Write a story about someone who is determined to not have their day spoiled — but the universe is trying their patience.

Posted in Funny on Mar 3, 2023

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✍️ 48 stories

“Tenacious Day” by Wendy Kaminski

Submitted to Contest #188

It’s my birthday today – The Big 3-0! – and all I want to do is stay in my cozy room and have someone bring me milkshakes all day… but the sun is out, my alarm’s going off, and it’s time to get to the office, I suppose. At least there's something to look forward to: a few friends are dropping by to have a little celebration in my honor after work tonight. Note to self: need to pick up some booze and apps! As I don my favorite white outfit in the early morning chill, I wonder how it is that Covid somehow gave everyone but me a pass on ha...

141 comments 141

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“On The Seventh Day” by Michelle Oliver

Submitted to Contest #188

*** Religious Irreverence ***He sat back and put His feet up; it had been a long week. It had started at the beginning. If He had known then what He knew now, He may have had second or even third thoughts about attempting this crazy process. But it was too late. What was done, was done and even though He was exhausted, He was proud of what He’d wrought. It was on the first day that He began. The day was easy, He created light. It was good to see, but He could see nothing. Lots of nothing.“What is the point of all this light, Your M...

43 comments 43

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“Valentina” by Bernie Rhodes

Submitted to Contest #188

Valentina Jack Bernard Rhodes The bedroom door creaked open, and I was once again overwhelmed by terror. I was about five years old when my sister, Valentina, wo...

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“Women’s Day on Moon Day” by John Rutherford

Submitted to Contest #188

He wanted to impress her. In her culture Women’s Day was a big deal. He had seen this over many years, when he worked in numerous offices, and processions of flower deliveries arrived at the ladies’ desk, the more the better. Every woman or girl became the recipient of flowers, gifts, this was the queen of days on the annual calendar. He was so eager to impress her and show his care and gentlemanly attention. But the universe was against it. This year, anyway.She was an avid believer in astrology, and the moon’s cycles. She thought she had a...

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“Kintsugi” by Olivia Lake

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #188

It was going to be a good day. It had to. Lily knew the perfect way to start the day: cinnamon sugar doughnuts and coffee. When she got to the cafe, though, the barista was locking the doors. “Are you closed already?” she asked. The barista shook his head. “Something with the plumbing. They have to shut off the water.” “Oh…” she trailed off. She checked her watch. Is there another cafe nearby? Or a bakery? There’s a place on Randolph Street - no, that’s a Starbucks…they don’t have the right doughnuts. Do I have time to look? She ...

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“The Gap Year” by Stevie Burges

Submitted to Contest #188

This story contains swearing. One day Wendy, the woman from the Human Resources department (whom I loathed), leaned over me while I worked through the hundreds of emails pinging into my Inbox, all demanding immediate answers. ‘Have you heard the news? she asked. ‘No’, trying to keep the dislike and coldness off my face. ‘I’m going to Namibia to dig toilets’. Horror struck; I stopped typing and looked at her full in the face. ‘What d’ya mean? Going to dig toilets?’ ‘I’m taking a senior gap year.’ A year off to dig t...

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“The Green Chalice” by Russell Mickler

Submitted to Contest #188

The Godhead. Holiday. Visions. Destruction. Across the multiverse, there are beings of extraordinary wisdom gifted with the power of omniscience, capable of witnessing places, people, and events throughout all time and space. They are the Chosen, selected by their universe to bear the crown of the godhead - the curse of true sight - so they might intervene in the affairs of mortals to right terrible wrongs and act as a counterweight to the malicious, strangling tendrils of Chaos. The form of the Chosen varies between universes; nowhere in al...

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“What’s up with Aunt Josephine?” by America Marble

Submitted to Contest #188

Aunt Josephine’s sleek and shiny silver Range Rover pulls up in the driveway and I double check my clothes and shoes before opening the door. I didn’t want to embarrass her with my worn out tennis shoes or yoga attire- a usual for me. It’s a rare treat when she takes off work and spends the morning with me. Today, we are just going to shop at Costco so I didn’t think I needed to dress up too much.Sliding in the passenger seat, I give her a quick hug, discreetly double sniffing myself as I do to make sure I didn’t forget deodorant. I relax ba...

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“The Sandman Versus The Insomniac ” by Jill S.

Submitted to Contest #188

Making dreams is honest work. There’s nothing much to it, really, and I’m not trying to be humble by saying that. In the past few years fatigue has become an epidemic. Forced to work, forced to sacrifice sleep for work and family, humans doze off in the most inopportune places, from steering wheels to office computers to you-name-it. It’s cute, watching them submit to sleep so easily. Almost pitiful. I barely have to lift a finger. But who am I to judge them for craving sleep so bad? Sleep is a drug, an aphrodisiac, a God, a scarcity....

