Catch-22 an Unofficial Challenge

Welcome to one and all. I haven't hosted an unofficial challenge in a long old time. I took a brief hiatus from vocal as my writing mind stewed, but now I'm back in full flow and loving it once more.

And with that comes another unofficial challenge which the keen eyed of you hopefully will have noticed from the title is completely and entirely based off of the phrase Catch-22 - which most of you will know originated from the book… Catch-22.

The original:

The catch-22 from the novel traps a soldier in combat duty. There is a rule which states a pilot can be grounded on the basis that they are insane, however to apply for exemption proves the pilot is in fact sane.

Meaning that a sane person would not be able to be grounded, despite wanting to, as them applying falsifies the claim. Whereas an insane person would want to fly missions.

A paradoxical dilemma!

My request:

Please write a fiction which either includes or centers around a paradoxical dilemma.

Criteria:

Short stories only please! As a guide I would like anything under 1500 words. This could be stretched, but not by a lot as I don't have all the time in the world at the moment!

This is also more than my usual word count limit because I feel it might need more. If you can keep it short please do, however if you can't, post it anyway and I will read it!

Must contain a paradoxical dilemma.

Once your story is published, please comment on this post, and link your story otherwise I won't find it!

I will add the stories I see in the comments onto this post, so check back after a few days to make sure your story got added, and if it didn't, comment again to give me a new notification.

Yes, you absolutely can link stories already written and published if they fit the criteria!

You may submit as many entries per person as you would like!! As long as they all fit the criteria :)

Please link this challenge in your story as well, so others can get attracted to the challenge and add their own entries!

And most importantly, have fun, enjoy yourself, and don't stress out too much, because I know I do!

P.S. Yes I did copy most of this wording from my previous challenges.

Deadlines:

I'm starting this challenge, today, on the 10th December 2025, and the last submissions will be accepted on the 11:59 (GMT) Sunday 11th January 2026 (which is weird to write, I might add).

Depending on how many submissions there are will depend on the results, but I will aim for Sunday 24th January.

Prizes?

Yes, you will get some prizes, I promise. I have a small pot that I can dip into, so I will gift $10 in total.

Prizes as follows;

1st: $5

2nd: $3

3rd: $2

Please come back to this page in early October and make sure your story got added to the post! If it didn't, once again nudge me and I'll sort it!

I think that's everything, if you have any questions comment them down below!

Thank you and enjoy!

Liam Storm

Entries:

1. The Sobriety Clause - Diane Foster

2. Choice - Mike Singleton

3. The Baker's Paradox - Matthew J. Fromm

4. I Want to Be Immortal, But Not in Hell! - Lana V Lynx

5. Para Bellum - Paul Stewart