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Marc Wilks

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Mar, 2021

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11 Followers
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19 Stories

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Weekly Contest #354

I don’t know why I do this to myself. Here I am, yet again, quite literally, the odd man out. I came to this wedding as a favor to the bride. I was to take one of her friends with me as a plus-one. That should have been the first sign that things were not going to go well for me. I agreed, because I thought it would be nice to get to know someone outside of my social circle, such as it is. My plus-one cancelled two days before the wedding, citing a family emergency. I gave her my hopes for a positive outcome. I figured that would get me out ...

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Take Two

Weekly Contest #342

The shopping cart rattled as Glenn walked as quickly as he could to the self checkout. He scolded himself for delaying his shopping trip because now he was fighting the last minute Valentines Day shoppers along with the usual after work crowd.It’s going to take me forever to check out, he thought. I guess that will teach me not to procrastinate. As he passed the spice aisle, Glenn remembered that he was out of lemon pepper seasoning. Cursing under his breath, he turned around and nearly ran into a woman approaching him from behind. Glenn jus...

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Best Kept Secrets

Weekly Contest #338

Robert Mason shook his head as he left the conference room. “Whose bright idea was it to have a meeting ten minutes before the end of the business day?”Robert glanced at his watch and saw that it was almost quarter after six.Brenda is going to be furious, he thought.The two of them were supposed to attend their daughter’s band concert, an event that Robert promised he would be present for. As it stood, if he left now, he would be able to catch the second half if it. Robert turned toward the elevator, but seeing the line forming, he opted to ...

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Hurry Up and Wait

Weekly Contest #309

Nathan Turner again tried to tie his gray tie. His reflection showed growing frustration on his face.“I’ve done this a hundred times,” Nathan said to himself. “Why is it so difficult now?”Nathan knew the answer; he was nervous. Examining himself in the mirror, he said, “I’m good without it.” A light gray jacket and matching slacks went along with a blue dress shirt and black boots. Nathan selected this outfit expressly because it set off his dark brown skin. “I'd better get going.”Nathan grabbed his phone, keys, and wallet from his dresser,...

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Table Manners

Weekly Contest #309

The smell of chicken and spices permeated the kitchen. The five cooktop burners held a pot, skillet, or saucepan. The oven racks were weighed down with sheet pans containing biscuits and a spiced apple pie. Frank Wallace stirred the mashed potatoes while simultaneously using a digital thermometer to check the temperature of the chicken sautéing in the large skillet. “Almost there,” he said to himself. He took some butter from the fridge, added a tablespoon to both dishes, and then slightly reduced the heat.Frank glanced at the clock on the m...

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Air Mail

Weekly Contest #293

Nicholas Jamison gazed out the passenger window and watched the rugged landscape rush by as the SUV made its way north. Winter had just begun to ease, and the temperatures slowly crept upwards. Nicholas laughed as he considered the high-thirties warm weather. But that was a fact of his life now. Nicholas’ mouth fell open as he watched a small avalanche slide down a mountain, perhaps two miles from the road. Even at that distance, Nicholas heard the faint rumble of the falling snow and rock. Nicholas shook his head as he recalled the eve...

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Home Turf

The waitress placed a tray with three bottles of beer on the high bar table. “Thank you, Beth,” Greg said as he and his friends took the drinks. “You are welcome. If you need anything else just holler.”As Beth walked to another table, Greg noticed one of his friends looking after her.“Vince, why don’t you just ask her out, man? You have been drooling over Beth since you met her.”Vince looked at Greg and said, “She wouldn’t be interested in me. Besides, I think she is spoken for.”“And how do you know this,” Adam asked, sweeping his ...

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Past Glories

Larry clapped his hands as he watched the high school football practice. “Good job!”His loud voice echoed over the field, and several heads turned toward him. Larry turned to the man to his left.“The boys looked good against Thompson last week, Ronald. Carrollton will test them, though. They have a hell of a secondary that will limit our pass options.”Ronald glanced at Larry, then looked down at his clipboard.He pointed at two boys on the sidelines and said, “You guys switch with Andrews and Hall.”When they were out of earshot, Ron...

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Bright Line

Weekly Contest #263

Brian Woods walked along the sidewalk, his usual dread weighing on him like an anchor. He was on the way to school, a place that until recently, he would have said that he enjoyed. Brian played football, was in the drama club and his grades placed him in the top ten percent of his class. It was a situation that anyone would have loved to be in. That is until you factor in the presence of Neil Redman. Neil had transferred from a private school last year, and from his first day, Neil made it his mission to persecute Brian in any way he could. ...

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Heir and the Spare

Weekly Contest #254

The music in the ballroom soared to a crescendo before the intense melody faded into silence. The dancers bowed to one another and then drifted to the tables or bar and conversation struck up again as the musicians took a break. Louis Stratton complemented his partner, a red-haired beauty, and returned to his table. Once there, he took a deep drink of lemonade and sighed as he placed the glass back on the table.“You look good out there,” a woman said behind him.Louis turned to see his mother, Regina, her hand on the back of a chair.Loui...

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Grand Old Time

Weekly Contest #234

The truck’s engine roared as Brent pushed the accelerator to the floorboard. He looked in the rearview mirror, and although he could no longer see the vehicle pursuing him, the cloud of dust made it clear that the chase was still on.  I can’t believe this is happening, he thought.  Brent looked at the flatscreen in the dashboard.  The GPS told him that the border was eleven miles away. He should be crossing back into the US in thirteen minutes.  What was supposed to be a simple exchange turned into a disaster.  Bre...

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True To Form

Weekly Contest #234

I never thought that I would be back in this town. But here I am, driving down the main street of Billings, Georgia, heading to the same bar we snuck into in high school. I could close my eyes and not miss one turn or stop light. That is how much this town has not changed. The same people are walking the same streets, working the same jobs, and discussing the same things. Don't get me wrong, it’s not all bad. Billings is a small town, but lakes and forests surround it. If you are the outdoor type, this place has plenty to offer. Billings is...

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Winter's Gift

Weekly Contest #229

The office was in absolute chaos. People ran in all directions, trying to complete weeks of work in two days. Not only that, but the mother of all snowstorms would be overhead in less than twelve hours.  “I should have left yesterday,” Alex Nelson said to himself. “But no, I had to be nice and help settle the Stafford account.” Alex shook his head and concentrated on finishing the last of his correspondence before leaving the office. He glanced out his office window and saw that the sky was still a non-threatening bluish-gray.  At ...

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Not This Again

Weekly Contest #226

Greg Everett looked at his dashboard clock and nodded. He was only ten minutes from his uncle’s house.  I’m well ahead of schedule, he thought.  Dinner was due to start at three-thirty. Greg would get there just after two o’clock. He upshifted to go around a slow-moving truck, then shot past it. Greg took great pleasure in driving his Porsche. He rarely got to open it up like this. The wind rushed past his face, and Greg smiled.  I better enjoy this while it lasts. Because once the family gets to Uncle Robert’s, the fun is wel...

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Those Who Wander

Weekly Contest #225

Carol shifted her nearly full shopping basket to her left hand.Annoyed, she looked around for her husband, Glenn.“Figures,” she muttered under her breath. Carol reached out with her free hand and picked up an oval wood-framed mirror. A sun and moon were etched in silver at the top and bottom of the frame. A tree and a sailing ship were on the left and right. “This is beautiful,” she said. “I’m surprised no one has bought it.”“Bought what,” Glenn asked as he approached her from behind.“Where have you been,” Carol asked as she handed...

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