Your character gets everything they ever wanted — only to realize the true cost.

Posted in Short Story on Sep 13, 2024

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✍️ 73 stories

“The Lonely Price of Ambition” by Charlotte Hall

Submitted to Contest #268

Olivia worked so hard. She woke up as early as the sun rose, was one of the first people at the office, one of the last to leave, and the only thing that granted her some reprieve was her husband. The only time she could relax was when she was sitting down for her evening meal with him. Olivia was quite satisfied with her life, but she always felt that something was missing, and one day, she realised that what she was doing at work just wasn’t enough. She knew she would have to start spending a lot more time working, working even when she go...

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“Mestartes, Chosen of the High House” by Max Cochran

Submitted to Contest #268

Mestartes of Elair had always been a simple man. Oh, Mestartes, his father had told him once, you’re a good boy, a simple boy, just like me. To be simple is a good thing, my son, a simple man can grow up in a rich land like ours and be grateful, he can merely do his small part to help the rest of us and be satisfied with his place. He can live, marry, start a family, and keep that family safe and well-fed. These things– Family, friends, food, and fun– Will make a simple man happy, and a man who lives happily can go on to the next world ...

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“Vespera's Curse” by Rachel Young

Submitted to Contest #268

Dorian’s phone rattled the table. Ugh, what the hell do they want now?! “Dad” lit up the screen. Call rejected, he’d call the old man back later. A text came through. “Just wanted to say hi. Call when you can.” He sighed and unlocked his phone. He began scrolling through social media. Hours passed. He wished for an adventure to end the monotony. Alexa’s obnoxious beeping jolted him awake. The shower thoughts filled his head while he fantasized about winning arguments with his boss, beating up childhood bullies, and saving the day. ...

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“Trashy Todd´s Treasure” by Christian Banna

Submitted to Contest #268

CW: This story contains references to substance abuse, mental health issues, and suicide.Hey there, Stan, My Man. Happy New Year and all that. Hopefully not too happy though, considering...Anyway, that intro only works if you find this book after you've come back to campus.(IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY FOUND THIS BOOK BEFORE LEAVING FOR CHRISTMAS VACATION, DON'T READ ANY FURTHER. GO TO PAGE 110.)BTW, if you hadn’t already guessed, it’s Todd.Okay, so now that that's out of the way, let me tell you why I made this book specifically for you, My Man, Sta...

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“The Price of Ambition” by Andrew Geesey

Submitted to Contest #268

The city skyline shimmered in the distance, reflecting the success Ethan had craved since he was a child. He moved swiftly through the bustling streets, dressed in tailored suits, his steps echoing against the pavement. Everything he touched turned to gold—at least, that’s how it seemed from the outside.Ethan had always been the ambitious one, constantly chasing after the next big thing. His older brother, Sam, was different content running their father’s modest repair shop, a family business that had been in their hands for generations. Whe...

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“Thawing” by Sophie Fisher

Submitted to Contest #268

Mary Jane listened to the crowd roar. Their excited energy spilled into the cool shadows right off stage, where she stood. She stood still nestled in the darkness, her thoughts steady and organized, only amplified by the crowd's ecstatic uproar. The air was electric with anticipation. Mary Jane composed herself, dusting off the invisible fuzz from her stunning navy pantsuit and smoothing back a non-existent stray hair. Mary Jane was the perfect image of a successful confident woman. She was a New York best-selling author, and her work sold g...

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“LUST FOR DURIANS, THE KING OF FRUITS” by Annisha Elsa

Submitted to Contest #268

LUST FOR DURIANS, THE KING OF FRUITS.-------------------------------------Keegan Kannan stood with folded arms at the entrance of the Trattoria Italian Restaurant, scrutinizing the flurry of activities on a Friday evening. There was a 1:10 ratio of managers to customers and yet John, the new General Manager insisted on his assistance at the fine dining, one level below the reception floor. Keegan had a 12-hour shift. In that, 10 hours of standing. His knees ached without mercy. He raised a quizzical eyebrow, accentuating irritation at John's...

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“You Made Your Bed, Now You Gotta Sleep In It” by Allysa Agnes

Submitted to Contest #268

Rude people still live among us… And they don’t always hide. It’s a story about a man who was a tyrant to everybody around… Even to his family. Please learn from this example, and never live this way, my dear reader. It all has started during the World War II. It was a very though time for such a little boy like Adam. He saw with his own eyes what the war means, and this experience defined his life forever. He was only with his mother when the war eventually ended… But it wasn’t always like that because he also had a fantastic father and a l...

