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Charles Corkery

Author on Reedsy Prompts since May, 2023

Stories (83)

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28 Followers

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83 Stories

1656 karma pts

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PROTEGE

Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #213

PROTEGEMax left the building on Prinz-Albrecht-Strasse feeling exhilarated following his meeting. As he stood beneath the panoply of red flags, all proudly displaying the swastika emblem of Nazi Germany, he took in a deep breath of the frigid November air. Finally, he had a clarity of purpose; a reason to look forward to the future with real optimism.Ever since he had returned home from university, Max Brandt had been listless, unhappy, unsure of what his life might have in store for him. His father, Gerhardt, a wealthy industrialist was ail...

10 likes

PLAYED GUNNER

Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #213

PLAYED GUNNER “Why don’t you tell us something of your everyday life? Your living and working conditions; life for others around you. We know your purpose, of course, but we would all love to hear about conditions generally”. The soldier, strongly built, muscles rippling beneath his waterproof lycra top, stared at the gathering, a hundred or more cave dwellers, looking upon him with a mixture of fear, awe and hatred. Two of this community, older, were doing all the talking. “I...can’t seem to move. My fingers and toes are num...

9 likes

THE PRETTY ONE

Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #212

THE PRETTY ONEIt was the first time since her father’s death that she had visited her mother and sister at their new home. She had wanted it to be a surprise; to show that her inherited, unasked for role would not mean a drastic change in their lives. While her father had lived, they had all been so happy, dwelling a quatre, sharing every aspect of their exalted status, her beloved sister her closest companion.How happy they had been. It seemed that nothing could ever come between them. Of course, she had, from the age of six, been groomed t...

4 likes

TANGLED WEBS

Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #212

TANGLED WEBS “Ella, you cannot be serious. This is insane!” Maureen, Ella’s best friend, banged on the bathroom door where her boon companion had locked herself in. “I can’t do it. I can’t. Just leave me alone”. “Sweetheart, honey, this is it. This is everything you’d hoped for. You can’t just get cold feet now”. Maureen could hear Ella sobbing hysterically behind the locked door and tried desperately to think of how she could resolve this stand off, deciding, after a few moments, that, probably, continuing...

7 likes

THE WAR TO END ALL WARS

Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #212

THE WAR TO END ALL WARS August 9th 1914 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx My darling Gertie I write this brief letter shortly before we embark. The two horses are stowed safely. Altogether, there are xx cavalry divisions crossing the channel tonight and conditions are chaotic as you can imagine. God alone knows what part horses will play in this enterprise but the xxx Lancers shall do our very best. Look after our dear boys. You may find this letter heavily redacted as we have been advised that all mail is to pa...

11 likes

THE AGE OF INNOCENCE

Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #211

THE AGE OF INNOCENCEThey sat on the grass outside the village library awaiting Toby’s return; he having been sent to scope out the building. They watched as he walked back towards them, a mournful look on his face.“It’s the old battle-axe on duty. She absolutely loathes me so I daren’t ask her. What do we do now?’Miss Aznavour, the librarian, at the age of 36, hardly qualified for Toby’s description of being old. Nor was she a battle-axe. Rather, in her usual twin set and pearls, she was the epitome of a woman who had long given up hope of f...

9 likes

NEMESIS

Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #211

NEMESISBeyond the castle walls, the wind raged violently, the heavy falling snow unable to withstand its great force as it was swept north against its natural flow. The country all around, bleak and desolate, was blanketed in a coat of white that helped disguise its normal barrenness.Would he come? The Earl paced nervously in front of the enormous fireplace that blasted out its heat to counter the freezing air that entered through the windowless balistraria; the vaulted ceilings of this great hall towering high above the lone occupier, the m...

8 likes

HOMECOMING

Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #211

HOMECOMING But come ye back when summer’s in the meadow Or when the valley’s hushed and white with snow ’Tis I’ll be here in sunshine or in shadow Oh, Danny boy, oh Danny Boy, I love you so The flickering flames of the fireplace, the only light illuminating the room, combined with the sweet scent of the turf, welcoming me home. The firelight, in the dimness of the cottage, casts its glow upon the outline of the old woman, wreathed in her black shawl, as she rocks back and forth, humming quietly to herself. She senses my presence. “Is ...

