Jessica Mills

“The Legacy” by Jessica Mills

Submitted to Contest #80

In the morning Ruby sits near the window in her rocking chair observing the world outside with a knitted blanket stretching the length of her body. The rocking chair has been in her family for over a hundred and fifty years. She had hoped that one of her daughters would have taken it for their homes but both declined, saying it was not their decorative style. Ruby knows that it will be donated to charity or thrown in a dumpster when she dies, like much of the memorabilia from her life. The idea of this should make her sad, but she realizes t...

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“The Conference” by Jessica Mills

Submitted to Contest #78

“Good Afternoon, how can I help you?” the man at the registration table asks as he looks up from the spreadsheet in front of him on the table. He has a bright welcoming smile and a name tag that says “Jim” attached to the pocket on his dress shirt.  “Hi. I’m Bridget, Bridget Miller, and I am checking in for the conference. Am I in the right place?” she replies, looking left and right for a sign that assures her she has made it. “Hi Bridget, I’m Jim and you are definitely in the right place. Welcome to the sixth annual yarn bomb...

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“The Scare” by Jessica Mills

Submitted to Contest #76

“Oh my God, what is that? Honey, come here and feel this and tell me what you think” she says. “Sure. You don’t have to ask me twice to touch your breast.” he replies. “Very funny. No, this is serious. Right here on the right side, right next to the nipple. Do you feel that?” “I do. It kind of feels like a pea, or a bee bee” he says. “I know and I think that is bad. I remember going to some health fair once and they had these silicone boobs on the table that you could touch. One was normal and one was not. The abnormal one felt ...

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“Ten Minutes of Meditation” by Jessica Mills

Submitted to Contest #74

The quiet of the morning is my favorite time of the day. Sitting in my kitchen listening to the hum of the refrigerator and the trickle of the water from the filter of the fish tank; the sounds of life. This is my time for daily meditation, so I move to the living room floor where I can lay on my back. Today is the last day of the year, December 31st, and my goal for this year was to focus on me, to improve my ability to relax and manage my stress. So, I started this daily meditation practice as part of that goal. When I am honest with mysel...

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“A Season of Hope” by Jessica Mills

Submitted to Contest #73

There is a sweet aroma of the tree decorated with small white lights that twinkle on and off to a rhythm all their own. The tree is covered only in gold ornaments; small round glass balls, angels with gold halos and strands of tiny gold beads. Despite this beautifully decorated tree in the corner of her small apartment it just doesn’t feel like Christmas and she wishes she could skip it altogether. The year has been hard, but the last four months have been a struggle to make it through each day. She carries a sense of loss and grief and fear...

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“What We Don't Know” by Jessica Mills

Submitted to Contest #71

Part I: Jess Just for a moment, the stars aligned Just for a moment, fingers intertwined Just for a moment, their hearts were full Just for a moment, silenced was her inner bull When the moment ended as they feared it would The world had bent in a way she did not know it could Life is fleeting and short, moments passing by Feelings she tried to sort, others made her smile and cry Just for a moment, the monotony stopped Just for a moment, the moon and stars popped Just for a moment, she dared to want more Just for a moment...

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“The Return” by Jessica Mills

Submitted to Contest #68

It had been twenty-four years since she’d last seen it, but the place looked exactly the same. As she drove through town she marveled at what was before her; it was as if the town had been trapped in a time warp. Other than the trees, which had grown from newly planted saplings to large sprawling branches much of the town appeared unaffected by the passing of time.  Another indication that time had passed was the obvious wear from the years to the buildings. Most had been kept up in good condition but there were a few that were showing ...

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“A Place for Broken Souls” by Jessica Mills

Submitted to Contest #64

The incident that broke my parents and led me here happened in May. It was the last month of my sophomore year of high school and on a warm Saturday evening my parents reluctantly left me in charge of my younger siblings while they attempted a much needed date night. Danny, who is eleven and Charlotte, who is eight, were driving me nuts, like always. They would not leave me alone; always coming in my room to see what I was doing and then running to tattle to my parents. Once, last year, Danny had burst in without knocking, again, and found m...

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“An Unexpected Love” by Jessica Mills

** This story is a continuation of one of my previous stories, The Footsteps on the Tile. I encourage you to read that one first*** I’d been volunteering at the senior center for the past three years. Susanna, an eighty-seven year old widow, twice, was one of my favorite people and I looked forward to seeing her each week. Her presence in my life was transformative and something I didn't know I was missing or needed. The center is open from seven o’clock in the morning to eight o’clock in the evening and is a place for seniors to spend t...

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“A Year to Heal” by Jessica Mills

Submitted to Contest #62

The shovel strikes a rock hidden in the dark brown soil.  “Why is the dirt still so hard to dig in? I thought getting it wet would make it easier” Julie says to Billy as she puts all of her body weight on the shovel with her right foot and pushes hard into the ground.  “I don’t know, but keep digging” Billy replies “We only need to go a little bit deeper for it to fit”. It is an unseasonably warm spring afternoon. Julie and Billy are digging the hole in Julie’s backyard for the time capsule they created as part of their recov...

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“The Cabin” by Jessica Mills

Submitted to Contest #60

Lying on the old double bed covered by a blanket I knitted myself, I struggle to fall asleep as I listen for sounds of danger. I average a few hours of sleep at night, usually when I know Mark is awake and keeping a watch. But I worry that he too will nod off and that worry makes it into my dreams, turning them to nightmares and eventually waking me from my restless slumber. I know we are lucky to have found the small cabin vacant and in relatively good shape. After a lot of work, we were able to make it inhabitable. With the absence of powe...

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“The solitude in disappointment” by Jessica Mills

Submitted to Contest #59

Throughout the city there are deep red, brown, yellow and orange leaves falling silently from the trees and signaling the arrival of the fall season. The change of seasons is welcome after a long hot and dry summer, rain was anticipated for the afternoon but has not yet materialized. His bedroom window looks out over the tiny neighborhood park where there are several trees, a small patch of grass, a half court for basketball and a swing set with two swings that are barely swaying in the gentle breeze. Evening is approaching and the park is e...

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“Fear In The Forest” by Jessica Mills

Submitted to Contest #58

The moon reflects off the water with a white glow that illuminates the trees that line the shore of the mountain lake. Clear skies create a masterpiece of glowing stars, many of the constellations visible as well as the occasional shooting star crossing the night sky like a rocket on a mission to a distant and forbidden planet. Sitting in one of the large pine trees an owl hoots in rapid succession warning others that he has claimed the tree and it would best for them to stay away. Preparing to hunt, the owl scans below for his next meal; pe...

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“Not So Quiet Desperation” by Jessica Mills

Submitted to Contest #56

I am down on my knees, my face pressed into my hands that lay on the carpet in my bedroom. She’s screaming again and there is nothing I can do to make it stop. From outside I hear the cars rushing by, normal life continuing for the rest of the world. But inside these walls is hell as I would imagine it and there is literally no escape. Now I am begging, begging, God for help. I have never been a religious person, spiritual, yes, religious, no. I grew up going to church and learning how to pray. Over the year’s prayer has been more of a sym...

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“The Secret Keeper” by Jessica Mills

Submitted to Contest #55

“Can you keep a secret?” she asks. “Sure, you know I can,”  he replies. Silas wonders what it is about secrets. People are always telling him secrets and he is always keeping them safely inside him, feigning surprise when the truth comes to life. He has perfected his game face, practiced it in the mirror for years, to make sure that when the secret information eventually comes to light he can pretend it is also news to him. Often he nods along to the person’s voice to demonstrate he is paying attention and waiting for the moment whe...

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