Courtney C

“The Wrong Swipe Right” by Courtney C

Submitted to Contest #89

Horror dawned in her eyes as she saw that he was not, in fact, her Tinder date's roommate. In fact, there was no real date, just a fake profile he'd made after hacking her account and tailoring his catfish version to her type. Horror turned to unadulterated panic, complete with hyperventilating, when no Daniel showed, and she realized that he had locked the door behind her from the inside. He advanced on her with a slow and unhurried gait.She threw her weight against the door once, then again, but it had been triple locked, the only keys cur...

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“Two Lines = Pregnant” by Courtney C

Submitted to Contest #87

"You don't think it's going too far, do you?" Eddie asked, a note of uncertainty in his voice. He had half a mind to talk his friend out of this crazy idea."Relax, it'll be hilarious," Trevor replied, fingers hovering briefly over the confirm button before tapping it decisively. Immediately, the screen was awash in a blue, pulsing light. Tiny blue and pink balloons trailing curlicued ribbons appeared, floating upwards to fill the webpage. Congratulations Pinkblue Employee 562, your order has been processed!"This could either be the best pran...

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“Please, Say the Lord's Name in Vain” by Courtney C

Submitted to Contest #87

CW: A cavalier and irreverent attitude towards religion."In the old days, before you were a gleam several times removed in your great-great-great-great-grandfather’s eye, I was a God with a capital G--" I began, slipping into the diner booth across from an elderly looking man wearing a scruffy baseball cap."Excuse me, sonny boy. Who are you calling old?""Don't interrupt," I warned, with a sharp glare that turned him to stone. "Where was I? Right. The receiver of prayers and offerings, the envy of my brethren. On a given Tuesday, I might get ...

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“Six Rose Petals 🌹” by Courtney C

Submitted to Contest #86

The love potion was her sister’s idea. Jean was into all those hippy, new age things: crystals for healing, wearing clothing made of hemp, spells, tarot cards. She’d commiserated with Bella about her marriage issues over a cup of herbal tea on her front porch and brought it up innocuously, as though it was completely typical suggestion. The jangle of the wind chimes in the background only served to complete the ethereal, nonsensical mood.“Are you sure, Jean? That seems a little out there. I’d been thinking of something like couples therapy.”...

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“Old Dog, New Tricks” by Courtney C

TW: discussion of racist and xenophobic views Disclaimer: My character's views and opinions DO NOT match my own. Mark spat a stream of Skoal Straight as he shook his head. His narrowed blue eyes were fixed, hawklike, on the moving van unpacking across the street. The man wore a gaudy orange turban, and his wife wore a pale pink outfit that looked like pyjamas. He wondered what suspicious items his new neighbours likely had, based on their appearance. A Koran, no doubt. Maybe they were the type to make bombs. You never knew with those people....

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“Ten Shades of Red (25 to Life) ” by Courtney C

Submitted to Contest #84

Cement walls make for poor companions. The days bled together like a load of whites with a single red sock. There were no windows to delineate night from day, sunrise from sunset. It was all the same washed out pink. Sleep was a way to keep track of time at first, but when her sleeping patterns slipped, so did her grasp on things. She turned to cigarettes as timekeepers, laying one down on the floor. Filter up for daytime, filter down for night. The temptation had been too much to handle though, although she'd genuinely tried to ho...

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“Siren Songs and Lullabies” by Courtney C

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #83

Fish hook earrings glimmer, catching the meagre light. Maera’s long hair hangs heavy, reaching her navel. Slick as an eel, she glides and weaves in the water to evade her pursuer. She moves more out of instinct than forethought, just quick enough to stay ahead. Excitement sings in her veins, the high of the chase taking control of her actions. Pinwheeling in the water, she turns and holds out her arms to catch her sister. They sink to the bottom, sending silt upwards as they roll and tumble playfully. With difficulty, she pins Echo to t...

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“Sweet Dreams (That Grim Abyss)” by Courtney C

Submitted to Contest #82

Estelle woke bolt upright with her mouth twisted into a rictus, a scream trapped in her throat. Her hands relaxed unsteadily from the claws she had gripped her pillow with, but her heartbeat continued to race. She focused on her breathing, slowly coming down from the high of terror that had enveloped and suffocated her nightly for the past week.Ripping the Sleep Dot from her temple, she threw an exasperated glance at her husband. His striking features were softened and childish in sleep, the epitome of peacefulness. Estelle grumbled, “T...

