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Author on Reedsy Prompts since Feb, 2024
Submitted to Contest #308
The afternoon sea breeze and white sands invited Katlyn to leave the cool shade of the fig tree. She stepped out into the sunshine and brushed her long hair from her eyes. Lowering her sunglasses, she made her way down to the firmer sand. She scanned the shoreline. Where are the crowds? Letting the hair flutter in the breeze, three rotten timbers poking out of the falling tide caught her eye. The old jetty. We used to sit out there on the warm summer evenings and make out we were fishing. The feelings from those nights brought a smil...
Submitted to Contest #285
Time travel has been in the family tree for over a century. Each generation getting closer to the point of discovery. Alara Mallett stared back at the physicists working on her latest invention. Phases one and two work. Why the hell doesn’t Phase Three kick in? It gets to a point and then the whole field shuts down. She glanced at her smartwatch, “Hurry up and finish it. I want to go home tonight,” she grumped at one guy looking confused.“But I have tried everything you said to do.”“Well, change the polarit...
Submitted to Contest #278
TW: Death bed confession of a crime. Dark secrets are cast into the shadows of one's mind. Greg’s feeble body lay motionless in the hospital bed. His pale wrinkled face lacked the spark of life. Tubes and wires were connected all over his body turning him into a cyborg project. He glanced up as Trish his sister took hold of his hand. It was a gentle grip as the IV was taped to his paper-thin skin.Coughing he murmured, “Good to see you.”“And you,” she forced a smile while fighting the tears welling in her eyes. ...
Submitted to Contest #272
They walk among us every day not knowing their past or future. Vicky sat alone in the pub waiting for the Halloween party to start. The publican dimmed the lights before lighting the candles in the carved pumpkins running along the bar. A large ornately carved lantern lit up with glowing evil eyes and sharp teeth carved in its flesh, “Wow, that one is scary.” Vicky said taking a mouthful of her beer. “Halloween.” An old lady dressed in rags bent over the bar suddenly looked up and madly shoved her purse into her...
Submitted to Contest #269
We trap our souls in our possessions to remind us of our past. Photos coated in dust line the walls. That moth-eaten jacket that hangs at the back of the wardrobe. They are doomed to sit for eternity because we cling to the memory they instil. We fear losing the item will result in us losing part of our soul. An anchor to the past that doesn’t let us find a new future. Stella lay back on her couch running the chain holding her engagement ring through her fingers. She stared at a line of ads on the TV when ...
Submitted to Contest #264
Alisha stood looking back at the mirror, her hands on her hips while the bride's mother tried not to stick pins in her. The long pale blue bridesmaid dress was not designed for her, but last night’s phone call changed that. She boarded the flight to witness the marriage of her lifelong school friend and then came the phone call in the taxi. One of the bridesmaids had fallen ill and couldn’t make the wedding. Luckily for the bride, I was slightly thinner than the maid the dress was designed for. She stood still watchi...
Submitted to Contest #260
Content warning: Contains topic of grief and personal loss.Can your eyes deceive you? Can a glance send you down the path to madness? Emily passed the bag of beauty products to her client as she left the salon. The sound of the doorbells chiming as the door closed was Emily’s cue to collapse into her seat. What a morning. Taking a deep breath, she dropped her head onto the desk, resting her eyes.A break that didn’t last long as the phone rang in her ear. She picked up the handset and stared at the crowd passing ...
Submitted to Contest #256
All was dark and silent. Davey slowly opened his eyes; a fuzzy blue sky filled his vision. Where am I? The side of his head throbbed; his chin strap was cutting into his neck. Instinctually he reached up removing his helmet. As his vision became clearer, he glanced to the left, a wall of rocks and tree trunks by his side. To his right a motorbike front wheel, the suspension bent and the mounting bracket torn off. Past that, a few shattered pieces of fibreglass lay scattered. He stared blankly at the debris....
Submitted to Contest #254
Her long brown hair danced like Medusa’s snakes in the ocean wind. The sails were full as the ship’s bow crashed through the waves. With this current and wind, we should be in Jamacia tomorrow. Maria stood at the foredeck, her face pointing into the sun. Taking a deep breath, she soaked up the fresh air. This smells better than the cesspit below the deck. Feeling refreshed she made her way down the steep wooden steps. The air was heavy with the musty smells of rotten food and urine. Descending i...
Submitted to Contest #251
Darkness shrouded the empty halls; the tattered carpet reeked of smoke and the feasts of yesteryear. Jarod explored his latest purchase with a flashlight in hand. Who would have thought that exploring the woods would lead me to this? From the outside, it’s a weather stone relic covered in moss and vines. The interior is a time capsule. Another medieval Manor waiting silently for someone to love her. What secrets are hidden behind these walls? The solid timber doors groaned as he pushed them open, their m...
Submitted to Contest #249
The alpine mountain range dominated the valleys below. High snow-covered peaks glistened in the midday sun; the ski season wasn’t far off. Allana cruised along the highway excited to catch up with her girlfriends at the ski lodge for a weekend of drinking champagne while soaking in the hot tub. Turning into a side road, she checked the map on her phone. “Yep, this is it, Mount Tugga Road.” Her back ached from the long drive. Away from the traffic, she pulled over to stretch her legs. Straightening up...
Submitted to Contest #247
The tropical humidity hung heavy as the rain dripped off the leaves overhead. Four days of swinging a machete through the Amazon jungle had drained Roger’s energy reserves. But he had to dig deeper as he led the World Nature Exploration party through the soggy undergrowth in search of the famous Bootah River canyon. One of the last untouched wildernesses on the planet. Late afternoon shadows replaced the rays of sun filtering down through the forest; their pace quickened as they had to find somewhere to camp before nightfall.&...
Submitted to Contest #245
The great hunter, Orion rose in the Southern sky as night fell; Winter was coming. The mountain peaks tipped with snow earlier than usual; wind-chilled nights chased away the warmth of the day in camp. Falling amber leaves drifted to the ground and the berry crop had ended. It was time to move to the Great Plains in the warmer South away from the winter shadows cast by the mountains.As night fell the tribe gathered around the roaring fire to prepare for the migration ahead. The last of the food had been dried ...
Submitted to Contest #244
Leaning heavily on the kitchen table, Emma held her phone in one hand and an icepack against her forehead with the other. Staring down at a picture of herself, arm-in-arm dancing with someone. Her eyes were drawn to this tall, dark-haired, clean-shaven and smartly dressed stranger. In the background, a party is well underway, with people dancing, drinks and lights flashing. What the hell? She flicked onto the next photo; she was sitting in the dark drinking a cocktail with the same guy. Her pulse started to beat...
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