D.C. Reed

“Unrealized Fear” by D.C. Reed

Submitted to Contest #274

*This story explores the angst arising from political and social issues created in our current political climate.* “Let’s take another question from the audience. Yes, the young woman at the third microphone. Which candidate do you want to address?” “This question is for either. Hopefully, both will answer.” “That’s fine. That’s fine. Please go ahead.” “I would like to ask if either of you will stop using our plights as tools to get elected?”  The bright white smile of the interchangeable news anchor fades. A hair comes out of pla...

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“The Legend Me” by D.C. Reed

Submitted to Contest #269

The things of legends don’t feel mystical. Legends and myths are the jobs of bards and poets. To take the horrors of battle and romanticize them into stories for the masses. They make the putrid copper scent of death and the rotten taste of festering meat palatable as one drinks ale at an inn. Legends are stories crafted by the bard about actions from hands like mine.  Calloused covered hands chose years of toil and work instead of chasing an impossible dream. My friends tested their metal, became pages or joined armies. They chased d...

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“Potion in the Night” by D.C. Reed

Thunder claps as an ominous rumble quakes the earth, following the blinding flash that turned the night to day.  “It’s never a beautiful day,” Ashen said. “When the quest is coming to an end, hopefully coming to an end, it is never a clear summer day. The sun is never shining down from the heavens as the hero completes their journey. It has to be the dead of night. When the mischievous and the devious roam the lands, while the lord weeps tears of fury as the deluge floods the land. It can never be a bright, sunny day. Never… Never….” ...

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“Video Calls” by D.C. Reed

Submitted to Contest #268

It’s so bizarre… So, so, so bizarre. When was the last time you accidentally dialed your own phone number? You’re playing on your phone and suddenly a robotic female voice is saying: Please enter your password. Then hit pound.  It happens about once, maybe twice a week to me. Typically, when my phone takes that trip from the hand to the pocket. The last time I did it was actually pretty memorable because I was presenting quarterly reports and the magical butt fairy didn’t only dial, but also hit the speaker button.  The last tim...

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“A Lack of Leave” by D.C. Reed

Submitted to Contest #267

People hate doctors because they make you sit in a little white room, sipping on a cold spiced latte, knowing it will never taste the same again. The Doctor’s lips are moving, but my world has gone mute. Maybe it’s a lump or something in the bloodwork. Maybe a simple procedure turned anything but. Regardless, in a moment your life shatters, the reality you didn’t even know you were leaning on continuing no longer exists. Your life is flung from a cliff like a leaf from a tree, blowing aimlessly at the mercy of the wind as you try to figure o...

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“Second Draft” by D.C. Reed

Submitted to Contest #266

“Jake? Is that you Jake?” The weathered bartender of Kill Your Darlings, said through squinted eyes as he welcomed who he thought was his regular Jake Mathist, into the bar.  “Onix. Onix Rock Harden, now my friend.” “I’ll get you a tall one. Maybe two,” “Sounds great,” Onix said, because it was the only thing to say. Onix didn’t know if he would like the coming stout beer. Once Jake, Onix, came in to have a draft of his favorite light beer only to unearth a new gluten intolerance. “Who writes allergies into a character?” Onix asked, ...

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“A mysterious stranding” by D.C. Reed

Submitted to Contest #265

“Every… single… flight?”  “That’s right ma’am, unfortunately every single flight has been grounded.” “That’s impossible,” I say with my wittiest retort. People think it’s easy to be on all the time, that when the moment comes, they will have a dramatic, memorable saying. Reality bites and unless you fall back into expletives, which I have used plenty today, then you typically use a mundane response. “But, it’s not possible. Look outside.” Outside the dozens of locked double doors, the sun is shining brightly, birds are filling the sk...

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“State of the art.... When I bought it.” by D.C. Reed

Submitted to Contest #236

213243 Finally. I’ve learned better than to yell or curse out loud. The first few times people understand, the next dozen you get looks, after a few hundred you are an outcast, and the thousandth, well, at that point you’ve moved past the place of caring that people think you have leprosy. Only cursing the gods a few thousand times is praiseworthy, considering how many password tries it has taken to crack this ancient tomb described to me as: “state-of-the art… when they bought it.” Since the summer of my sophomore year, I’ve spent ...

