Start your story with a character facing a situation that isn't awful, but isn't great.

Posted in Middle School on Nov 1, 2022

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 34 stories

“Oceanview” by Lauren Puffenberger

Submitted to Contest #155

AnaBeep.“Mommy I want popsicles AND lollipops!” The small, sticky child whines.Beep.“Ok sweetie get both,” the snobby woman says as she pulls out her matching purse and wallet that would cost me more than a few paychecks. Beep.“Will that be all ma’am?” I hear myself ask in my customer service voice.“Actually we will be adding the lollipops as well.”Of course you will be.“No problem, thanks for shopping at Surf N Shop.”Well, there you have it, the soundtrack of my life. Don’t get me wrong, I am happy to have a job be...

4 comments 4

Read story

“Maine” by S.T. Kit

Submitted to Contest #155

When my parents told me we’d be moving, I didn’t know what to think. I mean of course I’d hate to say goodbye to my friends, but recently we’ve been growing distant. A part of me says this could be a good thing, while the other is completely terrified. I’ve lived here in Savannah Georgia my entire life, how am I gonna make it in Maine? I’ve tried to stop thinking about everything, but I can’t. Classic Amber, the overthinker. “Amber! Caleb! It’s time to go.” My mom calls my brother and I. “Coming.” I shout back. I take one last look at my roo...

5 comments 5

Read story

“A Roundabout Way to You” by Erin Webb

Submitted to Contest #155

Turns out there is no heaven or hell. I should know. I just died today. After my final breath left my body I found myself standing in a bland waiting room that reminded me of a dentist's office. Mismatched chairs ran along the wall and a smartly dressed woman sat behind a large desk flanked by two doors. One door had a “G” carved above it, while the other had an “A”. “Hello there!” she said brightly. “Welcome to immortality!” “Thank you, I guess.” Looking at the woman’s name tag I added, “Suzy.” Pulling out a file folder from a...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Chain Reactions” by Mary Dix

Submitted to Contest #155

Just as I am walking out of the grocery store, the bag in my right-hand rips. This starts a chain reaction that sends a bottle of Dr. Pepper skidding across the parking lot. An elderly woman blows through the stop sign in the pedestrian crossing and swerves to miss me. She drives right over the bottle. The pressure creates a mini-explosion which sends the soda shooting out of the bottle and right into my face. I’m standing there, one intact back in my other hand and a pile of groceries at my feet. Dr. Pepper all over me. I have to pick up Gr...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Empty Nest” by Caroline Smith

Submitted to Contest #155

Content warning: Brief mentions of animals being harmed. Stone Scalari lived alone. It was certainly more peaceful than living with his wife and children had been. He was 62. A lifetime of sharing space with loved ones had left him nothing but debt, headaches, and agony. Stone sat on the chaise lounge on his back patio one Saturday morning about a year after Carrie had left. He was holding a mug of coffee to his lips when he heard a dull thunk behind him. He ignored it, took a sip, cursed out loud. Too hot. A bird started chirping weak...

2 comments 2

Read story

“The Email” by Madison Myers

Submitted to Contest #155

Dear Melanie, after what happened at the office last week, we're scheduling in-person one on ones with the entire team to discuss next steps. Please let me know which timeslot works best for you tomorrow: noon, 1:00, 2:00, or 3:00PM. I looked down at my phone to read the email. Immediately it felt weird in my stomach. We were told we'd be off for two weeks after what happened. Especially me, being there the night of the fire. And now I was expected to make time within a day? Was it weird or was I pissed off? Or both? Why were ...

1 comment 1

Read story

“Head in the Clouds” by Pamela Baker

Submitted to Contest #155

The throaty blatt of Les’s MG. I’ve just finished tidying up the bar after the big night. ‘Where to, Tiger?’ Les says. ‘The usual?’ I climb in and we’re off, hood down, shirts ballooning, hair swept back, the slip stream catching at the words we fling at each other. The usual idle banter. Missus keep you home last night? More brownie points to earn yet. Les bought the MG last year when he turned fifty. Cost him a fortune to have it shipped out to the island. He has five kids, so his missus wasn’t impressed. Mind you she’s a...

1 comment 1

Read story

“The story of my life. ” by Feuer Wasser

Submitted to Contest #155

*fowl language* “Listen to me, I still love you, but as a friend, not a husband. I'm sorry. I think we have to tell the kids that we are going through stuff. We don't have to tell all the details, but at least tell them that we -”This was a conversation I heard while laying in bed about a week ago. It was between my parents. I did not hear any more after that because I had thrown my pillow over my head to muffle my screaming. That's all I remember for now, because I blacked out.Even though that conversation was a few weeks ago, they actually...

