Claire Clayton

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Sep, 2020

Stories (14)

14 Stories

358 karma pts

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“The Bank Robber's Sponsor” by Claire Clayton

Submitted to Contest #188

"So what's the catch?" "No catch. Just you, me, and KC going to a bank." "Sawyer." "In ski masks." "Sawyer!" "Okay. Okay, man! God, you're so pushy. Ya, ya we're gonna rob it." "Sawyer!" "Come on, dude. I need the money, bad. You know who this business goes, sometimes you're down and sometimes you're-" "High?" Jack finished, grabbing the spliff from Sawyer and stomping it under his foot. "Dude!" "That's what happened at your last job isn't it? You got high and screwed up?" "Jack-" "So you need me to come in and take charge for you so you don...

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“Masquerade” by Claire Clayton

Submitted to Contest #184

Masquerade men in masksEmotion, toil, pain,They’ll just reach for a flask to make it all go away.Everything to lose and nothing to gain,They’re drowning in that pain.Masquerade men in masks.The world goes numb and fades awayWondering if they’ve been led astray.Just waiting and praying and fading awayMasquerade men in masksThey let nobody show them the sunWhy did they throw the sun away?The dark defeats the day.Masquerade men in masks.Why do they wither Why do they let themselves shiver?Is it the mask?Is it their past?Masquerade men in m...

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“A Prayer for Peace” by Claire Clayton

Submitted to Contest #132

"Are you there God? It's me." I sat with a blanket around me on the hardware floor of my bedroom. The black bookshelf to my left, the closet curtain behind me, and the decorated dresser to my right made a cozy nook for me. Ever since I was a young child, I loved sitting on the ground. It made me feel connected to the Earth- balanced, safe, secure. I shared the room with my twin brother, William, who currently resided in the living room where he was sure to be on the computer. That left me to have a moment of peace and quiet in the busy hous...

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“The Siren” by Claire Clayton

Submitted to Contest #116

My heart pounding in my throat, I pulled the fire alarm. Its blasting siren filled my ears almost as quickly as terror washed over me. With tremulous breath and body, I slipped into the chaotic crowd of students and teachers that were hurrying towards the exits. My brain swam and I hardly recognized the hands that patted me on the back as I walked. "Way to go, Ben!" The owners of those hands said. "I didn't do it for you," I breathed, shakily. "I didn't do it for you." A teacher caught my eye and I quickly jogged deeper into the mob. Fina...

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“Lights Out” by Claire Clayton

Submitted to Contest #114

Darkness and silence filled the room, hand in hand, as the great door slammed open and all candles were snuffed out. I could smell wisps of smoke dancing in the air with petrichor. Though I could not see, the sound of footsteps on the stone floor thumped towards my throne, telling me of intruders. Whether they were friend or foe, I would not know until their faces and intentions were revealed. “Let us have light!” I yelled. As the flames flickered to life, the forms of three men became visible below me. Pieces of sticks, leaves, and mud-co...

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“Free as a Bird in a Cage” by Claire Clayton

Submitted to Contest #91

Clara’s dreams were filled with what could be and what could never be. Her eyes flitted open and jerked her away from her paradise. Clara felt around for her water glass, knocking a pile of books over in the process. She knelt and picked up the familiar titles- too familiar for her liking. She started her day the same way she had yesterday, the day before, and all of her twenty years of life It should be noted that Clara does not live in a large city or even a small town. Her family, the Brewsters, lived in the smallest of cottages with onl...

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“A Nightmare to Remember ” by Claire Clayton

Submitted to Contest #83

"Marry me." "What?" "Marry me." “Walter, what on Earth are you doing? Get off the ground at once, you look positively ridiculous,” the automatic response was all I could muster at the time. Even as I look back I truly believe that I could not have handled the situation better.  Walter, had previously taken the position of being on one knee in the middle of the town square. The shining ring he held was a nice touch in the theatrical performance. He quickly obeyed my command and looked confusedly at me while several onlookers stopped to ...

