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Iona Cottle

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Aug, 2019

Stories (101)
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627 Followers
22 Following

101 Stories

3100 karma pts

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The Church of Painted Light

Submitted to Contest #97

The path leading up to the church was over-grown and shaded, and it was already dark, despite the late afternoon sun. The paving stones were cracked and riddled with weeds, and the gravestones that loomed up from the long grass looked like monsters ready to attack. Even though she could hear the traffic racing past two streets away, Marie still paused at the entrance to the church grounds. “Come on, Marie.” Danny jogged back and punched her shoulder. “This is nothing. If you want scary you should try coming back here in the dark.” Mari...

18 likes 1 comment 1
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Rose and Lily

Submitted to Contest #96

Rose was the first one out of the club, stumbling forward as she wobbled on her heels. Right behind her was Lily, still trying to calm the woman who was demanding a fight with Rose. “No, please don’t,” Lily said. “She’s sorry, she didn’t realise he was with you–” Rose swallowed down the sick that was threatening to escape and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “I bloody did. Figured if he chose that he’d be pretty easy–” Anything else that either of them were going to say was lost to the jilted woman’s tirade of cursing. From y...

18 likes 1 comment 1
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All Peachy

Submitted to Contest #95

This is going to be the biggest day of my life. So far, that is. In a year or so – if all goes right today – there’ll be an even bigger day, but for now this is the day. I’ve made all the choices I can. Now it’s all down to her to make the ‘right’ choice. As Aaisha and I walk to the train station I do everything I can to play it cool. I joke at everything, pointing out the colours of the cars or silly words in their registration plates. When I spot a dog on the other side of the road I show it to her, with far more enthusiasm than it des...

18 likes 1 comment 1
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Waiting for John

Submitted to Contest #94

The street lights flickered in the pitch black and John watched his breath mist in front of him. He’d been walking for… well, he didn’t know how long for. He was sure that it had been light when he’d started though. Hours, it had probably been. Not that it mattered. He stopped and tilted his head back, and his neck cricked at the movement. Hours spent staring at his own feet. Pretty much the story of his life these days. There weren’t any stars overhead, just clouds. Nothing worth looking up for. No more faces to see. John took a deep,...

22 likes 2 comments 2
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The Other Unofficial After-Party

Submitted to Contest #93

There aren’t any glasses to raise, and holding a plastic cup to the centre of the room just looks like you’re begging for a refill, so Danny just shouts to get the room to be quiet. “Okay, everyone! That’s five o’clock, work day’s over. Thank you all for the very hard work you’ve put in today.” That gets a round of laughter and a few cheers, apart from Mr Peterson and Mr Davis, who both give a tight smile. None of their staff have done any work for the last three hours, and with the long weekend it’ll be midweek before anything else is a...

21 likes 2 comments 2
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Alice and Patricia

Submitted to Contest #92

Mum opens the door and clicks the light on, but the bulb doesn’t look like the ones at home. At home the lights are bright and white, except the night-light, which is warm and shaped like a bunny. This light is orange, and makes everything in the room look like it’s been covered in orange pop. If anything the shadows are stronger than they were before the light was on, stark dark contrasts to the sickly orange. “Here we are,” Mum says. “You get the whole room to yourself this time. A whole double bed! What do you think of that, Alice?” Mum...

18 likes 1 comment 1
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Peace Reigns In The Library

Submitted to Contest #91

The rain thunders down, an endless drum-roll, and the world holds its breath as it waits to find out what the big reveal will be. The occasional flash of lightning breaks the gloom inside the building, and every time it does the shadows are a little bit different. Free from the eyes of the world, the books sleep and dream.Peace reigns in the library.Something slams into the front door, rattling it in its frame. The library inhales, every bookshelf holding its breath as it waits to see what’s happening.Another impact, but this time the window...

13 likes 1 comment 1
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The Bank Raid

Submitted to Contest #90

Freezing water splashes over the bow of the boat and into my face, but I don’t dare take my hand off the side to wipe it away. The biting wind cuts through all the layers of my clothing and rags, and soon my bones are sore from the cold. Hargreaves leans over from where he’s clutching the rail next to me. “Makes a pleasant change, doesn’t it?” he laughs. “A change yes. Not so sure it’s pleasant.” The heat we were trapped in only a week ago seems like a distant memory, but at least my body didn’t ache so much there. I could also see the...

