John Galton

“Raskolnikov's Origin Story” by John Galton

Submitted to Contest #263

J. Galton8/16/242103 wordsRASKOLNIKOV'S ORIGIN STORY Raskolnikov lay in bed facing the wall, sweating. His door creaked. He shivered. “Who's there?” His voice, hoarse from long silence. “Stand and unfold yourself.” Porfiry grinned from the threshold. “Isn't that my next line?” He shrugged. It'd be a while before anyone looking like Raskolnikov would stand. Porfiry gentled his tone. “You infinitely clever young man, always on guard.” Raskolnikov grunted. He'd known from the clomping of the investigator's boots mountin...

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“EVOLUTION” by John Galton

Submitted to Contest #174

J. Galton. 11/29/22 2274 words EVOLUTION The back door banged open. Cleo stormed in. Dropped her bag, kicked it. Head down she surged toward the stairs. “Sissy, dear” even as I said it, I knew the pet name was a mistake. “Close the door. You don't live in” “I'm not sissy. I'm not dear.” Cleo's voice sounded close to tears. “And,” big sniff, “It smells like a barn.” Almost finished with the spread sheet which was due at noon, I did not have time for this, any of it. Our preteen d...

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“Anniversary” by John Galton

Submitted to Contest #156

A.C. Jay Anniversary “Don't you remember” the rest of Morgan's question was drowned out by the street noise in lower Manhattan. Claire burrowed deeper into her down jacket, tightened her scarf. Chilled to the bone, she felt certain they were on a fool's errand. “Remember what?” The cacophony of cars, trucks, buses, blaring horns, squealing brakes, prevented Morgan from hearing her response. She grabbed his hand. He spied a narrow gap in the stalled traffic, tugged. At the corner of Canal and Mott someone tripped, fell. A circle formed, s...

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“Repetition meets clarification” by John Galton

Submitted to Contest #151

John Galton 6/24/22 Reedsy Prompt: Reboot # 151 Repetition meets clarification. “Cease and desist” Tomlinson laughed so hard he almost spilled his brandy. He took a breath, repeated “Cease and desist.” In front of him, quivering like a tuft of tall grass, Frederickson's thin lips parted. A legend having taught into his seventies, only retiring after Tomlinson's first year as principal, his voice quavered, “Cease and desist?” He saluted with his whiskey glass, gripped it with both hands, lowered his head took a sip. “I remember grandfathe...

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“He remembered. She remembered.” by John Galton

J. Galton 4/7/22 2275 words He remembered. She remembered. As Irene waited for the hostess to slide her chair back, she surveyed T.J. his tumult of boyish brown hair, his tape patched glasses, his too tight jacket, the wrong color tie. How long had it been? Had he always been so oblivious? She smiled at the hostess, took her seat, patted her hair, “You don't remember shit.” T.J. Sat, put his elbows on the white table cloth, “Au contraire.” He liked to flash foreign phrases when high. He thought it earned him a touch of 'je ne sais qu...

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“At the ball” by John Galton

J. Galton 3/10/22 1213 words                  At the ball      Calla's got problems of her own and still sets aside precious time to womp all over on my ass about what she calls my short fuse issues. She's wadding tissues into little balls and crying about issues and I have a hard time not laughing at the rhyme in my head. She makes it like I'm a subject right out of one of her glossy picture heavy mags. Did I kn...

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