Howdy hoo people! This is @ntowl bringing you this edition of Finish the Story. When I joined the team to manage the contest I had one request: that I could bring a lighter side to it. Usually the stories tend towards the dark, twisted, and even profane. If you’ve been here a while I know you excel at that type of story and writing.

I’m here this week to challenge you to stretch yourself to write about the brighter, lighter side of things. Don’t get me wrong. It can still be weird and strange. In fact, I encourage it to be so (we don’t want to get bored after all), but let your fanciful self guide the story to new heights of positivity, humor, or inspiration while avoiding trite or cliche elements.

Of course you’re always free to write the ending however you like, just know I’m the judge 😉 .

This week’s prompt is provided by @zeldacroft who happens to be my amazing, talented daughter. She’s been away from Steem for awhile but I’m pulling her (and myself) back into it. Show some love and make some amazing endings!

If you’ve never written an ending before now’s the time to try!

Next, here’s a little something from @f3nix about the newest reward to the contest.

THE FIRE TOKEN!

This is a unique opportunity to win through the FtS contest a good quantity of this very promising token during its very early development stage. Courtesy of the FIRE Team, we got a generous donation for this and maybe also for the next edition.
What's special about FIRE? Well, as you can see it's a deflationary self-burning token. Quoting the website: every transaction burns automatically 10% of the transfer amount. FIRE Token is just like Bitcoin, a deflationary token and store of value for everyone! This ERC-20 Ethereum token is intended to be used as a store of value due to its built-in burn mechanism that ensures your investment will grow in value long-term. In these times in which every FIAT currency loses value year after year due to inflationary monetary policies, who doesn't love a coin like this (not to mention the recent hype for these kinds of cryptos - see the BOMB self-destructing token and it's price spike).

In order to compete for the token reward we want to see you joining the FIRE Discord Pioneers, and obviously, you need an ERC-20 wallet to allow me to transfer the token to the winners! I personally use Myetherwallet - MEW, but you can use any other ERC-20 compatible wallet.

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THE PRIZES!

What treasures await within the @Curie & @Crowdmind & FIRE TOKEN Team @ enhanced Bananafish chest?

1st place: n. 5 STEEM + 500 SNAX + 300 FIRE tokens

2nd place: n. 3 STEEM + 300 SNAX + 100 FIRE tokens

3rd place: n. 2 STEEM & 200 SNAX tokens

Popular vote: n. 7 @steembasicincome shares
(Please note there is a minimum of three votes to active the popular vote reward so don't forget to vote for your favorite story!)

Best comment: n. 3 @steembasicincome shares.
Thanks to @curie's generous funding we reintroduced this reward! We are looking for an insightful curation comment. It doesn't have to be necessary long or flamboyant.

To receive your SNAX rewards, you'll need to have a SNAX wallet.
For those who like instructions with photos, here's a handy tutorial.

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Map of the Bananafish Realms from a squirrelly perspective!

• Share the love and tell a friend about the contest!

• Join the Bananafish Realms discord chat for fresh updates and other amenities.

• Vote, vote, vote your favorite story in the comments below!

• Use the #finishthestory tag.

• Try to post your story as early possible and not at the last moment (or after the results! argh!) to give people a chance to read yours before they vote.

• Respect the dreadful 500 words limit! o_0

• Help our contest & workshop to grow by giving it some visibility and consider linking back to this post in your entry.

And now let's dive into this week's story!

Coaster Town

^{by @zeldacroft}

“Carl, I’m not telling you again. No.” The teen shook his head emphatically as he shut his locker. John started to walk away, with Carl close behind. Most of the students had already escaped after the release of the final bell, leaving the two teens mostly alone as they exited the grimy public school halls.

“Aw c’mon, man, my first shift starts tomorrow and I promised you’d be there,” Carl begged.

“I don’t understand, why did you even take the job if you knew you needed another person?”

“Because I knew I could count on you. My oldest, most bestest friend. Buddy, Old Pal?” He nudged John in the ribs, who rolled his eyes and started walking faster out of the building. John could feel his resistance waning under the shallow arguments and incessant prodding. Saturdays were valuable, but it was almost summer and getting a job wouldn’t be so bad if he could do it with a friend. He could still make Carl work for it though.

“I don’t know, I’m not liking all this peer pressure,” he teased. “Mrs. Campbell would be very disappointed in you.”

“Peer pressure doesn’t include perks like Coaster Town has,” Carl clarified.

“What perks?” John questioned.

Carl stopped and faced him, taking a dramatic, deep breath.

“Fifteen percent off park entry!” He exclaimed, inciting an amused eyebrow raise from John and a chuckle from a passing teacher. “Plus a free pass for the Twister of Doom and free hamburgers from the café!”

“Oh, I’m sure unlimited hamburgers won’t get old fast.”

“They pay over minimum wage, too. Seriously, this could be our big opportunity for some cash before summer hits.”

They were nearly outside, the fresh late-spring air drifting in through the open door. It was a nice change from the mustiness and body spray overdoses, and it made John almost look forward to working at a theme park. He felt the call of freedom in the form of sunlight breaching through the school windows. Stepping outside, the afternoon warmth of the sidewalk between the brick institution and the emptying parking lot won him over.

“Did you say we get to work outside?” John asked. Carl’s face lit up with optimism.

“Yep, at least most of the time.” John stepped next to his bike, one of the last few chained nearby. He ignored the eager inquisitiveness emanating from Carl as he unshackled the bicycle and stood up.

“Well, I suppose I could give it a try, anyway,” he conceded. Carl did a strange sort of clapping dance motion as his grin grew its customary vastness.

“Thanks John, you won’t be sorry,” he promised as he proceeded to unhook his own bike. “And don’t worry, they provide our costume and everything.” John halted.

“Wait, our costume? Singular?” John could have sworn he heard the job description as entertainers, plural.

“Yeah, the mascot costume. I haven’t seen it yet but I’m sure we’ll fit.” Carl climbed onto his bike as John filled with horrific regret.

Let’s grow together!

The wise pectin-packed Bananafish wants all of its beloved people to benefit from rich upvotes. The more of us join the trail or delegate SP, the more our vote on your entries is worth.

Unity is strength, if you would like to contribute to the cause, click here to delegate 25 SP, 10 SP or find out here how to delegate an amount of your choosing!

Following the voting trail is an effortless way to make sure you always support the other participants to the Bananafish contests, automatically upvoting the posts (but not the comments) @bananafish upvotes. It only takes a few minutes to join, you can find all the instruction on how here. So check it out and make the most of your voting power while supporting your fellow bananites!

Let’s raise a glass to @foffelius, @steelochlaver, @f3nix, @marcoriccardi, @anixio, @gwilberiol, @calluna, @ntowl, @dirge, @seesladen, @theironfelix, @letalis-laetitia, @vdux, @felixgarciap, @tristancarax, @khasa, @stever82, @brisby, @drazeus, @robinsonr810, @michaias who are already in the trail.

Join the fun! Here is how this contest works:

• An unfinished fiction story or a script is posted.

• You finish it with your own post (use the #finishthestory as your first tag). A limit of 500 words is recommended.

• 10 STEEM, 10 @steembasicincome shares & 1000 SNAX, plus today's special FIRE reward, to the writers with the best endings.
  
  

GOOD LUCK, BRAVE STORYTELLERS!