David Dean

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jul, 2024

Stories (22)

22 Stories

314 karma pts

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“The Grandfather Gamble” by David Dean

Submitted to Contest #266

"The storm is worse than I expected," Mares said, shaking the rain from his coat as he joined the poker table. He was a tall, wiry man with a sharp nose and the keen eyes of a gambler. The room was dim, the low hum of conversation and clinking glasses providing a backdrop to the flickering lights above the table. The rain hammered against the windows, drowning out the distant sounds of the town. Carlos Biltong, still dripping from his walk there, glanced at Mares, who was shuffling the deck with the practiced ease of someone who knew his way...

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“Reunion at the Theatre” by David Dean

Submitted to Contest #265

Part I: The Pyramid’s Arrival Beatriz Chanoyu stood on the bridge overlooking the stream that meandered through the urban landscape of Nazca. The water below reflected the late afternoon sunlight in shimmering, golden patterns. The river, with its mix of clear currents and patches of discoloration from upstream debris, flowed lazily under her gaze. Nearby, a great kiskadee with its bright yellow underparts and rusty brown wings swooped down to snatch an insect near the water’s edge. The surrounding greenery, a mix of lush vegetation and patc...

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“Getting red paint to Peru” by David Dean

Submitted to Contest #265

iMARIE VALARI was dressed in a loose jumper, leggings, and trainers. Despite being smart, she was incredibly forgetful—often not just letting things slip her mind, but completely forgetting she’d ever been asked in the first place. Thus, when she had to drive her cybertruck between the towns of Assis Brasil in Brazil and Iñapari in Peru using the Interoceanic Highway, to meet HECTOR MARES, who she’d never met, she knew vastly less how he operated at the moment she began the journey than she'd been told.As she climbed into the cybertruck, loo...

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“THE TIME TRAVELLERS’ DILEMMA” by David Dean

Submitted to Contest #264

iAs Inti took in the local view before her, she looked at the sun, noticing that it was high in the sky. It was the day of her mother’s scattering. The weight of despondency melted away as she surrendered to the stirring sounds that were coming to her ears from Mount Pleasant cemetery’s pool of reflection and its waterfall. With each moment, she felt less constrained. As Inti soaked in the warm sun of a Toronto summer, her eyes glinted with sorrow for the life she was bearing, the enigmatic journey of her life behind her. Her recurring visit...

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“The Shadow of Valour” by David Dean

Submitted to Contest #263

The wind blew through the city streets, and a sign announced to Hector Mares’s hologram that he was nearing a crossroads. There were gaps in the traffic but soon enough the lights changed and he navigated the cyber truck to the diner to meet Johnny Antunes. Antunes from the Canadian Spacetime Agency who was his contact.He walked into the diner and sat opposite Johnny and his girlfriend, who had brought a quilted backpack. He shook hands with both.He wants to work with us,’ said Johnny.“What do you need me for?” asked Mares.“We need you to de...

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“Earth 2.0” by David Dean

Submitted to Contest #260

EARTH 2.0Doctor Robert Bryant was over six feet tall and had a background in engineering. Initially, he worked in Toronto but later moved to Rio de Janeiro to continue his research in the laboratory adjoining the physics building. He dressed in grey from head to foot which he had taken to wearing in his college days. His weathered features creased into shadowy lines, and he was a scientist who believed that the key to research was dedication and focus. Bryant put a lot of stock in sensorimotor skills, and could fly planes well enough to enro...

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“Marathon Loop” by David Dean

Submitted to Contest #259

MARATHON LOOPi MarathonFor several days now the fields had been green and yellow. They were merely fallow, not sown with any seeds, the grass growing well outside the town. The runners were the usual crop in vari-coloured gear; and they stood with great effort, with an urge to move, without smiling. Lacking the usual energy of weekend runners or the resolve of staunch club supporters, Hector paused whilst others chatted or tried to read the countryside signs for weather changes in case they got drenched. You could see the amateurs struggling...

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Author bio

As a writer, I have published one novel and will publish a collection of interlinked short stories in 2025. I am UK born and have periodically moved to Canada but write only from the UK. Mostly I write science fiction but I want to write nonfiction around the myth of Orpheus once my first two books are published. i would describe myself as a gourmet bachelor who keeps fit and joins societies.