Ema Fancher

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jul, 2020

Stories (22)

22 Stories

439 karma pts

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“Through the Flames” by Ema Fancher

Submitted to Contest #64

Jenni walked the leaf-covered streets just as she did every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Thick heeled Oxfords clacked against the cobbled stones as she neared the city, her place for fresh veggies, fruits, milk, and if she felt exceptionally bold the shoppe. Soon the thick haze of steam would veil her view, and the much louder clack of the grinding cogs of half-baked machines designed to improve the lives of all would assault her auditory senses. One-by-one, she pulled the necessary accouterment from the pockets of her overcoat. She ...

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“What Do I Do?” by Ema Fancher

Submitted to Contest #55

“Can you keep a secret?” For someone like me, that question is an easy answer. Of course. Little did I know, this time, the secret would push the limits of my sanity. Ellie’s been my best friend for as long as I can remember. I trust her more than myself, so when she told me this crazy theory of hers, no matter how much I didn’t want to, I believed her. I’d just woken up from an unusually long streak of well-rested nights when I got her phone call. She knew what I was working on. Hell, the whole town knew. It’s hard to keep a s...

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“Xali's Oasis” by Ema Fancher

Submitted to Contest #53

The air burned. It was always hot, but Xali felt this heat in her bones. Every breath seared her lungs as she sat atop the plateau. The Conclave warned her not to go out again. But she couldn’t sit by and do nothing. She watched and waited for the squad’s return. Seven trips over seven days yielded nothing. Every time they came back empty-handed. Every failure meant they were one step closer to death. The Criod Zone faced frequent dry spells, but this sudden heatwave brought new meaning to that phrase. The community relied heavily on eight w...

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“The Last Dance” by Ema Fancher

Submitted to Contest #52

Ominous clouds overhead threatened to heave tears on the mourners below. Rain was the furthest thing from Angelica’s mind. Surrounded by black-clad family members on all sides, she’d never felt more alone. At 32, such fate seemed unfair. No one can foresee an aneurysm; they attack indiscriminately. Still, why did it have to be Luke? They’d traversed a long road to end up where they were. And now, there were no more roads to travel. Her insides felt hollow. Her heart had surpassed aching and now resided, vacant, in her chest. She didn’...

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“On the Forest's Edge” by Ema Fancher

Submitted to Contest #51

Once upon a time, a village sat on the edge of a forest and lived in peace with the magical creatures who inhabited it. Villagers never ventured into the forest. Likewise, the creatures never ventured out of the forest. Only one was exempt from this unspoken rule, the Tooth Fairy. The villagers allowed the Tooth Fairies to enter the village at night to exchange children’s lost teeth for tiny trinkets. In return, the creatures of the forest provided the villagers with a small grove in which they were allowed to hunt and to chop wood. Thus the...

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“When the Sun is Possible” by Ema Fancher

Submitted to Contest #50

Sai wove her way through tight crowds. Loose pants covered her legs, and the jacket she’d stolen hid the serial number running down her forearm. Large pockets concealed everything she needed: knives, the device, and her Sun. She just hoped the disguise would get her to the gate. After that, all her luck depended on the device Slippery Wren assured her would mask her signal. She’d trusted Wren this far and he’d never let her down. This type of tech required a special level of skill though, it wasn’t guaranteed to work. But any c...

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“Night Comes Slowly” by Ema Fancher

Submitted to Contest #49

It itches. I never knew something could itch so bad. I find I have nearly rubbed my shoulder raw while I slept. I head to the bathroom and begin scrubbing with soap. I douse it with nearly the entire bottle of isopropyl alcohol. The searing pain does not outweigh the fear. I will take no chances. I wrap bandage after bandage over it, throw on my shirt, and try to forget. But I can’t. I don’t want to know but I need to. Nothing is more urgent. The one question burning in my mind, gnawing at my nerves gets answered tonight. But the night...

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Author bio

Ema Fancher is terrible at selling herself on paper. However, if you're looking for tales of rainy days, melancholy, and gothic terror, she puts a lot more effort into it. A published poet, Ema studied computer graphics technology at Purdue University and German at IU Southeast. She has the misfortune of currently living in Philadelphia. www.facebook.com/Emilee-Fancher-Writing-101587604974909 or emfwriting.wordpress.com/