Thomas Giorgione

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Nov, 2021

Stories (8)

8 Stories

308 karma pts

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“The Rabbi's Lament” by Thomas Giorgione

15th of August 2005, in the Gaza Strip.Two Israeli paratroopers jogged down a dirt road, and protesters rabbled around the bend. A short, thin, but vicious warrior, Lavi walked off the road. He settled down on a flat gray rock and checked his M16. The other paratrooper Ariel stood and stared, with his hollow green eyes, at Lavi.“Why do you check it so much?” Ariel asked. “M16s they are always working.”“I have my reasons,” Lavi said.“What reasons?”“Today’s reason? I’m stalling.”“Why?” Ar...

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“A Cult Unloaded” by Thomas Giorgione

Content warning: violence, references to sexual abuse, and language.Humble was coming, and he would keep them warm. They called themselves Unity. On January 6th at precisely 10:00 p.m. Unity crowded into the compound’s central tent, and the North Dakotan air frosted their bald heads. No one complained—no one dared speak—they all knew the rules.Beckett Gorman, Humbles second in command, prepared to start his “unloading.” He paced naked behind the tent. I’m going to die tonight, Beckett thought. Th...

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“Fix it” by Thomas Giorgione

The boy stood in the center of the kitchen with a blue disposable razor in his mouth, and his father paced around him. He would fix the boy’s speech impediment at last. He worked on the device most of the previous night: he removed the blades, melted a small plastic block into strips, and arranged them to the speech therapist’s specifications.Mark looked at his five year old son, Jerry, whose red shorts sagged, and his white t-shirt hung down below his knees. Jerry was such a late bloomer that it was hard to find clothes...

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“Hell House” by Thomas Giorgione

 I put on my hazmat suit before I left. Once I zipped up my suit, once I double checked the mask, once I smeared numbing cream in my nostrils, I drove to Mother’s house. She wouldn’t be there. No one lived there. No one could live there anymore. My brother Hank named the mansion Hell House when he was fourteen, and even Mother calls it that now.After an hours drive, the giant brown building waited for me at the end of the street. My thrice gloved hand pressed a button and the gate creaked open. The “Condemned Buildi...

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“Execution Day Jitters” by Thomas Giorgione

TW*** Language and Violence On the evening before the execution, I drank eight cups of coffee, paced the house for a total of eighteen-hundred steps, tried on three press conference outfits, bought new makeup on Amazon, ate two tubs of double fudge, rearranged the living room furniture, and re-watched my recommendation for execution. The murder case was straight forward and easy to prosecute. Yes, I was confident...

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“Stuck” by Thomas Giorgione

The squatters ran outside after I pointed my gun at them. Ha! Finally, I can keep the appointment with the government guy. No more delays, or security calling at 2:00 a.m. I mean, I fired the entire security team that morning, they were useless, anyways. I must survive one night, pass the inspection, and then all is well. The following month my triumph will be the grand opening of the Carl Lewiston Galleria. The Jersey turnpike will fill with excited customers driving to my mall. Consequently, my family will be forced to admit that they w...

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“Earbuds” by Thomas Giorgione

 They stared at the unmarked brown package. Rabbi Shulman reached out to pick up the box, but before he could touch it Chaya, his youngest daughter, snatched the package and shook it. A single object thunk-ed against the sides. The paperboard crinkled as she glid her fingers across top of the box. She brought the package inside and set it on the coffee table. Rabbi Shulman sat on the blue flower print sofa. He looked at his daughter and smiled.“What, daddy?” Chaya asked.“Oh, I am just happy, Chaya....

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“Hot Summer Day” by Thomas Giorgione

“Thanks a lot, Gole,” Wirien said, over his shoulder. I watched Wirien choke the tourist. “I mean—we should probably kill him—just in case.” I shook my head no, and he removed his hands from the man’s throat. The tourist, his convention badge read Marvin Cooke, collapsed, dropped his cell phone, and wheezed long grateful breaths. Wirien grabbed the conventioneer’s phone, the phone with a recording of Wiriens first and o...

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Author bio

Often, I wake up in the morning, do things during the day, and sleep at night.