Joshua G. J. Insole

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Aug, 2019

Stories (182)

182 Stories

7277 karma pts

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“Thyme to Give Back” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #263

Chase came in from the evening, arms overladen with shopping bags. Jolon Dugal relaxed. He’d been half expecting the boy to refuse his requests because of insanity. He couldn’t hold it against Chase; the kid was only doing his job. But Jolon had to do this, no matter Chase’s discomfort. He opened his arms and smiled. ‘Chase, my boy! Good morning. How was the shopping excursion?’ Chase frowned for a fraction of a second but then erased it from his face. He paused, seeming to consider his words. He stared down at the many bags from many differ...

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“Fat Man” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #262

The fat cat, arm around the pretty girl’s waist, pressed the unlock button on his car fob, which had a famous logo.Phil Hopskins glared. Whilst some poor sods – such as him – had to get up and go to work, others basked in a life of glorious luxury. It wasn’t fair, damn it. Especially on this day, the hottest of the year, or so the weatherman proclaimed. Lovely. It was only 7:30, and already sweat was trickling down his back, making his work shirt stick to his skin. And Phil was sure that when he got to work and took his blazer off, there wou...

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“Fangs for Your Help” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #261

Gene Waters, the sweaty postman with beady eyes that were too close together, grinned at her like a shark.Lindsay Adams’s stomach dropped. Oh no. Not again. Couldn’t she ever go out running in peace? Why did her early morning efforts have to draw such attention? Lindsay wanted to get back in shape after years of working at the bakery, which had led to a bit of weight gain. Her boyfriend – now her ex, she had to remind herself – had called her fat and ended the relationship. He threw two-and-a-half years away because of a few pounds. And to t...

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“Love Goes Through the Stomach” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #260

The scream bit into the night, tearing through the peace like teeth through flesh.Travis Wells lurched awake; silk sheets pooled around him, revealing his well-toned abs. His heart – strong and resilient – throbbed inside his chest, but it did not gallop. Even when he woke up to a damsel in distress calling out for help, he woke up calm and collected. And that had been a damsel in distress – or, rather, the damsel in distress. It was Winona Chavez who rented the apartment two doors down the corridor. Travis wasted no time. He was out of bed ...

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“Shedding Your Past” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #255

The zombie staggered down an alleyway, disappearing into the gloom of the night. Viola Rodriguez frowned. That woman had been dead, all right: the eyes, the shamble, the stench, the groan. She would have run off screaming if she’d spied the creature a week ago. But it wasn’t a week ago; it was now, and Viola was a changed woman, unfortunately. And what did she have to lose? You couldn’t become both, could you? Besides, this was the first time she’d seen another monster – besides the one that haunted her dreams. She needed to know if there we...

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“Dan Helsing” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #254

The neon sign strobed into the night, red like blood: ‘THE VAMPIRE NIGHTCLUB’.Dan Helsing grunted. He shook his head and pointed to the flashy thing. ‘You see that? How distasteful! There’s an actual vampire in our midst and these people are making money from the bloodsuckers’ name! The gall.’Simon frowned. ‘Um, Sir? I’ve been watching this place and it seems that they’re actually vampi—’Dan whipped his cape over his shoulders for good effect and barged through the black door. ‘Come along, Simon. We have a vampire to find. I have much to tea...

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“Saturday the 14th” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #253

The two surviving counsellors ran in opposite directions, screaming into the woods.Jacob Mara’s shoulders sagged. Each year, he got a bit more rotted. And each year, these camp counsellors got faster. Or did they stay the same, and he was getting slower? Now, there was a scary thought: would one day come when he couldn’t catch any of them? He adjusted his hockey mask, which had stayed with him through thick and thin, through life and death. And then he crashed through the undergrowth after his quarry.The topless blonde in a thong split left,...

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“Dielight” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #252

Something fluttered out of the night sky and landed on the road a short distance behind her.Kyla Gilbert let out a tiny yip of excitement. Nobody saw such a dorky response. She had the street to herself. And it was a good thing, too. If anyone had observed her, they’d have likely asked her what she was up to. And how would she have answered them? ‘Oh, don’t mind me; I’m off to lure a vampire into biting me and turning me into an immortal being’? No chance. Kyla zipped up her leather jacket – the zip was on the side, like Bella Cullen’s – and...

