David D'EttoreUser

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Oct, 2019

Stories (30)

30 Stories

523 karma pts

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“A MATTER OF LIVING” by David D'EttoreUser

Submitted to Contest #270

A MATTER OF LIVING1 As he struggled to consciousness, Jack Corbin felt the burning of sweat rolling into his eyes. Where am I? Slowly, his vision cleared. He was in a basement, stone walls smelling of mildew, and cobwebs hanging from the ceilings. His hands and feet were shackled and he was strapped in a chair reminiscent of a throne, or perhaps the electric chair.  He tried to re-construct the events that preceded his awakening.  He had met with Dutch, supposedly an informant for the Rochester Police Department...

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“ANGEL” by David D'EttoreUser

Submitted to Contest #266

ANGEL            Every spring carries with it an aura of promise.  The newness can be seen in the tree blossoms, the crocuses lifting their heads above the ground to breathe new air, and the melodic chirping of birds whose song had been stifled by the cold winter.  None of this is new, but rather a renaissance of what had occurred many times before.            I looked forward to springtime.  &...

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“A LOST FRIEND” by David D'EttoreUser

Submitted to Contest #260

A LOST FRIEND             The last time I saw Marise was in Paris during the spring of 1971.  Something happened then that is still not clear in my mind, or at least what I have left of my mind.  Something that, to this day, I cannot forget.            Winter stayed long that year, reaching well into May, leaving mounds of dirty snow in shaded areas of the city.  A chill even pervaded sunny day...

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“THE YESTERDAY OF TOMORROW” by David D'EttoreUser

Submitted to Contest #259

THE YESTERDAY OF TOMORROW I hate that everything I cherish and have experienced will be erased when I die. I’m seventy-five years old. I have lived longer than I have left to live. Most of the time, I don’t think about it. Yet, there are other times when I dwell on it with an uneasy fear that there are things I will never do again. The frailty of the human mind is an enemy of the soul. The sun had found its way through the half-open drapes, bringing a sliver of brightness into the room. There was a knock at the door. I put on my coat and st...

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“A PLACE ON THE HILL” by David D'EttoreUser

Submitted to Contest #256

A PLACE ON THE HILL            Jack Thomas strode from the bullpen across the outfield grass.  The pitching mound was all he saw, oblivious to the crowd and its raucous mood.  It seemed so far away. It was tough being a rookie in New York City, having to learn the hitters and finer points of pitching.  Add to that expectations of New York fans and media for the large contract he received.  Yet, what made it more difficult was replacing the ico...

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“A Lost Friend” by David D'EttoreUser

Submitted to Contest #230

A LOST FRIEND             The last time I saw Marise was in Paris during the spring of 1971.  Something happened then that is still not clear in my mind, or at least what I have left of my mind.  Something that, to this day, I cannot forget.             Winter stayed long that year, reaching well into May, leaving mounds of dirty snow in shaded areas of the city.  A chill even pervaded sunny ...

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“The Magic Gift” by David D'EttoreUser

Submitted to Contest #227

THE MAGIC GIFT            The first snowfall was always a magic time for Noelle.  Sun-bathed summer blues, greens, and yellows had drifted into the oranges and reds of autumn that ultimately faded to the drab canvas of grays and browns of early winter.  She waited with eager anticipation for that wonderland of white that would erase the drabness and fulfill the joyous anticipation of Christmas.           &nbs...

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“THE INTRUDER” by David D'EttoreUser

THE INTRUDER             The sound of breaking glass was unmistakable.  Pete Jenkins sat up straight in his bed and instinctively looked at the clock.  Two-thirty AM.  Well, it was too early to be the paper delivery guy throwing the daily news through the window, and it wasn’t the cat because he didn’t have a cat.  He thought the worst and was prepared for it.  He slowly rose, went to the closet and yanked the case from the top shelf...

