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Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jul, 2023
Submitted to Contest #251
“Merde,” he mumbled gruffly. “You say something, hun?” Barb peered over her reading glasses at her husband. “Nothing, dear.” He looked at her and smiled. “Is that the book you found at the thrift store?” Dave gave no indication of hearing his wife’s question as he sat in his favorite recliner, tattered paperback in hand. “Hun?” Barb raised her voice vying for her husband’s attention. “Yes, dear?” “I asked if that’s your new book?” “It’s hardly new. In fact, it’s quite old. I think it might actually be worth somethin...
Submitted to Contest #250
Flashing cameras created orbs of lights dancing around the lobby. It was not my first time at the Manhattan Club Gala, but the anticipation washed over me as if it were. My novel’s position as number one on the bestseller list was tenuous and hung on for dear life.Standing at the bar, I listened to the conversations floating through the air. Greetings were exchanged with various levels of sincerity, making it difficult to discern between friend and foe. We were, after all, each other’s competition for the coveted award.As...
Shortlisted for Contest #250 ⭐️
Trish put her head back and closed her eyes enjoying the sun’s warmth on her face despite the growing hunger pains. She would give it half an hour and then go back inside for lunch. She tried not to think of that western omelet she had been looking forward to. ~ Suddenly, her husband was right behind her startling her and she dropped the carton of eggs she was holding. Crap. Please don’t find too many broken eggs inside. “What’s your problem?” He yelled at her. “You startled me!” “You’re so jumpy. Why? Are ...
Submitted to Contest #249
Gates appeared where there were none before. She slowed, showed her essential papers through the window, got them scanned and drove on. Not a word was uttered, not a drop of air came in or out of the car. Being a creature of habit, she found it difficult, if not impossible, to change her routine. She continued to leave for work at precisely 8:30 am to drive through the ghost town of empty streets, passing massive parking lots devoid of cars. Traffic lights continued to change colors, red to stop, green to go. Ra...
“Careful, you’re going to rip them,” Donna warned as she stubbed out her cigarette.“Why didn’t I try these on before we left?” Frantically tugging the stockings, I tried to pull them up higher. No such luck. A few inches shy of fitting, they left me with webbed thighs. Crap.“Want me to run out and pick up a new pair? I think I saw a Duane Reade down the block.” Rising from the bed, she peered out the window to the street below.“There’s no time.” I smoothed my skirt down before tying the bow on my blouse.&nb...
Submitted to Contest #247
Pulling off my boots, I stood them up in the tall grass next to the bucket. Taking off my woolen socks one at a time, I rolled them up and carefully placed them down as well. I then gathered the excess material of my dress, expertly tying it into a knot at my hip. I sighed, reaching for my fishing pole as I stepped into the cool creek.I hoped the waters would work their magic to calm my nerves as I had become more distraught with each passing day. Being the first daughter of my father’s first wife, I was highly sought aft...
Submitted to Contest #246
“Ready or not, here I come!” Beth tapped out her text, hit send, and tucked her phone into her back pocket. She glanced around, making sure that Elisa had enough time to hide before she began the weekly ritual of searching for her. The Saturday routine was getting on her nerves, but she only had a few weeks left before graduation and the start of her internship. Whatever. At least she would finish babysitting in time to meet up with Greg for dinner and drinks in the city. She could get through another mindless g...
Submitted to Contest #245
Gathered together as the sun rose over the water, the crowd of young women clutched their bags nervously. They looked around at each other, some attempted small talk, but most remained pensive.Pearl felt the butterflies in her belly beat their wings as an elder approached her with a dark haired stranger walking in his shadow. “This way,” the suntanned elder extended his arm to the waiting boat, the rower in place, the oars calmly waiting in the water. She tentatively stepped in, assisted by the younger man who sat down on the ...
Submitted to Contest #244
MARK – APRIL 1, 2024 The logo on the envelope caught his eye and put an instant knot in his stomach. Another bill for another visit? He thought they were paid in full. Fed up with the exorbitant fees and procedures, the empty promises, they decided to go back to the natural way. Holding the envelope, it felt heavier than the weight of paperwork should feel, more like the weight of the world. Should he open it? He could toss it out or bury it back under the pile where he found it. Either choice would be bett...
Submitted to Contest #243
Nineteen minutes. That’s all the time left before she had to leave for her eight hour shift at the clinic. Nineteen minutes. She knew she would come home exhausted after the late shift only to go to sleep, get up early, and do the early shift in the morning. What did her coworker call it? Clopen. The close, open. Her next bit of freedom would be the following evening. Damn. Eighteen minutes. She still had to get her dinner together and pack her bag. She gazed at the TV, her laptop, her comfo...
Shortlisted for Contest #242 ⭐️
They were back. Clicking their hard nails on the wooden floor, panting as they grew closer. She assumed position covering herself with her coat and closed her eyes. She heard her mother’s voice as if in the darkened room with her. “Play dead, Shana.” Did she remember to lock the door? Not that it mattered, a small flimsy lock wouldn’t keep them out. She heard their footsteps approaching, knew the vicious dogs were leading those men in black boots straight to her. Angry German voices filtered into the...
Submitted to Contest #241
“Declined.”“What? That’s not possible.”The young cashier stared at me with blank eyes through the window. “Can you try again, please?” I watched as she swiped the card and then flicked her wrist to hand it back to me. “Declined.”Shoving the card into my bag, I drove off without my much anticipated caramel Frappuccino but instead a knot in my stomach.***“So, what did you do?” The voice came from the darkened backseat.“I thought it had to be a technical error, a glitch. I pulled over to check my app. Sure eno...
Submitted to Contest #240
Part One – Ida “Did you feel that?” Ida placed her hand on her cheek while turning away from the open window. “Feel what, love?” “That breeze.” “I wish. It’s hotter than blue blazes in here.” Ida knew that to be true. Her damp blouse sticking to her back was proof enough. But yet, there was that breeze she had felt on her cheek just for an instance. Then it was gone. “You’re right. Would you like some iced tea? We can sit for a while, watch the sun go down.” Moments later Ida brought out the o...
Submitted to Contest #239
Driving to the office I had to put on the windshield wipers as they were falling fast and furious. Why so many today?I’m not stopping, I decided. It’s tax season, and I have a growing pile of work on my desk. I can’t play. Not today, especially being Monday. I clicked my wipers to the fastest speed possible and leaned forward in my seat to see out. Last thing I needed was to crash my car. That would really put the icing on this rotten cake.Pulling into my parking spot, I glared out the window at the industr...
Submitted to Contest #238
Running through the woods, I was in a mad panic. Damn. Lydia was going to have my head for this, that’s for sure. I couldn’t believe I overslept on the morning of her weekly staff meeting. Get ready, girl, it’s about to hit the fan. I entered the staff building and ran down the steps two at a time saying a little prayer that I didn’t fall and break my neck.Entering the dark cramped room, I found the staff lined up in their uniforms with their hands behind their backs. Lydia, walking back and forth in front of t...
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