Matthew Ducza

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jan, 2020

Stories (6)

6 Stories

90 karma pts

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“Fable” by Matthew Ducza

Submitted to Contest #88

fable /ˈfeɪb(ə)l/ n. 1. A short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral. The fable of the sick lion and the wary fox V. Archaic. 2. Tell fictitious tales. “I do not dream nor fable” Oxford Languages Dictionary Edmund was surprised himself sometimes how much value he projected onto people when they could do something for him. In any other situation this person was someone he would regard with minimal interest. ‘Is there anything you would like to know about the position?’ asked Mr Kahnweiler, the Manager...

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“Lottery” by Matthew Ducza

Submitted to Contest #83

I like warm climates. I do not like the cold or life lived to too much of a routine. I desired with the intensity of a bored London stockbroker to move to a tropical island. I am not a man given to living in a fantasy world. If I want to go somewhere I methodically set up plans step by step to make it a reality. I have a child who is my greatest source of joy. Nonetheless Melanie’s arrival into this world came as a great surprise. Melanie’s mother Ashley is a great love and support to me. I would have probably married Ashley anyway b...

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“The Baker” by Matthew Ducza

Submitted to Contest #71

‘It was called Kifli not Kiffler. You’re thinking of some kind of potato’ his mum said. ’Sorry, I do not have the recipe. She never shared it. And anyway, it was hardly a recipe worth sharing.’ She was right. The recipe was not worth sharing. She did not mean it was bad. A kifli is a buttery, sugar coated biscuit. They were delicious. But the recipe was too vague to be of much use. He had once seen the handwritten recipe on a sheet of paper. He was a child watching his grandmother bake. She took out at every Christmas the faded pie...

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“Ambition” by Matthew Ducza

Submitted to Contest #70

*Sunday October 2* Went to church. Father G talked about a poem a lot at the pulpit. Cannot remember what but it felt uplifting at the time. Jessica telephoned. She sounded weird. I miss the early days of when we were dating. It’s nice that we can live more of our normal lives now but still I miss the great excitement we used to have when just talking to each other or being with each other. *Monday October 3* Ambition is intoxicating to those that acquire it or are born with it. You might tell yourself that other things are important...

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“The Stand Up” by Matthew Ducza

Submitted to Contest #69

Christmas dinner can be an awkward and intense moment for families. A monarch like Henry VIII might be attempting to rejoin sects of his family, bitterly divided from him beginning the Reformation. Alternatively it might be the more humble example of a brother and sister that live on either side of town, reacquainting themselves again after having little to see of each other during the year. A moment of history had drastically altered Christmas plans for the Rayson and Bismarck families. Both families were relatively young. The siblings Da...

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“Alarming” by Matthew Ducza

Submitted to Contest #68

‘To begin with I will tell you that I am actually a virgin. Well I was before last night anyway.’ Melanie’s doorknob would have had some interesting stories to tell if it could talk. Walls may have ears but the brass door knob had the eyes of the room and played a much more active role in letting Melanie and her guests in and out of her student accommodation. If the door knob were a screenwriter and hoping to impress a producer with a voyeuristic retelling of what it was witnessing currently it would go something like this: SCENE 1 - BED...

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Author bio

Whether it be a short story by Hemingway, an Agatha Christie novel or a Tom Hanks soliloquy, I like stories that take me on a thrilling ride and stimulate my mind like a good game of chess.