Lauren Oertel

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Feb, 2020

Stories (14)

14 Stories

265 karma pts

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“Finding Our Way Back” by Lauren Oertel

Submitted to Contest #78

The last time I danced was in February. Not this year’s February, but last year’s. It’s too many months with no contact. Now I’m walking into a hotel for one of my favorite pre-pandemic pastimes. I’m greeted by a bright welcoming face behind the check in desk. I can see her smile and she can see mine. There’s still a wall of plexiglass between us from when it was needed for protection, but seeing another human this close without masks hiding half of our faces feels incredibly intimate. I accept my room keys and head to the elevator. My finge...

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“Snow Day” by Lauren Oertel

Submitted to Contest #77

The IV machine beeps with alarm, jolting me back to an antiseptic-scented reality. I press the button on the remote to summon a nurse then go back to gazing out the window. Snowflakes dance through their fall, delighting in meeting with one another, then settling together to land on the blanket of snow covering the trees and shrubs at the hospital’s entrance. I move the starched blanket off of me, frustrated by the consistent fluctuation of temperature in this place. And always, whether it’s too hot or too cold, it’s artificial. It’s a ...

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“Pieces ” by Lauren Oertel

Submitted to Contest #70

The Mother’s hands grip the steering wheel as she watches her Son in the passenger seat out of the corner of her eye. She allows the tremble of her hands to vibrate into the steering wheel, blending with the gentle rumble of the car’s movement over the road. “Well, how was school today?” The Mother asks in a voice pitched slightly higher than what’s natural for her.“It’s fine,” the Son replies while scrolling through his Facebook feed.“Good. And Grandma?” She briefly turns toward him, placing her right forearm on the steering wheel.&nbs...

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“Never Too Late” by Lauren Oertel

Submitted to Contest #43

When little Amanda came into the world kicking and screaming, Susan felt a rush of both love and fear. “Can I do this? What if she doesn’t like me?” she asked the delivery nurse with eager eyes. “Oh I wouldn’t worry about that yet. Just focus on keeping her alive and getting sleep when you can,” the nurse assured her with a wink. A few days later Susan emerged from her bedroom and felt sick when she saw herself in the hallway mirror. That baby has destroyed me, she thought as she poked at the dark circles under her eyes and tried t...

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“The Second Date” by Lauren Oertel

Submitted to Contest #42

Victoria slides down onto the bench and inhales a deep breath of the park’s fresh air as she takes in the sparkling lake in front of her. She scolds her hands for trembling in nervous excitement and shakes them out. Her date with Megan the night before exceeded her expectations and she spent all of her lunch hour today on the phone with her best friend Mario. She recounted each detail to him to make sure the connection she felt wasn’t just in her head.“Wow, Vic,” he interrupted after a few minutes of her vivid descriptions, “I can actually f...

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“A New Day” by Lauren Oertel

Submitted to Contest #41

Today my mom slept in late, ignoring my cries to be let out. After a few minutes I decide to let her stay asleep, holding it until she’s ready. When she finally emerges from her dark dungeon I jump with glee. It’s time to start a new day! What could be more exciting than that?After letting me out into the backyard mom shuffles over to the stove to boil water for her morning drink. I don’t know why she likes hers dark and hot. I prefer the cool and clear drink in my bowl. She pours a cup of kibble into my other bowl and I devour it while also...

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“Routine Stop” by Lauren Oertel

Submitted to Contest #40

They’re on their way to a party when Caitlin gets a text that it has already been broken up. Devon is the designated driver, as usual. The girls are always happy to take him up on free rides and they never give too much thought as to why he doesn’t drink like the rest of them do. April suggests they get some food at Denny’s so the night isn’t a total waste. In this winter chill a hot burger and fries sound perfect and a few minutes later Devon turns into the parking lot. As soon as he parks behind the building the four of them notice red and...

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“Finding the One” by Lauren Oertel

Submitted to Contest #39

Sara shivered with nervous excitement as they settled into the middle of the dock and fixed their eyes on the stars above them. This was her favorite spot, her secret hideaway that she always felt would connect her with her perfect match. A few weeks after moving into this apartment complex she wandered through the gate behind  the pool and found a rickety wooden staircase leading to a small floating dock with a scattering of fluorescent kayaks tethered to it. The dock was rarely occupied and it was hidden from view of the walking trail...

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“Now is All We Have” by Lauren Oertel

Submitted to Contest #38

Maria climbed the flimsy fold-out ladder up into the attic and blew a stray strand of hair out of her eyes in frustration. There was so much cleaning to do in this old house and the attic was no exception. It was a mess. There was a thick layer of dust coating all of the old bookshelves, boxes, and artwork her grandfather had collected. She thought cleaning would help keep her occupied enough to let go of the day’s frustrations. Moving her classes online and troubleshooting her students’ technical issues took much more time than the actual t...

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“A Ticking Clock” by Lauren Oertel

Submitted to Contest #36

March 3, 2020It’s my last night on this earth and I can’t sleep. I’m not sure I’m really expected to, but now I’m concerned about stepping into the chamber and then the great unknown with exhaustion weighing me down. Along with all this other weight I carry with me. I carry the weight of two small burned bodies, one on each shoulder. I carry the weight of a screaming mother on my back, trying to claw at my face. I carry the weight of a devastated father, sitting on my head, reaching down to strangle me. I deserve all of this and I have no do...

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“A Tiger Queen” by Lauren Oertel

Submitted to Contest #35

A bead of sweat formed on the back of my neck as my cursor hovered over the submit button. The air outside became electrified as thunder began to roll down the mountains. The weather seemed to understand the intensity of this decision. Today’s the day, I thought to myself, I deserve this. After my 17th job application rejection, I recently decided that the first day of spring would be my deadline. If I didn’t get one of these last two jobs before the 19th I would switch to Plan B. Here it was, March 19th. There would be no turning ...

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“Keeping Score” by Lauren Oertel

Submitted to Contest #34

This was officially their first fight in isolation. Things were going reasonably well during days one through eight, but by day nine they started testing each other’s nerves and patience. It started with dirty dishes, well, that was the tipping point at least. Kendra was doing the dishes AGAIN, even though it was David’s responsibility. He was supposed to be taking care of the yard, bathrooms, and dishes. She did the cooking, laundry, and general tidying of the house. After two days of dirty dishes sitting in their own filth in the sink Kend...

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“A Perfect Day” by Lauren Oertel

Submitted to Contest #33

Andrea dusted off her walking shoes and tugged them on, then bolted for the door with enthusiasm. Her watch showed 6:15 p.m. Behind schedule already! She planned for a perfect day today, no matter what tried to get in her way. Well, technically a perfect half-day since it was already the evening. Better late than never though. Andrea cautiously placed her phone on the counter, locked the front door behind her, then rushed back inside, rethinking the idea to leave the phone behind. I can do this, she told herself, taking a deep brea...

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“Spring Blossoms” by Lauren Oertel

Submitted to Contest #32

The first day of every new season; that’s when I see her. The idea came to me easily because she was one of those rare gems of a human who took delight in the small things like that. Each weather change, wildflower, or falling leaf made her pause in admiration. She knew how to savor those moments and celebrate the beauty of the world around us at every chance. Last time, in December, I left my car and rushed to our spot in the blistering wind, scolding myself for leaving my hat and gloves behind. It was fine though, we made a fire and s...

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Author bio

I write mostly short stories, some poetry and nonfiction, and I have an idea for a novel I might start on soon. I live and write in Austin, TX.