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“Best Day Ever” by Lindsay Flo

Submitted to Contest #188

“Good morning, miss.” Her voice was gentle, as was the velvety soft hand on my bare shoulder, but neither could soothe the pounding in my skull. I offered some sort of noise resembling a distressed animal to let her know I was alive. Opening my eyes was too much to ask. “You requested a personal wake-up,” she said, her voice again sliding like butter, and I carefully forced open one eye. “I’m up,” I managed. I could not believe I was hungover. I had done everything in my power to avoid this, I mean, outside of not drinking. I had hydrat...

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“What's your deal?!” by David Drake

Submitted to Contest #188

You’d think that a large sweater would still fit after all this time with no alterations. What the…..is going…..on. Jesse pulled and tugged on the knit sweater made for him by his talented aunt for his birthday a few years ago and it was not only good-looking, it fit him perfectly. But today, after getting out of the shower and getting ready for work, it refused to go over his arms and torso. Grunting, he finally got it pulled over. He began going to the gym to get some cardio in and was able to keep his weight even, but he stepped on the sc...

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“Job Search ” by Andrew Fruchtman

Submitted to Contest #188

“So what did you expect with a name like that?,” the therapist continued. “Oh, I don’t know, I never put much credence in any of that stuff. They’re just stories. Biblical or mythological, what’s the difference?”“Well maybe, but you’ve gotta admit it is a little weird, you being named for him. I mean ‘Job,’ what were your parents thinking anyway?”“Apparently they weren’t.”“So, how can we, you, deal with all this? How can you streamline your life to better slide uneventfully through your days?”“I can try to maintain a lower profile ...

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“THE POOL ROOM AT PELICAN POINT” by BRUCE MARTIN

Submitted to Contest #188

In the quiet retirement community of Pelican Point in Boca Raton, the residents enjoyed lavish facilities and an active lifestyle. The clubhouse had an Olympic-size, heated swimming pool, a resistance pool for walking, two heated spas, a Swedish sauna and a steam room. There were three restaurants, offering everything from breakfast omelets and French toast to the finest steaks, chops and salads. Friday night seafood extravaganzas, Saturday night brisket and stuffed kishka specials, and Sunday morning bagel, lox and chopped liver jamborees k...

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“The Glacier Incident” by Patricia Merewether

Submitted to Contest #188

Vanity working on a weak head, produces every sort of mischief.– Jane AustenHave you ever had a terrible day when someone says, “You’ll laugh about this in the future?” Do you want to smack them with a pool noodle? Well, don't; they are right.Matt’s friend fixed us up for a blind date. We were both breaking up with our partner, so Matt and I chatted on the phone, sharing words of woes and support, and became friends.A second date also went well, lunch at a local diner, where we talked for hours. Then I didn’t hear from him for a few weeks an...

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“The Perfect Day” by Emily Brown

Submitted to Contest #188

If Orpheus had been a sixteen-year-old girl, his tale might have had a happier ending. Unfortunately for Eurydice, few can match the stubborn willpower of a teenager with absolutely no time in her schedule for grieving. Today was meant to be her perfect birthday and a perfect birthday she would have, broken alarm clocks and ex-boyfriends be damned. “You. Will. Not. Cry.” Eliza told herself in the bathroom mirror, pointing her finger at her already tear-stained face for emphasis. Minor setbacks like a missed bus and a broken hea...

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Write a story about someone who is determined to not have their day spoiled — but the universe is trying their patience.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 48 stories

“Tenacious Day” by Wendy Kaminski

“On The Seventh Day” by Michelle Oliver

“Valentina” by Bernie Rhodes

“Women’s Day on Moon Day” by John Rutherford

“Kintsugi” by Olivia Lake

“The Gap Year” by Stevie Burges

“The Green Chalice” by Russell Mickler

“What’s up with Aunt Josephine?” by America Marble

“The Sandman Versus The Insomniac ” by Jill S.

“Best Day Ever” by Lindsay Flo

“What's your deal?!” by David Drake

“Job Search ” by Andrew Fruchtman

“THE POOL ROOM AT PELICAN POINT” by BRUCE MARTIN

“The Glacier Incident” by Patricia Merewether

“The Perfect Day” by Emily Brown

🌟 Similar prompts

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

Write about a character who would have complete happiness, if it weren’t for that one thing.

Write about someone who thinks they just got a great deal on something, only for them to realize…

Write about a character who’s attending a dinner thrown in their honor, but deeply embarrasses themself during their speech.

Contest #188

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

258

Contest entries

133

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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