Kathleen Whalen

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Mar, 2020

Stories (17)

17 Stories

305 karma pts

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“When Alice Vanished ” by Kathleen Whalen

Submitted to Contest #117

On December 22 2001, Alice Murphy stepped off the school bus and walked home. Then, she completely vanished. No one on the bus claimed to know what happened. Joe Winston, the bus driver and all but the youngest children on board were questioned by police and said they saw nothing unusual. This was the last school day before the Christmas holiday and the kids were too preoccupied with outdoing one another, bragging...

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“How To Write A Christmas Romance ” by Kathleen Whalen

Submitted to Contest #71

How  To Write A Christmas Romance    I stare at my laptop screen, disbelieving the words my editor Jeannine is uttering. A Christmas romance? Is she kidding me? I am Kelsey McCarty. Queen of the Disgruntled Female Detective genre.  My fat tabby, Kramer jumps aboard the laptop and begins to dance upon the keys.    “A Christmas romance? Need I remind you, I write dark suspense novels with a protagonist who is combative, anti-social and drinks too muc...

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“In Their Dreams” by Kathleen Whalen

Submitted to Contest #65

    I could hear their voices from downstairs. I was hiding in the dark corner of Sarah’s closet. Not that I needed to hide since no one can see me.   They were coming in from school, Thalia chattering about Halloween and Sarah sulking the way she seemed to do a lot of late.  “I’m going to be Cookie Monster and Thalia is going to be Elmo,” Sarah said without enthusiasm.  “Sarah, you’re ten years old. You’re way too old t...

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“No Higher Power ” by Kathleen Whalen

Submitted to Contest #58

         No Higher PowerAmerica 2025       Morgan had ceased going to church when she was twelve years old.  She  and her mom were living with  her grandmother and she insisted they attend church. One Sunday morning Morgan refused to go.  No one forced her and that was the end of organized religion for her.      As she walked a...

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“The Winning Shot ” by Kathleen Whalen

Submitted to Contest #57

“The year was 1957. Columbia High was played Union High for the District title and the chance to go to the state tournament. There were twelve seconds left and the score was tied 65 all. Bucky Richardson passes me the ball. I run toward the hoop and leap in the air. The ball dances around the rim and then, whoosh! It falls in! Columbia high wins! I am mobbed by my teammates as they rush from the bench and soon Columbia fans are rushing from the bleachers.”I had heard my grandpa tell this tale every Thanksgiving since I could rememb...

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“The Reluctant Parent ” by Kathleen Whalen

Submitted to Contest #56

I didn’t sign up for any of this.Mom tells me she is going grocery shopping and that I need to stay home with Her. I immediately freak out and begin to cry.“No! I’m not ready, Mom. Please! I’ll go. Just give me a list and I’ll get anything you want.”“She’s your daughter, Kylie. Grow up and start acting responsibly.”Three weeks ago I had given birth to Chloe after twelve hours of excruciating labor. When I held her in my arms for the first time I had no warm and fuzzy feelings. She was simply a squall...

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“The Cherry Popsicle Incident ” by Kathleen Whalen

Submitted to Contest #53

I never should have let Amanda hold her own Popsicle.The child always made such a mess of everything. But getting Popsicles at the ice cream truck after swimming had become a ritual for the children. Amanda just wanted to be a Big Girl and hold her Popsicle like her brother.By the time we got to the car the Popsicle had melted. Everywhere. Cherry Popsicle was all over Amanda’s hands, face and pretty pink flowered shirt. Naturally, I had nothing to wipe her off with. My stash of crumpled napkins sat in the glove compartment.<...

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“Escape ” by Kathleen Whalen

Submitted to Contest #47

You have been plotting your escape for a while now. You lay in bed beside him at night as he belches and snores in his sleep, thinking about the old suitcase in the closet hidden under a pile of winter blankets and quilts.It would be easy to go the kitchen, grab a knife and stab him through the heart as he sleeps. You will get in the car and drive to a faraway city, change your identity and begin life anew.You know this plan will not save you. You are the first person the police will suspect. They will track you down, find y...