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“Witches Get Stitches” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #251

The teahouse was full of women sipping from cups and pouring from various teapots.Mona Heptinstall winced. She didn’t have any money to buy a drink. She didn’t have any money at all; she was only a young schoolgirl. But the sight of all these women put her at ease a little. And God knew that she needed somewhere to feel safe right now. Mona ducked into the shop, past the few tables outside occupied by little old ladies sitting in the shade.The aroma inside the teahouse was exotic and familiar, exciting and cosy. Steam wafted from the rims of...

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“Maim, Set, Match” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #249

The net across the court had ensnared somebody, who now struggled like a bug on sticky paper.Digby Guzman froze. The horde had long since departed for greener – aka warmer and fleshier – pastures. He’d hoped that all the zombies had vacated the area. But he’d forgotten that the walking dead weren’t all that bright. It made sense that a few stragglers remained stuck in spots that humans with intact brains would not. He tightened his grip on his tennis racquet, which had a big dent and loose strings dangling like spilt guts.The zombie hung hal...

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“Baking Bad” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #247

The timer – a pink plastic pig you had to twist around until its eyes faced the same direction as its butt – went off.Beverley Reade jumped. The sound was rare in her tiny kitchen – a shrill, metallic, mechanical noise. The smell of something baking was also rare. But if she hoped to be Whitney’s well-remembered grandmother once she passed, Bev had better get used to it. And she better get better, too. Grandmothers are good at baking. It was a universal law. ‘Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Oh, and once a woman has a grandchild,...

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“Let Meat Take a Selfie” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #244

The house slept whilst the other abodes awoke for the day.Stuart Weste squinted at the home, one hand resting on the rusty iron gate. He tried and failed to shake the feeling that the house was watching him with half-lidded eyes. ‘All right,’ he said to himself. His voice shook more than he’d ever admit. ‘Let’s do this.’The closed curtain of one of the upstairs windows flickered only for the briefest of moments.His breath caught in his throat. There was somebody home. Well, of course, there was. Otherwise, this would have been a pointless en...

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“Plight at the Museum” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #242

The car’s tyres skidded over the rain-wet road, squealing in the night.Edward Rakee gritted his teeth. He didn’t like driving this fast, but the situation called for it. This had been the first night after changing the museum’s exhibits, his first actual decision on the job. At midnight, he’d gotten a call. The motion sensor alarms had detected someone inside the building. Someone had broken in – what a disaster. He gripped the steering wheel in a white-knuckle grip and fought to keep control of his 2-tonne beast.Burnhelm Museum’s windows gl...

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“Splitting on the Fence” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #241

The battle cries erupted from both ends of the town square, ripping the still of the night into tatters.Oscar Ware jumped. He still hadn’t chosen. The decision’s weight crushed him until he froze, unable to act. How could you decide on something of this size? There were advantages and disadvantages for both teams. What if he picked it, and it was the wrong choice? What if he experienced buyer’s remorse? He needed to weigh every possible pro and con underneath a magnifying glass. Only then could he decide, and after much deliberation. He’d al...

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“Not the Brightest Bulb” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #240

The light panned over the coast, gutting the night like a blade through a fish’s belly.Emerson Leighe sighed. From experience, he knew the storm would be raging well into the next day. But he’d be safe here; this lighthouse had weathered many storms before this one. And it would weather many more after, too. It had stood here since before he was born, and it would stand long after he was dead, which wouldn’t be long now, he reasoned. He raised his metal cup to the windows, which looked out onto the frothing midnight ocean. He offered the nig...

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Author bio

Joshua G. J. Insole is a British author living in the Austrian Alps. He has achieved a triple Reedsy triumph, showcasing his love for horror, comedy, and sci-fi. His tales are available in his published books and various anthologies. https://joshuainsole.com/

Winning 3 stories 🏆

Contest #65

Bridgemoss Guardians – read story

Contest #8

Astro Naught – read story

Contest #3

The Things That Do Not Float – read story

Shortlisted 8 stories ⭐️

Contest #93

Gender Reveal – read story

Contest #48

A Little Bit Off – read story

Contest #46

Sequel to the Apocalypse – read story

Contest #30

Sea the Moon – read story

Contest #15

Honesty in G# Minor – read story