16 comments 16

Read story

“The Wolf Prince ” by Krysta Anderson

Submitted to Contest #155

Elyria and Koden have been best friends ever since Elyria was born. Over the years Elyria found out she had a special bond with Koden, and she kept a secret with him. At times when they were alone he'd change from a wolf into a man. He had fur that could change colors based on Elyria's moods. Everywhere Elyria went, he went with her. Koden always made sure that Elyria was happy; since she didn't have any other friends to play with. Sure, she talked with the other girls, but none really knew her. And she didn't really know them. One day, Elyr...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Port City” by Valerie Cuffie

Submitted to Contest #155

It was the first time out of state and on a bus by themselves. Josiah continued to stare out the window while replaying his last conversation in his mind. Malachi stirred in the seat next to him, mumbling as he called out for their mother. Turning slightly, Josiah patted his little brother's back to comfort him back to sleep. This had taken a toll on both of them, Malachi was taking it the hardest. Their parents continued to leave messages advising everything was okay. But if everything was okay, why did they have to leave their home? ...

1 comment 1

Read story

“The Interstate” by Cody Olson

Submitted to Contest #155

The interstate across the street never sleeps. A constant hum penetrates the windows of my home at all hours of the day and night, little vibrations finding my ears everywhere I go. The hum doesn’t care if I’m sleeping, eating, writing, crying, or talking; the hum is relentless. You might think the morning and evening rush hours are the loudest, but the bumper to bumper pack moves slow and careful. I imagine a bigger city would be full of horns and sirens, but this is Iowa. Iowans reserve their horn only for the most pressing of situations, ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“Changing Tides” by Brittany Tatman

Submitted to Contest #155

The tides were changing, sending whitecaps careening across the ocean with the ferocious intensity of the little sailboat churning within them. The rain had begun to fall less than an hour before, first a steady shower, then a furious drenching, the surface of the water boiling beneath its punishment. A twelve-foot wave reached over the bow of the boat, its sharp claws slicing into the lines reaching up to the mast and throwing the young man clinging desperately to one onto the deck. The wave threw him against the railing, the ringing impac...

1 comment 1

Read story

“The Vision of Torund” by M.K. Kitch

Submitted to Contest #155

It had been 10 years since I had an intimate moment with someone I loved. My husband, King Aelstan III, and son, Prince Prathelwood, were slain by the beast of Eldermoore, a fierce dragon from the legends of old. My daughter, Princess Aesha, left 14 months after their death and after the countless deaths of warriors, knights, hired swords, and local town drunks who had sworn the oath to come back with the head of the beast. I can never forget the way she looked at me. We were both in pain but I found solace in the fact that I believed ...

0 comments 0

Read story

“22 x 14 x 9” by Molly Killian

Submitted to Contest #155

If Alice had one superpower, it was her ability to get shit done. This first manifested itself in the throes of childhood, in one of the torture prisons known as “Girl Scout camp” where you pack seven outfits but return home wearing the same underwear. All the chatty pre-pubescent girls would gather around the minivans, singing songs about mosquitoes and ill-named, ill-fated children we did not want to become (“she had ten hairs on her head, five were alive and the other five were dead”). The caravan would wind its way through the backwoods...

1 comment 1

Read story

“The Cruise That Changed it All” by Ell Peck

Submitted to Contest #155

Tom was not normally one to dwell on specifics, but when his mother reminded him that he’d promised he would join her on this cruise, he got just the tiniest bit defensive. Because while, yes, he’d technically promised her he’d join her, it wasn’t necessarily without any coercion or guilt-tripping, both of which his mom was absolutely famous for. Because what his mom hadn’t told him was that this cruise would be two weeks long and that her best friend Suzy and her incredibly annoying son Jaz would be joining them.“Honey, you have to give Jaz...

2 comments 2

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that includes a character using the phrase “swings and roundabouts.”

Thanksgiving – 37 stories

Write about a character who gets good and bad news in quick succession — not necessarily in that order.

Angst – 46 stories

Write about a character who is pathologically ambivalent, until something shakes them up.

Narrative – 33 stories

Set your story in a kids’ playground, or at a roundabout.

Kids – 44 stories

Contest #155

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Swings and Roundabouts

$250

Prize money

194

Contest entries

78

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jul 22, 2022 EST

Won by Lonnie Russo 🏆

Title: Someone Has Died

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

Start your story with a character facing a situation that isn't awful, but isn't great.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 34 stories

“Oceanview” by Lauren Puffenberger

“Maine” by S.T. Kit

“A Roundabout Way to You” by Erin Webb

“Chain Reactions” by Mary Dix

“Empty Nest” by Caroline Smith

“The Email” by Madison Myers

“Head in the Clouds” by Pamela Baker

“The story of my life. ” by Feuer Wasser

“The Wolf Prince ” by Krysta Anderson

“Port City” by Valerie Cuffie

“The Interstate” by Cody Olson

“Changing Tides” by Brittany Tatman

“The Vision of Torund” by M.K. Kitch

“22 x 14 x 9” by Molly Killian

“The Cruise That Changed it All” by Ell Peck

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that includes a character using the phrase “swings and roundabouts.”

Write about a character who gets good and bad news in quick succession — not necessarily in that order.

Write about a character who is pathologically ambivalent, until something shakes them up.

Set your story in a kids’ playground, or at a roundabout.

Contest #155

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

194

Contest entries

78

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: