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Irene Duchess

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Dec, 2022

Stories (31)

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21 Followers

8 Following

31 Stories

292 karma pts

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Lost in Refuge - Part 4

I turn the pages of my great-great-grandmother’s journal back to the first and re-read the words. This is a true story that few know. Someday maybe this will fall into the right hands, and they will fix this mess. Listen carefully…“Sounds very poetic…” I mutter to myself. My cat, Patches, meows and rubs his head on my arm. "Dramatic."I go back to where it says The Beginning of the End and try to let my brain process those words. Even more puzzled than before, I turn to the next page and start to read the curling words on pages...

2 likes

Welcome to the New Age

“Copy that.”“Is the launch team ready?”“Affirmative. All systems go.”“Launching in ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five…” * * * Iris Hawthorne gave her friend, Leila Greenrow, a thumbs up. She clicked her helmet on. Iris, along with four other people, were about to travel through time. They had perfected time travel. They had already sent plenty of guinea pigs through—but you can’t tell those how to come back.“Hawthorne!” Barked Commander Gunner through their intercoms.“Yes, sir?”“Pay attention while I’m speaking. As I was saying, once yo...

3 likes

The Wyvern’s Lair

Volund took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Fyrnor watched him closely. Was Volund scared? No, he couldn’t be. The great Volund? Never.Volund looked around at the great chamber carefully. “Hold this,” he said, unbuckling his sheath and handing his sheathed sword to Fyrnor.He didn’t even glance at Fyrnor. Too busy wrapped up in his own glory, scoffed Fyrnor to himself. The great hero who thought only of the good of the people, rescuing them from the greatest dangers, was really just a self-entitled arrogant brat.“This’ll be a bree...

4 likes

A Dike Doomed

That’s tall. that was all Alwryn could think as she stared up at the towering wall known as the Elwar Rim. It pretty much marked the end of Elwar City. Beyond it was the wild sea. She hadn’t been here before. She lived on the other side of the city. The dike kept the raging waves at bay. Elwar city was in a valley, between the un-climbable mountains on an island in the ocean. She didn’t know how her people had come here. Maybe they had always been there. She didn’t know who had built the...

2 likes

The Lost Immortals

“Father, are there really no more unicorns left in the world?” “My boy,” sighed the man, “no unicorn has been seen in years. They vanished long ago.” What? No more unicorns? They must be mistaken. Man never sees the truth. Silverstar perked her ears up worriedly. Surely I am not the only one? Just because man hasn’t seen a unicorn in a long time doesn’t mean I’m the only one. Silverstar shook her head. We are immortal. We don’t simply vanish. They must be mistaken. The boy and his father kept on riding down the path and d...

5 likes

Lost in Refuge - Part 3

Same thing. Every. Single. Day. Nothing but the same, boring old days. I never thought of it like that, but since I’ve been to the Out There and then had that talk with Ria I’ve thought differently.That’s my train of thought as I walk slowly home, deep in thought. I realized that almost my whole life, things had been the same. An endless cycle. In which everyone I knew—and more—was trapped.Every morning I wake up at eight-thirty to nine AM, had breakfast, then went to work at ten AM. At noon we took a lunch break, then resumed work till four...

2 likes

Dark Cat, Dark Fate - Part 3

Rose watched the hole through bleary eyes.Ever since she had recovered her backpack Rose had been keeping track of the time that passed. It had been two days. She had a small leather-bound journal and a few pencils, along with an eraser and a pencil sharpener.She had also torn out some of the pages, written ‘my name is Rose. I am trapped in a cave and I need help’ on them, made a paper plane out of each of them, and sent them out into the forest, as best she could. Trying to get them to fly in different directions.She had sent out ten so far...

2 likes

Lost in Refuge - Part 2

I’m jogging down the street.A determined look has graced my face. I don’t think I’ve ever looked determined before. That’s how ‘perfect’ my life used to be. There was nothing difficult to do. That’s what’s wrong here. No one is challenged by anything. Everything’s easy.Before long I start huffing and puffing. I’m not used to running. er—jogging. This isn’t as strenuous as running, I think. When was the last time I ran?I finally turn onto my friends’ street and arrive at their door.I knock, trying to regain my breath. I don’t have to wait lon...

5 likes

Lost in Refuge - Part 1

I’m happy. I mean, why not? Who isn’t happy? What’s wrong here? Nothing, that’s what. It’s perfect. A perfect place for a perfect, peaceful people.I’m currently strolling down the sidewalks towards home, the soaring glass buildings touching the sky above me.Cars drive by slowly, enjoying the peaceful day. Not that everyone doesn’t enjoy every happy day. There’s no bad traffic on the roads, and there hasn’t been since the Deliverance. The day everything changed. Of course, that was long before I was born. I’m glad I never had to live in that ...

5 likes

Dark Cat, Dark Fate - Part 2

“When I find you…” Rose groaned as she sat up, looking around in the darkness. “When I find you, I’ll make you regret dragging me down to this endless pit. Every bruise and scrape you gave me. Oh yes. It will not be pretty.”An image of the black cat appeared in Rose’s mind, and she frowned. It was probably gallivanting off somewhere in the forest, free as the wind, while she, Rose, was trapped in an endless misery of death. Which was the cat's fault.Tired, and less then entirely sane, Rose lurched to her feet and looked up ...

6 likes

A Man and a Mutt

It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark. Cold winds whistled over rooftop and chimney, never ceasing its mournful howling. Shadows lurked everywhere in the deepening gloom.The people left were few, and those who remained hurried along the streets in silence, heads bowed. A horse-drawn cart rattled by.No one stopped to pay attention to me, leaning against the side of the building, waiting. Watching. For what, I did not know. I just waited. What else was I to do? Where to go?I pulled my tattered coat around me more, t...

9 likes

Dark Cat, Dark Fate

Rose’s eyes followed the dark cat as it padded silently along the rotten, moss-covered log. It paused at the end and glanced back at Rose.She turned towards it, curious, keeping her eyes glued to the black cat. Its green eyes seemed to stare straight into Rose’s soul.Rose had started her hike a few hours earlier, and a few minutes ago she had spotted the cat. It had stayed with her, often vanishing in the thick forest, then reappearing just as suddenly.It mewed at her, and Rose took a step towards it. Could it be a lost pet? Rose tried to th...

4 likes

"You're Impossible"

Submitted to Contest #186

“What are you doing?” “Me?” “Yes. Who else? That rock? A tree? You’re just… sitting. On the edge of a cliff. Literally about to fall off. Probably to your death.” “I’m just watching the sunset. What’s so bad about that?” “Nothing is bad about it. The sunset is nice, I guess, with the gold clouds, pink and orange and blue sky, there’s nothing wrong with it. Just where you’re sitting. On the edge of a ridiculously tall cliff. Seriously, Hazel? You’re going to fall.” “I’m not really the cautious type. You know that, Mateo.” “Oh, I certainly do...

9 likes

A Cold, Dark Night

Submitted to Contest #182

Ivy stood at the back of the large room, wishing she could just disappear. She shuffled a little closer to the large plant next to her, which was almost as tall as she was. She was in the middle of a party, a party which she really didn’t want to be at. And she also had to dress up, which Ivy did not like at all. She was wearing a light dress down to her ankles, which was colored blue. It was plain, but it was still a dress. Ivy couldn’t run in a dress, not that she was allowed to at this party. No running there, Ivy’s parents had told her ...

12 likes

To The Peaks

Submitted to Contest #181

Twelve-year old Quinn Dasher walked down the street, away from his house. He was supposed to be helping unpack, but right now he didn’t really want too. Besides, they still had almost a month till they had to move. Quinn didn’t understand why he and his dad were going to move, but as least they were going somewhere that sounded exciting, even though he had no clue why they were going to a place so far from anyone. His dad’s exact words when he first announced they were moving were, ‘We’re moving to the peaks,’ which prompted Quinn to believe...

10 likes