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Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jul, 2023
Submitted to Contest #270
(TW - This story contains sensitive content.)Whispering, “One, two, three, four,” she dumped the scoops into the coffeemaker. “Fuck it.” She added another scoop and flipped on the switch.The wave of nausea hit her as the pot started hissing. Grabbing hold of the counter, she closed her eyes. It was there, no doubt about it. No second guessing if it was her imagination or maybe something she ate. “Damn it.” She wiped her forehead, which was covered in a clammy film of sweat. Daryl’s thick snoring was th...
Submitted to Contest #268
“Happy Birthday!” Meredith greeted me as if it were just another day in the park. “I’m sixty,” I answered bluntly. “I know.” “I’m old.” “I know,” she answered me playfully. “Hey! You aren’t supposed to agree with me!” “I’m just teasing. You look great.” She laughed that old familiar laugh. “I look great? That’s something you say to an old person. ‘Wow, you’re ninety, you look fantastic.’ That just means you look fantastic considering the massive wrinkles and age spots.” “Stop. You look great for real. You ...
Submitted to Contest #267
TEN!NINE!EIGHT!SEVEN!SIX!***The crowd chanted along, the excitement building as the second hand ticked away to a new year.She desperately wanted to be part of the merriment, the celebration, the “this is our year, babe” sentiment that Joe was brimming with. He was still in the blissful state of “it’s finally happening” but she knew better.“Ready? Remember, no champagne for you!” He had teased her before leaving the house, smiling at her from his bubble of one. She would be more than happy to do without the alcoholic midni...
Submitted to Contest #264
"Jack and Coke.” He leaned towards the bartender, shouting above the poor rendition of Elvis swooning to the crowd. “Make that two,” I raised my fingers in a mock peace sign which seemed easier than trying to be heard over the crowd of well wishers. “Don’t you just love weddings?” The Jack and Coke stranger smiled at me while he relaxed against the bar. “No, not particularly. I avoid them at all costs, but this one was mandatory, unfortunately.” “Not a big believer in love?” “That’s not it at all. It’s all the schmoozy o...
Submitted to Contest #262
“Come on, buddy, let’s get you to a shelter.” They peered into my box, shining a beam of light into my eyes. “Fuck off,” I wanted to say, but I knew better. Best not to antagonize the public, especially the cops. They would haul you out and shove you into their car quicker than you can shake your ass at them. I held my tongue and said nothing, waiting for them to move along.The sweat was collecting on my forehead, dripping sideways down my face, stinging my eyes. I felt sick, nauseous, and disgusted. ...
Submitted to Contest #261
“Is the AC on the fritz again?” “I wouldn’t know. Power’s out.”“What?” I felt sweat dripping down my back. No air conditioning was not what I wanted to hear. There was too much work to do, and the room was already stifling in the early morning hours.“Yeah. Seems like someone didn’t pay the electric bill.” Carol looked at me square in the eye, hands on her hips. Was she daring me to argue that fact?“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Call them. Use my credit card.” “Are you sure, boss?”“I’m sure. ...
Submitted to Contest #260
“I thought it would be bigger,” the voice rang out from the crowd. “Not good enough for you, dear?” I held in my laughter as I snuck a look at my husband to see if he heard the back and forth as well. His twinkling eyes told me he had. “Some people are never happy,” he whispered in my ear. “I’m happy. Very happy.” I looked around the square hardly believing my eyes. Always number one on my bucket list was the trip to Italy. So often had I spoken about it that I had channeled the voice of Charlie Brown’s teacher “whomp, ...
Submitted to Contest #259
(TW … depression and suicide) He was sullen. Again. He was sleeping all day. Again. “What’s with that kid?” “Leave him alone. He’s fine,” I hissed, not wanting to be overheard. “He should be helping. It’s not fair. Why do I have to do this shit by myself?” My older son was right. It wasn’t fair. I stood outside my younger son’s closed bedroom door contemplating my choices. “Hun, you ok?” I could ask tentatively, only for him to reply, “What do you want? Leave me alone.” “Get up.&n...
Submitted to Contest #258
The poster was torn and tattered. It was time to make the rounds again, pulling down the old, weathered flyers and replacing them with crisp new images. Perhaps changing from black and white to color would bring the photos to life, reminding the public that they are still out there. More than just faces on poles, they are children desperately needing to be found and brought home. The prospect of this new project brought me a small degree of comfort. Doing something, anything, was better than doing nothing at all. Thirty ...
Submitted to Contest #257
“You have to tell him, Jackie.” “Actually, I don’t have to,” came the quick response. “He deserves to know,” Robin whispered urgently. Dipping her paintbrush into the newly opened can, Jackie thought once again how strongly she disagreed with her friend’s statement. After the way he had treated her, he didn’t deserve anything. *** “Again, Anthony. Read the line like you actually mean it.” “Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear… that tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops,” he read the words scribbled on the scrap of paper. “Thos...
Submitted to Contest #256
The crowd went wild as I took off from the starting line in The Big Race. Through the cheering I heard Mom shouting “Run, Sammy, Run!” I knew without looking that she was smiling from ear to ear and clapping her hands for me. She was probably jumping up and down also. I kept my eyes straight ahead running as fast as I could. I quickly passed my best friend Tyrannosaurus Rex because, let’s face it, he wasn’t the fastest runner in the toy box. We trained together in the park, and I got a little bit faster every day, ...
Submitted to Contest #255
April 30, 2023 “What brings you here today? It’s been quite a while since the last time we met.” “I miss my mom,” I blurted out, cutting right to the chase while sitting down tentatively. “Oh, Ruth…” a rustle of papers as Dr. Jordan flipped back through her notes. “I didn’t realize…” “No,” I quickly clarified. “She’s okay. I mean, she’s not okay, but she’s still here.” She’s still here, I thought to myself. But was she really? The image of her being brought home from rehab via ambulette flashed before my e...
Submitted to Contest #254
The gentle waves lapped against the ship as it slowly pulled away from the port of Livorno. Holding the stem of her delicate wineglass, she watched the sunlight’s reflection shimmer and swirl on the surface of the wine and the sea simultaneously.She reminded herself to be grateful for their recent harvest. The years of hard work had finally restored their vineyard back to the successful business it had been for generations. That knowledge made her first sip of the fruity wine that much sweeter. Looking out ove...
Submitted to Contest #253
“Let’s bang out these deliveries as quickly as possible so we can get home and eat.” “Yeah, I’m starving. Imagine if we order this exact meal for ourselves tonight?” I looked at my husband, hoping that he would agree. “Spend our profits? No way.” “Yeah, you’re right.” I fought to hide my disappointment as my hunger pains mixed with the growing fatigue. “It’ll be worth it, you’ll see. Just another few deliveries and we hit our goal for the day.” He smiled at me, trying to keep my spirits up. We stopped for ...
Submitted to Contest #252
Remember the boy in high school? The beast got you good. So good that you drove past the store where he worked just to catch a glimpse. Back and forth on that busy road in your old beat up car with no air conditioning. Your back was sweaty, and your hair had turned to tendrils around your flushed face. You stood in the drug store across the street turning the spinners of postcards and road maps. Humiliated and embarrassed but unable to move as you watched him load and unload the trucks. No one knew but the ...
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