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Gary Phipps

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jul, 2020

Stories (16)

Comments

Library

19 Followers

17 Following

16 Stories

299 karma pts

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Of Faith and Cheese

Gary Phipps

Submitted to Contest #298

In the sprawling Midwest dairy farm, where cows belched sonnets and cheddar wheels loomed like jaundiced moons, Skeeter the mouse was clawing his way toward a new self. Once a devout believer who hummed hymns to the Great Cheesemaker, he now sneered openly at the barn’s whispered legends, especially the tale of the Great Cheese Vault, a paradise filled with endless cheese guarded by the fabled “Iron Jaws”, a trap said to crush any mouse foolish enough to enter. Doubts had crept into his heart, and Skeeter, tired of trembling at myths, yearne...

0 likes

The Starbloom Merchant

Gary Phipps

Submitted to Contest #296

In the elder days of the world, when the stars yet sang in their courses and the forests whispered secrets to those who would listen, there dwelt in the vale of Brighthollow a young merchant named Aldric. The vale was a place of surpassing beauty, cradled between the silver peaks of the Stoneward Mountains, where the river Glimmerbrook flowed like a thread of molten glass through meadows of gold and green. The folk of Brighthollow were a gentle people, skilled in the crafting of fair things: rings of silver, blades of tempered steel, and har...

6 likes

Clarity & Vengeance

Gary Phipps

Submitted to Contest #293

The train carved its mournful path through the night, a ceaseless dirge of steel and shadow. Elias Kane sat alone in the dim carriage, his rough hands clutching an old leather diary, its edges frayed like the remnants of a life he’d once known. Frost etched delicate webs across the window beside him, framing a world drowned in dark, cold, unyielding, pierced only by the faint, trembling glow of distant house lights. Small towns and rural fields drifted past, their golden flickers like embers scattered across an endless void. Nostalgia gnawed...

4 likes

The Tar-Stained Canvas

Gary Phipps

Submitted to Contest #292

Chris Day wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, the faint scent of tar and sawdust clinging to his skin. It was Saturday afternoon, and the hum of a circular saw still echoed in his ears from his morning carpentry job. The weekend gig was a necessity, teaching art at the university paid the bills, but the extra cash kept the lights on and the paint flowing. He stood in his cluttered garage studio, a space he’d carved out between stacks of lumber and Shannon’s old hairdressing supplies. The walls were lined with his canvases, dark and textured...

7 likes

Unauthorized Match

Gary Phipps

Submitted to Contest #289

Mid-day Dec 23rd Kendall swiped through the dating app, half-interested, half-bored. Holiday leave was supposed to be relaxing, but mostly it just reminded him how little he had to do outside of work. He exhaled and tapped on a new match. Kendoll86: Hey there! I'm Kendall, 25, and I live in Fayetteville. Been here a few years now. What about you? MysteryG1rl: Hi Kendall! Nice to meet you. I'm Sarah, 28, also in Fayetteville. Been here for a while, but always looking to meet new people. Kendoll86: It’s nice to meet you too, Sarah. So what bri...

9 likes

Captains Storm Log 2109

Gary Phipps

Submitted to Contest #288

Ship Log of Pioneer Scout Captain Carl WolfNeoGenesis | Mission Year: 3.5Location: Deep Space en route to Proxima Centauri B [LOG_ENTRY] Space Date: 2109-07-14 | Time: 13:42 UTCThe Approach of the Storm There’s a storm coming. Not the kind I left behind on Earth, where riots filled the streets, and desperation clawed at civilization like a starving dog. No, this storm is different. It’s cosmic, silent, and massive beyond human comprehension. A pulsar burst detected by the ship’s sensors, a rogue surge of radiation sweeping through the void, ...

6 likes

Fear To Change

Gary Phipps

Submitted to Contest #273

Davey looked up from his lukewarm coffee, the buzz of the fluorescent lights above fading into the background. He was trapped, or so it seemed, within the confines of a cubicle that resembled a cage, its walls pressing in tighter with each passing moment. The familiar chorus of keyboards clattering and phones ringing filled the air, a repetitive symphony of boredom. The seconds crawled by, barely discernible in their passing. Here, time stood still. Lunch break came and went like the revolving door of routine. He trudged toward the local del...

