Josie Gilbert

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Apr, 2020

Stories (11)

11 Stories

182 karma pts

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“The cottage at the end of the lane” by Josie Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #92

Maeve first stayed with her Granny Eve and Grandad Clive when she was only six years old. Her parents, Sheelagh and Tom, had received a call from Tom’s mother calling him home urgently to the West Country, as his father was seriously ill. Eve and Clive were only too happy to take care of Maeve, who was a well-behaved, imaginative child, on whom they doted. Whenever they could they babysat Maeve and always made a point of attending the school Nativity play, where she was inevitably cast as an angel. They were only too aware however, tha...

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“Jeremy's Databases” by Josie Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #91

Jeremy was a precocious child. His mother had always read a story to him after he finished eating his lunch, but from the age of four Jeremy insisted on reading it himself. By then, he had already outgrown the usual children’s literature and had progressed to books more suitable for adolescents. At first this confused the local librarian, who thought he was choosing novels for an older sibling. Finally, Jeremy’s mother had confided that he was an only child and that medical problems meant he could never have a brother or sister. The libraria...

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“Another Lockdown Stash” by Josie Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #78

Sarah was engrossed in her latest detective novel when the doorbell rang. Startled, she dropped the book and hurried across the hallway to the front door. She opened it in time to see a figure retreating briskly down her driveway but she could not tell if it was a man or a woman. Looking down at her feet she noticed a large grey plastic bag, no doubt containing her most recent online purchase. “Thank you,” she yelled to the figure, who acknowledged her by waving an arm. “Lockdown restrictions,” Sarah thought. “They aren’t even allowed to wa...

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“Lucy's Visitor” by Josie Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #64

Over the years Lucy had moved to a new house several times, but nothing had prepared her for her current move. She and her husband, Eric, had finally scraped together the funds to buy their dream home: a manor house on the Sussex Downs, surrounded by large, established gardens. Part of the house itself dated back to the sixteenth century, albeit with many later and varied additions. It had obviously been well-loved by its owners, with each leaving their own mark, thereby creating a hotchpotch of architectural features and internal decoration...

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“Is there a full moon tonight” by Josie Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #63

“Is there a full moon tonight?” Archie asked. “Not quite. Maybe tomorrow or the day after. Why are you asking?” Stan replied. “I was cycling down the lane that runs behind the vicarage and out towards the home farm this afternoon. You remember that abandoned house? The one with the long garden with the fence round it?” Stan nodded silently. “The Bramley apples are ripe now and they’re falling off the branches that overhand that lane. I thought we could do a bit of scrumping, like we did when we were lads. No-one will see us and I fancy reliv...

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“Wedding anniversary plans” by Josie Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #55

“Can you keep a secret?” my mother asked me, as soon as the waitress left our table. It’s not something she usually asks me or anyone else to do, so I paused before I answered, quickly running through all the possible scenarios she could have in mind. Nothing obvious occurred to me, apart from her upcoming wedding anniversary. It couldn’t be that though, as my parents never have secrets from each other. “Of course,” I finally answered, stirring my coffee as I spoke. “Great. It’s nothing horrendous, or I wouldn’t be asking. It’s just somethin...

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“Stargazing” by Josie Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #51

Tim stood at the edge of the cliff, staring up at the clear night sky. The velvety midnight blue was shot through with thousands and thousands of stars, each twinkling brightly. Higher up the full moon gleamed with a yellowish light. It all seemed so calm and peaceful, the antithesis of Tim’s life. He was struggling to cope with his new role in the solicitors’ partnership and the extra responsibilities and stresses it involved. True he enjoyed the added status and the pay rise, but he had not realised the far-reaching changes the promotion w...

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“The Mirrie Dancers” by Josie Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #47

You remember when we were at that New Year’s Party at the beginning of the year and we were discussing the things we would put on our bucket lists? Well, the following morning and after I’d sobered up, I decided to actually write down all the things I want to do before I die. I took a large sheet of paper and started adding headings: “Things I can achieve,” “Things that might be possible” and “I probably don’t have a snowball in hell’s chance.” Over the next few days, I added items as I thought of them and shifted some from one column to ano...

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“West Barton Church Writing Circle” by Josie Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #46

West Barton may only be a small Sussex village, full of chocolate-box cottages with neatly maintained gardens, all lining narrow lanes that wind and twist their way uphill, but it would be a mistake to write it off as a cliché belonging to the distant past. That would be judging from first impressions, without taking into account the vibrant, if slightly eccentric, villagers who bring it to life. Some are descended from families who have lived in the area for generations, barely moving more than a few miles in their lives. Others are incomer...

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“Video conferencing with Cat” by Josie Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #38

As soon as Serena heard the Government’s decree concerning working from home, she knew her job would be included in their list. Successful advertising might be crucial for the company concerned, but her role as a graphic designer for publicity campaigns certainly was not a life and death occupation. More importantly, it could mainly be done from home.It was therefore no surprise when her boss, Greg, rang her early the following morning, telling her not to come to the studio that day.“I’m organising all our current commissions, so we can carr...

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“The Jungfraujoch” by Josie Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #36

May 25thI woke early and drew back the bedroom curtain. I’d never had such a spectacular view from a hotel room before. In the distance the early morning sun glinted off the peaks of the Swiss Alps; the middle ground was an expanse of flower-strewn meadows and below me the small Alpine village stretched along both sides of a sparkling river. Overhead the sky was a clear aquamarine and thankfully there were no clouds in sight.Exactly what I had been hoping for on today of all days. The day I would finally have the opportunity of visiting the...

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Author bio

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