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Jethro Pili

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Aug, 2021

Stories (178)

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30 Followers

41 Following

178 Stories

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Around The World In 80 Days

Jethro Pili

Amy Collins sat at her cubicle, staring at the blinking cursor in an email she had no interest in finishing. The faint hum of fluorescent lights above blended with the muffled clickety-clack of keyboards and hushed conversations. The office smelled faintly of stale coffee and too many repressed dreams.It wasn’t that Amy hated her job. She had once loved it—or at least convinced herself she did. Project management at a mid-sized tech company had its perks: predictable income, health insurance, a good 401(k) match. But over the years, the dail...

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Zero Hour: The Watch Below

Jethro Pili

0400 Hours — Groton, Connecticut Naval Submarine Base New London Pier 6, Berth BravoThe wind off the black ocean bit through fleece and leather and cotton alike. It was that kind of cold that sunk through to your bones—not just physical, but emotional, psychological. It made you reflect. It made you quiet.Six men stood on the pier, their boots clacking softly against the wet concrete, duffel bags slung over their shoulders or dropped at their feet. Not much talking, just a few quiet words here and there. Most of what needed saying had alre...

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The Piper on the Hill

Jethro Pili

The quickening gray light of predawn filtered through the slats of the blinds, turning the cinderblock walls of Room 303 a pale blue. On any other day, Sam Ihle might have slept through it. But not today. A low, reedy wail pierced the stillness, rising and falling in mournful tones. At first, Sam thought it was part of a dream—maybe the background music to a dream he couldn't quite remember. But it got louder. And clearer. Then it hit him. Bagpipes. “Andrew?” he croaked, still half-buried under his comforter. Andrew McBride groaned from ac...

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League of Light

Jethro Pili

The damp cellar stank of mildew and rot. The air hung heavy with the metallic tang of blood, and the faintest whisper of movement crept just beyond the threshold.Vivienne Braddock steadied her breathing. The scent told her there were three of them — vampires — though one was injured. The coppery sharpness mingled with something faintly bitter, like burned herbs. Wounded, likely feeding on a nearby victim.Vivienne’s grip tightened on her silver-plated knife. Her fingertips brushed the hilt of her broadsword slung across her back, but she’d wa...

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Cabin Conversations

Jethro Pili

The hum of the airplane’s engines filled the cabin, a constant white noise that seemed to encourage sleep. Yet Adam barely noticed it. He adjusted his seatbelt, leaned back slightly, and stared out the window at the endless expanse of clouds. A six-hour flight from Boston to Seattle stretched before him, and the prospect of boredom loomed large like a life-threatening tsunami after a devastating 6.4 magnitude earthquake.  “You look like you’re dreading this flight as much as I am,” a voice said beside him.  Adam turned to see a man...

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Westbound

Jethro Pili

The train rumbled steadily along the tracks, cutting through a landscape of pine trees dusted with snow. Former San Diego PD Detective Christian James sat on the narrow bunk of his sleeper car, elbows on his knees, eyes fixed on the blurred scenery rushing past the window. He wasn't really seeing the trees, the frozen lakes, or the distant mountain peaks.  All he saw was her. All he saw was Abigail. His Abigail. They were out on a call that night. Gang war had erupted in the streets. One of the witnesses, who had seen the shooting ...

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Running Late

Jethro Pili

The San Francisco fog, a perpetual gray blanket, had finally decided to lift, revealing a sliver of a hesitant, pale sun. But Matt and Maggie were oblivious. They were in a frantic, orchestrated chaos, a dance of misplaced keys, forgotten chargers, and a general sense of impending doom.They both lived busy lives. Matt was a tax preparer and CPA, Maggie was a teacher and after-school tutor for at-risk kids. They desperately needed this vacation.“We’re late!” Matt bellowed, his voice echoing down the narrow hallway of their second-floor apartm...

