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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Write a story that starts with the line “So, what’s the catch?”

Posted in Dialogue on Mar 3, 2023

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✍️ 97 stories

“Retirement Planning” by Michał Przywara

Submitted to Contest #188

“So, what’s the catch?” asked Wilbur, his mouth quivering in anticipation of the answer. He fiddled with his glasses with his left hand, and his wife Enid squeezed his right hand and beamed at the nice young lady sitting across the bureau. Karen stopped typing, looked up from her PC, and blinked a couple times. “Um,” she said, blinking again. “Well, you’ll go to Hell.” “Uh-huh,” Wilbur said. “What’s that look like?” “Uh,” Karen drew out, and she glanced at the script on her monitor again. “Just a sec.” A couple clicks. “There. Okay, so what ...

79 comments 79
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“Coming Out” by Thom With An H

Submitted to Contest #188

So, what’s the catch? Now there’s a question. It’s actually a secret. Wait, I don’t mean I can’t tell you. I mean that the catch is I have a secret, and that’s a problem. The odd thing is that my secret shouldn't really be a secret at all. This is 2023, not 1923. We’ve had an African American president, an orange president, and for good measure a female vice president as well. It’s the era of #MeToo and rainbows and non-binary acceptance. Why then, is revealing my secret so hard? Wait, don’t answer. I’ll tell you.&nb...

28 comments 28
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“I Do?” by Amanda Lieser

Submitted to Contest #188

CW: cursing, infidelity January 3rd, 2017 “So, what’s the catch,” Piper asked. She reached for some Goldfish crackers in the top of her pantry, vaguely feeling her phone as it started to slip from her shoulder-cheek grip.  “No catch,” Alex said. Her voice was brimming over with happiness and Piper knew she was staring at that giant diamond ring on her finger as she added, “He’s perfect.” “No man is perfect,” asserted Piper. “No human is,” she corrected her statement while pouring out Genevie’s snack. “Genevieve is,” Alex breat...

11 comments 11
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“Arthas and the Admiral Go Out Shooting” by Graham Kinross

Submitted to Contest #188

Warning: guns and their inevitable consequences.Detective Arthas Jacques prodded the artificial skin that covered his new leg. It was lighter than the old one, stronger and had a built-in pistol holster.“So, what’s the catch?” asked the Martian Off World Crime detective, looking at his droid.“Besides the king’s ransom it costs?” asked the black Spectrum droid, the lights behind its eyes were emerald in colour as it spoke with its Dublin accent. “Rumour has it the manufacturer’s install kill switches in all of their tech so that it can never ...

29 comments 29
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“A Forever Home” by Rebecca Brothers

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #188

(TW: death, allusion to death of a child) “So, what’s the catch?”                Margaret Foster wasn’t about to be had. She knew that a house in the Grove Hills neighborhood shouldn’t be on the market for any less than half a million dollars. Not in this economy. Each street was lined with giant hemlocks and oaks, slow-growth trees that spoke of real history, not nouveau riche water maples or Bradford pears. This neighborhood had a real Frank Lloyd Wright desig...

7 comments 7
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“The Catch” by Jeannette Miller

Submitted to Contest #188

“So, what’s the catch.” I asked without the usual inflection at the end which would have given the impression I was asking the question when, frankly, I already knew the answer and didn’t have the energy to fake the uptick in tone in my voice. Full disclaimer: I was also asking myself this question as a means to ponder my current situation and not a real person. If it had, indeed, been a real person on the other end of the said pondering, I may have feigned ignorance of the situation with a touch of innocent to give the other person the sens...

25 comments 25
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“CATCH OF THE DAY” by Susan Catucci

Submitted to Contest #188

“So, what’s the catch today? Would you be the Skip in Skipper?”“Ahoy! You must be the new owner of the Rustic Scup.”“That’s me. I’m Chet. I hear you’re the man to see for seafood.  You the Skip?”“Last I looked. How do, Chet. So, I hear you’re also the chef, that right?”“Guilty.”“Well, then, that’s what I’ll be calling you. Welcome to Skipper’s Slip, Maine’s finest, at least here in our little hamlet called Limerick. So, Chef, what’s your pleasure?”“I’ll just go back to the beginning. Wha...

