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Jennifer Luckett

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Feb, 2024

Stories (39)

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26 Followers

63 Following

39 Stories

738 karma pts

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The Beach

Jennifer Luckett

Submitted to Contest #262

I hurled the damp pillow across the bed, too heated and keyed up to get some sleep. It was the hottest week of the summer so far, 81 degrees at 2:20 am, so I scooted underneath the ceiling fan for some relief. The house was fine, lovely really, but I hate heat of any kind, except to warm myself in the depth of winter. Fall is my favorite season, and I had at least six more weeks of discomfort, and less than half of that for this much-needed vacation. My friend and agent Elena had arranged for my stay here in sunny tropical south Florida...

7 likes

Finding Anna

Jennifer Luckett

Submitted to Contest #261

Christmas is my favorite holiday, but I planned to never celebrate again. Anyone who had been abducted and held by domestic terrorists, might not be in a festive mood, even in the most joyous of seasons. My phone beeped again, and I deleted yet another message. My email had never been this full, flooded with words of appreciation and support, along with requests from media outlets and advocacy groups to “share my experience with others.” But what about the women who were actually tortured and subjected to experimentation? How could the...

9 likes

Finding Emily

Jennifer Luckett

Submitted to Contest #260

The day before Emily went missing, I ran seven miles in the predawn chill, slipped and landed on the icy pavement on my way back. I shook it off, my bloody left knee be damned, to finish one more mile. It’s really not safe to run solo, or go anywhere alone here. I don’t really care, because running is my escape from everything I hate about my life. The wind grazing my back, the solitude and the peace of it all fills me with the best natural high I can get. I strolled back to my room, showered, b...

11 likes

Zephyr

Jennifer Luckett

Submitted to Contest #259

The wind blew my silk scarf onto the lawn. A fat raindrop splashed onto my left lens, and the bigger ones that fell chilled me to the bone. It was the first week in October, but the weather yo-yoed, mid-June hot one day, and mid-Winter frigid the next. This damn cold front made me want to curl up inside my house in front of a fire, reading and sipping hot chocolate. I hurried up the steps to Mom’s house and fumbled with the key in the lock when the door opened. “We weren’t expecting you tonight. Here, let me help you, Mary.” Miguel, my...

6 likes

Picture Perfect

Jennifer Luckett

Submitted to Contest #258

I don’t really like the color orange. but a quick scroll through the photos I’d taken of the bright, beautiful wildflowers confirmed what I thought-I’m getting pretty good at this. I’m not really photogenic, and I’d never been interested in photography. I once faked a fever, stealing the thermometer, warming it in water and presenting it to Mom to skip Spring Picture Day. Of course, she sniffed out my chicanery and sent me to school in the ugliest orange and lime dress, which she loved and I detested. Somehow, I took the best photo...

22 likes

The Pitch

Jennifer Luckett

Submitted to Contest #256

Jessie buttoned the old jersey, its fabric soft against her skin. The shirt belonged to her father, and the memory of that horrible day sent a tear sliding down her cheek. “Jess, you ready, baby girl?” Carrie’s voice snapped her to attention. “Yes, Mama, be right down.” She grabbed her faded Cardinals hat from the dresser and bolted from her bedroom and down the stairs. Randall smiled as she entered the living room. “You look like a real girl ballplayer, Jessie.” “That’s good, exactly what I’m hoping to be.” Jessie patted her younger b...

11 likes

Stay

Jennifer Luckett

Submitted to Contest #255

The yellow roses and wildflowers swayed in the gentle early morning breeze. The garden had never looked more beautiful, thanks to my amazing, gorgeous husband, and all I wanted was to close my eyes and leave the world behind. I hadn’t had this much time to myself since graduation, the first time it happened. I’m here again, and I just want everything-the fear, anger, regret-to stop.Here you are.” The drag of Miguel’s lips washed a small wave of pleasure over me."How long have you been out here?”“Since about 4:30.” He wrapped me in his ...

