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Joe Swanson

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Oct, 2020

Stories (286)

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262 Followers

1 Following

286 Stories

4049 karma pts

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Apprehension

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #70

Apprehension Those first steps, unremembered as a first word, encouraged by those who have forgotten what it means to enjoy not remembering. It is for those who no longer recall the inconsistencies born of hope, and the failure that provides impetus to try again or quit, that I commend. It is that time when judgement means nothing as it has been corrupted by time; dimmed memories of what might have been, had it not been for the reluctance prompted by insecurity in one’s own abili...

6 likes

Up, Up, and Away

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #70

Up, Up, and Away “Do you believe it is possible for someone to do something, and not remember until it is too late, why they did it?” “Don’t see why not.” I remembered Bonner. One night he was bored. He gets fidgety, the only way to describe it. He starts scratching at itches, itching scratches, and generally bringing the whole atmosphere of the gathering to something that rivals a death march. One night, he says, after I’m sure having considered all the possibilities, that we should go to the ski hill. None of us w...

6 likes

Truthy

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #70

Truthy: “Have you ever told the truth to anyone in your life, besides me. You have told me the truth, haven’t you?” “I can’t get all up in the air about what I did, didn’t do, might do, probably won’t.” All I know is that in that movie where someone is supposed to have shot the president, and didn’t, and the senator behind the whole thing, says, “The truth is what I say it is.” Now that is a guy who knows something about truth. I knew she wasn’t going to let it go. It’s like eating or fighting or stealing, if you is good...

5 likes

For God's Sake

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #70

For God’s Sake “Well, what do you think? I know it’s a difficult question, but then the answer is even more difficult. I don’t think it’s any reason to procrastinate though. You’ll have all eternity to do that. You do believe in eternity, don’t you?” His questions, they seem to intensify with His every appearance. The first one I remember as though it were tattooed on the inside of my eyelids. “Do I exist?” Who asks questions like that. It tends to set the atmosphere on fire with speculation that n...

8 likes

Grasshopper Soup

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #69

Grasshopper Soup “What is that you got in that bottle you’re holding so tight. It might just be killed if you don’t lessen up some.” Bellmore continued speaking as if he were reading the contents on a sardine tin. “Must be mighty important, you got such a death grip on her. Don’t intend to take it from you boy, if...

8 likes

There But For Fortune

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #69

There But for Fortune “Can I have your attention please.” His words barely audible over the clinking of glasses and the slurping, which although considered by many to be beyond the breach of social etiquette, was, and had been a tradition in the Biltmore family for more than two hundred years. As far as Sam Biltmore was concerned, “Etiquette be Damned!” He had not planned on informing the family until after this festive holiday season, but Aunt Mary was feeling poorly, not expected to be around for his next holiday extravaganza, host...

8 likes

What Can I Do For You

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #68

What Can I Do For You “What is this?” “What does it look like?” It looks like a note, because, it is a note, written on what looks to be the back of an advertisement proclaiming the double decker to be the juiciest burger ever, “Subliminal.” I look from the paper into his steely black eyes, bulbous face, and habitually worn stocking cap, adorned with the remnants of dead leaves. I am not a believer in fate, destiny, or really any insinuation that infers a Deja vu fog covers any situation in life, but I was considering changin...

12 likes

Bombs Bursting In Air

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #68

Bombs Bursting In Air I thought it was the sun. It’s daily formal rehearsal, the horizon silhouetting the mountains to the East, a rooster proclaiming a new day open for business, but it is only 2 AM. Our French doors overlook the valley that flows from the mountains. Our usual sunrise experience occurs, depending upon the time of year of course, somewhere between when it gets light and when I wake up. This new light is blinding. I look across the room at the clock, two minutes after two. I nudge her. she r...

12 likes

This or That

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #68

This or That This was supposed to be the best day of their lives, and now…? “Doesn’t it always seem to be the case, that just when you reach for that last cookie you’d been fantasizing about all day, it is… “Yup! And I’m really sorry about that. I had no idea it was the last one. I have to admit, I never even looked into the jar. There’s something about that face on your pig cookie jar, that makes me feel creepy. So I don’t spend anymore time in its presence than necessary. I usually lift the top of its h...

10 likes

Henry

Joe Swanson

Henry “My God, is that you?” Who else would it be? Here I am back not fifteen minutes, and who should I run into, but him. Next, he’ll want to know what I’m doing here; he hasn’t seen me in twelve, thirteen years? Well, I’ve been gone, left, and for good reason. I’m here now because, well, I don’t really know, but there’s something that I can’t explain pulling me back. It’s kind of like a curse, if I don’t do it, black cats are going to cross my path. I’ll be walking under ladders the rest of my life; I had to come...

4 likes

Memory of a..........

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #68

Memory of a… It had been twenty-four years since she last saw the place, and it hadn’t changed at all. Her mind crawling back, in search of memories. Her initial feeling leaving her in search of…what? She reminded herself, that that time had gone. It seemed so long ago since they’d left, and yet, only yesterday. The bird bath remained in the center of the rose garden where she had placed it, an anniversary gift from him. She could see her face reflected in the mirrored water. She noticed the changes, the facial line...

9 likes

Mystics, Mythical Tavern

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #67

Mystics, Mythical Tavern “Captain Hook, Peter Pan, Jack, and his magic beans, all legendary, yes! but what about Captain Monsieur Sebastian?” “You will have to excuse my ignorance about mythical figures who are ranked in the annals of mystic persuasions, by those who know I assume, but I have never heard of a Captain Sebastian. If you would be so good as to enlighten me, I’d be most appreciative.” “If you have never heard of Monsieur Sebastian, I can’t help but wonder which pumpkin patch you are from. I assume you’ve heard of ...

9 likes

Two of Those

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #67

Two of Those Please “I’ll have…” “They aren’t fattening you know.” “I, didn’t know! But then, I don’t know what goes on here.” When Win Pegasus landed on Quagmire, I should say crashed on our little planet, he claimed to have done so by accident, but then he was more than a little confused. I asked him how he could have crashed by accident and he really didn’t have a believable answer, or so it seemed, but then our translation system hasn’t been updated in quite some time. It has a tendency to rearrange the words in dyslexic f...

10 likes

It Ain't Dark Yet

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #67

It’s Ain't Dark Yet “It’s not dark yet, but it’s getting there,” a lyric that invokes varying images, but it caused me to think of where we are as a people, a country. Just using the term people, magnifies for me, the differences as opposed to the similarities we share. When we agree with someone, or a groups ideology, we accept that generally we are sim...

11 likes

Moon Cut

Joe Swanson

Submitted to Contest #67

Moon Cut He wiped the bloody blade on his shirttail. She watched from the keyhole, afraid to breathe for fear of being found out. She felt her heart beating through her night shirt, droplets of fear seeping from beneath her head band, and closed her eyes. She had watched him drag the body, or what she imagined a body, wrapped in the curtain he’d taken from the window. He opened the rear doorway to the exterior staircase and disappeared. She listened to the plodding steps grow faint. She opened her eyes once again an...

15 likes