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David Cantwell

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Dec, 2023

Stories (11)

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12 Followers

15 Following

11 Stories

199 karma pts

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The Unwilling Hostage (Based on true events)

Submitted to Contest #326

Softly I laugh at myself, more at my situation than anything else. I refrain from enjoying the quiet outburst for too long to avoid worsening the headaches that plague me. They come on with the simplest of things, laughing happens to be one of them. Trying to minimize them, day in and day out, has led to too many parts of me almost feeling lost, like a dream. What was funny in the first place? My pathetic situation. The area around my recliner is barely illuminated by the dim light on the table next to me. Everything beyond that hazy dark e...

1 like

Inspirational Words

Submitted to Contest #310

“Oh my god! I love every word you wrote,” the young lady says from the front of the lengthy line. “Make it out to Sara.” “Absolutely. I’m so glad you enjoyed it,” I say from the other side of the table where I’ve been signing copies for two hours. The line of fans seems endless. “It was life changing for me,” she beams as I finish my signature. She isn’t the first person to say something similar. The readers have been filled with only good thoughts and praise. My years of work have paid off. This book is only the first in a series I ca...

5 likes

His name was Jonathan?

Submitted to Contest #285

Here? Where is here? Or the better question, when is here? Once again I find myself trapped in a maze of my own design. A new trap every day. Sometimes I find myself in the oddest of places. Today, I’m standing out in a road nothing around me except the tumbleweeds and cactus strewn across the sand-colored landscape that surrounds me.Ever since my first time, my only time, in that machine, I’ve found myself each day in some place I never planned to go. Place isn’t the right word; time is more correct. I’m the world’s first time traveler; as ...

3 likes

Redemption

Submitted to Contest #239

Day in and day out my horse carries me further down this wretched road. Both take me somewhere, but I never seem to get where I wish to be. My body’s weary, tired, and worn beyond belief. The ride alone has sapped me, then add to that the weight of my armor digging into my joints with every jarring stride the horse takes. And always, upon my back, is the weight of the sword resting there, waiting there. A constant reminder of my deeds and my name.   I can’t really remember the exact day I left home, if that even ever happened, it...

9 likes

Three States Away

Submitted to Contest #237

It’s not something I like to admit, but I was in a firefighter calendar. However, it’s not something I would normally do. But that was the whole idea, pull myself out of my comfort zone and drop myself in places where I wouldn’t normally go, different places where I could meet someone. I’m a fairly shy person when it comes to approaching women, this would hopefully create openings. There were firefighters that used this as a hook-up aid. Hook-ups were offered to me, but I wasn’t looking for that. There were individuals that used it for a pul...

10 likes

Traveller

Submitted to Contest #236

Like Victor Frankenstein I am, or was, a scientist. Maybe I was more like Ahab, in constant pursuit of my White Whale. I spent years focused on the singular task of making what everyone thought to be impossible. Now, instead of continuing my work I’m a slave to my creation. Trying to get control of it before it destroys me, or worse before it changes the world into the dark place I’ve seen. The place only I know about. I first read about machines like mine in The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. He referred to his main character as Traveller, I...

4 likes

Central Park

Submitted to Contest #235

Immortal was the word that sold me. How could it not? We all want immortality. However, today, and most days, irreversible is the word in the contract that bounces around inside my thoughts. What was I was thinking? I wasn’t. I remember the day I sat through the seminar; the seminar was run well. I wasn’t the only person out of the hundred or so people there to sign up; I would say nearly half of them did. We all had time to back out, they give you a full week to change your mind. It all had an upside, we would be able to keep in touch wit...

6 likes

Aladdin's Cave

Submitted to Contest #234

The opening lyrics from If I Could Turn Back Time, start to echo in my head the moment I’m told to make my wish. My inner musician cringes for a moment when I realize I’m quoting a Cher song. Sure, Sonny and Cher were cute back in the day, I loved that variety show they had. I just can’t help but think how their lives verged madly away from each other after they got divorced. If I could turn back time with a single wish, maybe I would reset them to their earlier days. That isn’t what I’d wish for though. Given a single wish, what would any...

7 likes

Old Habits

Submitted to Contest #233

Well, that was an undertaking! One month of my life without a single taste of my extracurricular past time. I never would have guessed I could have made it, and can’t imagine trying again. Jesus, one whole month, unbelievable! Sitting in my minivan, outside of my office, my second home, I’m pondering my last month. If anyone ever asked, “What was the hardest part?” How would I answer? I don’t know. I pretty much had to tie myself up, not literally, don’t worry I’m not that crazy. But it was longer than I’ve gone in probably twenty years th...

3 likes

One More Week

Shortlisted for Contest #231 ⭐️

One More WeekAfter three long years in prison, sleeping on that thin, pathetic mattress, a real bed has never felt so good. That being said, it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be to get up this morning to an alarm. It's the first day of the new year, and my first day at a new job, I’ve never really had a job before; I can’t really call selling drugs a job.It’s hard to believe it’s been just over a week since I got out. December 24th, what a crazy and amazing day to be released. My wife came to pick me up. By the time I was out the front...

24 likes

Tiramisu

Submitted to Contest #228

“Hey all, sorry I’m late. Tony had a ton of landscaping work lined up for us today. We did it as fast as we could,” I say, almost all true. There was some time at the end of the day where I just parked my truck on a quiet dead-end street a few blocks from the house and meditated. Today of all days I need to keep my thoughts centered, today I need nothing to remind me of my past, there are too many memories for days like this. “And, I had to stop and shower afterwards. You wouldn’t want me inside otherwise.” “Agreed,” Angela starts, “I have...

5 likes