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Author on Reedsy Prompts since May, 2021
The first time I heard it, I was in Kindergarten. The room was loud, small voices crowding over one another, desperate for attention and praise. All barely seated in plastic chairs, though most kids were on their feet with arms in the air. “Arlight class, who wants to quietly tell me the answer to number seven,” the teacher asked, directly our attention to the board. “How do you spell this word?” Then there was a small space inbetween the question mark and word. “What word is it, Ms. Tiffany?” Samantha, my seat neighbor,...
Submitted to Contest #136
“You’ll never know unless you try.” She shrugged, already grabbing her stuff to leave. I huffed, going back to my computer. The first time I saw him was only a few months ago. When a summer afternoon breeze drifted the curtains open to my window, and I saw him. A brunette, with glasses and a book in hand. Resting his arms on the windowsill, and the breeze seemed to ruffle his hair. I was left dumbstruck for a moment, he seemed so perfect, completely surreal. After a while, I realized myself drifting to that window. Watch...
Today was my first day of Kindergarten, and I couldn't imagine anything scarier. I had seemed to be up all night, listening to the unknown creatures scurry outside my window. Everything felt so big now, not something I should be doing. Breakfast had been too short, ending with my whining out the door. Daniel, my older brother, had managed to drag me by the heels, still crying . I could feel my momma watching us from the door, waving even as I kicked. There was just too much, and all I wanted ...
` I used to look through the telescope every night. When the sun set, and night fell over the sleeping houses. The entrapting sight of the universe would enlighten everything in my vision. Seeing the stars and planets dance just inches from my face. So different and mysterious then the world I lived in. That’s when we still had money, and I had time for things like that. Now, when I can feel my parents' bills heavy on the kitchen counter. And school grades became more important than a full night's rest. Well things were different, and...
“How much junk do we need?” I screeched, pushing the started items to the sides of the drawer, huffing when nothing new appeared. Pulling open the next cabinet, and slamming away the pots and pans. “Problem, sweetheart?” my mother comforted, walking into the kitchen with her arms filled with different odd bags. “Yeah, I’m trying to find that one pot. You know, with that, like a twisty handle.” I managed, hearing as she dropped the bags to the counter. “Oh, I think that one was under the oven,” she said, sorting through t...
He was in love with the land. His kingdom, the place he would rule when he aged, and grew into the crown. When he was a child, small enough to hit just under his dad's hand, he wanted nothing more than the crown. Gigiging as his parents would chase him with their cloaks and staffs, and he’d marvel at the grand tapestries that hung across the halls. It seemed they lived the dream upon their thrones. He didn't realize when nineteen rolled around, and the discussion had been brought up, a pirate might change the whole view. ...
Submitted to Contest #130
You can hear her humming in the summer afternoons, with the lazy tone and an unsteady rhythm. Yet, even if it is far from perfect, it was tradition. When the bustling of cars, and yelling of neighbors quieted, even just for a moment in the sweaty summer faternoons. From the streets below, you could hear her humming in her second floor apartment. When you're young on Braxton Avenue, the other kids whisper of the humming ghost, or the haunted humming. The one that traveled through the street when the air became too quiet. Once you grow ...
In all honesty, I thought it would just be a winter job. When my parents had trugded me to the inn for the job interview. Living in a mountainous area didn’t really give a lot of options for teenage jobs. There were oceans surrounding the island, and I had always been a lousy dock hand. After doing nothing but lay around and think about my next meal during Christmas break, they drove me to the nearest inn. I had it in the bad the first few minutes, I had danced around skiing and snowboarding all my life. So at least I wasn’t an outsid...
Submitted to Contest #128
Everyone was having such a good day, and I knew I was going to be the reason to ruin it. My mom had called me at least twice to discuss this evening's dinner. Asking me about food options, and different table settings. My dad, even though he was working, was regularly texting me on arrival times and traffic patterns. If it was any other day, another other circumstance, I would have been excited to. Happily answering their texts and calls with equal joy. Yet, every new ding sent a wave of dread over me. They knew nothing of my t...
Submitted to Contest #127
Third Person POV The people of Trinity square were squabbling through the streets. Swarms of bodies crowding about, bumping and juggling about. The smell of fried food and sickly sweet desserts wafted through the air, colliding the flavor of sweet and savory. Merchants shouted from their stands, advertising spices and clothes, banging on drums or playing flutes for people's attention. In the corner, a few rows back from the hustle and bustle. There was a quaint stand, with colorful beads and clothes hanging from every banister....
Submitted to Contest #126
Eight years old isn’t when most people find their soulmates. Yet, most people aren’t as stubborn as I was. I had stayed up all night, pushing away my parent’s attempts to get me to sleep, and nothing was stopping me till midnight. I would stay up for the ball drop, the clock stroke, the new year. It seemed so exciting, even for the first time. It was a brand new start, in more ways than one. I had just moved to a new state, and mom had said that the New Year would be the perfect starting point. I will be starting a new school next wee...
Submitted to Contest #125
For the fourth time this week, I watched the sheriff place another notice on the board of City Hall. Sighing, he lifted his cap to wipe the sweat from his brow. As he lumped away, his heavy feet clumping against the hardwood, I stretched to read the notice from my creaky desk chair. The note was the same as the previous three, detailing a break-in that took place on Brakey Rd. The police were asking for any suspects, and to report all suspicious behavior. You would think after the fourth robbery of the week the people of Trayville wou...
Back in my day, the sky was blue. There weren't the shadows covering every surface. There were flowers and warmth from the wonderful light. You could wear a t-shirt with no other coverings. I long for those days in the sun, back when the sky was there. I would play with the other children on the street, laughing as we tumbled through the meadow. I was nine when the world faded. It was quick like the whole world had been turned off with a light switch. My mother had grabbed me and held me in her arms. She thought she ...
In my defense, I was up late studying. Well reading, maybe it happened to be a fantasy book. Okay, I stayed up past the appropriate time for a fifteen-year-old, meaning not sleeping at all because I had to finish my book. It was a good book, okay it had demons with annoyingly good looks, even though they were supposed to be the bad guys. It had my mind scrambling all day at school, I had barely been able to think about anything else. So in my defense, I had a reason to sleep on the bus. Was it the best decision? No. Do I still regret ...
The waitress handed the check to my mother, her gleaming smile was barely noticed by us. We were together, laughing, talking, spending time together. My face was hurting from the smiles, my mind was numb to everything else besides the happiness that surrounded me. My mom’s gaze turned to me, her expression became shadowed for a moment. “You ready to go?” she asked, her sweet voice didn’t reflect those bitter words. I saw clouds gather outside, mirroring the shadow that cast through my head. “It’s only three weeks.” my mother repeated,...
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