21 likes 4 comments 4
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Nothing Good, Just Bye

Submitted to Contest #89

Parties are terrible.The music’s too loud, for one thing. And it’s too hot, and there are too many people, and it’s all just… terrible.So yeah, that’s why I don’t like parties.The song flips for something else, and a whiny high-pitched singer starts bawling her heart out. Not only is the music loud, it’s also terrible. I stole the lead to the speakers one time and plug my own MP3 player in to see if I could convert anyone to decent music. They all yelled at me, and a couple even threw empty cups. I won’t try that again, especially as I’m try...

10 likes 1 comment 1
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Though It Breaks Our Hearts, We Grow Strong

Submitted to Contest #88

“Are you sure about this, your highness?” Princess Rosalyn kept staring out the window, chewing her lip as she thought the plan over. “No,” she said at last with a sigh. “But I can’t see that there’s any alternative. We have to do it. Don’t we?” “I’m sorry, your Highness, but for this the final decision has to be yours.” “No, of course not. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be putting you in this position.” “I live to serve, your Highness. And it is a privilege to do so.” Despite the knot of anxiety in her chest Princess Rosalyn smiled at tha...

14 likes 1 comment 1
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All About Timing

Submitted to Contest #87

The sun was shining and the streets were busy. Pedestrians weaved in and out of the traffic, calling to friends and family as they went. The occasional car horn went off, but in the heat there was no malice to it. No one was in a hurry, not when there was so much sun to enjoy on this glorious summer Saturday. Sat at a table outside the café Levy swirled his cup of coffee round as he watched. Everyone else was drinking iced beverages, yet Levy still had a hot one. Even in this heat he felt a chill in his bones, the chill of his old age. It ...

21 likes 0 comments 0
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The Eyes In The Forest

Shortlisted for Contest #86 ⭐️

The forest was bright and warm, the sunlight dappled across the leaf-covered ground in a way that evoked images of autumn holiday brochures and children laughing. There was a slight breeze rustling the upper branches, but down at ground level all it did was bring the warmth of the sun in from out in the meadows all around. For everyone not working, it was a weekend to head out and make the most of the last of summer, before the cold settled in. It was, I thought, a terrible place for a murder scene. “All right Andrews?” my boss asked as ...

53 likes 15 comments 15
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The Courtyard

Submitted to Contest #85

It was still daytime, but the last of the sunlight was smothered by the high ceiling of the building. The courtyard was full of dappled light, and in other circumstances it could’ve looked quite romantic. Geoffrey was feeling anything but romantic just then however. Besides, the place was full of mostly old men talking trade. That wasn’t likely to put many people in a dreamy mood. Geoffrey was leaning against a stone pillar, wishing it would swallow him up. Across the courtyard, Rufus was laughing with Mr Richards, the very man that Geoffr...

16 likes 2 comments 2
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Wonky Smiles

Submitted to Contest #84

I hear the alarm buzzing and groan as I flail at it. After a few attempts I manage to hit the button to get it to shut up, but my bed is warm. I know I shouldn’t, but I pull my arm back under and curl up in the duvet, just relaxing for a few minutes. “Bloody Mondays,” I mumble. I often talk to myself, just for the sake of hearing a voice, and if I get into a conversation it stops me from drifting off again. Rolling over I blink at the ceiling. “Wait. Is it Monday? Or Tuesday? What happened yesterday?” The answer to that is nothing, wh...

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Save Our Spirits

Submitted to Contest #83

The muck in the canal always upset Janie, but she’d gotten so used to it that she didn’t notice it any more. The half-submerged trolley was as much a part of her commute as the old oak tree at the end of the path, and now the only time she reacted to the garbage was when there was a new addition, or a particularly impressive piece of vandalism. The time that someone had managed to dump a temporary security fence in there she whistled; the time they’d gotten an entire sofa suite in there she’d stopped and admired it, until her stomach started...

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