Dorothy Claybourn

“Was it in the air?” by Dorothy Claybourn

Submitted to Contest #67

The air hung heavy in the street; getting off work late was usually a relaxing walk home. The mile walk helped Maisie clear her head, think over her day, and plan her tomorrow. The streets were often empty that late, and the noise was mostly night time creatures and insects. The town was relatively small, and everybody knew everybody else. The ladies in town gossiped, and the Good Ol' boys talked fishing, hunting, and women while throwing back a cold beer. Maisie never worried about her walk home; if you did see anyone, they would wave or sa...

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“Halloween for Zen ” by Dorothy Claybourn

Submitted to Contest #65

Zen was so excited, Today was the day, It was finally here. He had waited forever { four whole years } to be able to Trick or Treat. We spent weeks looking for the perfect costume. A Pirate, An Astronaut, A little green Army man, or Maybe A Cowboy or An Indian. He wanted something Adventurous for his first time. Something that would be original not like a Prince or a Robot or a comic book character. He wanted something real and old fashioned, Something that screamed Zen. We searched store after store, Looked at thousands of costumes avail...

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“If You only knew Me.....” by Dorothy Claybourn

Submitted to Contest #62

As I sit quietly in the attic of the house I rent, I have my security cameras running on various screens on tables in a semi-circle in the center of the room. Out the front window, I have a video recorder filming the house and the street diagonal from me. I am looking through social media and making notes on hobbies and friends and relatives, really any information I can find about him. I have millions of pictures of him from infancy to the man he is today. He had been dating Tiffany, But he found flirtatious messages on her phone that mad...

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“Granny's House ” by Dorothy Claybourn

Submitted to Contest #61

Last night I was hungry, being late I decided I wanted a Bacon sandwich. Knowing it would kill my stomach, I tried to talk myself out of it. As I stood over the hot castiron skillet, inhaling the aroma of the sizzling bacon in the skillet, I couldn't help but think back to the time my Granny taught me to cook bacon. We were in Blackburn at her house; being a small town, it was quiet, and of course, we had the doors and windows open to get the fresh air in the place. The castiron skillet was on the castiron wood cookstove, and I was bare...

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“The Haunted House ” by Dorothy Claybourn

Submitted to Contest #60

Around it came again, Halloween. I loved this holiday normally, But this year I wasn't feeling it. I had been down and was enjoying moping around the house in my pajama shorts and a tank top. I had been eating snacks and watching all the stupid zombie movies I could find and drinking all Dr. Pepper I could handle. I was down and dirty and could smell the Body odor I was putting off. My phone rang and I looked to see who was calling me, Most people just text me and be done with me. The caller was my daughter Jordan so I answered sounding li...

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“Buffy lies ” by Dorothy Claybourn

Submitted to Contest #56

I worked in a convenience store that was a small neighborhood store. It was a popular store and a lot of the customers knew all of the girls that worked there on a first name basis and we also knew them by first names. I could tell you what days they filled up with gas, what refreshments and snacks they liked, and what cigarettes they smoked. I worked there for 15 years and most of the customers have my cell phone number and know where we live. they also know our whole families and we know theirs. There was a lady named Buffy that would co...

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“Baby Rose” by Dorothy Claybourn

Submitted to Contest #52

Why oh why did I get out in this weather? Why was the store unlocked? I just wanted a Dr. Pepper and some Butterlicous popcorn. The weather report said the" Blizzard to end all Blizzards" was a few hours away. It had been lightly snowing when I put on my snow boots and threw my coat and scarf on, Being late I figured I would just run to the little general store and grab a few things. The parking lot was empty and the lights were on. The door was unlocked and I walked in hollered at John the owner, he always worked the overnight shift. He was...

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“ The Treehouse” by Dorothy Claybourn

Submitted to Contest #50

I grew up in a small Neighborhood. In total there were about 30 kids that My Sister and I grew up with. We had all kinds of fun. There are a greenbelt and a creek behind the neighborhood and up a hill on the other side was the better neighborhood. Now, none of us kids were allowed to play here because of snakes and other dangers. One Saturday We all met up and decided to explore more of the wooded area. We were young and had no fear of a.k.a. young and dumb. We found an old tree house way up in a tree, hidden by other trees and you wouldn't...

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“Patients ” by Dorothy Claybourn

Submitted to Contest #49

I am not a patient person. I walked in and took My seat and looked around the room at all the other people waiting. There is an older couple in their eighties possibly. They are each reading a Magazine. He is reading a fishing magazine and she has a cooking magazine. Both are dressed nicely as older people often do. She has her hair in a beautiful silver bun, He is neatly combed and oiled. Beside them is a younger couple. They are quietly chatting between themselves. She is in Capri pants and a cool summer shirt. He is dressed in khaki short...

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“Comforted Cries” by Dorothy Claybourn

Submitted to Contest #48

At just three years of age Eleanora or just El as she prefers to be called first heard the cries, more like a mewling almost. Not sure what or whom she was hearing it frightened her. She pulled the covers over her head and sang You are my Sunshine over and over until it stopped.When El turned 8 she was already used to the crying she would hear that no one else seemed to hear. Each time she would sing You are my Sunshine and it would go away after a bit of time.She could never talk to her Mother or Father about the cries. They were ...

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“Me and Myself” by Dorothy Claybourn

Just say it, YouSilently reminded yourself. You knew you'd regret it if you didn't. As I look around at the sea of faces looking at me I have to remind myself why I am here. I desperately want to tell them that the hardest part of grief is the guilt that no one and I mean no one talks about. I second guess myself again and then like listening to someone else someone other than me I hear myself say " Let's talk about the guilt. What if all the decisions I made when he was sick and in the hospital, What if I chose wrong for him? What if after...

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