M Solarova

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Apr, 2020

Stories (11)

11 Stories

198 karma pts

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“So Strong” by M Solarova

Submitted to Contest #52

[cw: sexual assault] Just as she’s finished applying her magnetic eyelashes, Liza’s phone buzzes with a text. It’s Kelly.  “You home?” “Yep, just getting ready.” “Can I come over? Please.” “What’s up?” Kelly’s heart sinks lower. She’s hiding in a bank vestibule, pretending to wait for the ATM. She just wants to be in her friend’s apartment and feel safe. She’s not sure she can explain what’s going on over text. And then she sees him. He’s approaching the glass walls of the bank, peaking through, his hands around his face to block the re...

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“My Friend Todd ” by M Solarova

Submitted to Contest #51

As soon as I step in through the door, Ethan, Andy, and Tony are hollering at me from the bar.“John! The man, the myth, the legend!” “Welcome home buddy!”“Let me buy you a drink!”By the time I walk up to them, there’s a shot with my name on it sitting on the bar. They each have one, too.“To having our John back with us!” Ethan says ceremoniously.“Cheers!” Andy yells out.“To friendship!” Tony adds.“To drinking!” I close out our circle. “So, how was it down there?” Ethan asks eagerly, as soon as the empty shot glasses hit the bar.“Eh...

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“Pick Your Battle...” by M Solarova

Submitted to Contest #50

“Can I interest you in the dessert menu? The the special this week is a single-origin chocolate mousse.” Our server asks. “None for me thanks, but I’d like another Mule please,” Miles points to his near-empty glass. “For me as well, please,” I say.  “Excellent, I’ll be right back with that,” she says, making notes on her pad.  “Hey, do you wanna go see this pop-up exhibit downtown? Sean went and he said it’s really cool! It’s a look at the ways mainstream media has portrayed women over the last century and–” UGH. “How that tracks p...

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“Uncle Eddie” by M Solarova

Submitted to Contest #48

“Mommy I don’t wanna go!” Cameron is kicking the back of his Mom’s seat as she’s driving.Esther looks over to the passenger seat and exchanges a glance with her husband, Cameron’s Dad. “I know, honey, but you’ll have fun with Uncle Eddie.”“Eddie is no fun! He doesn’t play and he’s mean.”“I think you’re being unfair to your Uncle. He loves to play, doesn’t he, Tom?” she says, turning to her husband for support. He glances back at her; Uncle Eddie doe snot like to play.“Yeah, he’s---we played a lot growing up! He used to love playing Batm...

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“Is That How You Spell It?” by M Solarova

Submitted to Contest #46

Mark’s focus was laser-sharp. Is that how you spell “fulfillment?” He read over the document again, one last time, deliberately moving his mouth along with the words, each of them a suspect for being superfluous, inaccurate or worse: boring. An unbeaten spelling bee champion of many moons ago, he found himself questioning even the simplest words.  He checked the clock: five minutes until the deadline. It was time. He hovered over the “Submit” button and, taking a deep breath, he pressed it.   The page refreshed to a ge...

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“When They Came For Her” by M Solarova

Submitted to Contest #45

When Helen first heard about the SHAIDSUs’ plight, she thought they had some good points and wished others would see it, too. She heard her friends talk disparagingly of them and wanted to step in and tell them where they were being wrong. It wasn’t the SHAIDSUs’ fault they were in this situation–it was ours, she thought. If the SHAIDSUs wanted to negotiate, they should be at least heard out.  She was no expert however, and she worried she’d just make her friends angry. They were anxious enough as it was, what with the state of the ...

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“Staying At Home” by M Solarova

Submitted to Contest #44

“Alright, bye Tatiana!” Just like that, before I can say respond, he closes the door and he’s gone. Well, bye Max. I have breakfast to attend to anyways. As I’m eating, I notice a beautiful bird land on the birdfeeder on our balcony. We are on the third-floor and it gets a lot of traffic. I so enjoy watching them and hearing them sing. It’s something Max and I share. I remain perfectly still while watching the blue tit–a common one in our area but very pretty just the same. They fascinate Max because, he says, they’re basically dinosaurs tha...

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“Behavior & Reward” by M Solarova

Submitted to Contest #43

I hang up the phone and try to steady myself while my brain is going a million miles an hour. I resist the urge to get into my car as I am and start driving right away.  Stop. Think.  I grab a bag and start thinking about what I’ll need. Clothes for a few day. Let’s say three...make it five to be sure, the car is big enough. Laptop for work. I’m not gonna bring any books, that’s ridiculous, JSTOR will have to do. Power banks and chargers for everything. Toothbrush...shaving kit?  Food for the road! I stuff a tote bag full of s...

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“Minefield” by M Solarova

Submitted to Contest #42

“Coffee?” “Yes, please,” I answer, thankful to be distracted from my thoughts. “How do you take it?” “Do you have soy milk?” “Yes, organic.” “Great, lots of it then and no sugar.” “Are you sure? We have stevia and other sweeteners, too.” “Thank you but no, just soy milk.” My lawyer’s assistant comes back in a few minutes with my cup of coffee.  “Jasmine will be just a few more minutes, let me know if you need anything else, okay?” “Thank you, James.” He smiles and head back to his desk. I lean back in the fancy office chair and look a...

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“Transitions” by M Solarova

Submitted to Contest #41

I open the door to my apartment and walk in, dragging two huge bags of cat litter over the doorstep. My mom is right behind me, she sets the crate down in the living room of my one-bedroom walk-up. The cat inside meows in disapproval and pushes its head into the grill of the door.  “Let’s go get the rest,” I say hastily, afraid to have a quiet moment alone with Mom, event though I deeply desire one and need it. Three trips later, we’re both out of breath and sweating but we finally got everything up. And they tell you cats are easy. “Wa...

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“Separation Spare” by M Solarova

Submitted to Contest #40

“Fran! Your phone is ringing!” Eliza is yelling at me from the living room. I must’ve left it there when I was cooking. I can see it from the hallway, vibrating away on the wet bar.  Eliza is folding laundry on the couch, watching a baseball game.  “Oh shit,” I let out when I see who’s calling and feel my stomach clench up. “What’s going on?” Eliza asks without looking up. It’s the bottom of the ninth and the full hamper next to her is a thin excuse for this indulgence of hers. “It’s Mark.” Instantly, she is on her feet and looking...

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Author bio

Em Solarova moved to California from the Czech Republic looking for fame and fortune. Instead, they discovered Mexican food and vowed to stay.