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Daniel R. Hayes

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Dec, 2020

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1092 Followers
1061 Following

85 Stories

7756 karma pts

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Killer Delight

Weekly Contest #124

(Content Warning: Violence, Blood and Gore.) Legend has it that a monster emerges from the Mystic Forest once a generation to prey upon children. It does not feed on flesh but the innocence of youth. The creature has never been seen by a living soul, but the proof lies within the destruction it leaves behind and the agony of despair from grieving parents. Time is but a passage of lost memories that are quickly forgotten, and life goes on. To the east of the Mystic Forest lies a small village called Thornbrush and is home to many ...

25 likes 5 comments 5
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The Season of Grace

Weekly Contest #123

(Content Warning: Violence, Gore, Language, Crude humor.)Amongst the perils of evil, Grace Johnson stood defiantly with clenched fists ready to strike. The three-headed beast bellowed a deafening roar as it charged toward the twelve-year-old girl. A monstrosity of terror, the monster had the body of a lion, with the heads of a bear, dragon, wolf, and a serpent’s tail whipping back and forth like an animal tamer’s whip. Riding on top of this foul creature was Mrs. Claus, dressed in a black stitched battle-worn dress. Her white hair was n...

28 likes 24 comments 24
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The Season of Evil

Weekly Contest #122

(Content Warning: Violence, Language, and Holiday Frights.)Honk! Honk! ’Tis that time of year when the whole world is heart to heart, or in this case, bumper to bumper on Christmas Eve. The Johnson’s have been stuck in a traffic jam on I-89 for the past three hours, inching their way to Boulder Springs, Ohio. Spending Christmas with Uncle Drew for the past ten years had become a family tradition.Uncle Drew is not one for being polite, and over the years, he developed a Grinch-like attitude towards Christmas. So, every year his brother, Gary ...

26 likes 21 comments 21
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✨ 👹 Mirrored Souls 😇 ✨

Weekly Contest #120

(Content Warning: Blood, Gore, Violence, Mild Language, and an overabundance of Emojis.)Authors note: The legendary Deidra Lovegren challenged me to write a tale with emojis, and this is what I came up with, so a huge shout out to her!! I also wanted to give special thanks to my dear friend Kelly, who enlightened me on the “Twin Flames” concept from which this story was born. Thanks for reading!!For the emoji free version, see (Bonus content) in the comments section below. In the depths of 🌋 Hell 🌋, the great slanderer, Diabolos 👹, was ...

32 likes 26 comments 26
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The Great Pumpkin Massacre

Weekly Contest #117

(Content Warning: Blood, Gore, Murder, Violence, Spooky terror.) It’s Halloween once again, and soon the kids on Dead Wood Street will be out trick-or-treating. The night will be full of imagination and wonder as sweet treats are handed out. The old can be young again as they watch the little ones stagger around in costumes of fright and glorious splendor. Indeed, All Hallows' Eve is a night of spooky pleasure and merrymaking. It is believed that ghouls, ghosts, goblins, and demons can walk among the living on this day. Others thi...

33 likes 9 comments 9
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Schizo

Weekly Contest #115

(Content Warning: Blood, Gore, Murder, Language.) Some wounds will never heal. That’s why I carry a roll of duct tape wherever I go. I’ll just bleed out until there’s nothing left of my soul. Sure, you could make changes like using super glue instead, but in the end, you realize that you control nothing in life. Yeah, I know I sound like a complete narcissistic ass for saying that, but you don’t know the whole story. When I was born, a Voodoo Man saw fit to place a curse on me. My mother told me all about it when I was just th...

28 likes 10 comments 10
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The Bright Ones

Weekly Contest #112

In the beginning, before all things, there existed only darkness in the void. Then suddenly, as if a gift from the Gods, there was light. The light was just a flicker, no more than a candle flame. It pulsed like a beating heartbeat. For a millennium, the flame burned bright, keeping the darkness at bay, and all was well. Tranquility could not last forever, for there must be balance. The darkness fought back with a deafening silence. A cataclysmic event between the light and dark forces changed everything.  BOOM! The peaceful tra...