33 comments 33
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“A Raw Deal with the Devil” by Augustine Maddox

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #188

(Story contains allusions to torture, but no actual depictions of it) “So, what’s the catch?” The demon hesitated. The sulfurous smoke billowing from his form dissipated slightly as his concentration wavered. His wings drooped. The arm he had been holding out lowered; the contract in hand, written in red ink on shining golden paper, dimmed. “The…catch?” He rumbled, bemused. “I thought I had explained it well enough. At the hour of your departure from the earthly realm, you willingly forfeit your soul. Thenceforth it will be entrusted to...

3 comments 3
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“Holes In My Story” by Mary Bendickson

Submitted to Contest #188

Holes in My Story “So what's the catch?” “The catch is I can't get the clasp to catch. This is bad!” “Nah, that's good.” “Why is that good?” “I really didn't want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane anyway. Makes no sense.” “Okay, that's good then.” “Nope, that's bad.” “Why is that bad.” “I'll never get my bucket list completed.” “Oh, that is bad.” “Nah, that's good.” “How is it good?” “There is a hole in my bucket any way. All my dreams and aspirations are slipping away.” “Well, can't you fix it.” “No, I left the flex-seal in my car.” ...

43 comments 43
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“The Fine Print” by Kendall Defoe

Submitted to Contest #188

“So, what’s the catch?” To be honest, he was getting ready to go out that night and did not expect that he would have to deal with such nonsense after making the offer, but nothing ever worked out the way he expected it to with these people. There was always some small little problem that was never anticipated. All these years and all those surprises… “I beg your honest pardon?” “Honest, right… What I mean is…what is it that I’m missing? I mean, here you are with a great offer and it looks pretty straightforward on paper, but when you get a ...

16 comments 16
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“You have to be my Child for a day.” by Hope Linter

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #188

“So what’s the catch?” I asked, thumbing through my paperback book, happy to hear my daughter Lillianne’s glee, instead of her moping, after finding Bubby, her birthday rabbit, lying in his cage, dead. Of all the stupid things for her seventh birthday, I’d surprised her with a fragile, mortal creature, when her mother, my wife, had passed away a year ago. I put my book down.  She clapped her hands. “You have to be my child for a day.”  “And if I am, what will I get?” I wondered where this was going. “Daddy,” she said in exaggera...

16 comments 16
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“A Pretty Sweet Deal” by Beth Peterson

Submitted to Contest #188

“So, what’s the catch?” the devil asked.“No catch,” Martha insisted as she poured him a cup of coffee. Black with far too much sugar, exactly as he’d requested. “I just thought a fella like you’d be interested in making a deal.”She settled into the old kitchen chair opposite the devil. He looked much younger than she’d expected. Otherwise, she’d pictured him perfectly. Dark, slicked-back hair. A neatly trimmed beard. Sharp eyes that stared at her like a hungry predator.“I don’t tend to get called up by little old ladies,” the devil said befo...

8 comments 8
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“The Seduction of Herb” by Murray Burns

Submitted to Contest #188

The Seduction of Herb“So, what’s the catch?” Even the Party of the First Part was surprised at the quick response, the ease with which the words were spoken, void of any serious consideration of the required consequence. The implication of the message from the Party of the Second Part was that all prior elements were agreed to.     “There’s no catch, Herb. That’s the deal, straight up. You get everything I’ve promised in return for your immortal soul.”“That’s it? There is no catch?”“That’s it, Herb.”Slick black ...

11 comments 11
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“ Catcher in the. . . Sigh. ” by Andrew Fruchtman

Submitted to Contest #188

“So, what’s the catch?” “No catch, man, it’s just like I told ya.” “Really? When it’s too good to be true, well, you know, it usually is.” “I’m being straight with ya, man. This ain’t like that Nigerian Prince scam ya get in your fax machine. No, no. This is one hundred percent, full disclosure, top notch, no bullshit stuff I’m talkin’ ‘bout here.” “Okay, so let me ask. Why me? How’d you land on my sorry ass, huh? What, am I on the cover of Gullible Magazine this month?”   “C’mon, nothing like that, I’m just try...

4 comments 4
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“Tea and Biscuits” by Anja Barker

Submitted to Contest #188

‘So, what’s the catch?’ I asked, confused at Gabriel’s immediate agreement to my plan. ‘That’s not the right question to ask’ he responded sharply, his still powerful eyes boring into mine. I took a deep breath in, trying to remain calm, in control. I was trained for this kind of situation; I just hadn’t expected it to happen that way. I had hoped I’d be given more time, a few more chances to prove myself, to gain his trust. More time to figure things out, more time to learn what not to say. Speaking to Gabriel was like walking on a tight r...

5 comments 5
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