Cathryn V

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Sep, 2020

Stories (21)

21 Stories

1414 karma pts

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“Barefoot in Maine” by Cathryn V

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.“Ma...

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“Tales” by Cathryn V

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 d...

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“Binding” by Cathryn V

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.

13 comments 13 SHORTLIST ⭐️
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“Triple Double Dare” by Cathryn V

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 s...

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“Egyptian Goddess” by Cathryn V

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 n...

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“Now Smile” by Cathryn V

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 antiq...

7 comments 7
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Author bio

🌺🌼Grateful for Reedsy and all of the kind helpful readers here💐 🌸 Memoirist, I Need to Tell You, due out 2022 WiDo Publishing Website: 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