2026 February Flash Fiction Challenge: Day 9

For today's prompt, write about someone at their evening job.

(Note: If your story gets flagged for review, be patient—we will be releasing comments every few hours throughout the weekdays of this challenge. Our system randomly flags comments for review, so just sit tight and wait for us to set it free! If you run into any other issues with posting your story, please just send me an e-mail at mrichard@aimmedia.com with the subject line: Flash Fiction Challenge Commenting Issue.)

Here’s my attempt at a story about someone at their evening job:

Second Job

She doesn’t even like to smoke, but it’s how she can get outside, away from her coworkers, during the mandatory 15. She likes her coworkers, but most of them are either in high school or college. She’s got at least 10 years on her manager, for chrissake.

It’s cold enough out that it feels like shards in her lungs when she breaths in. She jabs the cigarette into her mouth and pinches it between her lips, making it jump to attention. She flicks the lighter once, twice. Shakes it viciously. Flicks it again.

Before she knows what she’s doing, she whips the dead lighter into the staff parking lot. It clatters to the ground and disappears in the shadows. Above her, the buzzing of the lights almost drowns out the sound of her rising misery.

She crouches down and puts her back to the cold concrete of the building. Her breath makes fog which curls up into the night air.

“I have a master’s degree,” she mumbles. The cigarette sags. She closes her eyes and tries not to exist.

In her pocket, her timer goes off. Five more minutes. She doesn’t even feel the urge to cry anymore.

february flash fiction challenge 2026 flash fiction challenge flash fiction february Flash Fiction Prompt Flash Fiction Writing Story Prompt Writing challenge

Moriah RichardAuthor

Since obtaining her MFA in fiction, Moriah Richard has worked with over 100 authors to help them achieve their publication dreams. As the managing editor of Writer’s Digest magazine, she spearheads the world-building column Building Better Worlds, a 2023 Eddie & Ozzie Award winner. She also runs the Flash Fiction February Challenge on the WD blog, encouraging writers to pen one microstory a day over the course of the month and share their work with other participants. As a reader, Moriah is most interested in horror, fantasy, and romance, although she will read just about anything with a great hook. Learn more about Moriah's editorial services and writing classes on her personal website.