James Shortridge

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jun, 2020

Stories (8)

8 Stories

152 karma pts

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“The Honeymoon's Not Over” by James Shortridge

Submitted to Contest #238

The bedroom door hinges squealed as a crack of light poured in from the outside hallway, casting a beam across the shape cocooned within the red blankets of the queen sized mattress. The figure enveloped within the blankets was long and slender; a close-trimmed head of brown hair and matching beard rested on the pillow, while a colorful sleeve of tattoos snaked around his left arm from wrist to shoulder. A black Labrador trotted inside first, the tags on his collar jingling and the pants of his breath ringing heavy in the silent room.  ...

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“Spaceman” by James Shortridge

Submitted to Contest #60

The screen flickered on, and John saw his own image in the body hugging uniform reflected back on him. The darkened bridge of the ship, a hexagonal room with a raised level sitting just behind the forward consoles, was behind him. John cleared his throat, unsure of where to begin, and then spoke whatever came to mind:“This is Second Lieutenant John McKenzie of the Federal Alliance Aerospace Exploration Division, on board the spacecraft ASN Taylor. Exactly 100 years ago, on the 8th of May in the year 2284, I departed on what was consider...

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“The Last Hurrah” by James Shortridge

Submitted to Contest #55

 From the moment he lowered his cup of coffee to the table, the noise in the packed roadside diner slowed until it was completely silent. Seconds of anticipation felt like minutes as Andy, the man sitting across from Douglas, folded his hands in front of him and took a deep breath.“Can you keep a secret?” he asked.Douglas, fork hovering over his breakfast scramble, set the utensil against the table and nodded.“Now we get to it,” he replied. “Didn’t take as long as I was expecting.”“What do you mean?”Douglas shrugged.“You invite me on th...

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“Paid in Advance” by James Shortridge

Submitted to Contest #54

Inside of the cave, there was no movement aside from the water cascading from the moss-lined alcove where it poured. No sound except for the echo of the cascade and the slow drip of unseen water. Below, a sickly green light crept from the bottom of a naturally formed basin and cast shimmering light along the glistening rock walls. Dense gravel, with small to large size rocks packed and trapped within, lined the cave floor as far as the eye could see. Only a small opening far from the waterfall, just wide enough for an average human, let in a...

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“For My Child” by James Shortridge

Submitted to Contest #52

 He picked up the broadcast about five miles ago, as dark clouds overhead preceded the blustering winds and torrent of a gray and slushy mix of ash and snow. Even now, the man known as Eric Thames walked with every inch of his body covered by clothing. A pocket radio, battery close to dead, was clutched in his right hand. The crackling message continued on, loud and clear despite the gusts churning powder into the air.“-anyone receiving this,” the radio said with the voice of a woman. “Please help, my son is in danger and the storm has ...

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“Lights” by James Shortridge

Submitted to Contest #51

It was so full of life, yet so far away; to her eyes, even through the lens it was nothing more than a narrow web of string-like shapes back-lit by the distant shape of Jupiter. Yet she knew there was much more to it than that; all along that string, over 100 warships belonging to the Federal Alliance of Earth Nations was preparing for the inevitable. Just 23 hours and 50 minutes ago, the government of the United Colonies of Terra had issued a warning to all Alliance forces still within their territory; withdraw by Midnight at Australian Ea...

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“The Only Way” by James Shortridge

Submitted to Contest #50

 The television screen clicked on, and bright light filled the living room all the way to the edge of the carpeted stairs leading above. The clock above the television read 11:00 PM, and the man holding the remote didn’t bother to even sit down.Lately, relaxing was a tricky thing.The flourishing fanfare of the news broadcast gave way to a white haired anchor in a pressed navy suit introducing himself.“-we begin our broadcast with some breaking news out of the Paris Conference between the Federal Alliance of Earth Nations and the secessi...

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“One Year Later” by James Shortridge

Submitted to Contest #46

Henry Jameson took a deep breath and hesitated for a brief moment, before finally turning the knob and opening the door. The room beyond smelled of old paper and stale cigarettes, as though no time had passed at all since he’d last been in here. The book-laden shelves were dust-free, and glittering sunlight beamed through the slats of the window blinds. Their shadows were cast on a second, more barren shelf reserved for special pieces of his collection. Henry stepped into the room, and glanced around while nearly choking on the sense of dre...

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Author bio

Author of "Spaceman" in Through the Aftermath: A Post-Apocalyptic Anthology. Writer since 2007. Gay as a picnic basket since 2009.