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Clarissa Venter

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jun, 2024

Stories (3)

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3 Stories

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Homes aren't supposed to bleed

Clarissa Venter

Submitted to Contest #300

Homes aren’t supposed to bleed I felt a hint of warmth wash over me as I stood before the old box TV. It was playing recorded 90’s commercials. It certainly wasn’t the top-tier modern technology bought with small cards by people who didn’t know what to do with their money. But it was good enough for a small child with one lonesome Barbie doll and Mr. Teddy with only one eye. The birds whistled friendly songs in those early morning hours and enjoyed the fresh summer air. Not me. I searched for the remote between the polyester couch cushions (...

7 likes

It didn't have to be this way

Clarissa Venter

Submitted to Contest #277

The first time I met my brother, I did not greet him. He quietly entered the looming house, and we traversed the creaking floorboards like unwelcome animals. ‘Is she asleep?’ He picked up a dusty photo album but kept it firmly closed. ‘She should be knocked out for a while.’ I eyed him carefully. He refused to glance back at me. I wondered if he even recognized me. Jacob’s stubborn face looked just like his photos, except he was worn and old. There was a hint of red mocking his tufty hair. Those searching eyes analyzed every busy corner of t...

8 likes

I sat, I walked, and I dreamt.

Clarissa Venter

Submitted to Contest #256

I never ran much. I was supposed to, but days went by where I could only sit at the end of my garden, whistling Piano Man to any old bird who could hear me. In my imagination, I dashed through warm light in the meadows, my hands becoming as refringent as water droplets. It was a dance against the dark dirt when I floated for a moment in between those leaps of faith. The wind became oil paint smeared across the canvas around me in monumental colors. It did not matter how fast I ran, but rather, it mattered how the deer ran alongside me and ho...

5 likes