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Scott Taylor

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Apr, 2023

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82 Followers
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77 Stories

1788 karma pts

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F.A.T.E.: Algorithms of Despair

Weekly Contest #312

The pharmacist’s words struck with the sting of cold steel—sharp, sudden, impossible to brace for. “Denied.” Just that, delivered in a monotone so flat it might have been automated, as if my hope was nothing more than a line on his script. The injustice of it echoed in my chest. I pressed him again, while the sterile tang of rubbing alcohol clawed at my nostrils. Beneath it all, that familiar, suffocating pressure began to coil inside me—the same dread that always crept in when the tumor threatened to reclaim its hold. I clung to the edge of...

12 likes 8 comments 8
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The Veil Between Tides

Weekly Contest #309

Beneath a sky that churned with the promise of storms, in a village cradled between jagged cliffs and the ceaseless roar of the sea, there stood a house that seemed to teeter on the edge of the world. Its weathered walls, worn smooth by salt and time, exhaled the mingling scents of lavender and brine, as though the ocean itself had seeped into its very bones. This was no ordinary house, and within it lived no ordinary girl. Serina, with eyes as restless as the waves and a heart that yearned for the mysteries whispered by the wind, called thi...

10 likes 3 comments 3
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The Dunce’s Warning

Weekly Contest #307

Young Sarah Mathews wasn’t what you’d call the apple of her teacher’s eye. Ever since her daddy went to sleep in Davy Jones’ locker, it seemed like the whole world had gone as haywire as a busted pocket watch. Why, even the stars hanging high above the Texas night sky looked to have turned their backs on her, leaving her to wander through the days feeling as lost as a calf in high weeds. While other young’uns stood straight as fence posts reciting their lessons, Sarah’s mind had a way of drifting off like tumbleweed on a breezy day. The rus...

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Messy Magic on the Rooftop

Weekly Contest #301

Messy Magic on the Rooftop When meticulous planner Jules throws a rooftop birthday bash to mend her best friend Sam’s broken heart, an unexpected downpour, a mischievous magic charm, and a parade of see-through white party clothes unravel every plan—but also reveal truths about love, friendship, and the courage to come out of hiding. Perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston, Emily Henry, and Becky Albertalli, this sparkling queer romantic comedy proves that the best kind of magic is the mess we make together. Jules didn’t believe in luck; she b...

10 likes 3 comments 3
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Epic Eruptions: When Gaming Meets Baking

Weekly Contest #299

Epic Eruptions When Gaming Meets Baking In a whirlwind of culinary chaos, socially awkward gamer Max teams up with his adventurous neighbor Lila to create an epic dino-volcano for a school bake sale, hoping to bridge the divide between his virtual world and reality; when their dessert erupts in hilarious disaster, they discover the true power of friendship and community amidst the chocolate-covered chaos. This story is perfect for fans of Rick Riordan, Raina Telgemeier, or Gordon Korman. Max sat at the back of the classroom, a fortress of t...

14 likes 3 comments 3
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The Season of Mia

Weekly Contest #298

The Season of Mia Mia was the girl who could disappear into a room with no one noticing she was there. Sixteen years old and quiet to a fault, she had perfected the art of staying in the shadows—hugging the edges of every space, her head down, her voice barely above a whisper. Fading into the background was her superpower, and she clung to it like a life raft. But then there was Zoe. Zoe, who crashed into every room like a wildfire, demanding attention without ever asking for it. Loud, fearless, and brimming with confidence, she was everyt...

8 likes 0 comments 0
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The Storm Within

Weekly Contest #294

Cindy jolted awake, her chest tightening as an otherworldly green glow illuminated the foot of her bed. Her breath hitched. A figure—still, silent, and unnervingly familiar—hovered in the darkness, its hollow eyes fixed on her. Fear clawed at her throat, but she forced herself to blink, to reason. It’s just a dream, she told herself. Yet the icy sting of her arm pinched by unseen hands, the mournful wail of the wind battering the windows, and the suffocating weight in her gut screamed otherwise. This wasn’t a dream. It was something far wors...

