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Daniel Rogers

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Mar, 2023

Stories (76)

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391 Followers

421 Following

76 Stories

4419 karma pts

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Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

Submitted to Contest #300

"Who left their shoes!? Seriously man! You have no shoes! Come on, somebody, anybody!"Darren Doorful was having a bad day. No one mentioned his twenty-fifth anniversary with the TSA. He knew the young-ens wouldn't, but his uppers should have.Clueless faces turned towards Darren without saying a word. No one came forward to claim the abandoned bucket."These shoes didn't just walk in here by themselves. They got to belong to somebody!" He scanned the travelers like an eagle for prey.They scattered, adverting their eyes, desperately trying to a...

13 likes

The Trouble With Transporters

Submitted to Contest #299

"Did you try restarting the transporter?""Seriously? Do you think I'd call if it were that easy?"The tech support guy stared blankly at me with the fakest smile ever. He didn't blink once."Hello!" I banged my call screen."Yes, sir. Did you try restarting?""Are you listening? Of course, I did!"The tech guy's fake smile widened, and he spewed out several more suggestions, each one more basic than the first. I parried his suggestions with ease – this isn't the first time I've messed with this transporter – until I had enough. I demanded he send...

46 likes

COVID Falling

Submitted to Contest #295

"What's in that chicken soup of yours?" Stacy, a big-boned nurse in charge of the COVID wing, shook her head in disbelief. "All four of your patients took a turn for the better. They'll probably be able to leave soon." Irene had just exited a patient's room who was fighting COVID-19. She blinked several times and adjusted her glasses. She never knew how to handle compliments but answered with a sweet old voice, "I get my chicken from Walmart." "You're so funny. We all know the secret is you. You've been so helpful during this pandemic." "I j...

39 likes

Being the Chosen One is Highly Overrated

Submitted to Contest #294

I'm looking for someone to tell me if I am the chosen one. So far, I've asked a knight, a wise man, and a wizard. I got nowhere with the first two, but the wizard pointed me to Mordrone, an old dragon who might know. Unfortunately, Mordrone was just as likely to eat me as tell me what I wanted to know; it mattered which side of the horde he woke up on. No matter the risk, I had to find out. If I discover I am the chosen one, I need to save whoever I'm supposed to be saving. So I trekked to the dragon's cave and asked my question. "Excuse me,...

61 likes

Blame it on the Universe

Submitted to Contest #293

"I'm late!" I finished drying off, splashed some cologne, smeared deodorant, and brushed my teeth. She expected me to be there to help calm her nerves. How in the world did I lose track of time? I'm never late. I jumped into my clothes and dashed out the door. I tried starting my car but had forgotten my keys. What's wrong with me? I never forget my keys. Between losing track of time and forgetting my keys, I was beginning to believe the universe was trying to tell me something. I don't believe in coincidences. Keeping the speedometer under ...

63 likes

Stop Being So Lovey-dovey

Submitted to Contest #290

Love can't be stopped. However, Wormtail, the head Warden of Hell's first circle, swore he would.A committee of demons assigned with a unique task anxiously waited in Wormtail's hottest conference room. The luxurious temperature, usually not felt above the fourth circle, reminded them of their exile to Hell's Siberia. Each one failed in previous assignments so horrendously that the big guy himself threw their butts all the way to the first circle – the coldest and most dreaded for demons.The door swung violently open, and they all jumped as ...

61 likes

It's the Orange Fur Coat

Submitted to Contest #289

I needed this date to be good. After dozens of failed online dates, I finally built enough courage to ask a real woman out. We worked on different floors, Betty on the twentieth and I on the twenty-seventh, but we shared an elevator from time to time. We couldn't talk much, but I felt a connection. She thought I was funny, and I thought she was the most beautiful woman I've ever met. I popped the question on the elevator. Regrettably, my nerves got the better of me, and I blurted out, "Will you be eating dinner this Friday? I know I will." M...

