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Author on Reedsy Prompts since Apr, 2020
Submitted to Contest #228
Darla slumped in her armchair, trying to regroup. The thirty-minute drive from the airport to her sister Trudy’s house had terrified her more than her seven-hour transatlantic flight. Her theory was that the petite Trudy made up for what she lacked in inches with aggression, especially when driving. Trudy looked concerned as she handed Darla a glass of wine.“Are you okay? You look kind of peaky.”“Jet lag. It might be nine in the evening here, but my body thinks it’s four in the morning. Anyway, fill me in on what’s going on with Dad. Just do...
Submitted to Contest #227
Carly eagerly threw the last couple of items into her suitcase, humming merrily to herself as she scanned her packing list.“Let’s see, passport, phone, bikini, sun block, yep. All done. Horace, get out of there. I don’t need my clothes all covered in cat hair.”Horace landed on the floor with a thud as she tipped him out of her case. He stalked off, his tail twitching indignantly. Carly laughed as she zipped the case shut and headed downstairs, bumping the case behind her. She stopped in her tracks as she saw her father sitting at the kitchen...
Submitted to Contest #225
Scott staggered as Amanda fumbled her front door open. He was struggling to hold her latest antique shop find, a large gilt-framed mirror. Sweating and swearing, he lurched into the living room and deposited the mirror on the floor. Amanda inspected it. The ornate gilt frame was as beautiful as she remembered despite the dust in its crevices. Her face peered back at her from the blotchy glass, mousy brown hair framing a clear but pale complexion and large, expressive brown eyes almost hidden by heavy lensed glasses. She sighed. Totally nonde...
Submitted to Contest #219
Marion had not expected that being the Ladies’ Guild hostess would be so stressful. She surveyed the table for the umpteenth time to make sure that the teacups, saucers and plates were set out just right and the cloth napkins folded neatly. Despite occasional muttering in the ranks, no one had yet dared tell Mrs. Thistlewaite how much easier it would be to use disposable cups and paper napkins. She was the widow of the late Major Horace Thistlewaite, last of the Thistlewaite family who had lived in the Manor for generations, and she was not ...
Submitted to Contest #218
I woke up as my head bumped on the window. Disoriented, I looked around the compartment, blinking. I saw my reflection in the dark window and sighed in relief. I had not been drooling. I suddenly realized how quiet it was. It was like being underwater. I could feel the rocking of the train, but there was no sound of any kind and the whole scene was bathed in a weird green light. I looked around for my fellow passengers. Where was the perspiring, overweight man who had squeezed into the seat next to mine at the last minute, talking loudly on ...
Submitted to Contest #217
Mary was grateful for the cold, white light of the full moon as the car lurched down the potholed driveway. Branches and briars from the overgrown hedges scraped the car like nails on a blackboard. The skeletal black shapes of bare trees swayed in the gusty wind, sending grotesque shadows dancing across her line of vision. She pulled up in front of the mansion, slumping in her seat with relief. Parking in front of an impressive set of stone steps which led up to the front door, she sat for a moment, eyes closed, taking deep breaths.A knock o...
Submitted to Contest #215
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 kitchen. ...
Submitted to Contest #213
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. S...
Submitted to Contest #212
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 believe how fast you are growing up,Love, Grandm...
Submitted to Contest #210
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 he...
Submitted to Contest #207
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 devoid of human life other than an occasional delivery van or group of dark-skinned landscaping crews. Belinda thought with rese...
Submitted to Contest #202
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-win situation.” Riley had sulked for a week but finally gave in. Her dad was in the military, and they had moved frequently, including over...
Submitted to Contest #195
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 it w...
Submitted to Contest #187
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 extra-c...
Submitted to Contest #183
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.“We are going to visit my gra...
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