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Mike Garrigan

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Aug, 2019

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101 Followers

4 Following

59 Stories

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Even Numbers

Weekly Contest #86

The elevator pealed and Malcolm stepped into the lobby of Inglethorpe & Cavendish. He was the first to arrive that Monday morning. Natasha Marakova, the receptionist, usually greeted Malcolm every morning, but today, instead of Natasha’s welcoming presence, a bouquet of roses brightened the room from atop Natasha’s desk. Malcolm looked closer at the bouquet. “To Natasha, Thank you for a lovely evening. From Gregory,” was printed on a white card tied to one of the ten rose stems. Malcolm raised an eyebrow, shrugged, and wal...

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The Curse of Morgana Pendragon

Weekly Contest #85

Junior’s eyes sparkled as he unclasped his mother’s diamond bracelet from her wrist. She didn’t notice.“John, I just don’t understand why we can’t take from principal,” she said. “Evelyn, I’ve told you, as trustee, I am forbidden to withdraw in that manner,” Father said.They had been at it for an hour. Mother wanted money for a fur coat. She told Junior that if they asked Father about it while he was at work, eventually, if they were persistent enough, Father would shoo her away with whatever she needed.“But it’s our money, John. I don’...

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Double Windsor

Weekly Contest #84

Whenever I wear a Double Windsor knot, the tie tails run embarrassingly short. I hide the tiny tails inside the safety of my vest so no one else can see them. The gargantuan knot, however, that’s a big dumb flashing advertisement: THE GENTLEMAN ENTERING THE ROOM IS VERY IMPORTANT. God forbid I bend over and pick up a pencil or paperclip off the floor—the tails could pop out from under my vest and everyone would think that I’m a clown rather than a lawyer.  What day is it anyway? Is it Thursday? I wear my brown tie on Thursdays...

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Thunderclap

Weekly Contest #83

The ocean waves wafted the wet scent of salt water through the warm island air. I exited the yellow cab. I paid the driver, tipped him well, and walked from under the porte cochère toward the hotel lobby. My rolling suitcase bumped and jostled about as it attempted to navigate the uneven, polished stone sidewalk. Unusually large gaps spanned walkway’s component slabs. The bright sunshine diminished as a mass of dark clouds rolled across the sky. A single raindrop stained my left shoe. “Comment puis-je vous aider, monsieur?” the fro...

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The Brightest Light

Weekly Contest #82

Last Monday morning, I installed a new lamp in my office, right above my four-tier filing cabinet. When I turned the lamp on, it burst light throughout the room, bouncing off metal, refracting through glass, and revealing dust I didn’t anticipate ever seeing with such clarity. I shielded my eyes. The lamp was too bright. Mr. Inglethorpe knocked lightly on my open office door. “Malcolm, this is Alex. She will be filling in for Natasha this week. I’m afraid Natasha has fallen ill,” he said. “I’m sorry to hear that,” I said. “Ale...

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The Lunch Date

Weekly Contest #81

I pulled my pocket watch from my waistcoat. It clicked as it unclasped. Its old-timey watch hands moved into the 11:50 am position. It was time for lunch.  I rolled back from my desk, put on my suit jacket, and walked out of my office there on the third floor of Inglethorpe & Cavendish. With no appointments until 2 pm, I had time for lunch without too much of a rush. Today, though, I may have wanted a rush. Today I was going on a blind date. “Hope you like her,” Natasha said, giggling, as I passed the reception area and walked to ...

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The Bat

Weekly Contest #80

“Malcolm, your 9 o’clock is ready,” Natasha said.  “Refi?” I said. “Yes, single borrower, well-dressed, unmarried.” Natasha sighed, paused, and returned to the front reception area of Inglethorpe & Cavendish.  My office was tucked away on the third floor of a three story building that was nestled between two 12 story high rises on Elm Street. Mr. Inglethorpe arrived precisely at 10 am everyday. Mr. Cavendish, on the other hand, usually stumbled onto the golf course by 10 am but always arrived by 1 pm, stinking of gin. T...

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The Fountain Pen

Weekly Contest #79

I glanced at my watch again. D promised he would be on time, but I knew better than to trust him. Raphael’s, the coffee shop where we agreed to meet, was just across the street from where I work. I’m sure Mr. Inglethorpe was wondering where I had gotten off to. “Inglethorpe & Cavendish lawyers are never idle,” he’d always say to me when I was taking five in the break room or staring at the ceiling for a minute to clear my head. Mr. Inglethorpe had an odd air of British propriety for someone who grew up in Mississippi.  “Looking sha...

