Deni Bee

Author on Reedsy Prompts since May, 2021

Stories (11)

11 Stories

229 karma pts

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“A Woodcarver's Tale” by Deni Bee

Submitted to Contest #277

It was like looking through the wrong end of those scopes that sea captains use to view objects from far away. Squinting a bit, I observed myself stumbling toward a set of twin stones. At first I was confused, but it was gradually coming back to me, all the pain and sadness; and in great waves it threatened to engulphed me. I closed my eyes and her smiling face wavered tantalizingly before me. She was asking me to leave my work for a moment and come see what the little one was doing. Watching as I entered our cottage, he...

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“When All Else Fails” by Deni Bee

Submitted to Contest #266

“Who says I can’t write to a deadline,” Joanne cried exultantly, punctuating her delight by typing the last character, of the last word, of the last section of her story, with a flourish. Her roommate, Serena, was busily reading, but smiled and gave her a thumbs up. “Almost done,” she said. “C’mon,” Joanne gestured, grabbing her jacket from the back of a dining room chair, “you can finish proofreading that later. I need to get some fresh air.” Laughing, they pushed the outer doors of their apartment complex open, nearly knocking over one of ...

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“Turn Back Time” by Deni Bee

Submitted to Contest #186

Rivers of fabric between my fingers. A lovely shade of blue. Sapphire, cerulean— or is it closer to teal? It doesn’t really matter. So soft; I sigh— Staring into space— into time. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ A floor length gown, swirls about the room. His arm about my waist. The scent of Old Spice lingers between us. His smile; that mysterious smile. Release— it ripples back into the box. The moment fades. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Digging deeper: beneath the satiny blue. Wool— no, it’s tweed. For a jacket perhaps, a stylish high waisted jacket. A matching sk...

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“Dear to My Heart” by Deni Bee

Submitted to Contest #185

Some references to war and its atrocities. Papa was a university professor before the war— before we were forced to build a bomb shelter in the woods behind our home— before that dark day, when we were forced to use it to hide from those who said they were there to protect us. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ &nbsp...

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“Mystery on Mackinac ” by Deni Bee

Submitted to Contest #182

Handing her ticket to the man on the dock, Chelsea hurried after her sister who was already aboard the ferry, and was heading for the upper deck. “What’s your hurry,” she panted, grasping the handrail, and using it to pull herself up faster. With the exception of several overly eager children, most of the passengers were moving at a leisurely pace, enjoying the breezes off the lake, and craning their necks to look at its vast expanse of rippling blue, but not Jamie. Shielding her eyes from the sun she moved swiftly toward the bow, lookin...

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“In The Clinches” by Deni Bee

Submitted to Contest #181

The gathering crowd, and consequent buzz of voices, was impossible to miss. Feigning interest in her book, Adelin’s eyes shifted to her right where several older women had gathered, their body language screaming agitation. Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, she fought the urge to join them, not wanting to get pulled into their drama. What was it Tevye had said in the musical, Fiddler on the Roof?— “Good news will stay, and bad news will refuse to leave.” Well, whatever it was, it wasn’t good news, and she wanted to deal with it without an...

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“Tis a Gift to Live Simply” by Deni Bee

Submitted to Contest #179

Stepping back from the colorful display, Caroline Winters surveyed her work. Pictures, quotes, inspirational messages, a poem clipped out of a magazine; it reminded her vaguely of a collage she had made in the fifth grade for career day. Eyes drawn toward the center of the arrangement, she whispered the words, &...

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“Through Their Eyes” by Deni Bee

Submitted to Contest #175

“The children’s story time begins in fifteen minutes,” the young assistant said, glancing over at the head librarian expectantly. “That’s right,” the woman replied, calmly shifting books back and forth, sorting them into neat stacks. “Is the room prepared?” “Yes, but our reader hasn’t arrived yet, and there are already several children and their parents waiti...

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“A Bit of Auld Lang Syne” by Deni Bee

Submitted to Contest #174

Morning crept slowly through the mists, almost imperceptibly, waves of pinks, yellows, and blues spreading across the horizon, reflecting off the glassy, rippling lake. Sitting in my Adirondack chair, legs bent, with my chin resting on my knees, I waited, watching— listening as the world around me whispered back to life. We had arranged to meet this morning for a reunion, but I came early because I wanted time to think; I did my best thinking at sunrise. We were close friends back in the day— but that was many years ago. I had recentl...

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“One Simple Word” by Deni Bee

Submitted to Contest #172

Pushing past the wall of humanity leaving the coffee shop with their steaming cups of gourmet brew, I walked to the counter, ordered my simple hot chocolate, and found a seat in the back corner by the window. White swirls against the glass reminded me of another winter day, many years ago, when a question was asked, an answer was given, and one simple word changed my life.I began my journey blindly, not realizing when I heard the music, stepped into his room, and looked into those soft b...

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“In the Shadows” by Deni Bee

Submitted to Contest #105

In the Shadows (Genevieve) Little did I know as I lay sweating in my bed, too ill to get on with my duties, that the mistress of the house was working on a remedy for me in her still-room. Normally an apothecary would have been sent for, but he was away and his apprentice didn’t know when he would be back. One of the handmaids, Anne, interceded on my behalf and the good lady of the house took her ladies to the household distillery to concoct a remedy for me. According to Anne, they mixed various herbs, which were ground to a fine powder and...

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Author bio

Deni is a writer/editor who has been writing for most of her life. Short stories, blog posts, novels, poetry, or non-fiction— she has dabbled in all of it at one time or another. Deni enjoys a challenge and likes to write to a deadline so as to keep herself focused. She naturally leans toward historical fiction, or young adult fiction, but likes to try other things as well.