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Author on Reedsy Prompts since Nov, 2022
Shortlisted for Contest #198 ⭐️
Jamie Landry had been called to the principal’s office. Which meant that his mother, Charlene Landry, had to leave her job in the middle of the day to attend as well. Which meant Charlene was pissing off all her co-workers at the Java Quick drive thru again. When she got to the school, Jamie was pacing outside the principal’s office. He was stroking his hair behind an ear, quietly talking to himself, and patting his belly. He was wearing his favorite yellow and black striped shirt that Charlene had dressed...
Submitted to Contest #197
Keith Kampbell woke to the rumblings of beer barrels rolling into the basement of the Forgotten Boar Pub. The light was coming from the double doors above to receive the morning delivery. Keith pushed himself up from the stone floor, making a poor job of brushing off his Air Force uniform. “Oi, how’d you get down here?” The owner asked in a thick English accent. Keith attempted to throw a leg onto the ramp to the outside and make a clean escape. After a couple of failed tries, where the ...
Submitted to Contest #196
“We have to go to Lups.” Hedy said, rolling her cuffs and adjusting her vest. Rosa nodded vigorously. Hedy whispered in her ear laughing, while Astra waited patiently to get going. Outside the dorms, the university and the city seemed to Astra to be all dirty air and concrete. As they got onto the bus, Astra stopped, seeing something below between the bus door and the curb. It was a wounded stray cat. A grey calico, underfed with patchy fur, limping up on the curb and away on the sidewalk. Hedy pulled, while Ro...
I awoke another day in the Mens’ Shelter. They had moved all the lockers to the middle of the room and I hated that. It was so much easier to steal when they had had them against the walls between the beds. I forced my self to the communal toilets. I showered and found some fresh donated clothing to change into on the shelves. I discarded my old clothing into a donation box where they would get washed and to start a new life on someone else’s sorry arse. I forwent shaving as the long haired, long bearded, scruffy...
Jane sipped her milkshake and crunched down some fries. Burt was all lit up. “No, you can’t go back on your own timeline.” Burt continued. “When you go back, you’re actually in an alternate timeline that’s the same. I don’t know, my dad says going back in time creates an alternate timeline each time.” “The universe keeps expanding.” Jane said. “No. That’s something else. These are infinite realities, and you can never go back to the same alternate realty twice.” ...
Submitted to Contest #195
Edward sat on the front porch reading Doc Savage novels and playing make believe. He wasn’t hiding from his parents or his older brothers, but he was hidden from the neighborhood. This part of the porch wrapped around the side of the house and Edward could not be seen for the overgrown bushes and hedges. He sat on the double car seat that substituted for deck chairs and imagined he was leading a group of five companions on adventures. He didn’t imagine he was Doc Savage, but rather his own creation of a hero that wore a permanen...
Cheryl went to the mall food court with her regional manager and someone in a suit from head office. Even in her work-code blue vest and black slacks she looked like she was in the wrong company with her four friendship bracelets, oversized hoop earrings, and cat glasses. Three boarded shops past the food court her regional manager, Monika, pointed to glass doors. Black curtains hid the inside. “This is our new outlet. Come on in. We’ll do a walk around. You’ll see how the new layout is. This is how all our stores are going to b...
Submitted to Contest #194
“Nice shoes.” The factory worker said, walking past Christopher at the security gate. Christopher looked down at his suede steel toed deck shoes. He believed now he should have bought the regular steel toed work boots for this job like the men who were passing him wore. “What’s the name again?” The security guard asked squinting at a computer screen. “Christopher Quinn. The temp services sent me.” The security guard put a finger on the computer screen and pointed with his othe...
Evy bounced out to her front porch with her cell phone. She was a big woman who liked short, tight, spring dresses with half the top buttons left open. “Stephen Winters? What Stephen Winters? Well, if he didn’t go to our high school, and he doesn’t live in our neighborhood, how am I supposed to know him?” Evy looked over to her neighbor’s porch but he hadn’t come out yet. “You met him online? No, I don’t do that. I prefer the more personal touch for meeting men. I don’t believe in any of that. How am I supposed...
I sat across from the Job Fair lady at one of those long auditorium tables. Army recruitment was at the next booth and on my other side some creepy guy in a blazer was selling training in Real Estate. There were hundreds of booths and most were offering training rather than jobs. “So, what have you been doing since High School?” The Job Fair Lady continued. She didn’t like what I said about school, but she had one of those nodding smiles people put on when they think they’re being nice. “Chess....
Submitted to Contest #192
“Luke, we can’t afford a second car.” Tara whispered into her cell phone as she made her way to the meeting. “I don’t have money for it. Do you have money?” “Sure, throw that in my face.” “We can’t get a second car until you get a job again.” “I can’t get a job without a car.” “I got to go.” “Yea, yea, yea. You’re at work. You’re important.” “Luke.” He hung up. Tara wondered what he would be like when she...
When I unlocked the door to my mother’s house it smelled of cigarette smoke and a backed up septic tank. Only the septic tank was not backed up. I walked in and went straight through to the back door. I left both front and back doors wide open, then opened all the windows in the ranch house to start airing it out. I opened the basement door to find the downstairs covered over heavily with cob webs. I closed that door for another day. A cross breeze was picking up in the house now but the stinky smells were stil...
Submitted to Contest #191
“What are we doing here?” Alex raised his voice above the music, and looked around the packed bar. “We came here to make a purchase. It’s going to be the answer to your depression. Help you get over your separation. Make you feel good about yourself again.” Nick said, eyes focused on the door entrance to the bar. “I don’t want any drugs.” Alex said, sipping his beer. “It’s not drugs. And it’s not for you. There she is.” Nick waved at the bouncer who directed an elderly lady t...
The movie was called Undead Fish IV and I sat in the bleachers of an Olympic swimming pool with two hundred other extras. I was wearing a blue three piece suit and feeling rather humiliated. The crowded indoor space was quite humid as indoor pools are. I was sweaty and bored while the film crew spent hours setting their camera and lights. I had only brought my suit because as a union extra I was expected to have a change of clothes if the film company didn’t like my street clothes. The third assistant director,...
“Are you doing something more important?” The whole office shouted out as Foster Elif was about to blow the candles on his retirement cake. His face turned red and he stopped in mid blow. Guvenilir stepped up to pat him on the back and assure him they all meant it in good fun. Road Worthy Pre Owned Auto Sales had five outlets in the city and Foster had been the head mechanic for all of them, but the oncoming of computerization and a painful sit down with the bosses had ended his career. The company had not don...
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