Zach Martz

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Nov, 2021

Stories (24)

24 Stories

539 karma pts

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“Breaking the Girl” by Zach Martz

Submitted to Contest #216

“Officer Pardo, reporting on Patrol duty. Do you read me?” “Reading you loud and clear, Officer Pardo. Is Officer Metz with you?” “Yes, she’s right here.” “We got a call at 39200 West Jenkin Street. Emergency response needed.” “Oh God. Is that the –“ “It’s an industrial chemical lab. Currently closed but they have twenty-four hour security and they should let you in.” Officer Pardo swallowed. “Um, I actually think I’m seeing a robbery in progress right now, so I don’t think –“ Officer Metz grabbed the handset. “We’ll be right t...

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“Lost in the Forbidden Graveyard” by Zach Martz

Submitted to Contest #209

Ricky Smart was a young explorer and had never visited the Cackaricko Catacombs before. But he knew of the legends surrounding the mysterious burial grounds and all that they supposedly contained. So, despite his wariness of the undead, he was quite eager to accompany the elders of the Castle of Smart when they elected to take him with them to the Catacombs to visit the tomb of the Smart ancestor who had recently passed away. The two Elders, the matriarch named Street and the patriarch known as Book, marched in front of Ricky up the paved ...

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“Hail to the A.I. Chief” by Zach Martz

Submitted to Contest #193

In the year 2032 A.D., the American people, fed up with their incompetent and corrupt government, voted to abolish it in favor of establishing an A.I. to decide and implement national policy. The A.I. draws from a dataset and set of algorithms that are programmed manually, by a 25-year-old genius by the name of Jake Pullman. Mr. Pullman sits at a computer in his house and guides the A.I. to shape and control everything that happens in America. This system operates much like playing a very large world-building game. You can probably see where...

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“King Jeremy the Wicked” by Zach Martz

Submitted to Contest #182

“They – they did that to you again?” Dr. Hector sat frozen in his armchair, gaping at the sequence of events that his patient was retelling with panic and fury. “Yes. It’s the fifth time I’ve been unable to eat my lunch at school this month. I couldn’t even munch down on an apple this time.” “I’m so sorry to hear that.” “Yeah and it gets worse.” Jeremy Phillips cleared his throat and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry – you wouldn’t happen to have any sweets would you? My blood sugar is getting dangerously low.” “Of course, I have but...

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“The Breakfast Murder Club” by Zach Martz

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #165

A hush fell upon the gathering at the large clover-shaped mansion that Lucky the Lucky Charms Leprechaun lived in. The guests looked in horror and sadness as they saw the body of the effusive leprechaun floating in the large clover-shaped pool that was located in the courtyard of the luxurious estate.Tony the Tiger, Toucan Sam, Count Chocula, Frankenberry, Buzz the Honey Nut Cheerios Bee, and Snap, Crackle and Pop all stood silently staring at the corpse. While their first impulse was to consider it an accidental death by drowning, something...

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“The Ethos of Starkes Herz” by Zach Martz

Submitted to Contest #164

“Where I come from, people do not go where there are not human footprints.” The newcomer talked softly, but with sternness and authority, slowly taking a sip from his stein of lager as he spoke. The barkeep was listening, but was not very impressed. “A young man has so much to learn. The whole world is greater than the sum of its individual parts.” “Indeed.” Gunter cherished the richness of his drink; it was a taste he had never experienced before. “But in my village, it has always been said, that those who seek out the unknown, do not c...

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“Can't Miss This Flight” by Zach Martz

Submitted to Contest #163

Michael Lambert immediately regretted that his flight back to San Francisco had been booked for departure out of Newark. The cab he was in was moving very slowly westbound on I-78, and his flight was due to depart in less than an hour. He looked wistfully to the east in the direction of La Guardia, wishing that he needed only to go there, as the traffic seemed much thinner in that direction. “Dammit!” He fumed to himself. “If I don’t make this plane, I’m finished!” He didn’t care about the fare slowly climbing as the cab creeped along th...

