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BRUCE MARTIN

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Oct, 2022

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159 Followers
235 Following

50 Stories

1504 karma pts

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A PALE BLUE WOUND

Weekly Contest #337

Behind her, the planetary lander crouched on its five sturdy legs, its hull reflecting Saturn’s distant glow like a dull eye. Above them, huge Saturn covered a third of the sky, its rings laid out like the most spectacular diamond necklace one could imagine. Commander Lia Ivers stepped onto the dry ground, which felt pale and granular, like powdered bone, crunching under her feet. Everything was quiet enough to hear your own heartbeat. “Tripod’s stable,” said Lieutenant Malik Chen through comms. His voice, always calm, had the faintest trem...

15 likes 6 comments 6
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MEETING BEETHOVEN

Weekly Contest #335

The Silence Between Seconds Dr. Helena Arendt had always believed that time was less a river and more a lattice. She envisioned threads stretching in every direction, waiting for the right resonance to pry them open. After thirty years of theoretical physics, collaboration with the most brilliant minds, many sleepless nights, and one miraculous breakthrough involving quantum-entangled chronons, she finally had a machine that could do it. The device was quite large but its appearance was misleadingly simple. It consisted of a dark, vault-like...

21 likes 10 comments 10
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THE ULTIMATE CASINO

Weekly Contest #334

It was the most successful and watched television program of all time. Every Friday evening at 8 o’clock, half the country and viewers from around the world came to a standstill, as millions tuned in to root for the contestants. But, in a rather sick and disturbing way, the viewers were not necessarily rooting for them to win. The rules were quite simple. It was gambling taken to the ultimate level. The potential reward was spectacular: $50 million was the top prize. However, the potential downside was equally spectacular. Each hopeful playe...

13 likes 2 comments 2
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YOU COULD BET YOUR LIFE ON IT

Weekly Contest #333

Bucky McKeever was sick and tired of not having it all. Everywhere he looked, he saw men living large; high on the hog, if you will. As a low-level manager at a large investment firm, he was surrounded by the high-voltage energy of day-trading and financial wheelings and dealings. His boss, Mr. Jonathan Stevens, a man of only 35, was already a multi-millionaire; a graduate of Wharton Business School and a mergers and acquisitions expert, he could earn more in one deal than Bucky made in a year. Bucky McKeever developed a plan to remedy this...

14 likes 1 comment 1
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THE LOVE OF MY LIFE

Weekly Contest #330

Evan Sanderval was not accustom to keeping secrets, especially from his closest friend, Robert. Together they survived engineering school - the caffeine shots, the failed prototypes, the long nights arguing about whether consciousness could ever be simulated or reproduced. Their camaraderie was as strong as between two Army buddies. So when Robert detected an unusual tone in Evan’s voice on the phone, he immediately arranged a meeting for a talk over coffee. They sat by the café window, where the late afternoon sun spilled like honey across ...

13 likes 5 comments 5
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THE NECKLACE

Weekly Contest #329

Ethan Valentine was polite, gentle, sweet, and almost invisible in a crowd — which suited him just fine. He worked quietly at the lower level of his family’s company, Vale Diamonds, though few people knew his last name was associated with the one engraved on glittering storefronts across the world. His father, the company’s founder, had overseen the growth of his business into a global powerhouse. And he reveled in teaching the business to Ethan from the ground up. Ethan wanted someone to love him — not the name, not the fortune, not the pro...

10 likes 2 comments 2
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THE CAPTIVES

Weekly Contest #281

I have been a prisoner in this camp for more than one year. Many of us have died, mostly at the hands of our captors, but some from disease and trauma. Somehow, I have survived, but it hasn’t been easy. They beat us mercilessly today with leather straps. At least four men surrounded us and whipped us. They yelled at us, “Move, you stinking beasts!” They made us run into a wooden structure, then locked us in. I was afraid they would light the structure on fire with us locked inside. But whipping is not the worst. One of the men used a red hot...

