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David Drake

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Feb, 2021

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29 Followers
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19 Stories

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The Nerve of Some People

Weekly Contest #366

“I can’t believe that child has the nerve to be so underdressed this time of year! As if he can’t feel that cold wind coming in from the ocean. Here I am, in a wool sweater and a coat like a decent, normal human woman and that young man hasn’t anything more than a flannel shirt and…oh…disgraceful…jeans on. I hope that his parents don’t catch the chill that he’ll be returning home with soon. Well, time I was heading back. Macy and Mitzi will be letting me know I was late for din-din. Bless their furry little selves. At least they can stay war...

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Worry about tomorrow yesterday.

Weekly Contest #362

**** Lydia turned the lid, the steam from the pot enveloping her senses. The roasted chicken actually smelled good, despite the lack of spices other than pre-ground pepper and barely any salt. No butter on the small potatoes, nor on the rice. She placed the plate on the table in front of her usual seat at the large dining room table. Sliding the chair up to the edge of the table, she took for granted the loud echo the room made. The house wasn’t a mansion exactly, it was fairly large. Larger than the one room, mouse infested rental she grew...

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Consecration of the Beast

Weekly Contest #272

“And now, let us pray….” With those words and Father Warren Larson’s upraised hands, the gathered faithful and not-so-much or those putting on a show for the gossips closed their eyes and dropped their heads. He began the familiar liturgy from the time before he came to the Church of the Lord here in Hugo. He spoke the words that could mean something more than simple comfort to those that needed it worse than him. The widowed, the infirmed sick, the nearly-homeless. Not for him, though. He needed his pain. His wound to remain open like a chi...

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Another heir, another mouth to feed

Weekly Contest #206

Palazathar, the Dragon Lord, stood tall on the crevice overlooking this seasons’ coming brood. The smell of burning white-stone, the chants of his chosen Priests filling the echoes of the Sacred Breeding Chamber. The Dragons did the work, the Choosing and tending the Eggs, but Palazathar maintained the great spell that kept this Chamber sealed away from the rest of the world.  Dragons, the demi-gods that were the anchor of magic in the world, were held as sacred tools of the creator gods. Every Mynian knew that since they were taken as...

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When strangers were welcome here

Weekly Contest #204

“And don’t let me hear another ‘Is it done?’. I’ve been simmering this stew all day and it’s powerful hot in here and you’ve been under my feet all day, Julian!”Mam always got mad-minded when Pa was gone celebrating with his hunt friends after he brought a short horned deer from the mountains. They were getting rarer with the drought this year. I hear the old folks talking about droughts and how bad things are in this day and age along with the creaks and groans of the boards outside of the mercantile. The rocking chairs that Mams’ Pa made a...

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Where you least expect nothing

Weekly Contest #202

“Where is he?!?” “Why would you want him here at all? The cops will be the least of our worries if he shows up before we’re done!” “Of course I don’t want him here to bust up our little soiree! Not when we’re having fun! I mean he’s usually here 5 minutes after the silent alarm is tripped. So something is amiss.” “Maybe Joey Barlone finally killed him. He swore vengeance on the Red Raven when he locked up his mother for money laundering.” “Alleged….money laundering. I’m with Joey, I think the Raven set up him and his family. Beats me how...

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Once upon a stage

Weekly Contest #201

Why are the lights on? Under my feet, I crunch cups, drug paraphernalia, discarded programs. I see the road crew start shouting orders at the newbies. The venue workers start gathering the chairs, both still usable and the ones no longer able to hold butts. It’s just disgraceful that the Band will be charged for damages because some of us that show them the respect they deserve showed our devotion in a different way. This is nuts. They always do “My almost grand kiss” for the encore before they left. What the hell is going on?!? I stomped ...

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....on a train bound for nowhere....