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“The Big Grilled Cheese” by Zach Martz

Submitted to Contest #162

Tony Abbott was having fun telling his story. “So I told her, ‘Rebecca, Sweetheart, I may not be the best man in bed, but I sure as hell can make a yummy grilled cheese sandwich!’ And the look in her eyes suggested that she didn’t believe me. So I put my pants on, turned off the dirty movie and marched to the kitchen to prove her wrong.” Rick Smalls shook his head with a mixture of disgust and glee. “Tony, It’s admirable that you’re willing to own your shortcomings in the sack, but you cannot compete with me in the department of sandwich c...

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“A Night at the Grasshopper Spot” by Zach Martz

Submitted to Contest #162

“Bartender, this menu has way too much crap on it. What kind of joint is this?” “Sorry about that.” The young barkeep took the menu from the customer, and wiped it with a damp rag. “There. That should be pretty clean by now.” The door opened and in walked Wayne Picard and Christopher Maddox, who gazed around the smallish wood-lined tavern before taking a seat at the bar located only a few feet from the entrance. The bar was long enough that the patrons seated nearest to them were three stools away. Wayne appreciated the fact that the pla...

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“Sinkhole in Centralia” by Zach Martz

Submitted to Contest #149

Note: The following story is based on real events. Because what’s scarier than something that’s actually happened?The government van cruised down the state parkway past the sign marking the city limits. It continued past a large field of browning crabgrass and sparse trees, and made a turn at an empty intersection marked only by an abandoned and decaying gas station. The van made its way into the town center, or what was left of it, and was unfettered by traffic as it passed the empty buildings and sidewalks that lined the pockmarked and bum...

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“Two Cooks Looking for an Apartment” by Zach Martz

Submitted to Contest #148

Bryan Grossman was quick to greet the couple that had walked into the leasing office for their scheduled appointment. “Paul and Cady McFadden, it’s so nice to meet the two of you,” he said with his hand extended toward them. “Nice to meet you too,” Cady said as she shook his hand, with her beaming husband doing likewise. “I love this building already!” Paul exclaimed. “That lobby is so beautiful, what with the crystal chandelier and the black marble and everything. And that fountain right outside the main door! Classy!” “Well we do pri...

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“Old Secret of the New House” by Zach Martz

Submitted to Contest #144

Don Russell jingled the key in his hand and shouted to his approaching family with an exuberance he had never felt before. “Who wants to do the honors?” “Go ahead honey,” Maria told him, “You’re already standing there with the key.” With his wife and two children watching, Don inserted the key into the lock and turned. The lock opened without difficulty and the front door to the Russell’s new home opened. “Yay!!!” The family clapped and cheered, and entered the abode one by one, taking in the smells of fresh paint, plaster and wood as ...

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“The Mushroom Cloud” by Zach Martz

Submitted to Contest #143

Jericho had been let out of school for the past thirty minutes, but he wasn’t ready to go home yet. The hilltop behind the school parking lot beckoned him on that gorgeous fall afternoon. Laying on the grassy knoll, his backpack sitting next to him, he was gazing up at the puffy clouds that dotted the sky like marshmallows floating in a cup of bright blue cocoa. He furrowed his brow as he realized that no one should ever consume cocoa that was bright blue, but he nonetheless loved staring at the sky whether it was clouds during the day or th...

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“The Kingdom of Smart” by Zach Martz

Submitted to Contest #139

Just because it was 4 PM and Ricky Smart was home from school, didn’t mean he was having fun. The rain pouring outside precluded any outside activity, and he was reduced to sitting in his room. The books had been read and the games had been played; there was nothing in his room that could draw his interest. The persistent raindrops pelting his window frustrated him; the gray sky outside made him depressed and wistful.Looking at the comic book in his hand with disgust, he tossed it aside, and looked at his bed. He almost never took naps durin...

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“Solar Tech Support” by Zach Martz

Submitted to Contest #138

“Hello, and thank you for calling the Sun, your number one supplier of light and energy in the Solar System. For quality assurance, this call may be monitored and recorded. For English, press 1. For Spanish, presione numero dos. For Martian, uhgaz rino di-di-di. For Neptune Death Squad-Speak, press EARTHMEN MUST DIE! #4.” “Thank you. If you are calling in regards to your solar energy service, press 1. For warranty and billing questions, press 2. For information about your location’s next scheduled solar eclipse, press 3. If you spent too m...

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Author bio

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Shortlisted 1 story ⭐️

Contest #165
The Breakfast Murder Club – read story