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Daniel R. Hayes

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Dec, 2020

Stories (82)
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1055 Followers
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82 Stories

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My Father's Words

Submitted to Contest #255

“When life throws you crackers, you have to deal with the crumbs.” Straight from my father’s lips to my inner soul, I never understood the meaning of those words until now. He first said them to me on the banks of the Tygart Valley River on a cool summer morning just before the humid heat had a chance to bake the day. The fish weren’t biting, and I remember icy daggers stabbing my heart. Somehow, he knew how I felt. “It’s okay,” he would say. “It’s not about the fish.”  I remember those long walks home after a hectic day at Jennings ...

35 likes 38 comments 38
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What A Day Yesterday Was

(CW: Murder, blood, gore, violence.) Ben Warden opened his eyes and let the white light penetrate his soul. The cream-colored walls lacked sympathy and the shrill beeping sounds pounded his ears like a construction crew working overtime on a busy Friday afternoon. He tried to scream, but something was lodged in his esophagus. His arms lacked the strength to move, and a dark cloud of weariness licked his consciousness. “Now, now, deary,” a feminine voice whispered. “Stay still while I fetch the doctor.” As the ventilation tube was remo...

16 likes 17 comments 17
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A Legendary Love

Submitted to Contest #253

“I wish we could stay here forever,” Althea said, staring into Mesa’s hazel eyes. He pulled her close and pressed his soft lips on her forehead. “It really is a beautiful place,” he said warmly. “We’ve been coming to this secret spot in the jungle for years, and every single time…you make me want to stay.” One look at Althea’s cocoa eyes, and he knew it was true. She always had a tender way with her love; it was a precious gift he would never take for granted. “You make me want to stay too, Meu Tesouro.” Althea’s nickname for Mesa meant my...

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King Mesa

(This is a continuation of High-Heeled Princess) Althea’s gleaming black hair flowed like a majestic river flowing through a beautiful countryside as Mesa eagerly followed her through a vast jungle behind their village. The scent of white tea and citrus permeated his senses and filled him with glee. The aroma was a delicate blend of soft perfumes made from natural ingredients because Althea had sensitive skin, and nothing else would do. Mesa understood that completely because he suffered from skin allergies, too. If a single pollen spor...

24 likes 15 comments 15
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High-Heeled Princess

Submitted to Contest #250

A soft, red petal gently kissed Mesa’s front door and floated in through his mother’s kitchen window like a love bird searching the lands for a new suitor. The warm breeze delivered the delicate parcel to the table just before Mesa could take a bite of his Frosted O’s.“Mama, look what the wind blew in!” Mesa said with a dash of exhilaration. “What is it?”Lola removed the scrambled eggs from the hot stove and brushed them on an empty plate. She turned her attention to Mesa, who was wearing his Ninja Turtles pajamas, and smiled. His black hair...

39 likes 43 comments 43
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The Field of Crystal Dreams

Submitted to Contest #249

(CW: Violence) The aroma of cedarwood and cheap beer filled the air like smoke from a forest fire. Tapping cowboy boots and high-heeled stilettoes matched the raunchy country music blasting from the hi-def speakers in Old Charlie’s Bar. It was a Saturday night, and the place was packed with stressed-out patrons who wanted to let loose and have some fun after a long work week. A sea of flannel shirts, blue jeans, and twirling summer dresses filled the dance floor like one would expect, and every seat at the bar was taken. Framed pictures o...

44 likes 22 comments 22
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The Christmas Queen

Submitted to Contest #229

(CW: Violence, Language, crude humor, blood, comic mischief) A frozen blanket of ice glazed the roads on Fern Street as the Wallace family headed home from a busy day of shopping. The houses were adorned with multi-colored lights, and blow-up decorations were as far as the eye could see. Every door had a festive wreath to showcase the spirit of the season, and carolers sang songs of merry for all to hear. Yes, my friends, it was Christmas Eve once again. A time when boys and girls dream of toys and candy, and parents wish for peace ...

