Francis Groleau

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Nov, 2019

Stories (9)

9 Stories

183 karma pts

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“The Abyss” by Francis Groleau

Submitted to Contest #251

Trigger warning: the following content contains references to physical violence and suicide. My moments of lucidity are increasingly scarce, so this might be the last coherent message I will ever write. And although this text contains elements of narrative writing, I assure you that it is as close to reality as I remember it to be. It may very well be regarded as the incoherent ramblings of a madman, but I believe that bringing clarity to the events that led to my institutionalization is of utmost importance.  As a professional courtesy...

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“Behind the Eight Ball” by Francis Groleau

Submitted to Contest #230

Daniel’s eyes were glued to the clock as he sat restlessly at his desk. Twelve minutes to 6PM. Twelve more minutes and he would be free to leave. He thought about sneaking out earlier, but he was already on his boss’ radar for other minor offenses, so he thought it best not to attract any more attention to himself.  “Excited to go home?” one of his colleagues asked after noticing his fixation on the clock, “Got anything fun planned?” “No, I’m just tired so I’ll go home and relax”, Daniel lied. He knew that it would be impossible to rela...

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“Moving On” by Francis Groleau

Submitted to Contest #205

As I lay on the couch waiting for my Chinese food to arrive, I tried to count how many days of summer vacation I had let wither away. Every year, I wondered how I managed to finish all my report cards before the deadline. Marking essays in a tiny crowded room without AC in the end-of-June heat is no small feat on its own, but when you add an unfaithful boyfriend and a nasty breakup on top of it, it feels like an absolute tour de force.  Of course, he didn’t admit cheating on me straight away. He said he couldn’t pretend anymore and th...

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“Chaos amidst Stagnancy” by Francis Groleau

Submitted to Contest #165

After a week of restless nights, Paul Schwartz was finally able to get some shut-eye. Tedious news segments paired with the two ounces of scotch he still had in hand were just what he needed to doze off. Even though Saskatchewan’s criminality rates had skyrocketed in the last decade, the local channels rarely presented anything out of the ordinary.The armchair he was sprawled in seemed almost more comfortable than the frugal motel room bed where he had set his travel bag and hunting gears. These were the only things he had taken before ...

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“Tuning in the Stars” by Francis Groleau

Submitted to Contest #103

Whatever time of the year you decide to visit it, the café Le Foyer always offers a quaint and relaxing atmosphere. But my favorite season to enjoy their establishment is by far late autumn. That is when they start lighting the immense stone fireplace towering at the far end of the café as an answer to the crippling cold slowly settling in before winter.  As soon as I passed the threshold, the warmth of the hearth and the crackling of the fire comforted me. The loud banging of the heavy oak door shutting behind me signaled the barist...

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“The Fox, the Toad, and the Wolf” by Francis Groleau

Submitted to Contest #70

There was once a mischievous fox walking about a pond. He smelled an odor, of which he was very fond. Not far away, a decaying rabbit was buried. Lured in, the fox followed the smell in a big hurry. At the foot of a giant oak, the scent was stronger than ever, but before he started digging, the fox paused in a stagger. Clever as he is, he knew who this delicious treat belonged to. And that if he wasn’t careful, he would be through.  Nearby, a big fat toad was bathing in a swamp. Perfect! thought the fox, I just have to use this chump...

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“Something to Look Forward to” by Francis Groleau

Submitted to Contest #62

To whoever finds this, I have mailed this letter to your address randomly. I apologize for assigning you this responsibility, but I do hope that you will take this matter seriously. You may perceive this letter as the rambling of an old man and you wouldn’t be completely wrong, but I assure you that it is in your best interest to read it until the end. I am a very wealthy man and you will be heavily compensated for any trouble this letter may cause you. You probably never heard of me even though I’m one of the richest men in the country....

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“Good Boy” by Francis Groleau

Submitted to Contest #34

Being a human looks so demanding and painful sometimes. Being a dog is great though. My name is Rocco. I’m an Australian Shepherd and I wouldn’t trade my life for any other. I got a great human taking care of me. His name is Eric and he’s my best friend in the world. We have known each other for almost a year now. I was only a couple of months old when he picked me amongst all the other dogs at the pet store. It was the best day of my life. I knew right when I saw him that I wanted to live with him for the rest of my life. We used to ha...

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“The White Diamond” by Francis Groleau

Submitted to Contest #18

Rachel Malaney could barely concentrate on the tedious conversation taking place in front of her. She and her husband, Paul Malaney, had invited three other couples to a five-course dinner at the new French gourmet restaurant that had just opened on Main Street. She had agreed to the invitation on the grounds that it was to celebrate their upcoming fifth anniversary. Ever since Mr. Malaney had joined the most envied and private social club in town, their circle of friends had been filtered and cut down to a few elite members of the privilege...

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Author bio

ESL teacher, storyteller and fiction scribbler from Canada. I hope you'll enjoy reading my stories as much as I enjoyed writing them. You can reach me at francis.groleau7@gmail.com. Feedback is always welcome.