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Transatlantic

Jethro Pili

Dr. Lazaro “Laz” Santa Cruz drummed his fingers against the armrest of his first-class seat, staring out the small oval window as the plane cruised somewhere over the Atlantic. There were clouds above him, clouds beneath him, and clouds around him. Is this how it felt like to be Superman? Or an angel? He was both of those things to the patients and staff of Edenbrook, after all. He dismissed the thought with a shake of his head. The hum of the engines filled the cabin, steady and low, almost like white noise. He wasn’t afraid of flying—he’d ...

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The Lost Spectrum

Jethro Pili

The people of Charon 1A35 lived in a world without color.  Once, long ago, there had been hues—reds that burned in the sky at dawn, greens that painted the vast forests, blues that filled the rivers and oceans. But that was before the radiation. Before the invisible poison in the air stripped their world bare, not by changing the environment, but by robbing their eyes of the ability to see it.  Now, they saw only shades of gray. Light and dark, shadow and contrast. The stories of color, passed down from old generations, became myth...

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Wilting Flowers

Jethro Pili

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! The alarm blared, a digital shriek against the pre-dawn stillness. John Nguyen rolled over, slapping the snooze button with practiced ease. Some days he wished he could hurl the accursed thing across the room and smash it against the wall to silence it for good. He couldn't afford to do that, though. In this economy, he needed the money. He needed to go to work. Five more minutes. He knew the routine by now, the rhythm of his day. Even in the dim pre-dawn light, the fami...

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A Wake Up Call

Jethro Pili

CONTENT WARNING: Contains mentions of abandonment, alcoholism, and abuse. Sarah adjusted her lanyard and took a deep breath, stepping into the grand conference hall, Bible in hand. She grabbed a program and took a seat. The Christian Renewal Conference in Miami, Florida was an event she had been looking forward to for months. The hotel was bustling with fellow believers, worship music filled the air, and the atmosphere was alive with anticipation. The first session was powerful. The guest speaker, Pastor Elias Carter, spoke on the necessity ...

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Ranger

Jethro Pili

The crackling fire cast flickering shadows against the trees as James settled into his camp chair, sipping the last of his coffee. The night air was cool but pleasant, the sky above a vast expanse of stars stretching endlessly beyond Mount Rainier. It had been a long week of hiking, fishing, and enjoying the solitude that the wilderness offered. This was exactly the kind of peace he’d been seeking. Then, he heard it—a rustling just beyond the firelight. At first, he dismissed it as the wind through the underbrush or maybe a deer passing thro...

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The Inkwell

Jethro Pili

The bell above the door chimed softly as Katherine stepped into The Inkwell, her favorite bookshop and café nestled on the corner of Elm Street. The air smelled of aged paper, hot chocolate, and fresh espresso, a combination she found intoxicating. It was her weekly ritual to browse the shelves before settling in with a book and a cup of coffee, but today, she wasn’t alone in her routine. Across the room, a man in a navy peacoat stood by the poetry section, his dark-rimmed glasses perched low on his nose as he flipped through a collection of...

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A Kiss For A Knight’s Ladye

Jethro Pili

Jason adjusted his tie, glancing around the crowded lobby of the Grand Regent Theatre. The scent of popcorn and perfume mingled in the air, the murmur of excited theatergoers buzzing around him. Beside him, Wendy skimmed the program for Tarnished Silver, her fingers tracing the embossed lettering on the cover.  “I still can’t believe we got tickets,” she said, her voice tinged with excitement. “It’s been sold out for months.” Jason smiled. “It took some maneuvering, but I couldn’t let you miss this.” They had been best friends since col...

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A Quiet Darkness

Jethro Pili

Text Message Thread Eleanor Hastings & Sebastian Laurent  Sunday, 12:03 AM Sebastian: How is Madeline?  Eleanor: Better, I think. Still a little out of it. The doctor said it was exhaustion, but I don’t know… she’s never collapsed like that before.  Sebastian: That must have been frightening for you.  Eleanor: It was. Thank you for finding her. I don’t even want to think about what might’ve happened if you hadn’t.  Sebastian: Of course. It was luck, really. Right place, right time. If I hadn’t go...

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