Gerard Watson

“OUT OF THE DARKNESS” by Gerard Watson

“Where did this late August thunderstorm come from, Rudy?” Mike King asked, looking down at his dog. They found refuge under the Meadowport Bridge near the western entrance of Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. The Pitbull looked up as if to say, “I don’t know. I just needed to go for a walk.” “C’mon, Rudy. You had to go on one of your late walks, huh? You couldn’t wait until morning, man?” Rudy whimpered and lowered his head. Mike kneeled and patted his dog. “That’s okay, big fella. When ya gotta go, ya gotta go, right?”  A clash of thunde...

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“The End of The Search” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #124

        The virus killed five thousand people in the first month. The pharmaceutical companies worked 24 hr, 7 days a week, struggling to find a vaccine. Then, a rumor started that a doctor working off the grid in a remote section of Eastern Africa had stumbled on a cure. Infectious Disease Specialist Doctor Ernesto Fernandez became the most sought-after person on the planet. But unfortunately, Doctor Fernandez, along with his discovery, had disappeared.       &n...

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“The Secret of the Woods” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #119

      “Listen, sheriff, I didn’t murder my wife!”            “You’re a liar, Mr. Martin! If you didn’t murder her, where is she?”            The two men were nose-to-nose. Finally, Martin broke eye contact and stepped away.            “I… I don’t know. Anna just disappeared.”            “Bullshi...

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“A MEETING AT TABLE SIX” by Gerard Watson

Everyone turned and stared at the stranger standing in the doorway of Mike’s Diner.  “What was an eloquent looking lady doing in a place like this?” They wondered. No one came to this Greasy Spoon by mistake. Especially someone as attractive as her. Besides, who would intentionally come to an off-road diner that boasted of serving lousy food and warm beer? The waitress walked over, eyeing the woman suspiciously. “You sure you’re in the right place, toots?” The woman looked around and smiled. This diner was the perfect mixture of ...

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“ARE YOU READY?” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #109

It was 8:00 P.M. when the repairmen finished installing the boiler.“Hey, Leo, let’s get the hell out of here, man. I don’t like being in the morgue’s basement when it’s dark!”“What’s wrong, Charlie? You afraid of ghosts?”“Later for you. I just want to get outta here! So hurry up, will ya?’   “Okay, keep your shirt on. Let me pack up my tools.”As Leo stuffed his tools in his toolbox, he dropped a wrench and nicked a rubber tube.“Damn! What the hell is this tube for?”“C’mon, Leo. I wanna get out of here!”Leo shook his head as he...

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“SAVING ANDY” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #108

The wave of heat from the house fire flushed Andy Fluke’s sweaty face. He stood, unblinking, with a blank stare, as the flames engulfed his home. Smoke and soot swirled through the air. Police officers set up barricades that kept the curious onlookers back. And out of danger. The firefighters worked feverishly, trying to bring the fire under control.  While some firefighters operated the fire truck hoses and shot water streams at the flames, others used axes to chop down anything that could fuel the fire. The police and fire vehicles bl...

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“IF THE TRUTH BE TOLD” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #107

               As far back as Tobey Stetson could remember, his parents told him he would never amount to much. A sentiment shared by all who knew Tobey. And Tobey did nothing to prove them wrong. He saw nothing wrong with telling a few white lies. As long as they helped get what he wanted. But last Tuesday, Tobey told a white lie that put his and his loved one life in danger.   Every morning, Tobey posed in front of his mirror, admiring his physique. It di...

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“The Legend of Thunderfoot” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #102

On the first day of middle school, my head was spinning. I got out of bed an hour earlier, crammed pop tart in my mouth, and rushed out the door. I zipped up my backpack as I sprinted to catch the bus stop. The kids on the bus waited to ask me about my brother, 'Super-Duper' Julian. He graduated from the school last June. Julian was an all-star football, soccer, and lacrosse player. And, oh, did I mention, he graduated cum laude. Julian made it seem easy. Everyone in school hoped I'd be the second coming of Julian. To them, I wasn’t Jef...

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“Reflections in a Mirror” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #101

TW: abuse, sexual assault, violence Three couples rent a Summer home on the lake in Greenport, Long Island Island. All year long, everyone expected a week of relaxation and fun with friends. But, will their friendship and lives their reflections in the mirror?  Javonte glided his BMW to a smooth stop on the pebble driveway next  to a late model, Range Rover. “Javonte, whose car is that?” Tamika asked as she rolled down the window. “Car? That’s a Range Rover SUV. Maybe someone bought a new ride.” Tamika humphed. “One of my girls got...

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“Peace Meal” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #100

        Jamaal wondered why he spent hours preparing a meal for his father, who disowned him years ago? He sat at the kitchen table with eyes closed, rubbing the back of his neck.          “Are you okay, Hon?”          A pair of masculine fingers dug in and massaged his shoulders.          Jamaal sighed. “Thanks, Babe. I needed that.”      &n...

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“Old Ebbets Field” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #99

        You never know what you’ll find when you start Spring cleaning. Knowing full well my sixty-year-old knees will never forgive me, I climb the creaky pull-down attic steps.  Every other step, I rub my achy knees. I try to remember the last time I’d ventured up these steps. I cringe at the thought of what I might find. But, believe me, it didn’t disappoint.  A series of cobwebs lace the entrance. Two or three spiders scurry away as I wipe away the webs and step up inside. The smell of m...

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“Accidental Hero” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #98

There are 600 residents in the town of Clooney, and every one of them has heard of the 12-year-old prankster, Toby Johnson., TJ, to his friends. Everyone in Malcolm X Middle School knew of his practical jokes. They were all victims.           Last Monday, Miss Snow stood behind the podium and addressed the class. “Good morning class, may I have your attention, please.” She waited for the students to calm down. Then, “Class, please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.”     ...

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“When A Stranger Knocks” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #97

     Hugo Trench braced himself against the back of his chair, and his fingers hovered over his laptop keys when he heard banging on his windows. He stared across the room, wondering who would be foolish or desperate enough to be traveling at night during a blizzard? Ten hours ago, Hugo reluctantly drove upstate from New York City. He nearly slid off the snow-covered roads few times. Although he didn’t want to drive up, he had no choice. His agent and his publisher were pressuring him to rewrite the last few chapte...

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“It's The Little Things That Matter” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #95

This may sound crazy, but Attorney Darryl Jones looks forward to his flight from New York to Los Angeles. Darryl hopes to review the legal brief for three hours during the six-hour flight and then sleep for three hours. A skillful Constitutional Law Attorney acknowledged as a constitutional law expert, he’s often hired to help resolve legal disputes. This past week, he flew to Washington one day, Nevada two days later, and Florida yesterday. The airline personnel herds California-bound passengers down the corridor towards the plane. D...

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“Helen's Memories” by Gerard Watson

Submitted to Contest #84

The audible warning alarm put Oak Field Psychiatric Hospital staff on high alert. Staffers knew the siren meant a staffer is in a life-threatening situation. The hospital immediately went into lock-in- place status. “Paging Doctor Simms to the Recreation Area—stat!” Blares through the P.A. system.          Doctor Simms sprints through a labyrinth of halls to the recreation area. Winded, he burst into the rec area to find the security guards herding patients on the left side of the room. While H...

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