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Author on Reedsy Prompts since May, 2023
Submitted to Contest #215
THE BEST LAID PLANS... The two men watched as the bus approached in the darkness. The only passenger to alight walked slowly, head down, towards his home, a modest, single storey house. One of the car’s occupants snapped away with his camera as the bespectacled man, unaware of being observed, entered his dwelling. An hour later, at another house closer to the city, four men and a woman gathered to inspect the photographs they had developed. Along with those taken on that suburban thoroughfare, were several others captured by other memb...
ARMAGEDDON The two faced each other across the vast bedchamber of the Presidential palace. The President, himself, hair tousled, pyjamas rumpled, having been stirred from his sleep, was sitting up in bed, adjusting his plump, silk encased pillows so that he could, more comfortably, address the intruder and disturber of his slumbers. “You startled me. I wasn’t expecting you so soon”. “You call. I come. Hasn’t that always been the way?” The speaker, a debonair, bearded man of indescribable age, dressed, head to toe, in black, spoke...
DAMNED I walk these filthy streets, searching, seeking my prey. For so long, my urges were held in check, just. I am filled with self loathing for how I feel yet I am unable to curtail my murderous activities now that I have finally acted; given vent to my twisted lusts after so many weeks of tortuous, agonising denial. Who shall stop me now? Only God, if there be such a thing. Yet, how can there be a God that can allow a person such as myself to exist in a metropolis such as this, full of foulness and destitution, attracting more and ...
Submitted to Contest #214
THE INTRUDER I’m not sure exactly when he started coming around but, literally, it was like, one minute he wasn’t there and, the next, he was constantly in our lives; and I mean constantly. We, Billy and I, were told to call him “Uncle” Fred but he was no uncle of mine. I knew all my uncles and aunts and cousins; had done forever. I’d grown up knowing them. Even the ones we only saw every couple of years, we still knew about them, talked about them. So I knew this guy was no relative. Billy was too young and just did as he was told. Maybe th...
PAST THE SELL BY DATE Yes, I suppose you could say that I’ve been incredibly fortunate. I’m certainly grateful; Phyllis, my sister, too. We’ve led rather a charmed life, seen and experienced things that most people could only dream about. And it’s all down to our father and mother and the extraordinary lives they have lived. So, no, I don’t feel anything but gratitude, thank you very much. Well, all things have an upside and a downside, don’t they? I mean have you walked around Olympus Mons on Mars? Set up a tent and camped there? No, ...
BRIGHT STAR I can hear her, my sister. She has dressed up in her new uniform so that mother can have a look at her before she starts school tomorrow. She obviously looks good, judging by my mother’s hushed tones of awe. They are only next door, for God’s sake. Do they think I have lost my sense of hearing on top of everything else? There’s no sense in keeping all this from me for Caroline, my twin, will come in to say goodbye in the morning and I’ll see her in uniform anyway. I’m not envious, after all. Okay, maybe I am, just a little bit. I...
Submitted to Contest #213
THE WORST JOB IN THE WORLD“Hello. Welcome. Do you have any jewellery on you? Any metal objects? Cell phone? Are you on medication of any kind? Please remove all clothing and, when you’re ready, step back outside. Thank you”.The long dark haired, pretty faced orderly smiled reassuringly at the latest patient as she took the name tag the old woman handed her and ticked off the name on her clipboard. The gold coloured, metal badge pinned to the medical assistant’s white coat read Reza. Reza’s voice generator, programmed to mimic human...
PROTEGEMax left the building on Prinz-Albrecht-Strasse feeling exhilarated following his meeting. As he stood beneath the panoply of red flags, all proudly displaying the swastika emblem of Nazi Germany, he took in a deep breath of the frigid November air. Finally, he had a clarity of purpose; a reason to look forward to the future with real optimism.Ever since he had returned home from university, Max Brandt had been listless, unhappy, unsure of what his life might have in store for him. His father, Gerhardt, a wealthy industrialist was ail...
PLAYED GUNNER “Why don’t you tell us something of your everyday life? Your living and working conditions; life for others around you. We know your purpose, of course, but we would all love to hear about conditions generally”. The soldier, strongly built, muscles rippling beneath his waterproof lycra top, stared at the gathering, a hundred or more cave dwellers, looking upon him with a mixture of fear, awe and hatred. Two of this community, older, were doing all the talking. “I...can’t seem to move. My fingers and toes are num...
Submitted to Contest #212
THE PRETTY ONEIt was the first time since her father’s death that she had visited her mother and sister at their new home. She had wanted it to be a surprise; to show that her inherited, unasked for role would not mean a drastic change in their lives. While her father had lived, they had all been so happy, dwelling a quatre, sharing every aspect of their exalted status, her beloved sister her closest companion.How happy they had been. It seemed that nothing could ever come between them. Of course, she had, from the age of six, been groomed t...
TANGLED WEBS “Ella, you cannot be serious. This is insane!” Maureen, Ella’s best friend, banged on the bathroom door where her boon companion had locked herself in. “I can’t do it. I can’t. Just leave me alone”. “Sweetheart, honey, this is it. This is everything you’d hoped for. You can’t just get cold feet now”. Maureen could hear Ella sobbing hysterically behind the locked door and tried desperately to think of how she could resolve this stand off, deciding, after a few moments, that, probably, continuing...
THE WAR TO END ALL WARS August 9th 1914 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx My darling Gertie I write this brief letter shortly before we embark. The two horses are stowed safely. Altogether, there are xx cavalry divisions crossing the channel tonight and conditions are chaotic as you can imagine. God alone knows what part horses will play in this enterprise but the xxx Lancers shall do our very best. Look after our dear boys. You may find this letter heavily redacted as we have been advised that all mail is to pa...
Submitted to Contest #211
THE AGE OF INNOCENCEThey sat on the grass outside the village library awaiting Toby’s return; he having been sent to scope out the building. They watched as he walked back towards them, a mournful look on his face.“It’s the old battle-axe on duty. She absolutely loathes me so I daren’t ask her. What do we do now?’Miss Aznavour, the librarian, at the age of 36, hardly qualified for Toby’s description of being old. Nor was she a battle-axe. Rather, in her usual twin set and pearls, she was the epitome of a woman who had long given up hope of f...
NEMESISBeyond the castle walls, the wind raged violently, the heavy falling snow unable to withstand its great force as it was swept north against its natural flow. The country all around, bleak and desolate, was blanketed in a coat of white that helped disguise its normal barrenness.Would he come? The Earl paced nervously in front of the enormous fireplace that blasted out its heat to counter the freezing air that entered through the windowless balistraria; the vaulted ceilings of this great hall towering high above the lone occupier, the m...
HOMECOMING But come ye back when summer’s in the meadow Or when the valley’s hushed and white with snow ’Tis I’ll be here in sunshine or in shadow Oh, Danny boy, oh Danny Boy, I love you so The flickering flames of the fireplace, the only light illuminating the room, combined with the sweet scent of the turf, welcoming me home. The firelight, in the dimness of the cottage, casts its glow upon the outline of the old woman, wreathed in her black shawl, as she rocks back and forth, humming quietly to herself. She senses my presence. “Is ...
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