Amarah Friedman

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Mar, 2021

Stories (6)

6 Stories

288 karma pts

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“My Year of Dreams and Drinks” by Amarah Friedman

Submitted to Contest #126

The new year starts on the bathroom floor with a man, thirty-six years older than me, throwing up. Maybe he’s had too much booze, or maybe too much life—it can be hard to tell—but vomit looks like vomit, no matter the cause. The chunks are just as pink from whisky-and-bean mash as they are from debt-and-lies soup. The man moans a bit and turns on his side. His head clunks against the porcelain toilet base, and it feels nice against his frown lines—cool and soothing. He stays there for a while, and when he’s ready to leave, to rise above th...

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“The Traveler's Way” by Amarah Friedman

Submitted to Contest #90

There is a tortoise walking through blackberry bramble. Her name is Genesis. She’s wondering when the world will change.She’s been here since the beginning, wandering through time content, serene.Genesis is pleased with her role and happy with her lot. She’s seen trees live and die, empires rise and fall, species come and go. Through it all, she’s wandered the borders of now and never, here and there, life and death. She’s guided many travelers along their way.Genesis is patient and calm and loves eating Etoi plants, which grow in tall stalk...

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“Incarnations of a Woman Made Real” by Amarah Friedman

Submitted to Contest #88

Isobel stood at the mouth of a vast desert.She could hear the waves of the Oasis lapping gently against the shore behind her, and she turned her head away from home. Worth it, she thought, soaking in the sight of the dunes before her. Worth everything.And she’d given everything to be here-- her crown, her family-- everything just to look upon the earth and see nothing but possibility, feel everything but lack of breath and lack of time. She had no water, no resources, and no sense of smell, but she had her memories of home, and she had a bli...

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“Yellow Carnations” by Amarah Friedman

Submitted to Contest #86

Part 1: Carriage, Chase meToday, Marcus would give anything to be on time.He stood by the cotton candy stand; his wiry frame pressed against the cold metal bars that drove it into the ground, keeping it from fleeing. Freezing wind chased festival goers from tent to tent, and rain pelted the muddy path in sheaths. And yet, Marcus held his ground; didn’t budge as rain bounced off the path, soaking his shoes and calves and sending chills racing up his spine. Frankly, he needed the distraction.Look for me wearing a yellow carnation, she’d writte...

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“Visions of the West” by Amarah Friedman

Submitted to Contest #85

Agatha has always been stuck in between. When she was born in the Gateway to the West, the doctor reading his watch on her mother’s left declared it 11:59 PM, March 31st. The doctor reading the wall clock above her mother’s head said it was 12:00 AM on April 1st.Unsurprisingly, Agatha’s mother advocated for the March birthday while her father insisted she be born on April Fools. Agatha’s mother fainted from the combined exhaustion of arguing and giving birth, and the doctors had the common decency to record that Agatha was born in March. Aga...

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“Are the stars more beautiful than me?” by Amarah Friedman

Submitted to Contest #83

A woman emerged from the sea on a wave cresting toward shore. She was pulled from the sand in a riptide bound for the open ocean. She had no name and did not know what a name was. As she reclined against a fizzing bed of sea foam, all she knew was being. The woman drifted for a while, idly playing with the bubbles that surrounded her and the jumping fish that practically leapt into her lap to squirm around and wriggle. This is how she learned about death. It looked uncomfortab...

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Author bio

Hello, Reedsy people! I love literature and writing, and if you've found my page, it probably means that you do too. Seems like we'll get along well. I appreciate all of your feedback (both critical and positive) and want to grow as a writer. If you would like me to leave feedback on your work, don't hesitate ask! I'm fascinated by folktales, fairytales, and mythology, and while my heart aches for classical versions, modern retellings feed my soul. If you're interested in this (somewhat) niche genre, we should talk. I don't think I'll ever get enough of books like The Mists of Avalon, The Penelopiad, or Circe. As for books like House of Leaves, The Bluest Eye, or Good Omens (pretty broad range here, I know), I'm giddy just thinking about them. I love book talk. I also love hearing what people are passionate about. Don't hesitate to share! Enjoy my page:) ⭐Shortlisted for: Visions of the West