Greg Gillis

“The World Beneath” by Greg Gillis

           Roger walked slowly across the old bridge. It was a blustery frigid winter day in the city, but he had hardly noticed. All Roger could think of was his father who had passed away recently. They had always been remarkably close, and Roger felt such a void in his life now that his dad was gone.            He stopped at the top of the bridge and gazed down upon the half-frozen river that flowed beneath. Suddenly, a strong gus...

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“In The Spotlight” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #123

           As we take our final bows, I look down from the stage at the theatre filled with people. All of them were standing and applauding. I thought back to what brought me to this moment. Nine months earlier:            My name is Jacob, a carpenter by trade. The workload has been sparse these last few weeks. A few repairs here and there, and if I were lucky, a kitchen remodel would come up. Currently, I am in between jobs, s...

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“Mall Miracle” by Greg Gillis

           It was December 23rd, and young Brendan was at the mall searching for the perfect gift for his mother.            He saved all year to make this Christmas the best that his mother ever had. She had been raising Brendan on her own since he was two years old, and now that he was ten, he wanted to do something special to remind her how much he loves her.            He re...

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“Thanks for the Memories” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #121

           Daniel and Wendy met in a small café several years ago. Wendy worked as a waitress, and Daniel became a regular customer after the first time their eyes connected. He could feel a charge of electricity racing through his body and his knees felt weak. His first words to Wendy were, “Yeah, um…I’ll have a milk with two coffees. Wait, that’s not right. Coffee with two milks please.”           Wendy felt the energy between them...

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“Lost Memories” by Greg Gillis

           It was late October, and I sat on the sofa in my mother’s cottage-style home. The afternoon sun shone brightly through the large picture window. I thumbed through the pages of my mother’s collection of photo albums that she had collected over the years. Even in this day of technology where everyone else stored their photos on computers, phones, and flash drives, my mother still preferred the traditional method of printed pictures framed on the mantle or kept as keepsakes in al...

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“The Intruder (Warning: Some parts contain graphic content).” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #119

           *THUD* *CRASH*            Kelsey listened intently as she hid in the darkness above her attic hideaway. Something was happening in her house, and she was too afraid to leave her hiding spot to find out what it was.            As a teenager, Kelsey was extremely outgoing and had an active social life, but one afternoon while playing with her friends at a nearby park, a ...

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“Woman's Best Friend” by Greg Gillis

           They say that dogs are a man’s best friend, but I am here to tell you, that is not always the case.            It started back just less than one year ago. I was living life to its fullest and loving every minute of it. The boys and I would get together once a week to play cards, and at least once a week, we would hit the bars to check out the latest eye candy.           &n...

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“The In-Between” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #117

           Desperate to provide for his teenage son, Jarvis pulls the black ski mask over his wrinkled brow, looks up-and-down the roadway, then swings the door open to Uncle Frankie’s One-Stop Shop, a local convenience store.            Jarvis scans the store for shoppers or other staff members, then nervously approaches the counter. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he pulls out the handle of a pistol, showing the man behind the cou...

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“Remorse” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #116

           Julius had an uneasy feeling that he was being followed. It churned in his stomach like a bad burrito, but he had no evidence to back up his suspicions.            Julius was frequently on edge, always aware of his surroundings. He had lived his early years in foster care after his parents were gunned down while on vacation in Peru. Julius was only six at the time, and was in the care of his babysitter, while his parents h...

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“Nowhereville” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #115

           It was a dark, desolate road. Swirls of dust engulfed the van as the young college friends made their way toward a lakeside retreat that they had rented for the long weekend.           Lisa, the self-proclaimed social media sensation, continuously made Tik Tok videos, and selfies for her Instagram and Facebook pages. Her boyfriend, Jack, found it amusing at first, but grew tired of it after the first couple of weeks. ...

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“Clique Here” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #114

           Every high school has its cliques, from the social elite, down to the unknown geeks. At Harrisburg High, it can be broken down into the following categories…            At the top of the food chain are jocks and the cheerleaders. They have the looks, the physical talents, and the popularity. Although, the popularity of a few comes from their promiscuous behaviour off the field or court.      &nbs...

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“See You in My Dreams” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #113

           Jeremy always had a vivid imagination, though he did not realize until later in life, how this would impact the world around him.            Even as a child, Jeremy would insist to his parents that he had visited a vast array of people while he dreamt at night. His parents, of course, believed that his dreams were nothing more than an active imagination, until one morning, while at the breakfast table, Jeremy described a d...

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“The Wonders of Rain” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #112

           It had been a dry summer in the desolate town of Maroon Gulch, an old mining town fifty miles from the nearest city. People in this town were used to the arid climate, but this year had been particularly dry.            Vegetation was slim apart from cactus and tumbleweeds, and a large greenhouse owned by a horticulturalist named, Lawrence Peabody, a forty-something loner who devoted his life to growing and cultivating all...

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“A Change Is Coming” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #111

           The year was 1796 in London, England, and a young scholar by the name of James Pettimore made his way home from The University of Oxford to his parent’s home in London, England.            The twelve-hour journey by horse and buggy was less than comfortable, but James always tried to make the best of every situation. He turned his focus away from the rough terrain and the horrific stench of the horses (and possibly the coa...

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“Roadside Stranger” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #110

           It was the first time in three years that Sandy and her husband, Danny had been able to schedule their vacations at the same time, so they booked a cottage in the country for the week. It was located on a crystal blue lake far from the busy city.            Once they left the highway and began to travel the backroads, Sandy and Danny were in awe of the beautiful scenery that the countryside had to offer. It was nearing Aut...

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