The Unhappy Ending

The Prompt

Some endings close things off. Others leave them exposed.

This challenge invites you to write a story that allows its outcome to remain unresolved in a harder way. What happens cannot be taken back, and nothing steps in to soften it. The ending should feel final in its own terms, even if it resists neat conclusion.

Pay attention to what’s left behind. Let the story stop where it must, and trust the weight of what remains instead of trying to explain it away.

Thank you for the suggestion Amos Glade, if you have an idea for a challenge prompt drop it in the comment section here.

In order for your submission to qualify, it must be:

• Between 600 and 3,000 words.
• Submitted to the Fiction community. Your story will be disqualified if it is submitted to any other community.
• Submitted before April 24, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST.
• Your work must be original and unpublished.

The Prizes

• 5 Winners: $200 each
• 15 Runners-up: $15 each
• 10 Honorable Mentions: $5 each

For your story to be eligible, it must be between 600 and 3,000 words and adhere to our Community Guidelines.

Stories published on Vocal and entered into the Challenge up until April 24, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.

The The Unhappy Ending Challenge is exclusive to Vocal+ members. To learn more and upgrade to Vocal+, visit https://vocal.media/vocal-plus.

To be eligible to win, you must be over the age of 13 and reside in a country where Stripe is available at the time of entry. A complete list of countries where Stripe is available can be found here—winners will need a Stripe account created and connected to receive prizes. Entrants located outside of these countries will not be eligible to win.