Phil Manders

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jan, 2020

Stories (44)

44 Stories

1335 karma pts

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“Soundtrack” by Phil Manders

Submitted to Contest #53

Cue: Violins.Hi, my names Carlos. Spanish you’re thinking? No, I’m called Carlos because my mum got pregnant on the Spanish island of Mallorca when she was eighteen. She thinks my father’s name was Carlos or Carlo or Chico or Cristiano. I’ve never met him, all I’ve seen is a faded photo of mum with her arms around a young Spanish lad. To be honest, with my mum, at eighteen she was drunk most of the time….actually she still is, it could have been any of them, or all of them, and then some. Anyway, who needs a dad after all? They’re overrated ...

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“Lorenzo” by Phil Manders

Submitted to Contest #52

The library door slid silently closed behind her. Alice felt the chill of the evening probing at her unzipped, oversized coat, searching for a way in. She flicked her hood up and scanned the street ahead. All was quiet. The library had become a welcome sanctuary after school, they would never find her in there. They probably didn’t even know what a library was. She hung her head forward, allowing her long mousy hair to cover her face. Hugging her folders tightly in to her chest, she hurriedly crossed the road, stopping outside her favourite ...

9 comments 9
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“Our place” by Phil Manders

Submitted to Contest #51

Bob crunched up the gravel driveway towards the front door of the care home. The heady lavender hugging each side of the path, tried its best to welcome him in but the evening ahead was weighing on him. He pressed the buzzer and straightened his tie while he waited patiently for the Kathy in the office to respond.“Good evening Bob! Come on in! Step into the airlock and I’ll come and get you…..Oh, and happy anniversary!” Her tone was sickeningly happy….it always was. Bob could never understand how she always sounded so happy working in such a...

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“The man in the moon” by Phil Manders

Submitted to Contest #51

Hi fellow reedsy‘s (reedsies?). If you want to fully enjoy this story please read a previous story of mine called “Bottle tops” first. It will introduce you nicely to the characters.Yes that’s right you lucky people....you get two for the price of one!!!!All feedback very welcome😁Henry stretched across the bedside table and fumbled for the switch. The bedroom was peaceful, sleepy, touched only by the gentle dawn light awakening outside the house. A small, unruly gang of plastic dinosaurs were sent flying, one of them, a triceratops with one ...

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“Sam’s place” by Phil Manders

Submitted to Contest #50

Bright, warm sunlight, peeked in to the sleeping bedroom, illuminating a half empty wine glass on the bedside table. Lucy, delicately stretched out an arm and pawed around an empty bed. Opening one eye, she squinted at the alarm clock, the previous night’s argument, a dreamy, thumping muddle in her head. She lay still trying to piece together the fragments of her memory, as they slowly returned. Marcus, hugged his coffee cup. Lost in his thoughts, he watched a small, white butterfly beating desperately at the shed window. He closed his eye...

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“Pocket watch” by Phil Manders

Submitted to Contest #49

“Hi!” said the girl, eagerly. She was dressed from head to toe in white linen, enthusiastically hugging her white clipboard, bouncing from one foot to the other. She reminded me instantly of a puppy I once had, only he licked his genitals continuously, and at that moment, she showed no sign of doing anything similar. Man I felt weird.“I’m sooo excited, I love showing new people around it’s just my fav thing to do ever!” she squealed, her voice escalating to a pitch that ended at a point that made me cover my ears.Was I dreaming? No. I’v...

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“Welcome to England ” by Phil Manders

Submitted to Contest #49

 The heavy old oak doors swung open violently, crippling the peace, crashing against the four hundred year old walnut panelling. It had been many years since they’d been treated with such disrespect, but they had seen worse in their long life, and they would, no doubt, see worse again. “HEY! Excuse me! Can I get a little service round here?” bellowed Hal, he dragged his suitcase over the highly polished brass threshold and onto the plush carpet. Its tiny wheels sinking into the deep, burgundy shag pile, refusing to budge any furthe...

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“Masterpiece” by Phil Manders

Submitted to Contest #46

“Not yet you moron! This isn’t the right time….it needs to be the same as the book, the same as the story…..your story…our story.”Malcolm tried to ignore the voice, but it was too strong now…he had listened to it too much. He had allowed it to take over his thoughts too often….all in the name of creativity, he thought to himself, a wry smile crept fleetingly onto the corner of his mouth. He slowly withdrew his hand from inside his brown leather satchel and rubbed a shaking sweaty palm on his&...

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“Do you remember ” by Phil Manders

Submitted to Contest #45

Do you remember.Hey Brother,Mum told me when I was born you were so excited to find out you had a baby brother. She said you would creep up to my cot when I was asleep and just stare at me. She said you were so gentle, stroking my hair. You would sing nursery rhymes to me when I cried. And you would bring me your toys and leave them in my cot. She said she knew we would always be ok because we were brothers. She said you were like my guardian angel.Remember back when we were kids? I was five, you ...

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“Lost souls” by Phil Manders

Submitted to Contest #44

“Why don’t you put the high beam on darling, surely that will help?” Said Bruce. He superficially fiddled with the dials and buttons on the illuminated panel in front of him. His bright red nail varnish completely at odds with its surroundings.“High beam!? High beam!, that’s probably the most stupid thing I have heard you say in the last eighteen months….no wait, in fact, that is the most stupid thing you have ever said man…….well, apart from the time you asked i...

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“Bottle tops” by Phil Manders

Submitted to Contest #41

 Henry reached up on tip toes, his Thomas the tank engine wellies squeaked against his chubby bare legs. He blew a spiral of floppy golden hair away from his eyes as he traced the trail of ivy up the tree with his perfect little fingers. It crawled its way over the gnarly old bark, twisting and turning, searching the crevices and nooks that the old tree offered. A puffed up proud black bird belted&n...

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“One more day” by Phil Manders

Submitted to Contest #36

Well, well dear diary. That’s that then. 55 years of being a plumber and that’s me last day done. Time to start me a new journey. I must say I feel a little strange about the whole thing. But Doris is right, it’s time I ‘ung up me spanners and overalls, spent a bit more time with ‘er. She’s a list as long as me arm of jobs I’ll be doing once I retire. In the garden and what not. Apparently we’ll be going for some nice long walks as well. I don’t mind Dear Diary, as long as there’s a cuppa and a piece of cake at the end of it! And what a day ...

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“Snowdrops” by Phil Manders

Submitted to Contest #35

 Is this the place?Yes.This is it.This is definitely it.I need this to be it.It has to be it.I remember it now.I’ve not been here since I was a little girl.Not been here since.Since…The accident.I still struggle to say it, even after all this time.God I miss you so much.5 years ago today.March 1st.I miss you Dad, I miss you so, so much.It’s just not getting any easier.Everyone said it would get easier.Its not.We never said goodbye.This is where you used to bring me.I never forgot.I will never forget.Every spring we would come to these w...

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“Sunday Blues” by Phil Manders

Submitted to Contest #33

   Sunday tugged on the cuff of her Grey Chunky knit Jumper. The sleeves had been pulled down over her hands so many times they refused to return to their original length. The room was warm but there was no way she was taking it off.“I’m not sure” she said, her eyes not leaving the safety of her lap. She shuffled herself up in the chair trying to avoid embarrassing squeaky noises on the leather.“Not sure about what? Telling your friends or taking a break? I’ve been treating you for years, I would have thought by now you would ...

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Author bio

Single handedly, redefining the comma. Shortlisted 1 story ⭐️ Contest #127 A Single Rose

Shortlisted 1 story ⭐️

Contest #127
A Single Rose – read story