Joshua Insole

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Aug, 2019

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41 Stories

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“snoitseuQ and srewsnA” by Joshua Insole

Submitted on 05/22/2020

“Because we’re here.”The words, which had not been casually proffered, hovered in the space between them for a moment; from the mind of one and into the ears and heart and soul of the other.The Questioner took the answer completely seriously. On the surface, it might have seemed like a flippant, even careless answer to what had been an honest, earnest question. But the Qu...

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“Deep Space Canine” by Joshua Insole

Submitted on 05/14/2020

1“Grrround Control, mission has successfully been completed, repeat, mission has been successfully completed, Grrround Control.”“Roger that, Major Rover, thank you for your hard work. Huzagudboi, huzagudboi, yoragudboi, yezyoragudboi.”“Huzagudboi yourself, Captain. Major Rover over and out.”Major Rover al...

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“The Hands That Rattle the Cage” by Joshua Insole

Submitted on 05/08/2020

“Hey!”The shout startled her from her reverie. Jackie opened her eyes and squinted up at the sun. It was about midday, by her estimates.“Hey, you!”With a groan and a sigh, Jackie forced herself to sit upright. She glanced around at her surroundings, which had remained mostly unchanged in the past twelve h...

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“Blind Visitors” by Joshua Insole

Submitted on 05/01/2020

It’s looking up at the stars. Or is it looking down at them? It could be either one, I suppose. It’s also hard to say what, exactly, it is. It’s an alien, of course, we’ve already figured that out — but anything beyond the vague label of ‘alien’ is out of our current grasp.It has a thin, spindly body, hunched over, crouching. It’s bipedal and has a roughly humanoid shape — the sort of body we can recognise, more or less. It’s not complete...

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“Living and Dying in 42 Beachley Street” by Joshua Insole

Submitted on 04/24/2020

1I held my breath as the silhouette of the little old lady turned around at the sound of my veranda door opening, then sighed internally when she waved cheerfully in my direction. Okay for one more day, I thought, as she shuffled over towards the guardrail that separated our balconies. One more day, please, God, and another after that. If it’s not too much to ask. “Oh, James, how are you this won...

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“No Bubbles” by Joshua Insole

Submitted on 04/17/2020

1I should have seen what was wrong with the scene sooner than I did. 2That Saturday morning was gorgeous. The sun was strong, there wasn’t a single cloud visible. A gentle breeze delicately rippled the surface of the water, the lazy waves shimmering. The sky above was an ethereal cobalt, stretching on forever. As I looked up into that blue eternity, I felt at home in the universe, experiencing a rare tranquillity. In th...

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“Ten Fingers, Two Hands” by Joshua Insole

Submitted on 04/10/2020

Wednesday 13th April, 2:33 a.m.Dear Diary, I have lied to you. Or was it myself I lied to? Perhaps they’re both one and the same. After all, I’m the only one who writes in you and I’m the only one who reads from you. The entries for the last week are scribbled across the pages preceding this one, and whilst the handwriting gets messier and messier, the content of those passages show no distress. I look at the entry for Monday — Nothing new, just can’t sleep. Di...

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“The Place Where the Birds Don't Sing” by Joshua Insole

Submitted on 04/03/2020

I know it’s not much of a defence, but I really didn’t know how much damage it would eventually cause. This confession of innocence doesn’t undo the events that followed that fateful Wednesday morning in mid-March, I know that, but hopefully it will be understood that I didn’t mean for any of it to happen — either by accident or design. I doubt I could have stopped it, anyway. But if there’s one person who could’ve possibly seen it before it hit, it was me.

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“The Open Window Lets the Rain In” by Joshua Insole

Submitted on 03/27/2020

1It’s three o’clock in the afternoon when I discover the open window in the upstairs bathroom. I know this because the alarm I’ve set to remind me to eat has just gone off, bleating its digital protests from the bedside table. Beep! Buh-bleep! Beep! Buh-bleep! It won’t stop until I either push the button to silence it or wait ten minutes. If I wait ten minutes, the alarm will snooze for another ten, and then it’ll start back up with a vengeance. I know this because it happens every morn...

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“Donum Ex Deo” by Joshua Insole

Submitted on 03/20/2020

“Well, what do you think?”“Uh…”“You do like it, don’t you?”“Well…”“Wonderful! I’m so glad you’re pleased. You know, I was wondering about whether it was the right gift or not, and — you know — you can never tell!”“Right…” As the word tumbled from my mouth, the box in my hands shuddered a bit. Not much, gosh no, but enough th...

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“Maledictions and Muffins” by Joshua Insole

Submitted on 03/12/2020

The witch waved her wand in the direction of her victim, whispering the ancient incantations under her breath. The words snaked out from between her lips, like a worm out of an apple. Her opponent began to expand — growing, widening, fattening. Mavis knew that it wouldn’t be long until the object of her spellcasting finally bid adieu to this mortal world and exploded, insides splattering in every direction.But Mavis wasn’t going to let them give up t...

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“Grandma's Garden” by Joshua Insole

Submitted on 03/06/2020

1Grandma was always tending to her garden. Eleanor watched her as she went about her duties, a smile stretched across her kind and wrinkled face, a pretty little melody being softly hummed (and occasionally whistled), a wide-brim straw hat pushed snugly on her head. The hat always made Eleanor laugh, due to the ridiculous way in which the brim flopped all over the place. Knowing this, Grandma moved her head as often as possible, and in as exaggerated movements as possible, to caus...

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“Sea the Moon” by Joshua Insole

Submitted on 02/24/2020

The seagulls were weeping again. They had woken her from her sleep. It was funny, now that she thought about it. She’d also fallen asleep listening to their shrill pleas. It reminded her of the song her mother had sung to her as a baby. Sunset and sunrise, bird calls and bird cries.Simone rolled out of her bed, feeling the tidal roll of the world beneath her feet. Circles and orbs, circles and orbs, she thought, inanely, as she wobbled over to the window on legs th...

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“Routine” by Joshua Insole

Submitted on 02/21/2020

Daisy wakes me up each day with a kiss. I always sleep longer than her, so she’s always the one to wake me up. I sometimes wonder how long she’s been up before she decides to rouse me – minutes, hours? Does she get up to see the morning sun rising? She doesn’t seem to mind, though; she’s all smiles when I open my eyes.She waits patiently as I put on my slippers and throw on my dressing gown. Daisy never hurries me – even though I’m usually bleary-eyed and clumsy, fumbling my way thr...

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“Night Train to Pinea” by Joshua Insole

Submitted on 02/07/2020

“Tickets and passes, please! Tickets and passes!” bellowed the conductor, startling John awake from his slumber. His eyes snapped open and he lifted his head from the table. Panic jolted into his veins like crackling electricity. His stomach lurched.“Ticket?” said John with a frown, wiping the sleep from his eyes. “What ticket?” In his half-dozing state, the phrase came out as, Wha’ tic’?“Tickets and passes, please! Tickets and passes!” repea...

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Author bio

Joshua G. J. Insole is a British writer living in the Austrian Alps. An active member of several online writing communities, his preferred storytelling genres are horror and science fiction. Since starting in 2017, Joshua has won the Reedsy writing competition twice and has been shortlisted on four other occasions.