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“Where Credit is Due” by Claire Clayton

Submitted to Contest #82

They say all is fair in love and war. But, neither of those things are fair are they? Life is not fair. It is a battlefield full of winners and losers. It is made up of the avenged and the vengeful. I happen to be that latter. I have been vengeful for a very long time. Something was stolen from me many years ago and I intend on making that wrong right. Or at least right for me.  My name is Margaret Davenport. That name should mean something to you, though I doubt it does. My fame was indeed stolen from me by a man you have most certai...

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“Winning at Losing ” by Claire Clayton

Submitted to Contest #70

Journal entry: 10/20/2012: Elijah Banks Let's open with a riddle shall we? What is a list that everyone has yet is almost never written down? Sorry, riddles aren't really my style.  I'm talking about a list of things to do before you die. Kind of morbid right? Well, I have just one thing on my list. Being a New York times best selling author. That's very ambitious of me, trust me, I know. I have been told this by numerous people that think I can't live without they're doubts. Of course, they're wrong. Journal Entry: 4/10/2013: Elijah Ba...

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“The Anomaly ” by Claire Clayton

Submitted to Contest #69

Before I begin, there is something I must tell you. This is not a regular heartwarming tale nor is it the grimiest one you have ever heard. No, this is my story and mine alone. So, my dear reader, whomever you may be, know the pain I have been faced with in writing this letter. I write this not to send but instead to be discovered by a sole who wishes to change the world forever. Only after reading this letter will the world and the very air we breathe have changed in the blink of an eye. I am sure you must be quite curious as to my identity...

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“The Time Empress ” by Claire Clayton

Submitted to Contest #68

“He can’t find out!” Kate hissed in my ear. “He will not. You can trust me,” I whispered back, my heart beating at a quickened pace. “You know what’s at stake!” “I am aware.” “Good. If he is even the slightest bit suspicious, we are all dead. Rose, you cannot even make one mistake! Understand?” “Yes, Kate!”  She sighed and turned back from the frosty window to face me. “I'm sorry. I'm just worried about what could happen to you.” “I know. It’s okay,” I soothed.  I gave her a quick hug and stood up. We had been crouching ne...

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“Scarlet Leaves” by Claire Clayton

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves where on fire. “How long?” I asked, dreading the answer. “Five months,” Rob responded. I took a deep breath, words failing to form as a thousand chaotic thoughts raced through my brain. Scarlet and orange leaves coated the ground making it look like the buried grass was covered in flames. In my last memory, the sky was clear and the grass was dewy and lush. Now, there was a thick layer of frost on the ground and a chilly nip in the air. I spun around the vast field not knowing what to ...

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“The Future in Flames” by Claire Clayton

Submitted to Contest #62

“The word ‘future’ is a strange one. We rely on it so much yet have no idea what our world holds in store for us. Now, we have faced an obstacle that may seem impossible to get past. But, we will rise up to the challenge. You have already heard of the prophecy. While my administration and I  have no way of confirming or denying this threat as of yet, we will do all we can to prepare ourselves for any events, good or bad. However, we can also give the generations to come the supplies they need to survive and thrive in the future. And tha...

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“The Word That Changed My World” by Claire Clayton

Submitted to Contest #61

There was one word that changed my entire existence. One word that I now recalled with a different understanding than I had four months ago. When I first heard it I had feelings of anger and sadness. Now, upon hearing the response in a new way, those same powerful feelings had risen but for a different reason. This word was “no.” *** “Come on Rory!” I yelled as we approached Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland. Rory and I had entered the park only a few hours ago and I was determined to make the most of our limited time in “the happiest pl...

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Author bio

Hey Reedsy, It's been a while. After going through some personal struggles, I've refound my love of writing in a new form: poetry. For a long time poetry confused me until I discovered its secrets (at least for me) I thought about how I would explain my complex emotions and wrote it down. When I looked at it, I had written poetry! So, hang in there with me as I explore my new love and mix it with my own flavor of writing!