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Author on Reedsy Prompts since Feb, 2022
Submitted to Contest #227
Franny loved Forest School with every bit of her three and a half year-old heart. It’s the place where she first learned that she’s strong, kind, brave, special, and can do hard things. The morning affirmations that her teacher, Ms. Violet, recited with the class, daily, reinforced Franny‘s belief in herself. At Forest School there were no buildings. Franny got to be outside the whole time, no matter the weather. If it was hot, she and her classmates played by the beach. When it was windy, they got to fly kites on the hill. Rainy days mean...
Submitted to Contest #225
Trigger warning for eating disorder themes, self harm, mental health Maeve’s heart was still racing from her run when she pulled down her shorts and let them slide to the floor. Kicking them aside, she lifted her t-shirt over her head and dropped it next to the shorts. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath before turning to face the full length mirror.Maeve let out her breath slowly as she opened one eye, and then the other. She glared at the reflection in front of her, scanning from top to bottom. Her bright red face and sweaty temple...
Submitted to Contest #222
Luella was usually hard to get out of bed in the morning, but today, she jumped up as soon as her Mom came to wake her. “I’m going to forest school today!” she cheered, as she leaned in for a hug. Finally, after a year of hearing all about the fun to be had in the woods from her older brother, it was her turn. “What do you need to do before we can leave for school?” Luella’s mom asked. Luella looked down at her pajamas. “Get dressed!” she said. She opened a drawer and selected her rainbow shirt and a pair of polka dotted pants fr...
Submitted to Contest #220
* trigger warning for vomit It all started when I was ripped from my sleep by someone shaking my arm. “Pippa? Come on Pip, wake up. How are you feeling? Are you hungry?” a soft voice asked. My head was pounding, and my heavy eyelids refused to open. I didn’t know where I was, or what was happening. Every part of me felt heavy with weakness. A light switched on, and I groaned, but I was too tired to do much else about it. I longed to surrender to the darkness that was pulling at me. I don’t know how much time had passed when I fel...
Submitted to Contest #218
Ella felt like she was going to explode from all of the energy inside her. She pushed on the big blue preschool door, and straining against the weight, grunted and groaned. She was bent at the knee, and using all her might, but it wasn’t until she leaned into the door with her shoulder that it finally opened. Ella leaped outside and let out a mighty, “ROOOOAR!” She was quickly silenced by autumn’s chill, and vaguely aware of the slam, and then click, of the door as it closed again. Ella shivered. The crisp air felt like a slap...
Submitted to Contest #216
Odin’s mom stopped in front of the big glass door. Squatting down next to him, she placed a hand on his shoulder. “When we get inside, I will buy you a treat. You are going to sit next to me at a table and eat while I talk with a friend. I brought some play dough for you to play with when you are finished eating,” she explained. “Okay, Mommy,” Odin said. She took his hand in hers and pulled the door open. Odin followed her inside and immediately noticed a pungent smell. He sniffed the air, trying to place the familiar aroma. His mom gu...
Submitted to Contest #214
Millie pushed her comforter down to her ankles and sat up. Mom had just tucked her in, but she wasn’t ready to sleep yet. She swung her legs over the edge of her bed and slid to the floor, slowly, so her feet wouldn’t thump. Then she tiptoed over to her window and peek through the blinds. It was still light out, and Millie could see the neighbor boys playing basketball in their driveway. If it had been any other night this summer, she would have been out there riding her scooter up and down the sidewalk cheering them on. Millie was forced ...
Submitted to Contest #211
Estelle Anderson tore through every drawer in her desk, desperately searching for her notes. In 15 minutes, she was due to lead a book club discussion for parents of young children. They had all read a book that explained how children were designed to learn through play. This was the first meeting of the book club, and as the newest librarian at the Mercyville Public Library, she’d had to fight hard to convince her coworkers that the book club was needed. She couldn’t let it fall apart before it even had a chance to really begin.Estelle rumm...
Submitted to Contest #209
The new couch arrived in a box that was taller than Winston, and twice as long. Winston watched as Dad dragged the box across the garage. He was heading for the recycling pile. “Wait!” Winston blurted, just as Dad was about to flatten the box. “Huh?” Dad paused. “Can I play with that?” Winston asked. Dad thought for a moment. “Sure. I’ll put it in the backyard. There’s plenty of space out there,” he finally answered. Dad pulled the box to the other side of the garage, and coaxed it through the door. He was careful not to sm...
Submitted to Contest #195
Ezra stepped out of his mom’s mini van and was immediately hit in the face by a gust of wind. He reached back inside and grabbed his hat from the cup holder of his booster seat before pushing the button to close the door. Ezra stuffed his curls into the knit cap and pulled it down past his ears, then zipped his sweatshirt as high as it would go. It wasn’t cold, but he didn’t like wind. Once he was comfortable, Ezra turned to look at the playground. He scanned the climbing structure in search of his twin sister, Ada. It wasn’t hard to...
Submitted to Contest #193
Leo buried his toes in the sand, then wiggled them free. He jumped up and tossed 2 handfuls of sand into the air, before he took off running. He circled laps until he was so dizzy that he had no choice but to collapse along the shore. Leo rolled onto his back and moved his arms up and down against the sand as his legs went side to side. “I’m making a sand angel,” he giggled. Leo felt like he might burst from excitement. After waiting all the long, gray winter, he was finally at the beach. The sky above was brilliantly blue, and the sun w...
Submitted to Contest #192
The gates of Camp Play All Day swung open. Mom nudged Mae, and she took a cautious step forward. “Welcome! I’m Natalie. Are you ready to play?” a woman chirped in Mae’s direction. Mae looked around the yard and saw a mountain of cardboard boxes piled high next to the back fence. To the left, there were tables loaded with paint, tape, glue, paper, and what seemed to be every craft supply in existence. To the right, a boy was hanging from a dome climber by his knees. A haven of hammocks was partially hidden by a shed just beyond the craft ...
Submitted to Contest #191
Kite waited patiently all the long, dark winter for the sun to return. Crumpled up in a tangled heap on a top shelf in the crowded, musty garage, she counted down the days till spring. While mice tiptoed across her tail, she dreamed of soaring through the sky. When sleds and shovels were taken out for snowy fun, she longed to feel the wind on her belly and warmth on her back. Just when she thought she might spend eternity covered in cobwebs, forgotten on that shelf, a hand reached up and pulled her down. The hand belong to Martha, the youn...
Submitted to Contest #187
One bright morning in early spring, cars honked, buses held up traffic, and bicycles whizzed down the street as the city awoke. The neighborhood dogs barked and howled, sounding the alarm that Purrl was slinking down the sidewalk on her way to the park. The usually bustling playground sat empty for now, and that was just the way Purrl liked it. Children often confused her. They were loud, and unpredictable. They could seem nice, but then turn mean without warning. A wild breeze sent a small green leaf spinning to the ground. Purrl pounced ...
Submitted to Contest #186
trigger warning- death Miriam sat in her car and waited for the shock to wear off. She’d always known it was a possibility that the family she worked, for would decide to send their youngest child to that awful academic preschool down the street, but to be told it was a certainty felt like a slap in the face. Why couldn’t parents understand the harm that occurred in those types of school environments? Nothing about formal learning in preschool is necessary for later success. Play is enough. Miriam thought of sweet little Brody, and tried...
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