19 likes 14 comments 14
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THE NIGHTMARE

Weekly Contest #267

(This story contains issues of health, including HIV infection.)There is a well-known aphorism warning people not to get sick just before or during the July 4th weekend. Why, you ask? Because July 1 is the day each year that a new crop of interns takes the reins of medical management in the hospital wards throughout the United States. Yes, they have completed medical school, and yes, they are bright, industrious young doctors. But they lack one indispensable quality: Experience. Of course, there is ample oversight. The prior year’s inte...

9 likes 5 comments 5
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RETRIBUTION AND REDEMPTION

Weekly Contest #263

Billy Matthews was a delicate child. Thin of build and sensitive of soul, he was just the kind of young person sought by bullies. And, as one would expect, bullies did find him. His tormenter, Scott Russell, was a hulking, aggressive boy with a huge chip on his shoulder. With the advantage of having older and younger brothers with whom to fight and play, his personality, confidence and physical skills were forged into a powerhouse. Boys like Scott tended to be charismatic as well, attracting a coterie of followers who feel empowered by being...

29 likes 17 comments 17
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THE EXPRESS TRAIN

Weekly Contest #260

Jack stood on the subway platform awaiting his express train. It had been a long, arduous day at work, as usual, and he could think of nothing else but getting home to his loving family, having a warm supper and a good night’s sleep. His wife, Jill, despite being loud and shrill, was always there to greet him with a hug and kiss. And his three daughters, eleven, thirteen and fifteen, despite often sounding like a gaggle of honking geese, were always happy to see him.  Leaning against a subway post, he allowed himself to drift into ...

11 likes 4 comments 4
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THE COCKTAIL PARTY

Weekly Contest #194

As luck would have it, the cocktail party brought together two masters of the English language. On the one hand, Arthur Lambert was a highly respected professor of English and creative writing. On the other hand, Tom Salinger was a well-known and celebrated author of short stories and novels.Professor Lambert approached the famed author and introduced himself.“Hello, Mr. Salinger. I’m so happy to have the opportunity to meet you. I’m a great fan of your writing. In fact, I use your writing in my graduate classes as a...

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MY PREFERRED PRONOUNS

As a young child, Harvey Hickock tended to gravitate towards what one might consider feminine activities. For example, he preferred to play with dolls and flowers rather than the military figures, tanks and building blocks that were his older brother’s fascination. As a teenager, Harvey seemed to be more comfortable around girls, but only in a platonic sense. He did not seem to desire them the way his classmates did.Therefore, it was no surprise to anyone when Harvey announced that he identified as a woman.Feeling deep down that he would alw...

7 likes 6 comments 6
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FIVE POUNDS OF FOOD

Weekly Contest #191

The Big Texan is a ranch and restaurant in Amarillo, Texas. It was founded in 1960 on Route 66, serving the finest Texas barbecue, but moved to its current location just off Route 40 in Amarillo in April, 1971. The owner originated the 72-ounce Steak Challenge, and when the new facility opened, the Challenge became famous.   It wasn’t long before this ranch became an iconic destination. Many customers have tried their appetites on the 72-ounce Steak Challenge, but only about 10% succeed. The 72-ounce Steak Challenge is very simple.&...

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THE INTERVIEW

Weekly Contest #191

Fred burst into the kitchen and proclaimed excitedly, “Honey, I have great news!”His wife, Furn, spun around and responded, “Oh, Fred, you know I love good news! What is it?”Fred held back just for a moment to heighten the tension.“Well, do you remember the position I applied for last week?”Furn’s eyes widened. “Do you mean the director job at Platinum Industries?”Fred chuckled. “Director job? That’s a modest way of describing it. If I get this position, I would be running an entire division. Platinum is initiat...

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AN ATHEIST AND A RELIGIOUS ZEALOT GO PARASAILING

Weekly Contest #189

Allan Rivers had always dreamed of visiting Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Several of his friends had been there and raved about the wonderful hotels, lavish dining, and excellent water activities. Most of all, Allan wanted to try his hand at parasailing, and the main resort specialized in that.  Arrangements were made, and Allan and his wife flew in for a week of relaxation and fun. Allan made sure to register for parasailing at the hotel concierge desk, while his wife signed up for an afternoon of spa treatment.   The following mor...

22 likes 12 comments 12
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