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Author on Reedsy Prompts since Apr, 2024
Submitted to Contest #297
“So, kid. Tell us what happened,” Officer Rogers said to the heavy-set boy sitting across from him.Shawn didn’t say a word. Instead, the 12-year-old looked out in the distance—his lips in a straight line, his eyes slanted upward like those of a feline.After a few moments of silence, Officer Holder, who circled the room as Shawn’s gaze briefly followed him, followed up. “Are you going to help us out?” he asked. “We’d like to hear your side of things, but we can only do that if you speak up and say what happened.”Shawn’s eyes darted in a diffe...
S: Are we there yet?A: No.S: What about now?A: No, and I would advise you to stop asking.S: When are we going to get there?A: It’s looking like 12:09.S: How long from now is that?A: Not that long.S: Why do we have to go?A: Well, we aren’t going anywhere. Just you.S: Just me?! By myself?!A: No, you won’t be alone.S: Well, then, who else is coming? Jimmy? Erica? Kyle?A: No.S: Well, then, who? Do I get to choose?A: No.S: Well, who?!? Who’s coming with me?A: No one’s coming with you. But you won’t be alone once you get there.S: Oh. Well, who’s g...
Submitted to Contest #296
Seconds probably seem like minutes to us both as I stand just staring.“…What?” she asks.I still don’t immediately answer. How can I? The answer is grave.Her eyes widen to signal she waits for it still.“Ummm, nothing,” I finally say. “Just gotta head to work soon.”“Yeah, well, it definitely doesn’t look like ‘nothing’.”My eyes try to communicate to her she’s right, but ah, what’s the use. I can’t even tell my own mother what’s really on my mind and has been for…far too long.“How about I make you a nice, warm cup of hot cocoa before you head o...
Slow Polky “Look at him,” said Swift, as he intently stared off into the distance, sprawled across the long, thick limb of a forked tree. “He’s so slow.” “I know,” replied his brother, following Swift’s gaze from the other limb. “It’s dIsgusting, right?” Swift glanced over at his brother and reflected for a moment whether to respond. His amber-colored eyes then returned to the distance. “Ya’ know, I actually think it’s kind of cool…” “‘Cool?!?’” his brother repeated, dismayed and yanking his face away from the sight and back to Swift’s direc...
Alaiah stood for a few minutes, taking a few deep breaths as she peered at herself in her hand mirror, before walking into the tall skyscraper.Once inside, she approached the front desk.“Heyy, Alaiah” waved Billy as he checked her in. “Oh my God, your hair!! It looks so beautiful!”“Thank you,” Alaiah hesitantly smiled.“Can I touch it?” he asked as he stood to his feet and began to come around the desk before she could answer.“N—”“Oh, wow, it’s so soft.”He stood back and waited for her to respond, but she couldn’t find the words.“Well, you go...
Submitted to Contest #295
I wasn’t sure if I should show up here today.We haven’t spoken in years.Family quarrels that all seem pretty trivial now.Somehow, I always thought I would go before her…even though she’s technically older than me.But alas, here we are.I’m not surprised there aren’t many people here. She’s never been the most pleasant or likable person.Her one good friend, Betsey, managed to come. Good for her. Betsey has always been good to my sister, so I’m not surprised. Although, she doesn’t seem quite as sad as I would expect. But I know people handle gr...
The warm scent of java filled Anita’s nostrils as she walked through the door a young man graciously held open as he exited.“Thank you,” she softly smiled, her grey strands flying with the gust of the wind behind the door as he said “You’re welcome, ma’am,” and closed it.She scanned the room, observing the different faces, mostly very young, engaged in their various young-people activities—a few scrolling on their phones, while a few others on their laptops. Most of the remaining few ate or drank as they enjoyed music through their fancy wir...
Submitted to Contest #294
“Blouba fulu roy som toy fom fom,” the U.S. leader said with great passion and conviction as he spoke through every top news station.“Jale freyman sale hombro! Meztra fracze patzel frazeh!”This was President Eggoe X. Shrub’s first speech—his inauguration speech—since he was reelected into the greatest leadership position of a great nation for his second and final term, with the help of a trusted and true voting system. But that wasn’t the only first on this day—this was also the first time the president had ever conducted an entire...
