Loveday Writing

The brief of the AWC Furious Fiction – November 2025 short story competition was as follows:

• Your story had to take place on a GAME SHOW.
• Your story had to include a metaphor that describes the host.
• One contestant had to be eliminated in some way during the story.
• Your story had to include the words BUNDLE, NEVER, VIOLENT.

***

The Final Reveal

Today was finally the day where everything was revealed.

Molly spent weeks working her way through her grand plan and the contestants, there was only two other contestants left, Ian and Jan.

The three of them took the final quiz locked in the cells that once housed violent prisoners centuries ago – the ante upped from the usual hotel room to make the finale and final reveal more exciting.

All three of them were given keys on each of their cell doors’ food pass. The host stood outside the locked cells doors like a sleeping volcano, his eerie stillness holding the audience at home watching breathless, as they waited for the inevitable reveal that would shatter the silence. The host informed them that the winner’s key would unlock their cell.

After the sound of rattling echoed in the prison for thirty seconds, the winner; Jan, came out and was congratulated by the host. The host reminded Jan and the audience watching about the prize bundle she would be taking home, before giving her another key to open another door.

Jan wiped away her tears and put the key into the lock of the cell door next to her, opening Molly’s cell. Jan and Molly hugged, with Jan laughing as she said “I knew it was you from day one!”

Jan then asked the host for Ian to be let out to join them. The host let Ian out, who smiled at both ladies.

Ian never suspected that Molly was the Mole, which is why he was always going to lose, even in this final round.