Zach Martz

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Nov, 2021

Stories (15)

15 Stories

329 karma pts

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“Sinkhole in Centralia” by Zach Martz

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 ...

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“Two Cooks Looking for an Apartment” by Zach Martz

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 bea...

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“Old Secret of the New House” by Zach Martz

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 ...

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“The Mushroom Cloud” by Zach Martz

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...

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“The Kingdom of Smart” by Zach Martz

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 ...

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“Solar Tech Support” by Zach Martz

“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...

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“Bus Boozer” by Zach Martz

The bus was several minutes late as usual, which frustrated Anna greatly as she was tired from a stressful day at work. As soon as the doors opened, she jumped on board, swiped her farecard, and took the first seat she saw that was not occupied. Pressing her body against the smooth cold window, she fumbled through her phone and whipped out her earphones for some music to accompany her on the ride home. Th...

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“Genesis on Ganymede” by Zach Martz

Construction had finally wrapped up on the artificial habitat that stood alone in the massive rocky field. It was little more than a white canvas tent fifty feet in diameter, secured to the ground with large titanium bolts, but it was the only mark of human civilization in the entire world. The three astronauts that had built it were now seated outside the Hab in their spacesuits, gazing up at the foreboding brown-gray sky. Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system, cast a gigantic shadow over their new home.“Ladie...

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“A Tale of Two Gym Rats” by Zach Martz

Kyle My New Year’s Resolution was to join a gym and get back into shape after years of being a worthless couch potato. I know that’s a cliché, but I was very, very determined not to be one of those ninety percent of people who make a pledge on January 1st to get fit and then turn back into fat slobs before Valentine’s Day. I was more focused on my goal than on anything else in my whole ...

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“Mystery at Mount Snowpoke Inn” by Zach Martz

Joe Westfield arrived at the inn at seven o’clock on the dot, as per his usual routine. He liked to make sure that his guests would have their coffee and their continental breakfast hot and ready by the time they got up that morning. The small kitchen, which consisted of little more than a fridge, a microwave and a stove, had already been stocked the night before, so all he had to do was carry the trays of pastries to the dining room, fetch the cups of butter and fruit jams from the fridge, and start up a vat of coffee and hot water fo...

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“Just Rip the Bandage Off” by Zach Martz

As soon as the microwave beeped, Katie withdrew the steaming hot mug of water from it and gently closed the door. She whipped out a bag of fragrant chamomile tea and plunked it into the mug. It immediately soaked up the water and unleashed its pungent yet fruity aroma right under her nose. She inhaled deeply, smiling even though she was very anxious. For pure sensory relaxation, nothing beat a cup of good chamomile tea.Katie began adding a small spoonful of honey to her tea, stirring it around inside the cup with a long-handled spo...

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“A Journey of a Single Miles” by Zach Martz

Logbook Entry 06-001First off, to anyone who is reading this, I would just like to say that whoever came up with the phrase, “that which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” can go screw himself.I almost just died. And I’m not any stronger than I was before.Also, I am NOT a morning person. Mornings are the worst. Especially this one.           Well, if it was morning at all. There was no alarm clock, no angry beeping, no workday...

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“From Somewhere With Love” by Zach Martz

The package was sitting on Harwell’s front porch, undisturbed since the postman dropped it off an hour earlier. Harwell was home and knew it had arrived but was in no hurry to retrieve it. With not a soul living within a hundred feet of his house in the woods, there was no chance of a neighbor making off with it. He also had not placed an order for a delivery of any kind.           He stood by his front window, sipping a cup of tea and staring at it. It was as plain as any parc...

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“Arbiter of the Classroom” by Zach Martz

The pile of papers on John Albright’s desk was still there, teasing him, reminding him of what lay ahead. It was the worst kind of workload – huge, but not quite big enough for him to doze off behind it without being seen.In the background he could hear the sounds of the children trickling off the buses and into the upper quad, where they would wait to be let in to the school as soon as the teachers got sick of watching them having fun outside. John sighed deeply, trying to tune the noise out as he wanted to get as much paperwork d...

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“What Ricky Heard at School Today” by Zach Martz

Ricky Scoggs raced out of the classroom as soon as the clock struck four o’clock, desperate to get out of detention and get home as soon as possible. If he didn’t get to his computer soon, he would miss being able to enter the Fortnite tournament that all his friends were joining. And he really wanted to get into that. It almost made him regret setting those alarm clocks to go off at 9 AM and then hiding them in locker...

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Author bio

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