11 likes

Hearts and Hands

Jennifer Luckett

Submitted to Contest #254

It was finally Joanna Wilson’s moment to shine, and all she wanted was to sprint out of the ballroom. The blinding light of the photographer’s Nikon sent her heart racing, but what happened next thrusted Joanna from discomfort to shock and embarrassment, faster than the blink of a heavily mascaraed eye. Mrs. Manning, the sponsor of the Belles, handed her the Top Shelf prize for the best all-around Belle for 1990 in the Southwest region. When the camera flashed, Lisa Martin appeared at the podium and wrested the plaque from Joanna’s trembling...

8 likes

Firelight

Jennifer Luckett

Submitted to Contest #253

Carly’s shrill tone, accompanied by her sharp raps on the glass, broke my flow. “You can’t hide inside forever. Come on, Mary, it’s starting now!” I stretched my aching calves and slid open the patio door to the outdoor living room, surprised by the comfortably cooler temperature. The cloudy afternoon had transformed into a gorgeous early evening, a sunset tinged in violet. “Yes, dear, you need a break. Today’s a holiday, after all.” Predictably, my mother echoed my sister’s suggestion.“I thought you couldn’...

12 likes

The Last Day

Jennifer Luckett

The bedside clock read 6:02, and Jenny knew she’d be late on this long day. Her eyes adjusted to the shaft of light cast onto her white sheets, and winced when her wrist dragged across her forehead. She stepped over the sweaters and hoodies littering the carpet, and passed the unpacked suitcases to dress in her slacks and button down for work. The day unfolded slowly, and she felt grateful for the low hum of her 4th grade class as they composed letters of thanks for their families and created placemat crafts for the upcoming holiday.&nb...

1 like

The Story

Jennifer Luckett

“What have you done?!” Allison’s whiskey colored eyes blazed, and she mopped her damp brow from her sprint across the practice field. “I didn’t use any of our names, Allie. No one really knows.” The entire soccer team had ceased their drill to stare at us, heads together, no doubt spreading about Allie and me after they read my story in the latest Cardinal Collectanea. “Why even write the story, Genie?”’ I’d never seen her like this, blinking back tears, her perpetual grin twisted into a scowl. “It was just a story, I never thought Joh...

2 likes

The Competition

Jennifer Luckett

Submitted to Contest #249

Peter wove through a maze of stations to reach his slightly larger corner space to the staccato beat of whirring mixers and rattling trays. The bakers spent hours flitting about the spacious kitchen perfecting their mise en place, measuring, sifting and creaming high-quality ingredients to create their (hopefully) prize-winning baked goods for the competition. The intoxicating aroma of butter, vanilla and chocolate wafted through the kitchen, as their deadline approached like a bullet train. Peter used his sleeve to mopped his brow a...

10 likes

The Wind in the Willows

Jennifer Luckett

Aurora Martin needed to decompress, so she took a walk. Thankfully, the weather had finally warmed enough for her baby blue cardigan, more than adequate for such a lovely April afternoon. The breeze cooled the flush on her skin, a result of little sleep and way too much caffeine, her way of life with the end of the semester looming.Aurora’s latest article would be published in the fall, but the book she’d begun in the fall was no closer to completion this month. She produced three articles and a novella each year, prior to her illness; with ...

3 likes

Desperate Remedies

Jennifer Luckett

Submitted to Contest #248

I wanted to stop, but a voice in my head shouted, Don’t stop. Every part of my body ached. Throbbing temples, stiffness traveling from my neck, with its destination my lower back, raging flames in my throat, needles piercing my calves and feet begged me to end this torture. My mind wanted the pain, needed the pain to cure the weakness. I had been running for three hours, ignoring the intense early morning heat to finish the ten mile loop I began in darkness. This was day 5...

14 likes

Into the Unknown

Jennifer Luckett

Submitted to Contest #247

From the Field Journal of Dr. Alexandra MasonMarch 2224Field Traveler, SITE for Exploration CommissionMarch 3, 2224Day 1I’ve always hated first days. Whether it’s training days, or trips, it’s so difficult to begin with nothing and face the unknown. And nothing really helps-no mantras, or prayers, or whatever. I’m always scared to face things, but now, it seems, I have no choice but to finish what I've begun.I’ve never seen such a blue sky. The clouds seemed wispy, like fragile stretched cotton, so whisper soft. Good thing my eye shades had ...

7 likes