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“The Creative Writer” by Kathleen Whalen

Submitted to Contest #46

Doreen was actually thrilled when the writer’s group she belonged to changed their monthly meeting from Armando’s Italian Bistro to Janine’s Book Shoppe and Coffeehouse.The leader of the writing circle, Cliff said they were expected to purchase something at Armando’s to support local business and show appreciation for allowing the group to meet there. The cheapest appetizer on the menu at Armando’s was fifteen dollars. Doreen was presently scraping pennies and nickels together for bus fare. A fifteen dollar appetizer was way beyond...

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“This Is What Democracy Looks Like” by Kathleen Whalen

Submitted to Contest #45

When Eden was ten, she had asked her mom why Hitler and the Nazis had killed all those people in Germany. She had read The Diary of Anne Frank even though her parents asked her not to. She was "too sensitive" they had said. It would cause her to have nightmares again"Why? Because they were bad people, Sweetheart."The answer was not satisfactory to Eden. Her grandpa David was the only one who understood. He had been an English teacher and encouraged her to read not only Anne Frank, but To Kill A Mockingbird which was her favo...

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“Pandemic ” by Kathleen Whalen

Submitted to Contest #44

“Will, please get up. It’s time for school.”He barely heard his mother’s voice in the doorway. He ignored her and continued attempting to sleep.“I am not going to ask you again. You can stay home and sit with your grandfather instead if you’d like.”That would be a worse alternative. Since his “recovery” from the flu virus, his grandfather did little but sit in his chair all day staring at nothing. He barely ate anything and rarely spoke.“Fine. I’ll be down for breakfast in a minute.”He dressed quickly, w...

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“Missing ” by Kathleen Whalen

Submitted to Contest #42

Where are you?I hit “send” hoping my brief text would reach my roommate. Wherever she may be.I knew Michelle was always putting herself at risk. Going out drinking on weekend nights and going home with random strangers. She walked alone at night in sketchy areas when she should have known better. Michelle was naive and reckless. She’d come to Philly for college and after graduation three years ago she was still here. In many ways she still led a college life.Still, it wasn‘t like Michelle to fall completely of...

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“The Amazing Mr. Butterball” by Kathleen Whalen

Submitted to Contest #41

“Come on, Mr. Butterball. It’s time now. It’s moving day.”First off, I despised the name Mr. Butterball. I was a cat and not a turkey.Alice came up with the name because the family adopted me around Thanksgiving. Alice was five at the time. The rest of the family thought it was cute.“Alice, please stop calling me that. Why couldn’t you have picked a cool name like Thor or Batman?”“Hush, Mr. Butterball. If Mom hears me talking to you she’ll think I clearly lost my mind.”I was lying on Alice’s bed at the e...

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“Teenage Love in the Time of Corona ” by Kathleen Whalen

Submitted to Contest #38

“This going to be a new start for us, Taryn. You are gonna love it here!”Taryn had heard heard her mother say those words so many times that she no longer listened. She simply turned her face toward the car window and tuned out.Randi, as her mom preferred to be called, pulled into the parking space in front of their new apartment complex. Rolling Farm Estates, they were called. Taryn didn’t see any farms anywhere around here and didn’t understand why they would be rolling.Randi got out of the car and stomped her cigar...

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“The Sister” by Kathleen Whalen

Submitted to Contest #37

West Virginia 1977Anna stood upon the shore waiting as Edward disembarked his ship. Soon he would be in her arms and the years of separation would melt away. Marilee sighed as she pushed away the old typewriter. She knew these words to be pure fantasy. True love did not actually exist. But “Women’s Romances” magazine paid her to pretend that it did. The small checks she received from them kept her from starving during the brutal West Virginia winter.Marilee lived alone in the tiny cabin. Her rad...

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