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David Nutt

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Feb, 2021

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94 Stories

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Haunting buildings with a past.

Weekly Contest #371

                                 Haunting buildings with a past It stood there, still proud but slowly deteriorating, outlined against the evening sunlit sky. From what I could feel from inside my car, it generated a haunting sense of beauty, like a vase of flowers in the process of withering. I stopped the car and got out to take a closer look. It was an old hospital abandoned ...

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A race against time

Weekly Contest #370

                                   A Race Against TimeI live in a mountainous area. It may seem bizarre, but one of my weekly pleasures was to go and spend a couple of hours in a subterranean cave I had found at the foot of one of the mountains. I enjoyed the silence, away from the noise of human endeavors, and the dark, damp atmosphere with only my torch giving me some...

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Gnomes or Wizards: You Decide

Weekly Contest #368

                             Gnomes or Wizards: You Decide“Hello, Joseph. How is the world treating you?”I was standing at the bar in my favorite watering hole in central London, holding a large whisky and soda. I felt I needed it; I was on the verge of another painful bout of lumbago.“Paul, good to see you. In answer to your question, things could be better. In this economic climate, that’s probabl...

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Drama....a village marriage

Weekly Contest #367

                  Drama… A Village MarriageI was sitting at my desk on the 38th floor, overlooking Manhattan, deeply engrossed in legal documents for an ongoing case, when my assistant put a call through from Trevor Backwell. I didn’t immediately register the name, but as I picked up the receiver, memories of my school and university years hit me like an express train.“Trevor? It can’t be!”“Harold, it is! How are you, old sport?”“Great! But why the call...

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A Desire for a Life Change

Weekly Contest #366

          A Desire for a Life Change I looked into the shaving mirror, staring at the initial reflection of my face. I turned sideways to examine my profile. Yes, I thought, I do have a slightly effeminate look.I had an older sister, and I always imagined she lived in a world considerably more appealing than mine. She could continually change her appearance. At her disposal were different makeups, false eyelashes, a whole battery of wigs with textures and colors that brightened the day, and—I...

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Bonded.......by the love of Music

Weekly Contest #365

Bonded… by the Love of Music The orchestra’s woodwind section took center stage, creating a sound so perfectly pitched that the audience sat on the edge of their seats in admiration. The music floated up to the concert hall's dome and then fell over the listeners like soft, gentle summer rain. As the woodwinds ceased, the first violinist stood to play his part, enhancing the evening with resounding success. His playing was technically brilliant, producing a tone that could only come from an instrument of exceptional quality.If any slight cri...

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Betrayed

Weekly Contest #364

Betrayal The evening light was slowly fading. I switched on the desk lamp, deeply engrossed in a file concerning a violent crime recently committed in the neighborhood. It must have been two hours later when I looked out the window to see large, white flakes of snow falling in abundance from the heavens. I was thankful I lived only a few streets away; equipped with my snow boots, I could easily walk home.Home, at this point in my life, was a rather depressing place. The warmth and gaiety of the past had faded with time. My two children had f...

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A devoted lost soul

Weekly Contest #363

A Devoted Lost Soul Have you ever been subjected to a pesky, devoted fly? There you are, relaxing and quietly reading. Our friend the fly comes buzzing around you. You gently raise your hand to shoo it away. It disappears, only to reappear minutes later. You go to the kitchen; within seconds, the fly has followed you. Your next port of call is the garden. You still hear the buzzing right before it lands on your arm. You flick it off, and it merrily flies off. If only you could discern its features, I am sure the fly’s face would show content...

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Bon appetite

Weekly Contest #362

Bon AppétitI have heard those words, bon appétit, many, many times in my life. But what do they really mean in English? Oddly, I never asked myself. As the title of this story is “Bon Appétit,” I feel it is my duty to explore the actual meaning of this familiar phrase, employed throughout the Western world when we are in the act of eating. Translated into English, it literally means "good appetite." However, over time, it has come to convey a wish: enjoy your meal, enjoy, dig in, tuck in, have a wonderful meal. In a formal environment, and g...

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The summer I will never forget

Weekly Contest #361

The Summer I Will Never Forget It was Saturday. I sat in my office, looking at the rain slapping against the large windowpanes. The view was like being underwater and looking up at several tall glass buildings. In some way, it was a pleasant change from the miles of brick and concrete that generally caught my eye. I had devoted my life and leisure hours to the highly successful company I had created. Frankly, whether it was sunny, rainy, or snowing, I hardly noticed.But today, for the first time, I had a feeling of uneasiness—maybe because i...

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Stamps...My passion

Weekly Contest #360

Stamps… My Passion When I entered the attic, it smelled slightly damp and dusty. I could not see anything at first; it was as dark as a cellar, the only difference being the thin shafts of light piercing through where the roof tiles did not quite overlap. My hand reached for the light switch. Before me lay what my mother called Granddad’s…”things.” Within a few seconds, I was gazing over a multitude of objects. The scene reflected the life of a man who loved collecting: stuffed animals, piles of books, a stack of pictures, several hats, bino...

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The consequences of a fathers and son's disagreement

Weekly Contest #359

The Consequences of a Father and Son's DisagreementThe year was 1938. The setting was a luxury hotel in the south of France during a family holiday. For as long as I could remember, our father had insisted that the five members of our family take a two-week summer holiday together every year. To him, it meant everything; this annual gathering was comparable to a devout religious believer making a yearly pilgrimage.It was on the fourth day of our holiday, at breakfast, that an incident occurred which shattered the very fabric of what had, unt...

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Obsessed

Weekly Contest #358

Obsessed The doorbell rang, followed immediately by a voice shouting from the porch."Muriel, it's only me! I just came round to give you your ticket for the golf club dance on Saturday.""Margaret, please come in! The door is open. I’ll be with you in a minute."Seconds later, Muriel hurried into the hallway to greet her friend. Feeling a wave of comfort in Margaret's familiar presence, she invited her into the kitchen for a cup of tea and a quick natter.With the kettle on the boil, the two friends began their chat. The first subject was Satur...

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Our true friend for life

Weekly Contest #357

Our true friends for lifeIt hadn’t stopped raining all day. I was wet, cold, and alone. I wandered the streets aimlessly, looking for a place where I might shelter from the downpour and find a corner to sleep. At that moment, I saw old, blind George on the opposite side of the street, led by his guide dog. The rain was coming down hard. They didn’t even notice me. As I passed, I wondered what life meant for them. Old George lived in perpetual darkness and could only see things through conversations with others. Living in a dark world must fe...

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Life and Color is like Wine and Cheese

Weekly Contest #352

Life and Color are like Wine and CheeseFather was always a mystery. I see him occasionally in my dreams: wearing a bowler hat, carrying a black briefcase and the inevitable, tightly rolled umbrella, leaving the house to catch the morning train to London. When he left, not only did my mother and I heave a sigh of relief, but even the house and garden seemed to exhale, like the air slowly escaping from a balloon or a tire. It was not that we didn’t dearly love our father; it was simply that he was such a disciplinarian. Even his conception of ...

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