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“2099” by David D'EttoreUser

Submitted to Contest #220

2099          There was an eerie silence enveloping the unknown, decrepit building that had likely been ravaged by Millennial forces.  It didn’t show on surface or satellite maps and shouldn’t be here.  The aura remained, like the still before a storm, or the final moment as one waits to die. I can’t fathom being 150 years old.  I feel better now than when I was 80.  Science and technology have come a long way but it is exactly that technology, manipulate...

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“The Aliens” by David D'EttoreUser

Submitted to Contest #210

THE ALIENS             It was pitch black that night so the distant lights we saw from our campsite glared brightly.  We joked that they could be aliens since a beacon formed the head of each of the three bodies that stood atop the hill. Weapons were held in their hands to feel their way and perhaps paralyze their prey.  It brought to mind what my mother used to tell me.  Don’t go into the woods after dark…        &nbs...

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“A Lost Friend” by David D'EttoreUser

Submitted to Contest #206

A LOST FRIEND             The last time I saw Marise was in Paris during the spring of 1971.  Something happened then that is still not clear in my mind, or at least what I have left of my mind.  Something that, to this day, I cannot forget.             Winter stayed long that year, reaching well into May, leaving mounds of dirty snow in shaded areas of the city.  A chill even pervaded sunny ...

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“ETERNITY” by David D'EttoreUser

Submitted to Contest #191

ETERNITY             “The ambulance is here for you.”             I heard a voice and there was a bright light. “What do you mean?” I asked.  “I don’t see an ambulance and there’s no one around.”             “That’s because you’re dead,” the voice replied.             I was stunned for a moment...

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“THE MAGIC GIFT” by David D'EttoreUser

Submitted to Contest #173

THE MAGIC GIFT             The first snowfall was always a magic time for Noelle.  Sun-bathed summer blues, greens, and yellows had drifted into the oranges and reds of autumn that ultimately faded to the drab canvas of grays and browns of early winter.  She waited with eager anticipation for that wonderland of white that would erase the drabness and fulfill the joyous anticipation of Christmas.            ...

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“THE WRONG SIDE OF NOWHERE” by David D'EttoreUser

Submitted to Contest #170

THE WRONG SIDE OF NOWHERE             It was a lazy afternoon, one of those hot and humid days when people look for a cool place and a cold drink and dogs seek out the shade to lie down and not move unless they have to.  Danny Weston pushed open the dusty tavern door and scanned the premises as he headed to the end of the bar.  Not many people he observed.  Two people were at the bar. Two others were playing pool.  A third group sat in a ...

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“ETERNITY” by David D'EttoreUser

Submitted to Contest #132

ETERNITY             “The ambulance is here for you.”             I heard the voice and there was a bright light, but nothing else.  “What do you mean?” I asked.  “I don’t see an ambulance and there’s no one around.”             “That’s because you’re dead,” the voice replied.            &...

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Author bio

David D’Ettore was born in Rochester, NY and graduated from the University of Notre Dame. He studied as part of the university’s international program in Angers, France and returned to live in Paris, France where he nurtured his writing avocation. He has had his poems and a short story published. An abridged version of a short story, “Fallen Leaves” was published by Not Your Mother’s Breast Milk (NYMBM). NYMBM also published two of his poems, “The Salvation Armoire”, and As the Line Moves Along.” Coffin Bell Journal published his poem, “A Leper’s Lament” in its The Immortals edition. In addition, the author has written two novels; a parody; a short story collection; a poetry collection; two memoirs; and a multitude of essays. His short story collection, Moments of Our Lives, includes both “Fallen Leaves” and “The Last Time I Saw My Father,” a story which received Honorable Mention in a Glimmer Train contest. He writes a blog, DD’s Blog Universe at www.domingnd71.wordpress.com. He participated in James Patterson’s Master Class which generated a short story collection that includes “Fallen Leaves” and the Writer’s Digest Writing to Sell Fiction course. He is a member of the local chapter of Writers and Books as well.