Marcia H.

“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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“Winter's Warmth” by Marcia H.

As Izzy stepped outside of her small cozy house, the first thing that enveloped her was the crisp biting air. It clung to her skin like a hundred needles sending shivers down her whole body. The scent of the cold clean air and the invigorating aroma of the frost kissed pine needles on the trees outside looked as if they were frozen in time.  The snow beneath her boots was soft and echoed a soft satisfying crunch with every step. It was the sound of winter’s symphony, a reminder that nature had orchestrated its own frosty masterpiece. ...

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“Who's Cooking the Catfish?” by Marcia H.

Sparrow had just landed in a new city after an exhausting long flight which left her disoriented and very jet lagged. Despite her exhaustion which weighed heavily on her eyelids, sleep remained elusive. The unfamiliar time zone had her internal clock upside down, leaving her wide awake in the dead of the night.  Fueled by a mix of restlessness and her desire to make the most of her time in the city foreign to her, Sparrow decided to embrace the city’s nocturnal charm. The city breathed differently after midnight. Sparrow’s appetite fo...

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“Kitchen Memories” by Marcia H.

The first thing that hits my senses is the rich, earthly base note of freshly brewed coffee beans. It’s a deep and robust scent that lingers in the air, promising a bold and invigorating start to the day. It’s like a warm familiar embrace which wraps around you as soon as you enter the small kitchen.  As I approach the kitchen the source of the aroma hits my nostrils I begin to detect subtle hints of toasted caramel and chocolate. The sweet compliments of the coffee’s natural bitterness. The harmonious balance dances in the air around m...

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“Blackthron Mansion” by Marcia H.

The old mansion stood  in Century City like a shadowy sentinel amidst the desolate landscape. It had an eerie presence. The decaying mansion was known as the Blackthorn Manor. It was a testament to an era gone by. Its architect was once grand and opulent but now had succumbed to neglect. All of the residents had long passed away and the mansion just sat there with its crumbling walls which were choked with ivy and moss. Gargoyles sat on top of the roof with their grotesque faces frozen in scary expressions. They looked as if they had wi...

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“Confessions ” by Marcia H.

Claire sat by the window, the soft glow of the afternoon sun casting a warm embrace across her cozy family room. A steaming cup of herbal tea rested in her hands, it's comforting aroma intertwining with the delicate scent of all of her books that lined the shelves. Beside her on the table lay an envelope, the penmanship on it unmistakably belonging to her pen pal, Edna. Their correspondence had spanned over two decades, their letters revealing the nuances of their lives, dreams, and fears. But today, Claire sensed something different in the ...

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