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Author on Reedsy Prompts since Apr, 2024
Submitted to Contest #300
“Hey, gorgeous.”The red-haired woman briefly glanced at Tim over her wire-rim glasses as she entered the elevator, barely stepped on, and pressed the button for her floor.“Oh.. hey,” she softly replied.Standing behind her, Tim smiled longer than the full 30 seconds it took for the doors to shut.“So!” he said as if they knew each other and had already been in lively conversation. “How is your day coming along? Beautiful out, isn’t it?”“Uh.. yeah,” the woman all but whispered.He paused for a brief moment as she watched the numbers slowly climb...
Submitted to Contest #299
CW: Strong language and themes of domestic conflict------“John?! Why the fuck are you just getting home?!”Sigh.[Mute][Right, right, L2]------“Do you hear me, John?! I said, why the fuck are you getting home so late?!?!?”("Hey, Mo--I mean, honey... I'm glad to be home. I'm sometimes late because being here is sometimes stressful, especially when you scream at me...")------“Oh, spare me, Mary. I don’t owe you any explanation—I’m a grown-ass man in this household!!”------“What!? You mean you’re a grown-ass baby!”[Right, L1]("John, you’re my hus...
The man in the yellow baggy suit engulfed in red, blue, and green polka dots sighed as he leaned on the stool, sipping a cup of water from his glass.“Yo’ah elected officia’s…” he exhaled again.The full crowd, most slightly intoxicated, let out a light laughter.“Always a whole lotta talkin’ and not enough doin’.” Zany turned his white-painted face to another direction, adjusting his big, fluffy red bowtie as he did. “What exactly do they do up they’uh all day ev’ry day anyway? Anybody know?!”“No!” a few voices called out.“Yeah, me neitha’. Al...
“Yes, right there.” The woman pointed to the blank space beside the old, full-size bed.“Thank you,” she said.The three men lowered the newer full-size and made minor adjustments before the four left the room.The four walls sat in silence as their voices could be heard drifting away.A few moments later, a deep cough penetrated the silence.“Are you okay?” a young, high-pitch voice asked.“…Yes,” an older, husky voice replied curtly.“What’s wrong with you?” asked the younger voice. “You look tired.”“I am tired,” the older one returned.“Well, how...
Submitted to Contest #298
“So, how have you been?” Miranda asked Jodie after they’d both finished placing their orders. “I’ve been good. The kids are good. Mike is good,” said Jodie. “All is well, can’t too much complain. How about yourself? You look good!” “Well thank you,” Miranda smiled. “So do you! And I’m doing well. Just same ol’-same ol’. Some traveling, some work stuff, dating. You know, the usual.” “Yep, I know. Well, I’m glad you’re doing alright.” The waiter brought them both the water they’d requested, and they took a sip. “So. I’m sure you’re wondering w...
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...
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