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Author on Reedsy Prompts since Apr, 2022
Submitted to Contest #153
From a letter found in the archives of the Fairfield Traveling Circus, marked “return to sender.” Dearest Clarice, When I ran away to join the circus, I thought I’d be free of the shackles of responsibility. After all, if I’d wanted to continue arbitrating people’s petty domestic conflicts I would have remained on the bench. One assumes when one pulls up stakes to be ringmaster in a traveling show, one leaves all that behind them. However, it seems not to be the case. My central position in the organization, combined with an unfortunat...
Submitted to Contest #152
Many years ago the oracle at Fadelfea made a prophecy. The artificial intelligence there analyzed a collection of badly damaged artifacts found during construction at the station. The oracle then broadcast a single short message before going silent: When the skies are streaked with fire, beware creatures which swarmed like ants upon the earth, for madness follows. Having no supporting evidence to substantiate or interpret the oracle’s obtuse claim, the system filed the message with no consequence. *** I was with the rabbits when I saw th...
Submitted to Contest #150
[ “Please, don’t do it.” ] The triple bacon cheeseburger hovered in front of my open mouth. My brow furrowed. It would have been nice to get this message before I bought lunch. “Explain,” I subvocalized so that only my Neural earpiece could hear. [ “Ongoing high cholesterol food intake in the past two weeks is negatively affecting health trends.” ] That’s fair, I thought. But you need to learn to warn me before I drop $20 plus tax. I chomped into the cheesy, cholesterol-ridden monstrosity. Endorphins designed to motivate a more primiti...
Submitted to Contest #149
I became aware of the silence, and a thick blanket of dread came over me. I lay in my bed, in the space between being asleep and awake, eyes closed against the darkness. Click. Click. It started softly, like the sound a mouse makes running across a floor. I wanted to go back to sleep and pretend I didn’t hear it. Click. Click. Click-click. Then a scuffling sound, as if an unwieldy bag of rocks was being pushed out of the closet. More clicks, more scuffling. I could feel sweat on my forehead. Click. Click. Click. Louder and undeni...
Submitted to Contest #148
This story includes violence and coarse language. “He threw it out, right in front of me.” Pearce was incredulous, but he hadn’t been in the gang very long. This kind of thing happened. “You got it back?” “Yeah. From the main garbage bin in the basement this morning. 1025 dumped it down the chute with his trash.” Pearce was holding a padded envelope, the kind with bubble wrap lining the inside. Hatch listened from his seat on the swings. Other members of the Postmen were milling around the dark playground, talking or getting assignme...
Submitted to Contest #141
Review for Thornwood Estate Reviewer: Jane W. (verified guest) Posted: September 5 at 10:14 a.m. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars My husband and I just returned from our lovely weekend stay at this historic manor on the coast. We wanted somewhere special to stay over the last long weekend of the summer, and Thornwood Estate did not disappoint. Situated on a large property a few miles from a wonderfully quaint little village, the house was spacious and conveniently furnished. We enjoyed long walks through the woods and along the seaside cliffs, the...
Shortlisted for Contest #139 ⭐️
“This company could save a fortune on air conditioning.” A shiver ran through me as I sat looking around the HR manager’s small office, wearing only a t-shirt and my boxer briefs. The cooling unit under the window rattled. It was on high and the adrenaline was wearing off. I was alone, sitting on a lime green plastic office chair facing a desk carefully arranged with standard office equipment, file folders, and sticky notes. People usually waited in the reception area, but given the circumstances the secretary had made an exception, ushe...
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