42 likes 2 comments 2
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The Travelers

Weekly Contest #110

(Content Warning: Blood, gore, mild language, some crude humor.) Wallowing through the darkness at sixty-five miles an hour on rural I-79, Bethany’s eyes grew heavy. She had been driving for the past three hours, and fatigue was starting to set in. In a desperate attempt to stay awake, she cranked the radio volume to the max, hoping the noise would keep her senses alert. It helped for a few miles, but Bethany needed something more. She rolled down the window and let the cool air coast over her body. Goosebumps appeared on her arm...

24 likes 7 comments 7
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Hope Rising

Weekly Contest #109

(Content Warning: Some mild violence.)She falls like a ghost lost in the endless void. Light-as-a-feather, yet heavy as a concrete brick, she falls. Her eyes point to the sky as the wind whips through her golden locks, so vast, so beautiful. The blue floral dress that she spent so much time contemplating whether or not to wear that morning flapped in the updraft of gravity.There were no tears to cry. What would be the point of sobbing anyway? Her life would soon be over with a bloody splat on the pavement below. People would glance at her li...

36 likes 30 comments 30
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Pixie's Great Adventure

Weekly Contest #108

An eerie wind blew through Spring Valley, delivering the smell of salt and dangerous trespassers. Pixie was gathering up a bundle of carrots when the putrid odor caught her attention. She wiggled her nostrils and flared her whiskers. Gone was the sweet aroma from the honeysuckle flowers that normally filled the air with lovely fragrances.Senses alert, Pixie carefully traced the vegetative terrain. She noticed the birds had ceased their chirping, and the bees were no longer buzzing. Strange voices echoed in the distance. There was no denying ...

43 likes 26 comments 26
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Crimson Butterfly

Weekly Contest #106

(Content Warning: Blood, Gore, Murder, some crude language.)The monstrous heat is unrelenting, a good sign for things to come. I desperately stare out from the apartment window and notice my reflection smiling back. I never realized that I had such a wonderful smile. It suits me. I’m not used to smiling, but I think I can get used to it after what I just did. I glance up at the sparkling moon and bask in its afterglow - a radiant light that fills me with emotion.This is a night of rebirth—a new beginning. Frank will never be able to hurt me ...

51 likes 26 comments 26
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The Golden Beauty

Weekly Contest #103

(Content Warning: Blood, Gore, some mild language.)Let’s get one thing straight here people, I am not an American Picker. If you don’t know what a Picker is, why don’t you google it because I don’t have time to explain it to you. If you were to call me something, I guess you could call me a sign collector. All my life I have been searching for a highly collectable 1950’s Chevrolet Bel Air Dealer sign.There are two versions of this sign. One is an indoor poster that dealerships would display in their stores. The only problem with this poster ...

34 likes 8 comments 8
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Perfection is Ignorance

Weekly Contest #101

TW: gore, murder   In Carson City, the savory smell of Italian spices permeates the air as hungry customers scarf down their favorite meals in Georginio’s Italian Restaurant. Never one to be late, Alex arrives thirty minutes early, and is seated at his private balcony sixty feet high overlooking the beautiful city. He sits with his head held high and brushes his jet-black hair with his fingers; making sure that every strand is in place. Feeling satisfied, he reaches down, and triple checks his brand-new silk tie to make sure it’s p...

56 likes 31 comments 31
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Afterglow

Weekly Contest #99

Slivers of sunlight radiated through Mary’s window casting a warm glow throughout her entire bedroom. The sultry smell of freshly cut grass blew in and tickled her nose. She woke up with a thundering sneeze and subconsciously cursed the neighbors for mowing their lawns so early in the morning. Letting her eyes adjust to the light, Mary yawned like a ferocious lion ready to devour the day. Stretching her arms high above her head, she was ready to get up.   Off and running, Mary took a quick shower with warm vanilla sugar body wa...

58 likes 44 comments 44
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Eleven Q

Weekly Contest #97

For Emma… (This story is dedicated to all 11Q children and everyone who has a disability.)     I’m strong, smart, and beautiful, so why am I sitting here in my wheelchair staring out from a broken window? Well, the answer to that question is a bit complex. You see when I get angry I can’t communicate that frustration, so I tend to throw and hit things. I can’t talk, at least not like you. I try to say things, believe me, but the only thing that comes out of my mouth are grunts and yells. Today, I noticed...

31 likes 30 comments 30
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