9 likes

IGNORANCE IS BLISS

Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #210

IGNORANCE IS BLISS“And these rockets, Intelligence reports claim, are capable of flying from Peenemunde to London before exploding”“Amazing. Go on”.Admiral George Holtz, from the Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency, making his report on his weekly visit to the White House, continued as instructed by the 32nd President of the United States.“Well, sir, you can only begin to imagine the destruction that would be caused should these reports prove to be accurate”.“Yes, yes, yes, but who is responsible for inventing these marv...

12 likes

THE GREAT RESET

Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #210

THE GREAT RESET The room, in the bowels of the Pentagon, was gigantic in size; a huge circular, conference table that hosted forty, being the central focus. Sat around in a semi-circle on one side were twenty of the most powerful men on Planet Earth. Facing them, and completing the circle, were the extra terrestrial beings from Gliese 667Cc, the exoplanet, 22 light years from Earth. The sole distinguishable characteristic between the two parties: the light, green tinge to the skin of the Gliesians who, in all other appearances, resembled t...

5 likes

DEADLIER THAN THE MALE?

Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #210

DEADLIER THAN THE MALE? “Let us take, for example, the species, Scorpiones (scorpioun in the Greek, scorpionem (nominative scorpio) in the Latin. In many types of this species, often mistaken for insects, the female, once impregnated, will kill and eat the male. Scorpiones are closely related to spiders under the banner of Arachnida, having eight legs compared to the six legs of an insect and, indeed, many species of spiders follow this same Sexual Cannibalism of the male; the black widow being, possibly, the most infamous. However...

5 likes

PILLOW TALK

Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #209

PILLOW TALK “Can you please check again?” “Sir, I’m sorry but I have the bookings right here on the screen in front of me. Your booking is for next Sunday, the 15th. Not, today, the 8th”. “But there must be something you can do. You surely have other cars available”. ‘I’m sorry, sir, but it’s Easter Sunday, one of our busiest days of the year. All of our cars are in use”. The man held his head in his hands in frustration. This could not be happening. How on earth he had entered the wrong pick up ...

11 likes

SUPPER FOR TWO

Charles Corkery

Shortlisted for Contest #209 ⭐️

SUPPER FOR TWOThe young man, hot and sweaty, walked back into the gas station; his denim shirt, jeans and cowboy boots speckled with the desert dust.“Hell, how long’s this fella gonna be?”Gerry, the elderly gas station attendant, sat on a stool behind the shop counter, thumbing through an auto trader magazine and looked up witheringly at the young upstart who’d asked him the same question several times already in the less than one hour since he’d pulled in to the forecourt.“Jed’ll be here when he gets here”, the old timer replied, with all t...

20 likes

THE DETECTIVE

Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #208

THE DETECTIVE Millicent Billy worked her way through the files, gradually piecing together an accurate picture of the fraud, the subject of this enquiry. Not part of the main fraud squad office, she sat alone, surrounded by boxes and, automatically, her hand would reach out to the large bag of M+Ms on her desk. Though she was well regarded for her forensic ability, she longed to do real police work instead of the glorified clerical work that she was constantly pigeon-holed with. As the lunch hour arrived, she opened the door th...

13 likes

ALL AMERICAN

Charles Corkery

Submitted to Contest #207

ALL AMERICANChase Malone was the quintessential American hero: tall, strong, blonde and handsome. He was fun around the guys and chivalrous around women. He drove an enviable Porsche Boxster to work and a Jeep Wrangler to the beach in summer. He rose at 5am each morning to go work out at the Y and had the kind of buff body that would not be out of place in a pro-sport locker room. Additionally, he played racquet ball competitively, swam lengths twice per week and, on weekends, was the best player in his team’s softball le...

12 likes