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“A Zero Star Empire” by D.C. Reed

Submitted to Contest #218

My husband asked me not to write this. Our conversation started civil before devolving into a gritty symphony of divergence. He believes the review won’t make sense, is personal, and petty. My soul disagrees. To cleanse my conscious, I must forewarn anyone else who dines here. Believe it or not, I normally give positive reviews. When I finish a book, I leave a review. When I go to the dentist, I leave a review. When a product does what is supposed to, I leave a review. When an app asks me for a review, I hit ask me again later. I’m not a ...

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“Merits of Dating Apps” by D.C. Reed

Submitted to Contest #199

Stumble. Mumble. Bumble. In that order or all at once, I’m not exactly sure. I stumbled over, over nothing but air from the surprise of locking eyes with the person I had been stealing glances of all night. I mumbled some sort of apology after I bumbled my drink, spilling its contents from both sides of the rim as I attempted to cover my shame in a sip.  “I’m Alex.” “Pat,” I say stupidly as my evening’s fixation introduces themselves after watching my shenanigans as they walked over.  Alex is cool, suave, mysterious, sexy,...

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“Homer's Tales and Toys” by D.C. Reed

Submitted to Contest #176

You could never finish your job here. That is why you have but a single year. Don’t dally or waste. Give haste.  Sara could imagine the script, the curved persuasive letters, etched into her mind one night. When she woke, she was here in a book store. Sara had spent 364 days here and now that it was coming to an end, she wanted nothing more than this stay to go on forever. “The dust smells different here,” Sara said, feather duster lightly running along the rows of shelves. “It smells old, like knowledge. Like wisdom, adventure...

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“Reuniting With Yourself” by D.C. Reed

Submitted to Contest #174

“I can’t believe that you made it. Girl. I mean, I just can’t.”“I know… I know, isn’t it amazing!!!” Is what Claire meant to say with a bounce as her childhood bestie, Gail, smothered her in a hug. Instead, Claire’s arms barely warped around her friend as she rocked with Gail. Awkwardly accepting the hug like she was playing dead in front of a bear. “Well, we’ll have to do something more. You don’t escape. I will be right back.”Gail weaved through the crowd, leaving Claire alone in a sea of doppelgangers a decade older than her graduati...

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“Dice” by D.C. Reed

Submitted to Contest #170

“I’ve got a plan.”  The table groaned. This wasn’t the first time Clint had a plan. It wouldn’t be the last, but everyone sitting around that table exaggerated their distress at these words. Claire grimaced, Todd shook his head, Jeff and Jenifer both looked away while Amber threw her arms up. Everyone was upset except for Clint and Pat, their Dungeon Master. “What is the plan?” Pat said with a wicked grin. “Well-” “No…. Don’t say anything yet. Just stop,” Jennifer jumped in. “Don’t say a word.” “But… I-” “-Don’t. Not y...

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“280” by D.C. Reed

Submitted to Contest #158

The following is part of the official transcript of the People v.s. William Devin Jones. Outside of offending passages, this is how it was transmitted via social media on the day of the trial in accordance to all laws including ADMT 1.6 of the First Amendment which states: To protect the honor and sanctity of truth, debate, and speech, all communications, digital or otherwise, must be communicated in 280 characters or less. Language usage outside these bounds is the responsibility of the creator and subject to prosecution.  “All Ris...

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“The Other Side of Civil” by D.C. Reed

Submitted to Contest #153

I would say it started when we were young. Brothers. Destined to fight over anything. To compete over everything. But now, now brotherly conflict seems silly. As I sit here, hiding behind a building, as bullets whizz around me. Brother against brother, wondering how we got here.  Raised on the land. That’s what my dad had always called it. Raised in the great outdoors. The farm. The life. We shot together. Ran together. Fought and squabbled together. It is what brothers do. It is what we did.  There was always something to comp...

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