“Chicken Legs, Love and Ninjas” by Alexis Gold

Submitted to Contest #246

I didn’t want to go. June was long and busy and tiring with lots of lacrosse and school and other things I don’t enjoy. I didn’t want to add another activity to the ever-growing roster of things required to be a better parent that I am. I wanted the beach, books and a bar cart. So, I pawned it off on my mensch husband, who agreed to take our three monsters and my nephews. I think we threw the last two boys in for sport – the event being “how much could I pile on before my husband had a second heart attack?” I flee to a rainbow-col...

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“The Hexenmeister” by LeeAnn Hively

Submitted to Contest #246

They were settling in front of the fire, Mama in her rocking chair, Johannes with his wooden horses, and Inga singing to her doll, when thunderous voices suddenly heralded the bludgeoning of the door. The eldest twin, Johannes, sprung to his feet and instinctively sidled in front of Inga. Mama, dropping the darning into the ancient woven basket near her rocker, walked towards the latched entrance.With every fist lash, the hammering intensified, and the voices became audible. “Ebba! Ebba, let us in!” The cumbrous oaken door gave one last shud...

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“The Pain Game” by Angela Yuriko Smith

Submitted to Contest #246

Warnings: Self harm, mild gore and substance abuse “You think you can help me get over my pain? You think I haven’t been trying my whole life?” He glared up at the young woman who had no clue how the real world worked. Instead of replying, she pulled a new bottle of bourbon from her reusable shopping bag. It was green, emblazoned with a happy planet earth. She had caught his attention. “I have some deep hurts, too deep for the likes of you. Don’t go crying when I give you nightmares.” His eyes rested on the bottle in the crook of her arm. “I...

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“Match Point” by D.J. Bogner

Submitted to Contest #246

It was set point. I lost the first one—I can’t lose this one, too. I laser-focused onto Alex across the net at the baseline, took a deep breath, went into my Zen-mode, and sent him into slow-motion. I could read his serve like it was a kid’s picture book. High ball toss about a foot out into the court, deep knee dip into a low crouch, body swiveled under it, trunk and shoulders coiled. He’s going for the slice—I leaped right and straddled the alley. Slo-mo ended—WHAM! No! He pronated the racket at the last second—blasted it down the T! He ac...

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“Until someone loses a shoe” by Sorina Bascoveanu

Submitted to Contest #246

- It’s all fun and games, said the bald man. The sun stood behind him like a golden shadow of his skull. - Follow me, please, mind the two steps. The hall was darkening as they were getting ahead. She felt the slippery surface with her soles. Good thing she was wearing her good shoes. She loved those all leather shoes that she got from her mom. At the end of the hall came the two steps she has been warned about. They were well covered in thick darkness and a viscid unfamiliar substance. - The keeper awaits. - Th...

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“It's All Fun & Games Until the Moment It's Not and Someone Gets Caught” by Elysa Casselman

Submitted to Contest #246

IT’S ALL FUN AND GAMESUntil the Moment It’s Notand …Someone Gets CaughtI try to trace my past to the exact point this began. I question whether there was something I could have done, to have altered the trajectory of my life. My firstborn is no longer present. Well, he is not lost, per se. He could be tracked, for after all, he smokes me out, despite my best efforts to remain veiled. My son is one of the many we conceal and camouflage from; he is part of the nasty group that ensnared us in this viscous game of hide-and-seek. Not the “G” rate...

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Write a story that includes the phrase “It’s all fun and games…”

Submissions are closed

✍️ 58 stories

“...Blow Your Head Off ” by Mary Bendickson

“Dancers of the Sea on the Mystical Coast ” by Kristi Gott

“Best It Can Be” by Jack Kimball

“The Things We Did for Fun” by Ty Warmbrodt

“Chances Are...” by Martha Kowalski

“Reckless” by Kristina Lushey

“Little Brown Wren” by Trudy Jas

“Save The Cat” by Scott Christenson

“Reeling by the Wind” by Togo F

“Chicken Legs, Love and Ninjas” by Alexis Gold

“The Hexenmeister” by LeeAnn Hively

“The Pain Game” by Angela Yuriko Smith

“Match Point” by D.J. Bogner

“Until someone loses a shoe” by Sorina Bascoveanu

“It's All Fun & Games Until the Moment It's Not and Someone Gets Caught” by Elysa Casselman

🌟 Similar prompts

Set your story in a playground: two characters are having a serious conversation while on the seesaw/in the jungle gym/on the swings.

Write a story about someone participating in a seemingly innocent game that suddenly takes a turn.

Write a story about someone who takes a joke way too far.

Write about a character who treats everything like a game and struggles to be serious when they most need to, or vice versa.

Contest #246

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

246

Contest entries

99

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: