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Edward J. McCoul

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Apr, 2023

Stories (47)

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47 Stories

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“Ball Humbug! A Hilarious Ornament Christmas”

Edward J. McCoul

“Ball Humbug! A Hilarious Ornament Christmas” By Edward J. McCoul The clock struck midnight, and all was still in the living room—except for the Christmas tree. A cozy Douglas fir decked out in lights and ornaments stood proudly in the corner, its baubles shimmering in the faint glow. Little did anyone know, this tree wasn’t just a decoration. The ornaments on it were alive, and they had some serious opinions.At the top, near the glowing star, hung Glory, a golden ball inscribed with “Peace on Earth.” She liked to think she was the wisest of...

1 like

“Corrie ten Boom’s Courage and the Secret Room”

Edward J. McCoul

Submitted to Contest #279

“Corrie ten Boom’s Courage and the Secret Room” By Edward J. McCoulThe small, dimly lit space smelled of dust and tension. Jacob van der Meer, a young man of twenty-one, crouched in the corner of the secret room. The sound of boots against wooden floorboards echoed faintly above. His chest tightened as he squeezed his knees to his chest, his heart pounding so loudly he feared it might give them all away.The secret room, built by Corrie ten Boom and her family in their Haarlem home, had become both a sanctuary and a prison for Jacob. It was a...

8 likes

“The Echoes of Fragmented Time”

Edward J. McCoul

“The Echoes of Fragmented Time” By Edward J McCoul The air was cold, sharp with the tang of autumn leaves. Jonah stood on the edge of a dense forest, staring into the maze of trees, his breath visible in the pale morning light. He wasn’t sure how he’d ended up there. Somewhere between his car breaking down on an empty highway and following a gravel path into the woods, time had fragmented. His watch, a gift from his late mother, ticked faintly, but the hands refused to move. It was as though time itself had abandoned him.Jonah was lost, not...

1 like

“Confessions on the Deathbed… or How I Got Framed for the Great Butter Incident of 1998”

Edward J. McCoul

“Confessions on the Deathbed… or How I Got Framed for the Great Butter Incident of 1998” By Edward J McCoul The call came at 3 a.m., because, of course, it did. Nothing good ever happens at 3 a.m., least of all a call from your cousin Margie. “Earl’s dying,” Margie sniffled through the phone. “He’s got something he needs to confess. You better get down here, Quinn.” I groaned, rolling out of bed. Earl was my cousin Margie’s husband, a man of questionable hobbies (ferret racing, anyone?) and even more questionable hygiene. If he was...

1 like

“Regrets, Romantic and Otherwise (Delivered by Carrier Snail)”

Edward J. McCoul

Submitted to Contest #278

“Regrets, Romantic and Otherwise (Delivered by Carrier Snail)” By Edward J McCoul It was a quiet Tuesday afternoon in the town of Misfit Acres when Bernice Bumblethorpe received a letter that would alter the trajectory of her exceptionally uneventful life. Bernice, a 52-year-old beekeeper with a knack for overthinking and an irrational fear of dehydrated fruit, was inspecting her hives when the mailman, Jimmy Biggs, clattered up the gravel driveway on his rusty bicycle. “Special delivery, Bernice!” Jimmy hollered, holding up a bedr...

10 likes

A Man of Two Worlds

Edward J. McCoul

“A Man of Two Worlds”By Edward J McCoul Clark Kent stood at the edge of the Metropolis skyline, the wind tugging at the edges of his suit and cape. The city below bustled with life: people laughing, arguing, and living in ways he could only observe from a distance. The Man of Steel, an icon of strength and hope, felt like the loneliest man alive.He was an outsider, always had been. Hiding his true identity had become second nature, but at what cost? He longed for real human connection—a life beyond Superman. He thought of Lois Lane, the woma...

1 like

The Big Fella’s Side of Jack and the Beanstalk

Edward J. McCoul

“The Big Fella’s Side of Jack and the Beanstalk” By Edward, J. McCoul Oi! Where to start? Name’s Gregor. Folks call me “The Giant,” but that ain’t fair. I’m not just a giant, I’m the giant - one-of-a-kind! Thought I’d clear the air ‘bout that little pipsqueak Jack and his precious beanstalk. Everyone thinks they know what happened, but lemme tell ya, nobody asked my side of the story. First off, I wasn’t bothering nobody. Just up in my cloud, minding my own business, running my egg-laying goose empire. Nice setup, right? Cozy castle, magic h...

1 like

A Christmas Visitor

Edward J. McCoul

“A Christmas Visitor”. By Edward J. McCoul Anna Weston loved Christmas, or at least she used to. Growing up, it was her favorite season—the lights, the music, the cozy traditions. But the past few years had dimmed her joy. Losing her husband two Christmases ago had left her reeling, and the holiday now seemed hollow, an echo of happier times. This year, Anna had gone through the motions: she’d set out a few decorations, strung up some lights, and even put up a small tree in the corner of her apartment. But the effort felt forced, her heart h...

1 like

Home in the Heart

Edward J. McCoul

“Home in the Heart” By Edward J. McCoul When the alarm buzzed at five a.m., Mae Collins awoke with a jolt, silencing it swiftly before the sound could wake her daughter. For months, she’d been rising with the sun, braving the cold mornings before the city fully came alive, her footsteps echoing in the crisp air as she walked to the shelter’s kitchen. If her friends from her past could see her now, they’d hardly believe it. Once, Mae would have laughed if anyone suggested she’d be working in a shelter, but life had a way of changing peop...

1 like

A Christmas, convergence

Edward J. McCoul

“A Christmas Convergence” By Edward J. McCoul Maggie Turner walked briskly down Elm Street, her scarf pulled tight against the biting December wind. She wasn’t sure what had brought her here tonight, two days before Christmas, heading toward a familiar stoop that had become, almost inexplicably, a safe haven. Her breath puffed in front of her, mingling with the scents of roasting chestnuts and peppermint, a reminder of how close the holiday was. As she approached the stoop of the dimly lit building, she spotted someone waiting. The figure wa...

1 like

The Fall of the Ordinary

Edward J. McCoul

“The Fall of the Ordinary” By Edward J. McCoul It was an unremarkable Tuesday morning, the kind with gray clouds hanging low in the sky and a damp chill that sank through coats and sweaters. The city pulsed with the habitual rhythm of commuters, all bundled against the November cold and huddling in the subway station, heads down, shoulders hunched. Among them, Nora Watters was just another face—mid-thirties, average height, a tired face framed by dark hair she barely noticed anymore. Her life, too, was worn, frayed around the edges, lik...

1 like

Better Late Than Never

Edward J. McCoul

Submitted to Contest #275

“Better Late Than Never” by Edward J. McCoul The rain fell in sheets against the windows of The Last Cup, a forgotten café tucked down a side street in a nearly abandoned part of town. The few remaining shops nearby had faded signage, peeling paint, and an air of resigned abandonment, as if they’d accepted their eventual demise. But The Last Cup was different. No one had seen it open for a hundred years. Legend had it that The Last Cup was once the heartbeat of the neighborhood, buzzing with writers, artists, and travelers from all wal...

13 likes

The Last Hour

Edward J. McCoul

“The Last Hour” by Edward J McCoul Mason bolted through the dimly lit streets, his feet pounding against the wet pavement as he glanced nervously at his watch. Forty-two minutes left. In less than an hour, his life would end, unless he found a way to stop the inevitable. The city was a maze, a sprawling labyrinth of alleys and shadows, and every passing second felt like a weight pressing down on his chest. It had all started that morning, when he’d woken to the text message: “YOU HAVE 12 HOURS LEFT.” There was no sender. Just those chilling ...

1 like

The Undying Love of Saint Teresa of Avila

Edward J. McCoul

Submitted to Contest #275

The Undying Love of Saint Teresa of Avila” by Edward J McCoul I am Teresa. Teresa of Ávila, they called me once. My eyes are closed, my lips silent, yet I watch and speak. I have dwelled here, in the darkness of this convent, in the quiet folds of earth. Silence surrounds me, and stillness is my companion, but I am not bound by them. I am only bound by love. They tell tales of my incorruption. Flesh that resists decay, a body that is more earthbound than most, yet I am not bound by earth. No. I am bound only by a longing—a burning flame in m...

12 likes

The Cat’s Secret

Edward J. McCoul

Submitted to Contest #275

The Cat’s Secret” by Edward J McCoulThe black cat’s eyes glowed in the darkness as it trotted down the deserted sidewalk, pausing now and then to look back, as if making sure its follower was still there. Cassie shivered, pulling her coat tighter around her shoulders, her breath forming clouds in the cold October air. She hadn’t planned to be out so late on Halloween night, but the cat had been waiting on her doorstep, staring at her with those piercing yellow eyes until she’d felt compelled to follow.The streets were empty, the neighborhood...

9 likes