Cathryn V

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Sep, 2020

Stories (23)

23 Stories

1473 karma pts

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“Goose Eggs” by Cathryn V

Submitted to Contest #81

At eighteen, Jess Hargrove was afraid of people his age, afraid he might embarrass himself. He spent most of his free time in the virtual world of gaming. His young body softened into an egg-shaped figure with an upside-down U of unruly hair.But one afternoon at his cousin's house up in Pittsburgh, an hour from home, there was this girl he met. He’d driven up from Steubenville, grumbling that he hated parties, but his mother had insisted and so he made the trip in his old Kia with the broken radio, planning to show up, eat and leave.The smal...

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“Empty Chairs” by Cathryn V

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #79

It came on a standard piece of office paper bearing the letterhead Families United, typed in Times New Roman, twelve font, single-spaced:Your birth mother has asked us to contact you on her behalf. She would like to connect, but you are under no obligation whatsoever. Your information is protected and nothing will be divulged without your permission. An email and phone number along with the business hours are included. I re-read the note again and again before laying it on the granite counter. My throat has gone dry. I swallow a half-finishe...

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“Barefoot in Maine” by Cathryn V

Submitted to Contest #77

The trouble is that I’m all alone in this freezer of a guest room while Jordan’s sleeping on the other side of the wall. This whole idea to meet his family was his. Not only do I have to be alone, but I can’t even feel my feet. In Hawaii, we don’t use socks or slippers. No one warned me that I’d be staying in the Arctic.I hear doors closing and footsteps downstairs. I roll out of bed and throw a sweatshirt over my PJs, open my door, and inch down the creaky wooden stairs. Please Jordan, be down here.“Mahn’n.”An old lady in a long bathrobe an...

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“Tales” by Cathryn V

Submitted to Contest #70

The RAV4 sits like “exhibit A” on the blacktop outside of our apartment, facing me with its little dent; that dent outlined by a smear of red paint. Even when I walk out of the room, it draws me back again, “here I am,” it says, “I’m right in front of your door with my blood on your car.” Of course, it’s not blood. My head hurts from being awake all night, checking on the dent, as if it would disappear like a bad dream. But this is a living nightmare and it isn’t going away, dent or no dent.It is the day after our trip from the coast, a...

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“Binding” by Cathryn V

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #66

The road stretches out in front of me as far as I can see, all the way to the horizon, straight and flat with empty fields on both sides like enormous blank pages. Nebraska, almost halfway to San Francisco, I am alone on this endless stretch of interstate 80.The audible book supply is depleted. For a change, I'm riding in silence.In the rear view mirror, a patrol car with flashing lights screams toward me. I slow the car and pull to the side to let him pass. But the lights slow too.The state trooper is at my window, sunglasses, wide fla...

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“Triple Double Dare” by Cathryn V

Submitted to Contest #65

Harper flops dramatically on the rumpled bed and kicks off her shoes."I mean, what the hell, Carly. Trick-or-treat in our own neighborhood? We can’t do that. What are we, ten? Everyone's talking about the parties they’re going to. That stuck up Jenny from geometry is having one. You should have heard her going on to Amy about who all she invited. She looked right at me and made a stupid face." Harper pulls at her ankle bracelet, tosses it onto her nightstand, then continues, "So, I decided to have my own party. I told my Mom. But she goes, "...

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“Egyptian Goddess” by Cathryn V

Submitted to Contest #64

The white bones appeared under dark loamy earth, beautiful as carved ivory. Inside me a pressure built, bubbling up, coming out as a chortle at first, then a laugh. I lost control, my eyelids tightened down, and the sound burst forth a hysterical, maniacal howl. I held my arms around myself and laughed until no sound came. ****I knew I had to stay with Daddy after Mama passed away. You’d have thought she was his be-all and end-all, the way he went off the deep end, drinking a half case of beer instead of the normal six pack, s...

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“Now Smile” by Cathryn V

Submitted to Contest #61

The daily news changes only with rising numbers of pandemic deaths and lost jobs for months now. A thousand-piece puzzle of a grotesque clown sits on the corner table ready to be broken up and stuck back in the box. Books I’ve finished are stacked like a tower of Babel, but I cannot remember any of them. My wish is to go somewhere, anywhere that the virus has never been. Boredom leads me to the antique pine cabinet where today’s project is cleaning and reorganizing the shelves. In the back is a box made of cardboard gone soft f...

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Author bio

🌺🌼Grateful for Reedsy and all of the kind helpful readers here💐 🌸 These prompts are like vitamins for writers...keeps the creativity alive. I live in the Pacific Northwest with husband and three noisy terriers. My memoir about giving up my firstborn in 1969 is available now. "I Need to Tell You", about giving up a baby in secret. Available in paper copy, kindle version, and audible. Order on Amazon--https://tinyurl.com/23e3avbs NOW OUT ON AUDIBLE UK. PLEASE MESSAGE ME FOR A FREE CODE. Website: https://cathrynreadsandwrites.com 🌟💫🏆WINNING STORY🏆💫🌟 Contest #112 "Take that Drink" 🌦️ 💖💚💓SHORTLISTED 🤍💝💙 Contest #79 "Empty Chairs" ✨ Contest #66 "Binding" 🎀 Contest #122 “Christmas Magic” 🤶

Winning 1 story 🏆

Contest #112

Take that Drink – read story

Shortlisted 3 stories ⭐️

Contest #122

Holiday Magic – read story

Contest #79

Empty Chairs – read story

Contest #66

Binding – read story