Joshua Insole

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Aug, 2019

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https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/author/joshua-insole/
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33 stories

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

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

“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

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

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

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

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

“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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“Listening to Ghosts” by Joshua Insole

1Jed Blancher, now there was a good paranormal investigator. Rumour had it, he could talk with the deceased without need for a planchette or Ouija or anything. Now, of course, there are those that would poo-poo Jed’s abilities and skills, and say that he was naught but a conman, swindling heartbroken souls of their hard-earned cash.But I know better.Jed was a true medium, able to reach the other side...

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“A Long, Narrow Box” by Joshua Insole

Marvin needed help, and this seemed to be the place to get it. He looked at the laminated label on the bookshelf. SELF-HELP SECTION. He nodded to himself. Yup, this was the right place all right. He held his hands behind his back – neatly, as Mother had taught him – and surveyed the books on offer.Deidre had been making a stink all week, and Marvin had finally caved and gone in search of a remedy to their problems. It was a very specific issue. Marvin was doubtful that he’d...

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“Something Swims Behind (Still My Sunshine)” by Joshua Insole

1We were just entering the hadal zone when we realised, we weren’t alone. For those of you who don’t know, the hadal zone is six thousand metres under the ocean. To put that into perspective, the twilight, or mesopelagic, zone – that’s where just one percent of the light from above reaches the depths – is just two hundred metres deep.Now, you’re probably wondering, What about the bit where there’s no light at ...

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“Onwards, Towards the Witch” by Joshua Insole

I see you, child.The words slithered into her brain, as if they were her own thoughts. The world flashed a momentary red. And then they came again.I see you, child.Monika’s eyes snapped open, immediately awake. “Who’s there?” she demanded of the darkness, leaping the chasm from sleep to awareness in an instant. “Who speaks?”There was no response.

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“Returning the Favour” by Joshua Insole

1“Don’t panic,” said the man with my face, “I’m not here to hurt you.”The words caught in my throat for a moment. My eyes traced his features – the shape of his head, the crook of his nose, the thickness of his lips, the colour of his eyes, the slightly uneven eyebrows, the partially off-centre teeth. He was me. He was me, he was me, he was me. But I was me. I was sure of it. Mostly. 

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“When the War Falls Silent” by Joshua Insole

When the men from the Otherworld arrived, they brought death and destruction with them. When the Otherworlders arrived, the continent of Micsudsa was enshrouded in a pitch-black shadow from which it may never be freed, or so Silas feared. Oh, he knew that it was naïve to think that their lands had been entirely peaceful before they arrived, but they’d not experienced devastation such as this. Sure, Micsudsa had been fractured into two warring factions for years, but that was naught...

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“The Dead at My Door” by Joshua Insole

They were still following us. We hadn’t managed to lose them, despite our best efforts. I could hear their frenzied footfalls and their growls filling the wintry night air, just behind us. How close were they, I wondered? One step? Two? If one of us stumbled as we ran up the path, would they be upon us before we hit the ground? Would they catch us even if we didn’t? Were we one or two seconds away from being tackled to the ground and devoured, our pained screams straining into the night?

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“A Heart Is Not an Orange” by Joshua Insole

1Martin Wilson never returned from his student exchange program abroad. This is mostly due to the fact that he didn’t escape the vampire.“Oh, sweet Jesus!” cried the Brit, as he pounded down the stony hallways of the castle, footsteps echoing into the night. Outside the tall, gothic windows, a ghostly fog obscured the grounds around the place. His perception and understanding of where he was spatially were being warped and twisted – Martin thought he was at ground ...

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Author bio

Hi there! I’m Josh, a Brit living in Innsbruck, Austria. I write mostly in the genres of horror and science fiction, but dabble here and there in other areas, when the feeling is right. Check out my WordPress site: https://joshuainsole.wordpress.com/ I intend to publish my debut novel in 2020.