Benny Regalbuto

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jun, 2020

Stories (12)

12 Stories

329 karma pts

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“Snow Deal” by Benny Regalbuto

Raymond’s camcorder beeped, causing him to nearly fall out of the tree he was perched in. How long had he been asleep? He’d checked to make sure the camcorder was working, and then… Shit. The moon had been much lower last he’d seen it. The camcorder beeped again. Low battery. He rummaged through his ski jacket’s puffy pockets, hoping his past self had thought to bring extra AA bat...

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“Flying Straight and True” by Benny Regalbuto

“I’ve got a plan.” As usual, Derrick doesn’t seem to hear me. Ironic, since I’m the one without eyes or ears. “See that rope? The one suspending that heavy-looking box in the air?” I’d point if I could, but… no hands, either. “Shoot me through it! The box will fall, and—” Uh-oh. He’s nocking me. And he’s decidedly not aiming me at the rope. “Shoot the rope, Derrick! The rope!<...

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“Last Supper” by Benny Regalbuto

Adrian’s fork clinks against his plate as he sets it down to pick up his spoon. It’s the first sound any of us have heard since the beginning—the Big Bang of this family dinner. Heh. Calling it a “family dinner” as if it’s just like any other… I meet Mari’s eyes, but they dart away, focusing on some pattern in the tablecloth. It is a nice tablecloth—been in the family for generations. Long enough...

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“The Light In the End of the Tunnel” by Benny Regalbuto

Miranda groped her way along the cold wall of the cave, ignoring the fresh nicks and scrapes gifted her by the sharp gravel beneath her feet. They were, after all, nothing compared to the hunger. The sun didn’t shine down here in the bowels of the earth, but she knew, she knew days had passed. Days and days and days. Enough days that she’d begun thinking it might’ve even been weeks, months, ...

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“A Soldier's Surprise” by Benny Regalbuto

Colorless smoke curled from the crater, shimmering like the ghosts of Yershai’s comrades. His friends. Crix. Indoph. Tinseff. Del’lor. Melawa. All gone. All— Yershai felt the next explosion before he saw it. By the time he did see it, the shockwave was already upon him, sending him tumbling across the compound like a ball punted by a giant. He… was still alive. Still…

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“Remain” by Benny Regalbuto

This frigid world is almost completely devoid of life (except for the equator, which falls just within the outermost limits of the Sontila Habitability Index), yet its abundant natural resources, encased under glacier-thick ice, were long ago deemed too precious to let be. And so the Planetary Expeditionary Force, now known galaxy-wide as the PEF, was established, attracting only the hardiest members of the most cold-resistant species. They’re compensated most handsomely for their dangerous and invaluable efforts, and—Arïa...

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“Missing Mountain” by Benny Regalbuto

Kenton,Hey, man. I know this is a little strange since I still have your number, but… I wanted to send you a handwritten letter. I don’t expect us to become pen pals or anything, but I promise there’s a point to this, so just bear with me for a bit here. Or, y’know, don’t. You’re a big boy now; you make your own decisions.Anyway. Rewind to high school ski club. I joined for two reasons: because you were doing it, and because Jamie Tipton was doing it. What better justification could there’ve been?No matter ...

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“Phases” by Benny Regalbuto

As always, Kellem didn’t once break eye contact with Hoskins as he received his daily lashes. To my master’s credit, Kellem thought, gritting his teeth as the whip dug into his skin, he never breaks eye contact with me, either. Locked in this agonizing stare down more times than he could count—and he couldn’t count—Kellem had come to know every facet of Hoskins’s eyes as intimately as h...

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“A Side of Sewage” by Benny Regalbuto

“I’m counting on you,” Markus says, hand on my shoulder and heel already turned to go. Heh. Ain’t that the gods’ honest truth. I nod, but he and the others are off before so much as a single hair on my head sways back from the motion. They’re not brushing me off, of course: they just have more important things to attend to. World-saving things. It’s only natural someone has to be left behind to guard the ...

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“Precious Cargo” by Benny Regalbuto

Yuyama readjusted her bag’s shoulder straps as she took stock of her situation. The Hyne system’s two suns beat down relentlessly, making it hard to think even with the cooling gear in her envirosuit on full blast. She couldn’t just figure it out as she went along anymore; those days were over. It was think or die, now—not easy for a mercenary who preferred to have others do the thinking for her or die. Alrig...

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“Remember” by Benny Regalbuto

“Blech!” Hilda stuck her tongue out in disgust as she ripped her makeshift axe from the dead giga rat – ten times the size of its smaller rodent cousins. Daisuke was always better at this kind of thing… she thought. Flicking the slimy blood off with two quick shakes, she continued her way down the dress aisle. She already had shoes picked out: a pair of ink black combat boots that were as stylish...

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“The Upward Option” by Benny Regalbuto

Everyone has wished or hoped or dreamed they could fly at some point in their lives. Free as a bird, finally untethered from their earthly troubles as they soar through the stratosphere. It’s a nice idea, but I can barely stand the troposphere myself. I’m no meteorologist, but Google says that 62°F is the average tropospheric temperature, and it can get as cold as -60°F. I went up to test it out a while back and…...

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Author bio

Hello there. Fantasy is my go-to, but it's not the only genre I write in (or read). "The Light In the End of the Tunnel" is my favorite story I've written here. Hannah Barrett's "The Iron Door" is my favorite story I've read here. I always reply to comments. Website: https://bregalbuto.journoportfolio.com/ Medium: https://medium.com/@benny.regalbuto Email: benny.regalbuto@gmail.com Happy reading—and writing! Copyright © 2023 Benny Regalbuto - All Rights Reserved.