31 likes 37 comments 37
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The Spooky Boogie

Submitted to Contest #221

(CW: Violence, crude humor)Halloween is a holiday that everyone knows well because it’s the only time humans and spirits can co-exist. Every year on October thirty-first, the dead rise from their graves and walk among us. The demons crawl out from the shadows because the holy light holds no sway, and even the monsters come out to play.At first, there was bloodshed on both sides, but it didn’t take long for humans to adapt to the annual phenomenon by dressing up in silly costumes to blend in with the evil entities, and oddly enough, it worked...

43 likes 32 comments 32
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Lost in Darkness

Submitted to Contest #203

(Content Warning: Mild Language and Violence.) Laura Watson awoke from a restless sleep and batted her eyes at the morning sun. She couldn’t see the beautiful beaming rays infiltrating her window, but the warmth cascading on her skin was undeniable. There was no doubt another morning had come her way. Laura didn’t have to worry about adapting to the world because she was born into a life of darkness. She sat up, placed her feet on the hardwood floor, and smiled. Soft whispers from her late mother reminded her that being blind had i...

48 likes 40 comments 40
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Pollyanna

(Content Warning: Graphic Violence, Language, Murder, and Mature Themes.) Time is a wonderful mistress. She can caress your aching bones and brighten your dark complexion with a weary smile. Then when you least expect it, the cold hard bitch can remove all hope and leave you with nothing. Ironic really, but that’s not what life is all about—it’s about changes. Roy Hastings knew all about change. Over the years, he had lost his wife to cancer, his son to a drunken driver, and his precious daughter to a violent madman who called hi...

13 likes 6 comments 6
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Maximum Pump

Submitted to Contest #201

(Content Warning: Blood, Gore, Violence, Crude Humor, Language.) Tom Lawry slowly wrapped his fingers around a cold black iron bar loaded with five-hundred pounds of solid steel plates and took a deep breath. His heart was pounding, but it wasn’t from the thousands of onlookers in the arena waiting for him to make an appearance. No, it was an overwhelming fear of failing and what that would mean to his illustrious bodybuilding career. In the solemn words of his late father—failure was something only losers did, and Tom Lawry was not ...

36 likes 25 comments 25
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Oh, Joyous Day!

(Content Warning: Blood, Gore, Violence, Crude Humor, Language.) “Hey!” Alex barked, “be careful with that. You might break it.” Charlie twitched his eyes towards his friend and gingerly placed the pine tree down into the ground. It wasn’t full or bare like most trees kin to the season, but it was something, and that my friends, was better than nothing. It had taken them all day to dig the hole because the ground was half-frozen, and they had to take heed not to wake Charlie’s father who had passed out for the evening. Jack was an...

32 likes 15 comments 15
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Good Girl

(Content Warning: Graphic Violence, Blood, Language.) “Everything is changing.” Flora heard Mark’s sarcastic remark as she slid beneath the covers. After fifty-five years of marriage, she was used to his unique brand of derogatory, self-chastising humor. She could see him staring in the bathroom mirror combing through his wispy hair with a look of disdain plastered on his wrinkly face. She looked around the bedroom and took notice of the many pictures from their shared life filled with love and happiness but was reminded about...

26 likes 18 comments 18
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Text Me Your Love

Submitted to Contest #165

(Content Warning: Strong Language, Violence, Murder, Crude Humor.)Jake sat down at the kitchen table and admitted, “This is all my fault.”Sallie rolled her eyes and slammed a porcelain plate into the soapy suds. “You’re damn right it is!”“I’m sorry,” he said, lowering his voice an octave. “I wasn’t thinking right, and I couldn’t help myself.”“Oh, you were thinking alright,” Sallie roared, turning from the sink and pointing her soapy finger at him. “You were just using the brain between your legs, not the one in your skull!” Jake scrunch...

51 likes 31 comments 31
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Humorous-Man

Submitted to Contest #164

(Content Warning: Language, Violence, Blood, Murder, Crude humor.) “Where I come from, the sun is shining, and the birds are chirping, but this evil place is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Nonetheless, a hero must always look on the bright side of things. My mission is of the utmost importance!” The guardians of the black gates looked at each other in bewilderment. They didn’t know if the stranger before them was talking to himself or them directly. Anok merged his spear with Trella’s to form an “X,” effectively blockin...

43 likes 19 comments 19
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