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Elaine Steffen

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jan, 2025

Stories (11)
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11 Stories

128 karma pts

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A Mother's Determination

Submitted to Contest #296

“Will the defendant please rise.”Shaking, but with resolution on her face, Holly Gebhardt stood. Her attorney stood beside her.“Has the jury reached verdicts on the three counts?” “Yes, your Honor, we have.” “Will you please read the charges and your verdict on each.”“On the count of breaking and entry with intent to commit a crime, we find the defendant, guilty.”Moans wee heard from the gallery.“On the count of custodial interference we find the defendant. Guilty,” “He’s her son!” “She should have him !” The judge banged his gavel, CRACK “O...

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The Mirror

Submitted to Contest #295

Susan stared at her reflection in the bedroom mirror.”Where has the time gone? What do I have to show for all these years?”She wondered how different life would have been ,”If only.”“If only what? If only, I would have continued with art? If only, I would have finished that book? If only, I would have continued with piano? Why did I quit?”Tears filled the brim of her eyes, nails digging the palms of clenched fists, “Why did you quit? Why do you always quit?f Her fists pounding the reflection as if she could knock some sense in herself. As if...

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First Flight

Submitted to Contest #293

Missy was jumping on the inside but trying to remain cool on the outside, after all sixteen year olds were suppose to be cool , right?She found her assigned seat next to an elderly, white haired couple, “Great old folks! Two and half hour flight and no-one to talk to.”The couple, after learning it was her first flight. smiled, “ Here you take this seat by the window, we fly all the time.” Missy smiled and thank them. “Maybe they are not so bad after all,” She leaned against the window, noticed it was an emergency ext. She star...

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Genas has Lost its Color

Submitted to Contest #292

Genas was a beautiful elfish land. It was full of lush green valleys with all kinds of flowers and vegetation in magnificent colors. Mountains that seem to touch the heavens and crystal blue seas, clear as glass.King Thalion lived on top of the highest mountain. He often would come down the mountain to the valley to spend time with his favorite elves, Gil-gald, Str of bright light and his mate, Galadriel, crowned maiden.They were the only inhabitants of Genas.Gil-galad had strong chiseled features, carried himself with authority even th...

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Sunny

Seven year old Missy carried the small kitten to her mother,   “Can I keep her?” “Where did you find her?” “I found her by the shed in the backyard,” Missy answered.Mother had Missy show her where she found the kitten. No signs of a mother cat was found. Mother knew that they could not just abandoned the little kitten, but was Missy ready to take care of a pet?“How bad do you want to keep this little kitten, Missy?” “Ohh , I want her really bad momma, I love her.” Love her? Mother bent down next to Missy, and pu...

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The Door in the Room

Submitted to Contest #289

The room is unfamiliar. I don't know how I got here. Susan looked at the room, she could tell by the furnishings, it was a bedroom, I must be dreaming. But everything is so clear. She could see beautiful Victorian style furnishings with the ornate details and luxurious fabrics.Susan turned and looked for anything familiar. Susan noticed the door behind her I must have come through this door. Opening it, she saw a long tunnel with distorted shapes of muted colors slowly spinning and disappearing in the distance. Susan stared for a moment...

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The Calm Before The Storm

The angrier Missy became, the colder her heart grew toward her husband, Tim. There was a heavy stillness, much like there is outside during storm season That period of time that exists prior to when cold arctic air from the North and warm moist air from the South collide with each other uninvited.. Meteorologists call this phenomena “The calm before the storm”Severe weather and tornados was nothing new to Missy. She grew up in Kansas. Missy studied meteorology and while at school she met and married Tim a meteorologist an...

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It's Tea Time

Submitted to Contest #287

Eleanor smoothed the back of her pink floral dress and took her place at the garden tea table. When it was time to pour the tea, she placed the tea strainer on her cup and while holding the finial of the tea pot, poured the loose leaf tea into her cup. She could detect the scent of Earl Grey.This brings back memories of tea with my mother. After placing the strainer back into its base, she added a small amount of sugar and a splash of milk, stirring her tea carefully and properly. She then looked at the table settings.There was a tea cup an...

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Royals' Gift

Submitted to Contest #286

Royal read the letter he had received. Howard, the boy he and his beloved late wife, Anna raised for sixteen yers and loved as their own, was getting married.Royal thought back to when Howard fist came to live with them. Howard was the son of his wife’s cousin, Eliza. He had lost his father and at age six, and was sent from New York to Connecticut to live with them. Howard was very fond of his Papa Royal and Mama Anna. He kept in contact with them through letters, which Royal was grateful. Even more since his beloved Anna had passe...

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Your Mission

This is may be my last mission. If I decide to accept it. My mission? It is tell you what I am; where I came from; where I am; what has happened since my arrival and what followed technically after me. This briefing may take longer than the usual 30 seconds or so, but hopefully will offer some interesting knowledge and understanding to what I am.  The most infamous words from an iconic television show that were heard from me were:“Your mission is, should you decide to accept it is” followed by, mission detail...

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Alone

Submitted to Contest #284

Meg wiped a tear from her eye, as she watched the snow fall outside . Last year this would have been a perfect picture, she thought. Now it seems so cruel. A reminder of how sad and lonely her world had become Meg and her husband, Tim hadst enjoyed the holidays in their remodeled farmhouse. The smell of cinnamon and oranges throughout the house the crisp smell of pines and firs greenery..Tim would cut down their Christmas tree and always would bring insects branches for Meg to make her infamous Christmas wreaths and porch pots. Meg’s daughte...

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