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“After All These Years?” by Courtney C

Submitted to Contest #81

~ June 23, 2005 ~  “To thirty years of marriage,” Ginger toasted, holding up her teacup full of whisky to Jamie. “To thirty years,” Jamie echoed, his expression pure happiness. His eyes never left her face as he drained his cup.As Ginger drank, she thought to herself that Jamie didn’t look a day over fifty. That set her off giggling, but it was true. His tanned skin made her a little self conscious about her own wrinkled pallor, but Jamie never seemed to mind. She wasn’t as young as she’d used to be, it was true. Her once aubu...

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“For Better or Worse” by Courtney C

Submitted to Contest #81

The water was scalding, but Ruth hardly noticed. She was focused on the recycling bin in the corner of the kitchen, her hands mechanically and blindly scrubbing.Peeking out of the overflowing bin were cheap beer cans, flimsy plastic vodka bottles, and spiced rum. Half my pay check, right there, Ruth grumbled. She dumped another stack of dishes into the sink, soapy water slopping over the sides and splashing her shirt. Her hand caught on broken glass, slicing cleanly into her thumb. She swore under her breath and grabbed a dishtowel to wrap h...

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“Désabusée // Disenchanted” by Courtney C

Submitted to Contest #81

Angela began her junior year obsessed with Tony Spinelli, from the moment they'd been partnered together in French class. His Nikes had brushed against her Vans, and she’d felt a low hum of electricity that conjured up butterflies. She’d spent the class too flustered to conjugate her verbs properly, instead striking a balance between evading his gaze and covertly staring at him from beneath her bangs. He was undeniably beautiful. Her friends thought he was hot because of his dreamy smile and purposefully messy curls, but she fell in love wit...

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“Unreconciled” by Courtney C

Submitted to Contest #80

“That’ll be $47.29, sir. Thank you for visiting The Manitoba Museum, and make sure to check out our Nonsuch exhibition! It’s really something.” The teller slid over the admission tickets, one adult and two children passes, as Animkii paid. “Thank you, we’ll try to,” Animkii smiled. He led his twin niece and nephew into the museum, checking over his shoulder frequently to make sure they were still within eyeshot. Lily had pulled out her phone and was taking pictures of everything they’d passed so far indiscriminately: the Palaeolithic er...

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“For Elizabeth (You Deserved Better)” by Courtney C

Submitted to Contest #80

A fictionalized retelling based on Elizabeth Eckford's efforts to desegregate American schools and her walk to Little Rock Central High School. (90% fiction, 10% fact)September 3, 1957 - Elizabeth“Are you sure you want to do this, honey?” Elizabeth’s mother asked, reaching across the dinner table to take her daughter’s hand in her own. “I’m sure, Mom.” It must have been the fifth time this meal alone that she had said that, and Elizabeth tried to keep the irritation out of her voice. It was as though her mother thought if she asked enou...

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“No Good In Goodbye” by Courtney C

Submitted to Contest #79

Surveying the drab, muted room Poppy felt a peal of hysterical laughter rippling upwards like bubbles fighting their way to the surface of a lake. She clamped her hand over her mouth to fight the urge, fingernails digging crescent moons into her palms. You cannot laugh right now, she told herself. Keep it together, Poppy.  A bell clanged over an intercom, harsh and metallic, and on the other side of the glass men in orange jumpsuits began streaming into the narrow space. Most of them were middle aged, although there were the outliers...

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“Fratricide ” by Courtney C

Submitted to Contest #79

Adam’s target was fixed in the scope of his rifle; no tremors caused the crosshairs to shake, and nothing obscured his view of his prey. Adam adjusted until the lapel of the red plaid coat came into view, and hesitated. Steeling himself, he shook off his doubts, and fired. Although he was too far away to hear the scream, he knew it intimately. It was his brother.Adam thought he’d have felt some pang of emotion, killing a man. Killing Brian. But all he felt was hollow and numb, and in need of a smoke. He rested his rifle on the log beside him...

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