George Hughes

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Aug, 2023

Stories (5)

5 Stories

86 karma pts

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“Mellow but Yellow” by George Hughes

Submitted to Contest #237

Jimmy ran a small cafe known for its warm ambience and the rich aroma of coffee that welcomed anyone looking for refuge from the cold outside world. Well, not anyone, just humans.There had been talk of settlers integrating into towns across the country, but the chatter at the Early and Latte café was that Haberfield was too small to accommodate any. People were sympathetic that the alien world had become uninhabitable, but angry, too, because this one wasn’t doing too well either.“It’s a big universe, so why here?” Sally said, looking u...

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“God’s Dandruff” by George Hughes

Submitted to Contest #227

When I was young, my mother explained thunder as God moving furniture. I asked her about snow, and she told me it was God’s dandruff. The view from my hotel window that second morning made me ponder that the ever-present deity needed stronger shampoo. The odds of being snowed in at the palatial Hotel Toplice in Slovenia were shortening, much to my horror. It was an all-expenses paid corporate break at a luxury spa resort with excellent facilities and stunning views of Lak...

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“Claws” by George Hughes

Submitted to Contest #217

Curtains twitched in the quiet and quaint English village of Nimby. A removal lorry had pulled up outside the house recently acquired by a stranger. Curious neighbours stretched sinews to get their first glimpse of the interloper. Janet and Edward Booth were horrified when they saw who was moving in next door. “Oh my god”, Janet shrieked, “she’s a dragon”. Prejudice against such creatu...

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“All together now” by George Hughes

Submitted to Contest #216

Darren squinted in the light rain, his face lit orange by the Battersea side street lighting. He scanned the quiet scene of ongoing property development with muddy tyre tracks on the road and cement bag shreds tumbling in the breeze. He looked up again at the latest apartment block to go on sale within the lucrative regeneration zone surrounding what was once a famous southwest London power station. He studied lower apartments on the corner of the riverside ten-story tower. “I can do it,” he said in a hushed tone, with a forced smile.&nbs...

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“The Scout” by George Hughes

Submitted to Contest #215

The Scout Hello Humanity. I am the cause of your annihilation. It has been nice knowing you. You will have determined from my opening statement that I am not human. I am from a planet located twenty-one light-years distant. The name of my world does not directly translate, but as you named your planet after the soil, you could think of my home as ‘Ruup’, which would be phonetically close. I am thus, to you, a ‘Ruupling’. Similarly, my designation would be unpronounceable. Instead, you may identify me as First. I have lived among you fo...

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Author bio

A semi-retired Adtech project manager now looking to turn an interest in writing into interesting writing.