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Johannes Kambanda and Ozaki Kaori: A Text Message Transcript

Weekly Contest #34

Johannes Kambanda: Ozi, are you OK?Ozaki Kaori: A little embarrassed, but I’m OK.JK: What happened?Ozi: Trixie slipped me a beef and cheese burrito. I got sick.JK: Threw up?Ozi: All over the place.JK: Was it rotten?Ozi: Hell if I know. I’m vegan. Meat makes me sick.JK: What was Trixie thinking?Ozi: She wasn’t. She didn’t know. She grabbed from the non-vegan stack of burritos.JK: Are you sure?Ozi: Are you defending her?JK: No. But maybe it was the caterer’s fault.Ozi: J, I barfed on my boss. JK: Is she a parent?Ozi: Trixie?JK: No, y...

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Marcello's Barbershop

Weekly Contest #33

For the past half hour, pick-axes pinged in tandem on granite far below the surface of the Earth. Occasionally, the axes pealed in tandem. But mostly, they hit in syncopation, as if their wielders were racing, or perhaps, chasing each other. A rod of light broke through the dark side of the rock.“I win!” Delta said.“No, I hit the granite last before breaking through. I win,” Gamma said.“But I’m the one who actually broke through, so I win,” Delta said.“But I was—”“Knock it off,” Beta said, holding a flood lamp. “Let’s see what’s inside....

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Waiting for Manny

Shortlisted for Contest #32 ⭐️

Every Saturday, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, Fred Flannigan sat on the third bench to the right at entrance of Oscar Park. Sometimes, his best friend, Manny Mandinkos, joined him for the hour. When Manny actually showed up—you never could tell with Manny Mandinkos—Manny brought a thermos of camomile tea. Manny was unpredictable like that. Manny was also dead. A year ago, Manny decided, on a whim, to climb Mt. Everest. He did none of the rigorous training one normally does before that infamous climb. He made it to the top, but then died fr...

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Justin's Story

Weekly Contest #31

Celia opened the dryer and felt a warmth brush past her face. Justin’s size 4T Oshkosh B’Gosh overalls had been rattling around in there for the past hour. The brass fasteners were probably hot, so Celia avoided folding the overalls.Celia grabbed a t-shirt from the hot jumble of clothing. She held up the shirt and remembered its design. The Force Awakens was Justin’s favorite movie. Celia took him to see it on opening weekend. Celia didn’t know anything about Star Wars but thought that Justin, being a four year old boy, would like it. What k...

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Donovan

Weekly Contest #30

At 7:55 a.m., Donovan pressed “15” and the elevator door slid shut. The elevator machinery jerked clumsily. He felt his stomach float as the elevator began its ascent. Fluorescent light beamed from overhead. His diamond cuff links refracted light in blues and greens upon the metal elevator walls. The elevator rumbled and climbed. Donovan could see his unmistakably large nose in the metal reflection. Two weeks ago, Donavan received an unexpected phone call. It was surprising for three reasons. First, his cell number changed weekly and ro...

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Möbius Pilot 13

Weekly Contest #29

“Move to the ring! Now!” I said.I jumped from the pilot pod and down to the ship’s round interior. I unbuckled Amy and Emma, the twins, from their seats and pushed them into the center of the fuselage of our ship, the Möbius 13. “What’s going on?!” Allison said. “Amy, Emma, get back in your seats!” Allison, Amy and Emma's mother, was groggy despite the blare of the siren and flash of the emergency lights. “Ms. Davis, there’s no time to explain,” I said. “C’mon, Roger,” Allison Davis said as she yanked her husband from his seat...

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The Bride's Name Is Always Holly

Weekly Contest #28

From the inner recesses of the utility closet where I had been hiding for the past half hour, I heard the wedding party enter the reception hall. The jocund din of family, friends, and guests rattled the closet door. I forgot to tune my guitar before I climbed into this coffin. But Red stayed in tune all night last night at the country club cover gig. She would probably be in tune when I popped out of the closet, plugged her into the DJ’s sound system, and slid onto the upper corner of the dance floor for the couple’s first dance. The bride’...

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