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“I Met the Gancanagh in Glendalough Forest” by Bethany Knaff

Submitted to Contest #268

Although I didn’t know it was what he was at the time, I came face to face with the fae for the first time when I was twenty-seven. I had taken my camera out to the forest in Co. Wicklow and was running my hand back and forth through the water at the lakes edge, shifting through the stones as they caught the sunlight in sparkles of cobalt and sterling. A movement out the corner of my eye catches my attention. He was watching me. Across the shore, half hidden by the shade of the large oak trees, a younger man with dark hair and too-wide mouth...

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“Jenn's Big Blow Up” by Ali Mills

Submitted to Contest #268

Four hours of research, fifty-six takes, fourteen useless hashtags. And Jennifer Wilcher’s latest movietok gets twenty freaking views. She doesn’t get it. She’s studied the algorithms. She maintains a consistent posting schedule. She interacts with all her followers. Movies are her brand, but she shares other things too. Pictures of heart-foamed lattes; reels of her sweet Labrador Joey barking at himself in the mirror; her recommended reads. Yesterday, in the spirit of Pi Day, she ranked the best math movies of all time—A Beautiful Mind, Hid...

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“The Quiet of Consequences ” by Valkyrie Cain

Submitted to Contest #268

After Must it always be so loud in this place? The thought echoing in my mind, not for the first time since I had stepped into my classroom. Boys ran up and down the walls and all sorts of sports balls tossed over heads. I sat silently as people talked around the desks. It was as is nobody ever stayed in one place for too long. Nothing was permanent or could possibly be stable anymore, could it? No, no, we're beyond that. I sighed loudly, accidently disturbing the quiet chatter of the little group. My eyes slid across the people crowded in t...

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“The Cost of Healing Others” by Ashley Shafer

Submitted to Contest #268

STORY CONTAINS SOME DEPICTION OF VIOLENCE, MENTAL HEALTH, PROFANITY, DARK HUMOR ASHLEY SHAFER The Cost of Healing Others Here we go again. It’s freaking 2:30 a.m. in the morning. I begrudgingly get out of my bed, taking off my comfy work shorts (honestly, they’re like basketball shorts), slide on my pants with its many pockets, and quickly shove my feet into my black boots. My boots have laces like normal work boots, but these also have a zipper on the side. It’s really nice when you’re barely awake and rushing to get out the door. I go to t...

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“Spa-Tacular” by Jessica Livolsi

Submitted to Contest #268

Taylor took a deep breath, taking in the scent of the Seattle rain before entering the busy city building. Her heels clicked on the tile floor heading toward the elevator to clock in for the day at the Spa-Tacular Corporation. When the elevator doors slid open, the sound of keyboards ticking away amplified by the northwest rain tapping the windows flooded her senses. Taylor sat at her desk and used her front facing camera on her phone to adjust her red lipstick and smooth out her tight brown pony tail. Once satisfied, she straighten h...

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Your character gets everything they ever wanted — only to realize the true cost.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 73 stories

“The Lonely Price of Ambition” by Charlotte Hall

“Mestartes, Chosen of the High House” by Max Cochran

“Vespera's Curse” by Rachel Young

“Trashy Todd´s Treasure” by Christian Banna

“The Price of Ambition” by Andrew Geesey

“Thawing” by Sophie Fisher

“LUST FOR DURIANS, THE KING OF FRUITS” by Annisha Elsa

“You Made Your Bed, Now You Gotta Sleep In It” by Allysa Agnes

“I Met the Gancanagh in Glendalough Forest” by Bethany Knaff

“Jenn's Big Blow Up” by Ali Mills

“The Quiet of Consequences ” by Valkyrie Cain

“The Cost of Healing Others” by Ashley Shafer

“Spa-Tacular” by Jessica Livolsi

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about someone seeking forgiveness for their past actions.

A character’s life of deceit unravels as their past catches up with their present. What are the consequences?

Start a story with someone receiving a message from their past self, warning them of the consequences of their actions.

Center your story around a character’s attempt to escape a bad situation that inadvertently leads them back to the source of their problems.

Contest #268

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

286

Contest entries

129

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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