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Frances Goulart

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jul, 2024

Stories (32)

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19 Followers

3 Following

32 Stories

502 karma pts

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SOMETHING IS AMISS

Frances Goulart

Submitted to Contest #283

SOMETHING IS AMISSI am not tall, friend. I was never tall. I am not much higher than the seat of your Wainscot chair. But, I pray you, do not see me in your mind’s eye as some sort of court dwarf. I am not that. I am just small of stature  for my age of six and ten. I assure you I, Arthur, am what I am.  And what does smallness matter in the scheme of things after all? Especially at this season of the year?  It is Christmastide! In the year of our Lord, 1502. So what if some call me Tom Thumb behind my back in the sculler...

3 likes

MEA CULPA

Frances Goulart

Submitted to Contest #282

MEA CULPA It’s me, Eve. Don’t hang up. I mean don’t stop reading. And don’t look to see how long this message is.  If we were on better terms right now, I would make this short. But we aren’t on good terms are we?  So I am going to make this long, Eve, and I want you to hear me out.  I know you won’t pick up the phone because you are punishing me so I am texting you and yes, texting is going to sound less personal, but what is my alternative?  Carrier pigeon, letter by drone, Western Union telegram?  Sorry, if t...

4 likes

DON'T TOUCH THAT BOX!

Frances Goulart

Submitted to Contest #281

DON’T TOUCH THAT BOX! It just   appeared there yesterday. That was the  morning I got up and found “it” on my doorstep. Lets call it “it”.  Let’s not allow “ it “ to get away with sounding innocuous or provocative or inviting or anything like that, by my calling it “the box”, or worse, “my box” ’. It is not my box!  To my way of thinking, the Unknown is often synonymous with the unsavoryMaybe that is the case here.   Okay, it isn’t like it is a corpse or a dead skunk or strewn garbage lhying there.  No...

4 likes

THE QUESTION

Frances Goulart

Submitted to Contest #280

THE QUESTION I’m serious, George.  What do you want to be when you grow up? It’s not so silly a question. Don’t just shake your head like that!          Yes, we are different. But we are together, you know? You have your life and I have mine and I don’t share everything with you, either, but you are small and young and have your whole life ahead of you. I can’t help but wonder how you see yourself as a grownup, you know? I should be able to read the answer in your eyes. I love your eyes,...

5 likes

OH BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?

Frances Goulart

Submitted to Contest #278

O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU?Precious Catherine:I have so many things to say to you, Catherine. That’s why I decided to set my laptop and phone aside and put the words that follow into the form of an old- fashioned handwritten letter. Handwritten! Who does that anymore? Why? Because it seemed a more honest  and more personal way to say what I have been meaning to say to you  for a while now. Ever since that night after our movie date I when I got that phone call and got up and left. And didn’t come back. Remember you asked me ‘did...

7 likes

CALL ME KAT

Frances Goulart

Submitted to Contest #276

CALL ME KAT “Aaron, it’s almost dinner time. Where are you going?”“I don’t know. It’s the strangest thing… but did you see the black cat that showed up at the back door? ….This is the second morning I found her  sitting on the porch …almost like she’s waiting for me, waiting for me to join her. She didn’t even look at the sauce of milk I put out for her. Aren’t cats supposed to like milk? She just sat there and gave me that look. Looked me straight in the eye. Anyway it felt that way.”“What look? ““As though she wanted me to f...

6 likes

WHERE THE WILD THINGS AREN'T

Frances Goulart

Submitted to Contest #274

WHERE THE WILD THINGS AREN’T “Tell me again about this night terror of yours, Aidan …How do you describe it? ““It’s simple. It’s real simple, doc.  I just can’t look under the bed, never, not after the sun goes down. ““Because there is a monster there? You know that is a very childish fear. And you are 30 years old now. That makes you a grown-up.”“You don’t have to remind me, doc. You are the only one I can talk to. The only one who will listen.”“Well, okay, let’s talk about it. Again. Tell me what you think is under the bed?...

8 likes

THE PATH ALMOST FOLLOWED

Frances Goulart

Submitted to Contest #273

THE PATH ALMOST TAKEN I don't usually walk at night, well, not this late after dark but I have a reason to walk tonight. This is no time for a car ride. And I am recording my thoughts because well, maybe someone (I really don't know who) might be interested in hearing why I did what I am about to do. And it‘s   too late to tell me I am being impulsive, headstrong. It’s much too late for that. By the time you will hear this, whoever you are. Maybe you’re just a morbid bystander, maybe a friend (if I ha...