83 likes

Moon Shattered

Submitted to Contest #288

"You don't take warnings well," the Russian said as he sat in my booth.Without moving my hand, I unsnapped my holster.The Russian hailed a waiter, "Vodka, please." He looked back at me, "I'm going to have to kill you now. You know that?"I never took my eyes off him. It was unlikely he'd try anything in a crowded bar, but I wouldn't bet my life on it."Not much of a talker?" The Russian took a drink."You're doing enough for both of us."The Russian laughed, "Good one."A couple of LTF officers walked in. The Russian stared at them and laughed, "...

67 likes

Orbits

Submitted to Contest #287

I microwave water because there's no teapot in my house. It does the job. I currently only have black tea since I already have flavors to add. I'm fuzzy on how we acquired a dozen bottles of flavored syrups, but I figured there was no need to buy flavored tea until I used these bottles first. While stirring my hot tea after adding honey and French vanilla syrup, an idea hit me: I live in an orbit. The rotation of the tea inspired the idea. Everything goes in a circle or orbit. The moon orbits the Earth. The Earth orbits the sun. The sun migh...

56 likes

You're Like a Book with only One Chapter

Submitted to Contest #286

"I cried out, Bingo, and this is what they gave me." Aunt B pointed to Nick, a five-foot-tall stuffed Santa Claus. "I just wanted cash! The Idiots!"I love watching Aunt B rant and rave over the infamous slight perpetrated by a misguided Bingo hall. Never mind that it's been over twenty years. She drags old Saint Nick from the attic for anyone who hasn't heard the story. Heck, even for those who have heard the story. Aunt B isn't picky.Nick has been in the family longer than I have. The day after Halloween, he takes his place in the corner of...

42 likes

Moving Mudball Mashes Mind

Submitted to Contest #285

In an age when kids played outside, no, more than that, practically lived outside, and imagination was the only toy most kids had or could afford, a friendly gang of boys, who have been friends for most of their lives, stumbled on a mystery that started with a thrown mud ball. Since the gang ate, slept, and breathed Dick Tracy comic books, Jack, the oldest of the bunch, took the case in hand. It would be a difficult challenge to find the hitman, not because of a lack of evidence but because of the overwhelming amount of evidence. Every ...

27 likes

A Slogan For Every Town

Submitted to Contest #284

Americans will drive anywhere if it has a decent website and a catchy slogan. My wife and I saw several billboards advertising Arkansas's largest natural land bridge while driving to Little Rock. We didn't plan on seeing a land bridge that day, but, by golly, we did see a land bridge that day. Why? Because we're suckers for flashy advertising. The billboards promised an experience of a lifetime. It delivered a gift shop, an 1850s cabin (not sure what that had to do with the land bridge), and a broken land bridge. That's right. No one was all...

36 likes

I'm Dreaming of a White House Christmas

Submitted to Contest #283

Imagine the White House during Christmas 1789: George Washington and his wife sitting around a Christmas tree in the Oval Office, a newspaper artist sketching the festive scene, and Bing Crosby singing "White Christmas" over the phonograph. If you can picture this, I would say, "Wow, you have a wonderful imagination." Unfortunately, that's where this scene will have to stay—in our imaginations. That's correct. I made the whole scene up, except for Christmas, 1789, George, and Martha. The rest are complete fabrications. The first fabrication ...

38 likes

To Judge a King

Submitted to Contest #282

"Sorry, my king." Flajore fell to one knee, saluting with head bowed. "The northern wall is breached.""Don't hang your head, General. I'm proud of you - of all your men. You held out longer than believed possible."I am the one who should be ashamed. It's my pride and ambition that breached the wall. Father always said I was too reckless and arrogant."We will hold the keep. All is not lost."Their battering ram echoed through the hall. Each swing shook the dust from the rafters."Always an optimist, but we both know it won't be long.""Then I wi...

37 likes

Christmas Chameleon

Submitted to Contest #281

I hung my keys on the third hook, my coat on the third peg, and plopped my tushy on the third sofa cushion from the door, like always. That's my life - pathetically predictable.I wouldn't want there to be any misunderstanding. I have no problem with predictability. I'd be happy as long as it gave me enough to pay bills, rent a larger apartment, and occasionally buy something nice. But, no! Unfortunately, it turned out to be more like a deadbeat dad. But what can I do? I don't have any control over it.I hadn't realized it was Christmas E...

54 likes