Bettina Karpathian

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Apr, 2020

Stories (78)

78 Stories

1417 karma pts

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“Uncle Louie and the Devil” by Bettina Karpathian

Nellie kicked off her shoes and sailed her good black hat across the room like a Frisbee. Stretching, she felt her neck and back pop as the tension released. It had been a very long day so far. She changed into her sweats and went to put the kettle on for tea, keeping a wary eye out for her cat Fuzz. He loved to thread himself between her legs especially when he’d been alone for several hours. As she filled the kettle, it struck Nellie that she hadn’t seen him since she returned home.“That’s odd,” she mused to herself, scanning the...

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“The Pond” by Bettina Karpathian

Marjorie wondered if the pond was natural or man-made. The vivid autumn reds and oranges of the trees were reflected in its tranquil surface and a couple of ducks glided across the water towards the far bank. She admired the beauty of the scene, although crossing the rickety wooden bridge which spanned the pond had been terrifying. Its wooden planks were cracked and sun-bleached with age and creaked alarmingly with every step. Neil was in a good mood for once this afternoon, and she did not want to spoil the atmosphere by complaining...

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“Dear Gracie” by Bettina Karpathian

Dear Grandma,I wanted a hiar band and a Bardie doll for Christmas, but I got something better. Santa Claus gave me a kittin. He is grey and white. I have called him Patches. Thank you for the coloring pencils. I will draw you a picture of him,Lots of love, GracieDear Gracie,Thank you for the picture of Patches. I have put it in a frame, and it is in the living room. I hope you are doing well at school and listening to your mother and father. It was so nice to have you here for a visit. I can’t believ...

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“Feline Alien” by Bettina Karpathian

Nellie awoke, momentarily disoriented. The last thing she remembered was sitting down in her recliner to watch her favorite soap opera, ‘Passion and Pride’. Now the closing titles were scrolling past and it was almost dark outside. She stiffly scrambled upright, annoyed with herself. The main character Stephanie had just been about to find out that she had married her fiance's identical twin brother by mistake. Nellie hoped her friend Henrietta had watched the episode and could tell her what happened. Her grandson Jack had offered to show...

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“Volunteer” by Bettina Karpathian

The security guard looked askance at Belinda’s aged Toyota Camry as she pulled up to the entrance booth of the exclusive golf community. Nettled, she announced the address she was visiting in imperial tones quite unlike her usual speech and saw the guard nod with grudging respect. As she drove past elegant homes with picture-perfect emerald lawns and manicured gardens, she wondered where everyone was. The scene was devo...

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“Grandma Pearl” by Bettina Karpathian

Riley was thrilled about her college acceptance until she heard her parents' idea of a solution to her student housing needs. “Stay with Grandma? You must be kidding.” “No, we are not,” said her mother firmly. “You’re going to be in the same town as her. Her husband recently died, so she could use some company. The Lord knows our budget’s tight enough that we can use the free accommodation. It’s a win-wi...

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“The Politician's Wife” by Bettina Karpathian

I read somewhere that those of us who have been married for a long time have in fact been married to several different people. That made sense to me. I’ve been married to zany fun-loving young Harrison, responsible, middle-aged Harrison, dedicated parent Harrison and career-focused Harrison. I never expected to be married to politician Harrison. When he first started talking about running to become mayor of our little town, I paid no attention. He fixated on it, so I encouraged him. After all, he was bound to lose the election, but i...

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“The World According to Cats” by Bettina Karpathian

You would like to interview me about life with my people? A guide for young cats on how to co-exist with humans? I must be getting old. Hmm. I really do have better things to do with my time, but this might be an interesting opportunity to educate humans as well as young cats. First, for full disclosure, I would like to say that my own life is quite tolerable. It took a while, but I now have my folks trained to an acceptable level. I came into their home at a very young age which helped. All kittens are cute, but I’d say I was in the extr...

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“The Troll” by Bettina Karpathian

Annette pulled up outside Doug’s place and beeped her horn. He hurried out, pulling on his jacket and folded his lanky frame into her little car. Beaming, he leaned over for a kiss. Annette reciprocated eagerly, then pushed him away.“No more for now. You’re going to have to decide if you still want to be engaged to me after you’ve met the troll.”“What are you talking about?” Doug said, puzzled. “You said you need my help on a mission? All very mysterious and intriguing.”Annette laughed as she merged into traffic.<...

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“It Takes a Village” by Bettina Karpathian

Diana surveyed the scene with a critical eye, enjoying the lull before the evening rush started. After two years of blood, sweat and toil, Java Music Cafe was finally making a profit and had a steady group of patrons. She allowed herself a moment of satisfaction. The walls were decorated with paintings by local artists and colorful posters, illuminated by strings of soft lights. Melodious music played in the background. A few customers were working on their laptops or chatting over coffee, ensconced in the comfortable armchairs and couche...

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“The Four-Leaf Clover” by Bettina Karpathian

My daddy was a lucky man. I know this because I saved special things to give him luck. Sometimes I found pretty stones or a penny when we went for a walk. Once I found a four-leaf clover. I always went to old Mrs. Pike’s house next door after school because Mom worked until late. She showed me how to press the leaf between the pages of a book until it was dry and pretty. We glued it onto a card which I decorated with glitter and magic marker for Daddy. I showed it proudly to Mom when she came to get me, still wearing her waitress top, her...

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“Stand and Deliver” by Bettina Karpathian

I collapse gratefully into my armchair in front of the fire. I can’t feel my feet. The missus hands me a mug of hot chocolate which I cradle in my frozen hands.“Bah, humbug to Christmas,” I say.“I think that’s already been said,” she says mildly. “The season is supposed be about peace and goodwill, not grumpiness.”“Really? When you are responsible for a delivery service, as I am, it’s your least favorite time of year. You’d be grumpy too. A small family-run business trying to compete with Amazon and the like. The ware...

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“Puppy Love” by Bettina Karpathian

Kate looked around in appreciation. The pub was a historic building with a dark beamed ceiling and uneven walls. She scanned the crowd, almost missing Louis until she realized he was in a snug alcove where the conversation of the other patrons and the Christmas music were a pleasant background noise. He jumped to his feet as she approached, rocking the table, a delighted smile spreading over his face. Kate smiled back. He reminded her of a goofy puppy, tall and lanky with a mop of dark curls.“This is a lovely place,” she said. "Gre...

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“Exchanging Secrets” by Bettina Karpathian

Harriet paced her living room floor, pausing every so often to glare at the glossy department store carrier bag sitting on her dining table. It contained the dullest, frumpiest sweater that she had ever seen, a birthday gift from her son Edgar and his wife, the prissy church-going Madeline. She wondered what had possessed them to pick it. Goodness knows but she wouldn't put it past them to choose it for her burial outfit. She made a mental note to specify her funeral wishes. Harriet wanted to take it back to the store and exchange it for ...

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“The Seer's Vision” by Bettina Karpathian

Gaila shivered as she materialized. The palace corridors were as cold and draughty as she remembered. Winter had well and truly come. The distant mountains were outlined in glistening white snow against the ink dark sky. Pulling her fur-lined cloak around her, Gaila glided forward silently, frowning as she noticed how quiet the hallways were. Usually there were servants bustling, self-important young men strutting, well-dressed ladies preening, and at night, couples taking advantage of the dark nooks and crannies to steal gropes and kisse...

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Author bio

I am a retired nurse, originally from Scotland. My husband is Greek and we divide our time between the USA, Greece and Scotland. I like reading, writing, drawing, travel and animals.

Shortlisted 2 stories ⭐️

Contest #134
Green Gremlins – read story
Contest #114
The Bake Sale – read story