11 likes

YOUR HUSBAND, MY HUSBAND, WHOSE HUSBAND?

Frances Goulart

Submitted to Contest #271

YOUR HUSBAND, MY HUSBAND, WHOSE HUSBAND? “What a five-star day! Makes you forget all your troubles out here on the ocean. Have you ever taken a cruise before? Have you ever been to this part of the world …..before?”“Actually this is my first. My first cruise and my first visit to the Greek Islands. It’s thrilling.”“Mine too ... I don’t know why I waited this long. Oh, sorry, my name is Estelle. I’m traveling alone. ““ I’m Joy. Nice to meet you. I’m also traveling solo. But same here. I don’t know why I waited so long except, well, I wou...

9 likes

THE BIG CHILL

Frances Goulart

Submitted to Contest #270

THE BIG CHILL (or REVENGE IS A DISH BEST SERVED COLD) “Look at the calendar. Look!  It’s been two long years to the day that I’ve been locked up been in here! I shouldn’t be here at all. Ed, I know and I know you know in your heart of hearts that I had nothing to do with that hold-up. Why would I, a man of lifelong good character, a man of principle, a professional chef, even consider such a criminal act like bank robbery for one minute? Why?”“Yeah, I know, Jacko, of course you are innocent. Everyone in this joint is innocent, an...

5 likes

MAGIC BY THE BOX

Frances Goulart

Submitted to Contest #269

MAGIC BY THE BOXCriticize me all you want, I know you will mock me, when you get here, Paul.  I don’t care if you don’t believe in magic. What’s the harm?  But I’m not even in a hurry.  Look, I haven’t even opened the box, have I? I haven’t even untied the string. Or touched the tape! It is still sitting here on the kitchen table with the twine, the tape and the postage stamps intact.  There must be something special inside if they used tape and doubled up on the twine, don’t you think? And how long has it been sitting th...

5 likes

AFTER ....THE ACCIDENT?

Frances Goulart

Submitted to Contest #267

AFTER ……..THE ACCIDENT???? I am staring up at a ceiling that isn’t  mine, on a hard mattress in in a bed that definitely isn’t  mine, in some kind of  nightshirt  that I would never have to worn to bed or anywhere else.! Where are my clothes? Where am I?  I have to get out of here. What’s this, bandages around my wrists?  And what is this tag on my wrist? It says Harrison Carmichael?  Who is Harrison Carmichael?  My name is Jack. Jack Keller.  It’s always been Jack Heller. Is this some kind of jok...

3 likes

COURTING THE NUMERICAL (NO, THE ALOPHABETICAL) MUSE

Frances Goulart

Submitted to Contest #266

Frances.goulart@gmail.com Courting the Numerical, (no, the Alphabetical) Muse ! Any writer worth his, her or their salt needs a muse to spark his, her or their creativity from time to time.  For some, it might be fantasizing about a beautiful human in real life or in fantasy, or gazing out at majestic rolling hills, a pastoral landscape, or having a faithful family dog with its chin resting on your slippers.  Picasso’s muse (and lover) was the photographer and surrealist artist Dora Maar who inspired several famous portraits inclu...

5 likes

LOST AND FOUND....AND LOST AGAIN

Frances Goulart

Submitted to Contest #265

LOST AND FOUND ….AND LOST AGAIN I am a simple man. With a simple name, Ed. Just Ed. (Sometimes people call me Ted or Fred but I don’t mind.) Ed is a shorter, simpler name than Ted or Fred. Or even Ned! I have a simple way of living. No fancy curtains or antique armchairs or Persian rugs for me.  I live in a plain house. With two floors and no basement. Basements and attics are fancy. I just need the basics.I drive a simple car. Look, out the window. It is parked in that spot with my name. Just Ed. It is a simple...

3 likes

TWO STRANGERS WALK INTO A WEDDING PARTY...

Frances Goulart

Submitted to Contest #264

TWO STRANGERS WALK INTO A WEDDING PARTY….. “Phew, what a relief to be inside! I know this is a happy wedding celebration, but what’s with all the shouting out there? Shouldn’t the action be in here now that the ceremony is over?  I thought I came here for some good cheer (and some fancy food)!” “Yeah, me, too, dude, what is it that’s happening out there?  “No idea. And you know what? I don’t really care. I parked in the front but I came in the back way to avoid the crowd. But most of the crowd seems to be out front. I don’t hear a...

7 likes