Michael Jefferson

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Feb, 2022

Stories (91)

91 Stories

1721 karma pts

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“Click-Clack” by Michael Jefferson

Chloride, Arizona 1880 The scorpion crawling over his face brings Dustin Racklin back to consciousness. Wheezing, and hacking up blood, Dustin realizes he’s near death. He recalls being ambushed, shot in the leg, side, and through the lungs by two sidewinders and a boy he called his kin. Dustin had robbed the one o’clock stage out of Jacinto along with D...

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“I’ll Learn How to Bark” by Michael Jefferson

The blind man and his collie sit passively, waiting for their flight to be called. Hans Gudeguest grins at the Swiss Air service agent as he pays for his ticket and checks his bags. In a little over eight hours, he’ll be back in his villa in Switzerland when his associates release sarin gas into the New York City subway system. He pauses at a souvenir shop, picking up an “I Love New York” cap. Checking out the f...

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“Living In A Dream” by Michael Jefferson

Alec Rutchman jumps up in bed, surveying his surroundings. “Uh… I can’t sleep. Where am I?” The tail of the Felix the Cat clock swishes happily back and forth. The white floral tapestry Angelique worked on for six months hangs on the opposite side of the wall, framing the perfume bottles, lotions, and makeup on her dressing table. Home. He’s home. Angelique reaches down, stroking his hair...

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“If You’re Quoting Me, That’ll Do” by Michael Jefferson

For the past three years, California’s Tyson Tigers have been college baseball’s toothless pussy cats, with no wins in fifty-four games. When the Tigers start the current season winning ten in a row, freshman reporter Bertrum Cornell is assigned the task of demystifying the miracle. With a two-week deadline, Bertrum knows his debut article could either propel him to front-page feature writing or condemn him to writing h...

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“Ninety-Five Percent” by Michael Jefferson

Dickie Ryder parks his HELP van on the shoulder behind the stranded Mercedes Benz. Pulling his Baltimore Oriole cap down to hide his boyish features, he steps out of the vehicle. Olive Rothchild, a wealthy real estate agent fretting over arriving late for her own dinner party, feels relieved when she sees a scruffy man in an army jacket and work boots ambling toward her. “Thank goodness you came along,” ...

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“The Faithful Dead” by Michael Jefferson

“Pickleball… I can’t believe we’re going to start a war over a game of pickleball,” Prime Minister Grat Dane says. “The Duke of Lorraine embarrassed his majesty,” Corvus, Alsace’s court magician replies. “You know how he gets when he feels someone’s made him look like a fool.” “He’s spoiled, just like his father. Gaylord has been in power for three years, and I never thought I’d say this, but I miss King...

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“Tap Twice for Paradise” by Michael Jefferson

Anson “Ace” Allison smiles as he turns over his cards. “Two queens, and a pair of tens.” Monty Moneymaker, Dimples Davidson, and Sid ‘the Shark’ Silverstein let out a trio of groans. “That’s three hands in a row,” the Shark whines in a nasal tone. “Even Wild Bill Hickok wasn’t that lucky.” “Actually, Wild Bill was very unlucky,” Ace points out. Davidson smiles, his dimples enhanci...

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“Presto Chango” by Michael Jefferson

“Let me take a body scan for your I.D. card and you’ll be all set,” Rock Reynolds, Captain of Security says. “Hmm. You have a tattoo on your left wrist.” “The Ace of Spades,” Brandon McCarthy answers. “It’s from my days as a Ranger. Our company was known as ‘the Smokin’ Aces.’” Reynolds takes stock of his newest guard. At 6’ 5” with a contoured frame and gym-honed muscles, Brandon resembles a fierce line...

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“The Iron Lady and the Emotional Vampire” by Michael Jefferson

The lone guitarist sits on stage in a worn wicker chair, his hair covering his eyes. “Takes a lot of guts to get up there by yourself,” Ciaran Fox says to his friend, Phineas “Finn” Riley. The guitarist sings in a whispery, melancholy tone, but it’s the opening bars of the song that capture Finn’s attention. “That’s ‘By the Colour of Your Dreams,’” Finn says. “It was on everybody’s turntables i...

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“Dynamite Has A Short Fuse, And So Do I” by Michael Jefferson

Parnell, Iowa 1885 “I still have half a dozen ponies to break and get to market,” Avery Cooke says. “Besides, Skeeter’s not ready for something like this.” Snuffing out his pungent cigar, Andor Cressy, the rotund owner of the Zenith Mines and the Top Dollar Ranch gives Avery a grim look. Avery corrects himself. “Mister Skeeter.” “And don’t you forget it. You peopl...

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“Back Off Buttinsky” by Michael Jefferson

It’s a typical day filled with amusement for Monique Vermont as she looks around Marvin Garden’s courtyard. Monique laughs as six-year-old Charity Chase spins her four-year-old brother around until he’s dizzy and collapses on the seat of his pants. Seated on a bench near the back of the courtyard, Ilsa, Julie Auger’s au pair from Switzerland, puts her head on the shoulder of would-be musician Vinnie Vincent....

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“Next Time Satan Calls, Play Dead” by Michael Jefferson

Dr. Kyle Kidd looks out of his window at the lush greenery surrounding his office, smiling serenely. “I’m glad we came here. I really like it.” Tempest, his nurse, nods approvingly. “It’s the perfect small town for a talented country doctor. We can live here for twenty years before anyone notices you haven’t aged.” Kyle rolls his eyes. “With all the eligible men in this town already lining up at...

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“Brother” by Michael Jefferson

Everyone who knew the retired bachelor in Apartment 2E always said he would have made a perfect husband and father. Trent Eden knew better. He would thank his neighbors, smile sheepishly, and tell them about the life-changing summer he spent with Brother Monroe.              Affable and inquisitive, Brother spoke four languages, could play classical music note-perfect on piano or cello, and had an I.Q. of 130. And yes, there was also that prophetic first name.

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“We’re Not Supposed to Cheat Death – It’s Part of Life” by Michael Jefferson

Senator Marcus Cicero walks through the Garden of Senators, one of Washington D.C.’s most popular attractions. He pauses at the statues of his father, Lucius, and his grandfather, Julius. He squeezes his hand, hoping to relieve the numbness that has taken root in his fingers. “It won’t be long now.” Marcus vigorously shakes the hand of a young constituent but feels nothing. ...

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“Things is Gonna Even Out In the End” by Michael Jefferson

Carlo Rovino softly moans to himself when the movers drop the last box containing his mother’s belongings. Sifting through the boxes, Carlo comes across a bundle of yellowing envelopes stamped Return to Sender. His mother, quiet, close-lipped, and diligent, had been better known for filling out police reports than emulating Emily Dickinson. Her most recent letter, written two days before her death, com...

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