David Ader

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Dec, 2020

Stories (38)

38 Stories

934 karma pts

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“Scarecrow & Dorothy” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #195

Some people said good night or words to that effect. Some nodded their heads as if acknowledging my humanity. A couple of young things smiled, almost shyly, and hurried out. I figured they felt guilty or something that I was there, and would be all night, while they were off doing what young things do. I don’t know, shop, gym, meeting friends. They never got past the nod which wa...

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“The Hobby Shop” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #192

“I won’t be too long,” said his wife. “I’ll meet you back in…say…45 minutes. Tops. Don’t be late again. Not in this weather.” “Sure, sure,” he replied, edging back towards the car with three bundles of groceries in his arms. “What did I say?” she asked. He leaned over to put the bags on the hood, hugging them to keep them from toppling over. Had sh...

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“A Serious Lucky Streak” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #189

It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark. He was lucky to be inside somewhere, even in this place. The barn smelled of its occupants—a cow, a pig, half a dozen piglets, some chickens, and a swayback horse whose eyes were perpetually closed in the hope of being left to sleep. There was also the slightly sweet-sour smell of fermenting hay kept for the winter. They weren’...

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“You’re Using Too Much Water” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #183

“You’re using too much water.” “What?” “I said, you’re using too much water!” “I can’t hear you. I’m in the shower!” “You’ve been in there for ages! You’re wasting water!!” Jack turned off the spigot, grabbed a towel, and said, “Woman, I can’t hear a word you’re saying. That shower is simply amazing. What’s up?” “You spend too much time in there. What are you doin...

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“Gallows Hill” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #181

In the old days, according to his people’s laws, it would have been perfectly fine to replace a relative who died with someone adopted into the family. That was especially the case if the relative had been murdered by a rival tribe. The tradition was straightforward. If justice was demanded, you would take the life of an enemy or take someone, preferably a child, as an adoptee. It had been that way since time began. All ...

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“Forsooth Sayer” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #176

Harry made suggestive gestures around the voluptuous crystal ball. Eyes rolled back into his head, he chanted words that could have been Arabic, he even invoked Allah, with a smattering of Hebrew he recalled from a Bar Mitzvah, but most were gibberish. The teenage trio at the table tried to hold back, biting their lips, but one couldn’t manage. “Dude, it’s like you’re grabbing a boob!” They fell into hysterics. ...

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“Greener Grass” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #171

The realtor hadn’t yet removed the white post from the front lawn when she hooked on a new ‘for sale sign’ to the arm. Another commission on this house was on her mind, two in as many years and the price had risen 10% since she’d last sold it. She didn’t question the seller’s motivation; it wasn’t her business. She was, however, curious as to why Marvin Kaminsky would want to sel...

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“Here Kitty Kitty” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #169

He wished he’d thought more about that black cat when he first saw it earlier that morning. Black cats are bad omens, right? Maybe the omen was the cat itself, a ‘here kitty kitty’ gone very wrong. Now, though, as that morning led into the afternoon, he saw that cat again in front of him, staring and swishing its tail not five yards ahead. He knelt and held out his fingers, feigning the act of teasing a...

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“The Trade of a Lifetime” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #166

A memo went around the trading floor. Finally, after threatening, after complaining, after squeezing in few added weeks to his already long vacation allowance, after working remotely two days a week, and after years of discussing his rich bucket list, Allan Buckley put in his retirement notice. Three months from now, he would be gone. “Don’t hesitate to call me if you need advice,” he’d told the colleagues that ...

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“We Have to Move” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #164

Phillip turned the car into the gravel driveway comforted by the grassy hump down its middle, the part that car tires hadn’t trampled down. The hump had grown since he was a child. He’d always thought it looked like something you’d find at an English country home. Maybe in the Cotswolds, though he hadn’t ever been there. The old man sat on the porch staring ou...

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“Man’s Best Friend” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #160

Willis stumbled again. He hadn’t seen the slick root of the spruce. Anyway, he had given up trying to avoid them. He grabbed at a wet pine branch, smearing his already raw hand with its glue-like sap but managed to keep standing this time. Maybe the sap would help heal his cuts. He’d read about that somewhere. A wilderness survival book maybe. He swore out loud and then...

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“Encounter in the Park” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #159

The senior partner raised his glass for one final toast to the departing 3L, a third-year law student who’d come in for the Christmas Party. He’d just been offered a position to start at the end of the following summer with a salary of $150,000 and a signing bonus of $40,000. It would pay for the kid’s final year at Harvard and give him more than enough funds to travel in style after gra...

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“The Old Clock Stopped” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #154

The old clock stopped. Facing it was its chronological counterpart; a mirror suffering age spots that distorted the clock’s image stuck at 6:32. It was like the final date on a gravestone. Its brass pendulum dangled dormant below the face. It was new on their wedding day. The groom’s father called it a “Regulator,” an accurate wall clock that would ring out the hours 24 times a day. ...

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“A Virtual Life” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #151

We all have regrets. Coulda, woulda, shoulda…fill in the blank. It drives some people into insanity. Or into therapy. Or worse. Coulda, woulda, shoulda. Shoulda is the worst of the trio. I should have done this, but I did that, and look where it got me. Where is not the preferred place or you wouldn’t have asked the question in the first place. The ideal was a life well-lived, no regrets, and a long look in the mirror each m...

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“Wilce's Dream” by David Ader

Submitted to Contest #143

At the persistence of his father, Cliff Skinner, his mother attempted a breathing technique to slow her labor enough to push her soon-to-be-born baby out at midnight. Clifford had heard that the first child of the new year would get all sorts of prizes. Wilce was born on December 31st at 11:56 PM. Cliff also fantasized that th...

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Author bio

I love early American historical fiction and rediscovering writers like Kenneth Roberts. I've just reread "The Old American" by Ernest Hebert, an under-appreciated novel about a New England man captured in an Indian raid. Sensitive to all cultures involved. Also just finished "Act of Oblivion" by Robert Harris about two men in early New England on the run for their participation in the execution of Charles I. Fascinating and tremendous insight to a unique period in history. Me? Retired from a long career in the financial marketzzzzzz...I was, basically, an interest-rate strategist of some note. Now, following interests ranging from archaeology, fishing, mushrooms, staying healthy, and trying to write. PLEASE give me feedback. I'm thick-skinned and trying to improve!

Shortlisted 2 stories ⭐️

Contest #198

A Brush With History – read story

Contest #135

Oskar – read story