Marcia H.

“Forbidden Hearts” by Marcia H.

Submitted to Contest #290

The sirens alarmed at precisely 6 pm signaling the start of the curfew. The gray city streets emptied as people hurried inside their houses, avoiding the watchful drones which hovered above them. The government had one unwavering law. Love is Forbidden.  Romance had been deemed the root of society’s downfall. Wars had been fought over it, many crimes had been committed in the name of love. Love makes people reckless, unpredictable and dangerous.  The city council believed that a world which was free from love was a world at peace.&...

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“Someone Else on the Other Side” by Marcia H.

Olivia had always been careful online. She was not the kind of woman to trust anyone online easily. But, there was something different about Ethan that felt different. Their conversations flowed effortlessly and  felt real. She was getting a real vibe with him and trusted him more than anyone she had previously talked to online.  His words were filled with kindness and understanding. They had bonded through shared experiences both in their adult lives and as children.  They had met online in a book forum, bonding over their sh...

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“Transformation Breeze” by Marcia H.

The wind whispered against Sam’s skin, carrying with it the first bite of something unnatural. A chill slithered through his veins. It was deeper than the cold winter’s air should have allowed. He shivered and rubbed his arms. The sensation didn’t go away, instead it burrowed beneath his flesh, like roots taking a hold into fertile soil.  His breath hitched, his fingers tingled and then burned. He glanced down at his hands. His nails were getting darker and growing in length. They curled slightly like claws. Panic surged through his bod...

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“Deadly Tea Brewing” by Marcia H.

Sometimes a cup of tea is just hot water in a kettle, a tea bag, and a pretty cup on top of a saucer that warms you up on a cold winter’s night. Other times, it can be a lethal drink that will either make you sick or kill you.The kettle hissed softly, the sound mingling with the crackle of the fireplace in the otherwise silent kitchen. Eleanor carefully poured the steaming water into the delicate porcelain cup, watching as the tea bag bloomed, its colors swirling in mesmerizing patterns. Her hand hovered over the sugar bowl for a moment, her...

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“Dancing to the 80's” by Marcia H.

Planning a high school dance in her senior year was the last thing that Allie wanted to do in her spare time. But, she let her best friend, Brenn, talk her into it. But worst of all, Brenn bailed on her and she was left to do all the work by herself. The students voted for a back to the 80’s dance. Allie knew nothing about the 80’s except what yahoo and her mom told her.  She closed her eyes as she sat in the bleachers at the school gym and tried to picture what she thought the 80’s would look like. She pursed her lips as she went into ...

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“Queen of the Odd Days” by Marcia H.

Queen always appeared at noon on the odd days of the month only. So, as the holidays approached, especially Christmas, Zena expected to see Queen. After all, Christmas always falls on an odd numbered day.  Zena first noticed Queen during the summer months, June 4th to be exact. She remembers that date because it was her birthday and Queen just showed up looking at her as if to say “Happy Birthday” in cat talk. Back then she called her Kitty Pretty.  One day she noticed that Kitty Pretty had a queen-like posture and when she stood c...

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“Back to Light” by Marcia H.

Submitted to Contest #282

For as long as Kodi could remember, the world had been cloaked in darkness. He and everyone else in the town lived their lives guided by the soft echoes of sound and the tender whisper of the chill of the wind on their faces. They built their homes with stones, wood and leaves they found by feel and told each other stories of what they imagined the world might look like if it was not shrouded in blackness.  To them the darkness was their life, a constant unchanging and sometimes a confronting familiarity. Kodi was a curious child always...

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“The Dog Ate My Christmas Tree and the Murder” by Marcia H.

“Are you going to the holiday party tomorrow?” “Which one? Everyone and their grandma seems to be having holiday parties this year.” “You know the fun one.”  “Can you be more specific? I haven’t had fun at any of these parties.” “The one that Jack and Janet are having you know at their house. The house they just bought a few months ago. It is sort of like a house warming and holiday party all in one.”  “I don’t know. I might be busy that day.” “You don’t even know what day it is. Come on. You might find love.”  “Please. That i...

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“The Last Laugh” by Marcia H.

Zake shuffled his big size twelve feet down the cracked sidewalk of what used to be West Street, dragging his one foot behind the other. He looked down and noticed his mismatched shoes, one scuffed brown leather loafer and the other a bright pink croc. As they both scrapped along against the asphalt he noticed that was the only sound in the empty world. He sighed, or at least tried to. The sigh came out sounding more like a low groan.  “Day 419 of the apocalypse.” Zake muttered, his voice gravelly. “Still no sign of anyone else and I ca...

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“The Other Side of the Slipper” by Marcia H.

On a crisp cold Autumn morning, as the wind howled through the shutters of their home, Drizella and Anna sat by the fire. Both grasping a cup of hot tea and thinking about how they were going to come clean to their step sister, Cinderella, whom they called Ella.  Their dresses were plain, a far cry from the night of the ball, when their dresses sparkled as loudly as the jewels around their necks and the bracelets on their wrists.  Their faces were filled with regret and sadness. They knew that tonight was the night. Anna picked up ...

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“The Frozen Good-Bye” by Marcia H.

Athens always knew that she was different. She knew that she was one of the chosen few. Her mom told her that from birth. Although, she really did not understand what that entailed. She knew that the tiny tattoo on her neck was only given to the special ones in the city where she lived. She also knew that people treated her differently and that she could sense things others couldn’t.  It was not until her sixteenth birthday when she discovered her unique power, the ability to pause time.  It happened by accident. She was running la...

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“July” by Marcia H.

“I’m married.” He said.“I know.” She said, She flicked off the lights with one hand and she plunged a knife deep into his back with the other hand and left the room. She thought that was the end of it but it was not. It was only a terrifying beginning for everyone.  Six months ago Ari would have never thought that she would be stabbing anyone but as they say “stuff happens.” and the stuff that happened was all bad. She will never forget the day that their paths crossed in that quaint, small, almost hole in the wall coffee shop on Bellev...

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“The Darkness of the Light Journey to Find the Sun” by Marcia H.

Dear Unborn Baby Daughter, this is day one. I am writing this letter to you today hoping that you will not have to read it until you are an old woman. I don’t know if our world will still be here by the time you get old. The sun is dying, Baby Girl, and I  am scared. Death is always all around us and I am not scared of death. But, I never thought that the sun would die. But, it seems to be happening, Baby Daughter. The days are slowly getting darker and it seems that we don’t even have seasons anymore. It is just one long day, day after...

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“Renewal Resolutions Journey” by Marcia H.

As the clock struck midnight and the ball dropped on the TV show Henderson was watching, signaling the end of the old year and the beginning of the new year, Henderson stood on her balcony, gazing at the city lights and her neighbors Christmas lights which were a permanent fixture on her house. She took a deep breath and inhaled the cold night air. She closed her eyes and made her first resolution of the new year. She was determined to embrace this unpredictable new year with new intentions.  In a world that showed her life was unpred...

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“The Endless Echoes of Christmas” by Marcia H.

It was a bitter cold winter’s night when Michael found himself trapped in the haunting loop of his very worst nightmare of Christmas. The air was heavy with regret as he stepped into a familiar scene which replayed endlessly and relentlessly, like a broken record stuck on a painful melody he would rather forget.  The small living room was dimly lit and the room flickered with the glow of a plain not decorated Christmas tree in the corner of the room. The scent of cinnamon and pine filled the air, but it didn’t offer any comfort to Mi...

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