Weekly Contest #199

Heads up- This is meant as a sequel to a previously posted story here. "On the way to somewhere you're not". The cup was getting warm, but I wasn’t. The few sips that I took that burned my tongue didn’t help. I knew that I couldn’t get my money back on the tongue burning or the shivers, so I decided to just live with it. Like I usually do. I’m just glad I thought to grab my coats when I left my last apartment, unannounced. Jobs were scarce for somebody like me. Finally got one that helped pay for this cup over-warming my hand, so I nee...

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Stop trippin' ya'll!

Weekly Contest #198

Maybe I can start this journal with some gratitude thought like my counselor, Ms. Crystal New Age Healer etc…that sarcasm is just because I can’t remember her real name…says to do. I can’t think of any other way to put all this down….. I’m grateful that nobody else remembered what happened on last Friday’s class trip. So glad, so gratitude.  Now for the literal gory details.  Mr. Terrance’s history class never sat still for long. For that, I’m also grateful to the old fart. He loved field trips to the museum when they got in an e...

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Walk on by

Weekly Contest #196

“Hey ace. We need to talk. Now.” Walking toward me at a brisk pace, I grabbed my arm and pulled me along into the sidewalk crowd that cared nothing that I was literally talking to myself. “Do you still have those….coffee shops? The ones that sell an easy drink to make at a ridiculous price and pretend it’s something that matters to everyone else?” I grunted, surprised at the force that I had at this old age. “Uh, yeah. Who are you?! What are you doing?!” I said to myself, staggering at being pulled by my own hand, even decades older. “Wher...

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Legends don't always wear masks

Weekly Contest #195

“One concussion grenade in your hand.” “Concussion grenade received, Brad.” “Red Mask, sir. Remember, no civilian names?” Pausing, the wind up here, feeling colder to The Osprey than to….Brad. Blowing through his hair, but not The Osprey’s since he wears that cowl all of the time. That faded, worn out trademark cowl that kept his cape anchored. No accounting for taste. “Oh. Yes, you’re right, young apprentice. Now, let’s go get those hoodlums!” Red Mask/Brad rolled his eyes again. Old heroes never die. They just forget who the current v...

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Center takes the square

Weekly Contest #194

(A couple of disclaimers. One, this is NOT a historically accurate depiction of Roman times nor of how gladiator fights are done. Second, I will not label the two protagonists as gay or straight friends or anything else. The reader is free to make their own judgements. Or not judge at all. Just enjoy, I hope. Thank you for attending my Ted Talk.)  “No! Swing the axe at his exposed arm!” Crasir shouted over the din of the crowd at his friend of these past few years.. Either from these stands full of sweaty, bloated bored citizens or ...

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What's your deal?!

Weekly Contest #188

You’d think that a large sweater would still fit after all this time with no alterations. What the…..is going…..on. Jesse pulled and tugged on the knit sweater made for him by his talented aunt for his birthday a few years ago and it was not only good-looking, it fit him perfectly. But today, after getting out of the shower and getting ready for work, it refused to go over his arms and torso. Grunting, he finally got it pulled over. He began going to the gym to get some cardio in and was able to keep his weight even, but he stepped on the sc...

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Finished by a whisker

Weekly Contest #187

“Roger, slow down!”Now Brent Kenton had to admit that taking a desk job was the worst thing he’s ever done. When his uncle, the personal trainer, admonished him for taking a job that required sitting all day, he said he would be just fine.“Just fine”, he panted.Now, here he was racing after a black-haired cat with subtle orange stripes through city streets just because of a key on his collar. “A note. All this…..because….of a….key…collar.” At last! Roger slowed down, just due to figuring out how to jump to a window over some boxes…...

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Oh! The legends you find in my mind.

Weekly Contest #185

“Ye present clans of the Eyinase! Hear and gather! Your Majesty brings you tidings to bend all round ears!” All four-legs of the clans raced to hear what King Myru had to declare. Rumors that the hated, barbaric Mosirus of the surrounding cardboard mounds and walls plotted against the beauteous bounty that was the birth land of Eyinase had abounded in recent spans, so the Visier advised the rotund White King to address their concerns. Especially the burgeoning females awaiting birth. The Land of Eyinase had grown considerably in the long ag...

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