Greg Gillis

“Noises in the Dark” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #221

           It was early October when the Thompson family first arrived in Gooseberry, a quaint old town that was centuries old.            James Thompson, his wife, Mary, and their son, Jacob, moved into a nineteenth century Queen Anne Style home at the edge of town. It had been abandoned over a decade ago, so James was able to buy it up at a price that was well below market value.         ...

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“Letters to Avery” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #212

           Slowly, she removed the polished wooden box that was tucked away on the shelf in her bedroom closet. Marks from her fingers were left in the thin layer of dust that had settled upon the box in the months since she last had it out. Carefully, Avery removed a stack of envelopes which were neatly stacked within the box. Beginning with the envelope on top, she opened it up and began to read. January 10, 2021 Dearest Granddaughter,        &...

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“Fight, Flight, or Fright” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #206

           Eight-year-old Nathan hid in the shadows of his parents’ living room as he watched a stranger dressed in a torn jean jacket brutally beat and murder his mother in front of him.            Nathan’s father was out with his friends at the bar having more than a few drinks before coming home. This routine had been happening nearly every work night since Nathan was six. When and if he was able to find his way back home, he woul...

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“Reunited” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #202

           Brad sorts through the stack of envelopes he had just removed from his mailbox.            “Gas bill, electricity bill, VISA bill. I swear I owe something to everyone on the planet some days. Wait, what’s this?”            Brad lifts the small, white envelope closer to the sunlight and reads the return address on the back. It was from his old high school football budd...

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“The Words of a Woman” by Greg Gillis

           Calvin boarded the VIA train in Toronto, Ontario with his ticket and a briefcase in hand. His destination was Ottawa, Ontario where he was to be the keynote speaker at a zoologist convention. He had six hours to make it to Ottawa, check into the hotel, and arrive at the Shaw Centre.            He entered the lounge where men and women dressed in business attire sat with laptops, tablets, or other devices in hand, focused o...

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“Underlying Potential” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #198

           In every teacher’s career, there is at least one student who shows outstanding potential, though not all are as obvious as one would imagine.            Mrs. Quarrel, the first-grade teacher at Pudmore Elementary, greeted her students as they entered her classroom on the first day of school. “Welcome! Welcome, students! Come in and have a seat,” she said cheerfully.          &...

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“The Hidden Treasure” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #192

           The family gathered to hear the reading of George’s Last Will and Testament. You could feel the tension in the air amongst those who were present. The family had disbanded many years prior, and this was the first time they had all been in the same room with one another in nearly a decade.            The eldest sibling was Reginald Forester, the CEO of his father’s thriving company, GeoTech, a communications empire that had...

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“Agoraphobic” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #191

           It was the middle of Spring, and William sat in the backseat of his parents’ Buick Rendezvous gazing out over the lush green meadows and fields of colorful flowers as they passed by.            The sky was baby blue with a few hints of white from the wisps of clouds that hovered gracefully above. The sun shined brightly through the tinted glass of the SUV causing William to shade his eyes. It was a perfect day to begin the...

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“Vows Interrupted” by Greg Gillis

           “Speak now, or forever hold your peace,” the preacher read as the bride and groom nervously searched the crowd for any who might oppose their bond of marriage.            With no objections, the preacher continued. “By the power vested in me…”            Suddenly, without warning, the ground began the shake beneath their feet. The wedding guests began to panic and ran ...

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“The Path Less Traveled” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #189

           Throughout time, man has been faced with decisions, some of which were easy, and others much more difficult. Here tells the tale of such men, faced with a difficult decision that could alter their lives drastically if not chosen wisely.            Bartholomew Hornbuckle, a dwarfish man, short in stature, but strong in heart, traveled with his companions along the mountain pass. With a pack made of sinew and hide from a b...

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“Starting Over” by Greg Gillis

           “So, what’s the catch,” Jenny Miller asked the realtor as the pen she held hovered over the signature line on the mortgage contract.            The realtor insisted that everything was on the up-and-up, and there was nothing to be worried about, but Jenny’s gut told her a different story.            A tightness built up in her abdomen as it did when something was awry....

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“Layers” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #186

           “Once upon a time,” Stephanie’s great-grandfather began to read as her mind began to wander. “There lived a beautiful princess, named, Penelope.”            Deep within her thoughts, Stephanie pictured herself as the beautiful Princess Penelope in the mythical realm of Kaspirian. Her father, King Walter, ruled the kingdom with a kind heart. She was ever so proud to be his daughter.       &nbsp...

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“Dagwood the Dragon” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #185

           For centuries, Dagwood and his family had flown over the countryside, burning, and pillaging every village in their path. His father, Felonias, was the most feared dragon in the realm, and taught Dagwood and his siblings the ways of their ancestors. Each dragon was empowered with their own special gift. Firestorm, the eldest, could create blue flames that would incinerate anything it came in contact with. Tempest, the only female of the dragon siblings, held the power of the...

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“Countdown to New Year's” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #179

           Carrie Thompson was meticulous in everything she did. When she woke in the morning, she let the buzzer on her alarm ring for exactly five seconds before shutting it off. She would then get out of the bed from the left side and have a shower that lasted precisely eight minutes.            Carrie allowed her bread to toast for exactly two-minutes-thirty-five-seconds and poured her coffee two-thirds full to allow for her one ...

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“Christmas Dip” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #178

           Matthew and Patty met by chance at a skating rink in Toronto, Ontario. Matthew, a former hockey player, was recovering from an injury brought on by a hard body check at the last game that he played.            He was known as “The Bull” by his teammates and fans because of his ability to knock down any player that got in his way. His reputation preceded him, and a few players from opposing teams had a grudge against him. &...

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