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Author on Reedsy Prompts since Sep, 2024
Submitted to Contest #299
Derek wasn’t supposed to do it, but he told his sister Sandra about the aliens’ plans he was talking about with his Dungeons & Dragons friends. He told her about their theory that the President was being programmed by humans and aliens in a secret hideaway in Colorado.He said, “It’s like he’s a puppet who doesn’t know what he’s saying or doing. If what we researched is true, then his staff, or a previous president, perhaps using Artificial Intelligence, is running the country.”Sandra decided to go along with her teenaged brother who was ...
Submitted to Contest #298
Mary danced on the table like there was no tomorrow. This was not like her. She was usually reserved and somewhat awkward. But she knew she had to change to have the kind of future she wanted.They all stared, then laughed, then clapped their hands and several of them reported her to her boss. He was astounded and confronted her about the office party last Friday. She was taken aback. He sounded disapproving and she was confused.“But you liked it when Schatzy danced. You did! I saw it in your eyes last year at the Christmas party where everyo...
Submitted to Contest #296
George McMahon had just started his first job as a Ford car salesman. He worked at a dealership in town that had a reputation for being fair but not as personable as some other dealerships.The owner of the dealership, Simon, liked cars and in particular liked antique cars. In fact, he was even featured on a local TV show at antique car auctions touting the merits of various cars for sale. Simon’s specialty was restored collectible Fords.One day, Simon bought an old Ford convertible at auction because it wasn’t selling, and he had a keen eye ...
Submitted to Contest #295
The portal was right there behind the closet door.Joanne said, “No, don’t bother. I hang things up in this closet over here. That door doesn’t work.”Mary glanced sideways at her cousin and instantly knew something was off. She never tells me what to do when I’m a guest in her house. This isn’t right. I wonder what’s hiding in that closet.Joanne hung up Mary’s jacket in the closet at the end of the staircase, not the one by the front door. Whew, that was close. I’ll have to cover that door with a curtain or piece of furniture or something. Ma...
Submitted to Contest #294
“I don’t have a ‘World’, Rob,” said Dan.Rob answered, “Really? But you have a brother, Dan.”“He’s not my world. He’s just IN my world, but not OF my world.”Rob was momentarily confused and said, “Uh, okay, if you say so.”“I do. You just spent ten minutes telling me about your world, Robert, and I didn’t feel a thing. It’s your world, not mine. You chose your world, Rob. You chose to get married, have a child (who lives in another state and hardly sees you, by the way) and live with two cats and two dogs. You belong to a club you don’t like w...
Submitted to Contest #293
Bert was on an installation team of General Dynamics engineers who were implementing a computer system upgrade at Pine Gap, a joint Australian-US satellite tracking station, located 19 kilometers (12 mi) south-west of Alice Springs, Australia, that employs about 700 Americans and Australians. She had been at the Joint Defence Space Research Facility for only three days and the engineering team she was on was exhausted. One of their crates containing critical computer equipment had been smashed by a forklift driver in California and they...
Submitted to Contest #291
“Why are you running away from me?”“I’m not running from, I’m running to!”“What?”“I’m not leaving, Mom, I’m moving TO!”“What do you mean, where is TO?”“To my life. You know, the life you wanted for me? The reason you made sure I am healthy and educated?Why did you spend money on my education and training, not to mention Dad buying flight lessons for me so I could fly his plane?Why did you insist I go to college?What did you think I would do after college, or obtaining a pilot’s license?Stay home with you?Dad is out in the world, but I should...
Submitted to Contest #290
Upon opening the door, Katherine saw a tall slender balding man and a tall well-endowed teenager standing in front of him. Leon was Katherine’s date for the afternoon and had asked to bring his teenage daughter, Jasmine, with him. It was the first date of Leon and Katherine. They had texted and spoken on the phone for the past six months but had not yet seen each other, not even on video chats.They emailed photographs of each other’s family, of course, but agreed to not do videos or facetiming. They agreed to this arrangement when the...
Submitted to Contest #289
“Kanoe? Are you ready? Got your costume?”“Yeah. Just a minute.”“We have to go. Your kumu just called and wants to know where you are.”“Okay. I'm ready., and thanks for calling her a kumu instead of a teacher."As usual, she looked gorgeous. I was proud of my Hawaiian daughter.We made it to the show in time. I walked her to the tent dressing room which was at the park where her halau was performing. The other girls were inside inspecting each other’s costumes and applying their makeup. I didn’t go in so as not to bother them. They were teenage...
Submitted to Contest #288
The wind tore through the cottonwood trees on the other side of our back fence sounding like an airplane flying low over the house or a train passing in the distance. The trees are about twelve feet from the fence near a shallow canal going past our property that is used for runoff water from the larger canal located a few blocks away near some small farms. We don’t own the tributary canal that carries the runoff from the larger county owned canal, but we do own the land six feet past our back fence. It is an easement controlled by the Tahoe...
Submitted to Contest #287
She was standing at the front door. “How did you get here?” “I walked from downtown.” “All that way barefoot?” “Yes, it wasn’t that bad.” Mary began to shake so I sat her down on the small couch next to the front door. She looked straight ahead at the floor in front of her and that’s when I noticed how emaciated she was. She leaned forward and started talking in between sucking in her breath and laughing to herself. I noticed how her teeth seemed larger than the last time I saw her, and she quite frankly looked homeless. The Mary who was si...
Submitted to Contest #286
I remembered falling over the cliff. My feet were scrambling,and my ankles were rolling. I put out my hands to stop the fall I knew was coming and went over the edge. So much blood. I could feel it. Taste it. Looking into rounded small stones, not pebbles but bigger - but not rocks.I heard someone yelling, “Oh my God! Call 911.”What am I running from?Then I slipped into darkness.After waking up in a hospital bed with the smell of clean sheets and antiseptic all around I op...
Submitted to Contest #285
The wall phone in the kitchen rang. I lifted the receiver and heard crackling. At the same time, I looked out the window and noticed a phone company van outside my house. I also saw five men walking around the neighborhood wearing phone company vests. Then I saw cables lying on the sidewalk.I could barely make out a weak shaky voice saying, “I love you.” I whispered, “Dad?” I’m not sure why I whispered. I guess I was startled to hear his voice because he passed away three years ago. The phone crackled some more and suddenly went dead.I ran o...
Submitted to Contest #269
She took her hair down and looked at herself in the mirror. Nobody needs this much hair at my age. My friends have short bobs, but I don’t like that style or medium length hair – both styles look part way done to me. I think hair should only be short or long. I’m calling Lupe today to cut my hair short and sell my ponytail to her hair organization.The decision was made. It was easier than Charlotte thought it would be. She came home from Pro Hair a new woman. She put on a baseball cap and puffed up the top so Dale wouldn’t notice her short h...
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