5 likes

Shuttered Soul: Capturing the Unseen

Gary Phipps

Submitted to Contest #244

In the not-too-distant future, society has become even more interconnected through digital means, yet more isolated in the physical world. Technology has advanced, allowing for the capture of phenomena beyond human perception. The world was rife with urban legends of digital ghosts and cursed media that could affect those who viewed them, blending the supernatural with everyday tech. Eli, a down-on-his-luck photographer, was obsessed with capturing the unphotographable. He was always looking for the one amazing photo that would take hi...

8 likes

Witness to the Wasteland

Gary Phipps

Submitted to Contest #230

In the trenches of the Western Front, amidst a world torn asunder by war, Robin found himself an unlikely participant. The air, heavy with the stench of gunpowder and the dampness of the earth, spoke of the unending strife around him. From the onset of the conflict, Robin had been there, witnessing the serene fields devolve into a maze of mud, violence and melancholy. His presence, often unnoticed by the others, became a silent testament to the resilience of life in the face of overwhelming chaos. Each dawn, Robin would stand watch, his ga...

6 likes

Abnormal Shift

Gary Phipps

Submitted to Contest #219

Haney sat in the dim glow of the CCTV screens, the soft buzz of electronics filling the otherwise silent room. As the security guard for a remote government research facility, his nights were typically uneventful. But Haney didn’t mind the solitude. After serving as a Cav Scout at Fort Bragg and being accustomed to high-pressure situations, the quiet monotony was almost therapeutic. His eyes, sharp and observant, moved from screen to screen, ensuring that all was well within the facility's sprawling compound. It was said to be focused on m...

14 likes

Masterpiece of Malice

Gary Phipps

Submitted to Contest #217

In the bowels of a towering skyscraper that touched the clouds, in a room devoid of natural light, sat Japeth—a man whose fingers danced over the keyboard like a pianist lost in the throes of a concerto. With a pair of silver-framed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, Japeth peered into the bright screen before him. Surrounding him were his colleagues, collectively known as the "Warriors," each a genius in their own right, defending a massive financial empire from the dark underbelly of the digital world. The company they worked for...

13 likes

Elemental Harmony

Gary Phipps

Submitted to Contest #216

Griff couldn't remember a time when the forest wasn't part of his life. For as long as he'd been alive, the emerald expanse behind his home had been his sanctuary. His mother had always said it was because they lived on the edge of a National Park that the forest felt almost magical. The towering pines seemed to hold centuries of secrets, and the rustling leaves whispered promises of adventure. Every day after school, Griff would throw on his worn-out sneakers, grab a water bottle, and disappear into the labyrinthine woods. He cherished th...

9 likes

Caliban's Bargain

Gary Phipps

Submitted to Contest #215

Chris had always been a cautious man, careful not to slip into the abyss of risks or uncertainties. He had his life planned out like a meticulously crafted blueprint—until the terrible day when everything went south. An important business venture had failed miserably, taking with it his life savings, his reputation, and worse, the trust of his family. Just as he was contemplating the shattered pieces of his life alone in his home office, there was an abrupt knock on his door. It was 12 p.m., an odd time for visitors. “Who the hell is here ...

11 likes

Hopeless Gimmering

Gary Phipps

Submitted to Contest #212

August 3rd, 1849 Reached this lonesome valley today, a real marvel under God's sky. The land stretches endlessly, its only partners being distant mountains and a beckoning stream's song. The journey was a trial, boots laden with mud, spirits weighed by tales of men who came and departed with empty pockets. In my pocket, though, is this curious shiny stone. Not yet gold, but whispering of its presence nearby. Camp's set, the daunting task ahead clear as day. Many a man ventured, few struck gold. Yet, tales of fortunes and the promise of a...

12 likes

Wilderness Savior

Gary Phipps

Submitted to Contest #132

“Are you there God? It’s me, Wayne”, said in a strained voice. “I know we haven’t talked much lately, but I’m going to need some help with this one”. Huddled between some large boulders half stuck in the hillside, he recalls the events leading to this moment. “I can’t believe this happened?” he thought to himself again. It’s been three days now, three days alone, three days hungry, and even worse, three days cold. Wayne hated the cold. Being a Veteran Army Combat Paratrooper, Wayne spent many cold nights sle...

15 likes