10 likes 2 comments 2
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The Muse Behind the Mic

Weekly Contest #293

FYI, the actual story is 674 words; the filler is a comedy act. While waiting at the gate, I ran into a young lady named Emily, who was an anxious flyer. I asked her what her story was, got her to talk, and the next thing I knew, we were saying I do in front of Elvis the Divine! To make a long story short, time flew by during the many dinners, shows, and trips, creating hazy memories. Traveling extensively is part and parcel of my work as a comedian. After a year of dating, she said she wanted to come to my show. During our time in Vegas, w...

7 likes 1 comment 1
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A Brush of Colour, A Stroke of Courage Or, The Rainbow Beyond the Fear

Weekly Contest #292

Once upon a time, a girl named Amy lived in a quaint village. While washing the dishes, she saw her stepmother sitting in her rocking chair by the radio as its crackling voice warned of 'monsters lurking in the forest' and 'dangers beyond the village.' The radio's glowing knobs seemed to pulse ominously. Amy shivered, her stepmother's fearful whispers echoing in her ears. The radio's voice was soothing yet insidious, weaving tales of terror that settled in listeners' minds like a fog. When Amy stared too long at its glowing knobs, she felt ...

6 likes 4 comments 4
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The Prophecy of Shadows

Weekly Contest #291

The air crackles with unnatural energy the moment I step into this place, as if the veil between worlds is thinning just for me. Shadows twist and writhe along the wooded path, their cold, unseen eyes tracking my every move. The whispers in the wind and the flicker of the dying fire speak of secret-hidden truths that send a shiver down my spine. Each step toward the old mansion feels like stepping deeper into the unknown, where the line between the living and the dead vanishes. No one else sees it; they say I'm imagining things and need to ...

12 likes 3 comments 3
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Through the Veil of Time

Weekly Contest #289

A confidently posed bronze statue of General Gerald Musgrave stood in Applewood's square. His outstretched hand beckoned the townsfolk to remember their savior. Nearby, Emma watched him, frozen, notebook in her lap. She idolized her grandfather. To her, he was more than a man. The general wasn't a savior in the biblical sense but a savior in the economic sense. He stopped the highway from being built miles away from the town, ensuring that travelers would never exit to shop the many stores and shops that lined the town's streets. Shirley's ...

13 likes 9 comments 9
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In The Wake Of Love

Weekly Contest #288

In the silent depths of that fog-shrouded night, when the moon's pale light barely pierced the veil, I asked my beloved Lily the question that would change our lives forever. A month at sea, in a small boat tossed about by the merciless waves, would test the very limits of our endurance and love. "Lily," I said, breaking the heavy silence, "are you sure you want to go on this journey with me?" The stars twinkled as if sharing in her anticipation. She turned to me, her eyes steady and unwavering as the stars above. "Jack," she replied, her v...

19 likes 11 comments 11
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The Doomsday Paradox

Weekly Contest #286

The night the world ended began with an eerie silence, broken only by the occasional drip of water and the distant chirp of a cricket. As the internet went down, an unnerving silence replaced the hiss of static from my ham radio. Then, a chilling, inhuman voice whispered nearby. I ignored the media's pre-war frenzy and the public's stockpiling until now. My ham radio was my sanity's anchor—until a night of terrifying sounds replaced the static. My desire to flee the chaos likely spread to other global radio operators whom I contacted via r...

8 likes 2 comments 2
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Just As I Am

Weekly Contest #285

I left my tiny room, the television noise from the hallway too much to bear. I went to the courtyard, where three old picnic tables stood amidst a garden of weeds. The old folks from the retirement home sat there, smoking their cigarettes. The yard was surrounded by windows, each one a cold, unblinking eye. Inside the rooms, the dying lay. The air was heavy with the scent of sickness and despair. Another Sunday. Maybe the family would come by after church, to do their duty and keep their guilt at bay. I'd been taken from my home, surrounde...

19 likes 12 comments 12
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Silent Reaper

Weekly Contest #284

Audits were my personal hell, a solitary descent into a fluorescent-lit nightmare where each buzzing light made me feel like a target. I glided through the silent offices like a phantom in a graveyard, the air thick with the unspoken dread and hushed whispers of terrified employees. Their fear was a chilling presence, but this job—despite the staff's loathing—was a step up from my dark past. Once known as the Silent Reaper, a special forces assassin who carried out targeted killings, I now found myself navigating a different kind of danger, ...

14 likes 8 comments 8
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