Submitted to Contest #293
“Cookies, chips, or pretzels?” the flight attendant asked as he pushed the cart down the aisle and reached Chris’s row.“Uhh pretzels and uhh…” Chris peered at the woman laying beside him, “Cookies…please?”The attendant handed him both bags, and Chris thanked him and went back to watching the movie I Love You, Man playing overhead, content following along with the captions instead of listening through earphones like everyone else.After a few minutes, his peacefully slumbering neighbor began to open her eyes.Upon reorienting herself, she saw C...
“What are you thinking about?” Brian asked Stacy as she peered down at the big, white puffs of overflowing water vapor cast against the vast, scattered blue light. “Huh?” Her head turned to him. “Oh, nothing. Just admiring the view…is all.” Brian smiled, covering her hand with his over their shared arm rest and squeezing gently. “So am I,” he said and nervously chuckled at the cheesy line. The corners of her mouth stretched as a line far back and slightly lifted. “Cookies, chips, or pretzels?” the flight attendant seemed to appear out of now...
Submitted to Contest #292
She can never decide.She. Can Never. Decide.Maroon. Burgundy.Burgundy. Maroon.People ask what’s her favorite color, and what does she say?Maroon-slash-burgundy.Or, burgundy-slash-Maroon.She never, ever gives a definitive answer.Even though, clearly, these are two very different colors.We….are two very different colors.Not merely a “dark red”, as some will insultingly refer to me as or try to rob me of my proper label and the powerful energy I bring with my hue—no, my red is deep, rich, and married with a robust hint of chestnut.Neither red n...
“Rage.”“Rage?”“Rage.”“Hmmm.”“Don’t you see it?” Janessa asked her twin sister Jane.“Mmmm no, no,” said Jane. “Looks to me more like… Sorrow.”“Sorrow?!”“Yeah! Sorrow. You see all the different shades of blue here, and some of it, smudged—““Yeah, but then you have these sharp reds, which I feel like jump out at you much more than the blues…”“Mmm yeah, I guess,” said Jane before walking a few feet over to the next painting. “What about this one?”“Oh that’s easy. Just looks like a nice family enjoying a peaceful, chill day out at the beach,” sai...
Submitted to Contest #291
They were finally here.Timmy had been wanting to visit this place practically his whole ten years of existence. He’d heard about it from friends, seen the commercials on TV, but had been never able to see for himself.Until now.“Well, hello, everyone!” the red-haired, freckle-faced guide enthused to Timmy’s family and the rest of their tour group. “Welcome to West Street!! It’s the best street!! The most fascinating street on planet earth—maybe in the whole galaxy!!”“Now, before we go in, a few things to remember,” he continued and counted wi...
Submitted to Contest #290
“Hey, psst,” whispered the strange man in the brown wool jacket. “Psst… Psssst!! Do you want a little love?”Robert’s head turned to both of its sides and behind, trying to figure out if that man was talking to him.The strange man in the wool coat ensured he maintained his locked eyes on Robert’s, to confirm that yes, he was the one he was talking to.“What?” said Robert, his eyes squinted and still swiftly flashing around him, to make sure he wasn’t somehow being set up.“Come here, come here,” motioned the unfamiliar man.“No! What’s up? What ...
Nala casually walked over to the silver-fenced wall. Her brown, almond-shaped eyes looked up at Kacie and Lisa and then turned around and walked back to where she’d just come from. “And what about her?” Kacie asked Lisa, who was her assigned counselor. “Well, her name is Nala,” Lisa answered as she thumbed through her clipboard. “She’s a year and a half and actually is one who’s been with us the longest—over 100 days—” Kacie’s eyes widened. “But she’s a really sweet girl,” Lisa said. “Seems to mostly keep to herself but hasn’t had issues wit...
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