Marcia H.

“Circle of Coincidence” by Marcia H.

Janna could not believe her eyes. She sprinted across two lanes of traffic and flagged down the nearest taxi. She swung the door open a little too hard and screamed at the taxi driver, “Follow that car!” The taxi driver didn’t miss a beat. He didn’t even turn around to see who she was. He did like he was told as if he had seen these exact words a million times. Janna could not take her eyes off of the red sports car just ahead of them. She hoped that her taxi driver had some skills and that he could catch that car. After all, what was in tha...

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“The Mountain Within” by Marcia H.

The mountain of grief is very high and sometimes it is hard to get over it or under it. It is just there all the time and staring you in the face even when your back is tuned. It is always there. I hadn’t had to deal with grief since the death of my brother almost six years ago. He died suddenly. He was a big Prince fan and a big sports fan and ironically he died the same day as the musician’s Prince’s birthday and the big Golden State Warriors play off game that year. I remember it vividly as if I was still in the moment. That day it was ar...

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“Mistle-Toe” by Marcia H.

When the office dog, Lucy, comes inside the front door with a human toe in her mouth you know that it is not going to be the ordinary holiday party that you planned. Shakira was horrified when she turned around to find Lucy with a human toe hanging out of her mouth. Lucy put the toe in front of Shakira’s feet. She didn’t know where the toe came from and who’s foot it came from but she knew that she had to find out. Lisa, Shakira’s best friend, came into the office a few minutes after Lucy. She screamed when she saw the toe still sitting on t...

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“Training Day” by Marcia H.

Submitted to Contest #173

Kina waited patiently for her new trainee to come to the store. She had been a cashier there for the past six years and was finally put in charge of training the new cashiers. This was her first trainee and she could not wait. The training room was apart from the store. It was a room in the basement where they had a cash register set up and some clothing and other accessories that they could scan and go through the motions of what a cashier does. Kina would train them for three days before they get “thrown to the wolves” as Kina calls it. So...

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“Finally Home” by Marcia H.

I felt like I was drowning. The water was rushing over my head fast. I kept trying to catch my breath and find my way to the top of the waves pulling me down. I tried to scream but nobody could hear me underwater. My screams were in vain. I knew in my soul that it was time. It was time for a vacation. I needed to be alone with myself. I needed to leave the things that were drowning me behind even if it was just for a couple of weeks. I brought the train ticket and  did not tell a single person. I didn’t want them to tell me anything at ...

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“Mind Blowing” by Marcia H.

The hospital room had little particles of dust flying around especially when the sunlight came though the one window beside my bed. It was my first time in the hospital since I had my son almost 15 years ago. I stared at the blank blinding white walls. They were too white and too bright. I hated hospital walls. At least when I had my son, Jake, the walls in the maternity room were an off yellowish color. My eyes darted from the walls to my husband, Kent. Kent gently grabbed my limp hand and held on to it tightly. His grasp was a little too t...

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“The Day Henry Lived and Died Again” by Marcia H.

The lace curtains moved slightly from one side to the other as the breeze from the last day of summer entered the room like an invited guest. Sophie stood there on the outside of the window and looked inside. She knew what she would see. Right in front of her was an empty room with blood droppings on the snow white shag carpet.  Sophie wiped the tear that had left her bright green eyes and she let out a gut wrenching yell, “It is all my fault!” “I should have tried to do something to stop this. I didn’t try at all.” She continued. ...

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“Big Umbrellas and Belly Laughs” by Marcia H.

The clouds parted in the sky as if the heavens were opening up. An angel on earth was getting ready to leave. When someone young dies people proclaim that it was too soon. I am one of those people.  I wanted her to be with me for many years. Our intention was to stay friends forever. We didn’t know that forever would come  13 years after we met. Her job was done here on earth, at least that is the thought that got me through countless tears and endless memories. I imagined her climbing a big ladder into the clouds and into heaven. ...

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“Witches Tales and Allie” by Marcia H.

Submitted to Contest #163

Allie knew it was going to be a very strange family dinner at her granny’s house when Puppy Girl, her grandmother’s dog didn’t greet her at the door and in the middle of the living room sat a suit of armor and a dead body.  Allie was excited to go to her granny’s house for dinner with some of her family. She carefully picked out a blue and white pants suit and curled her long straight black hair. She even put on  a little bit of lip gloss. She was ready. It had been a while since she had seen her granny and her cousins. This was ...

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“The Uneasy Spirit ” by Marcia H.

Submitted to Contest #160

The whistle of the tea kettle over the open flame on the stove filled the air. That whistle only meant two things. The first thing it meant was the water for my tea and oatmeal was ready. The second thing it meant was that the walking would begin in the apartment upstairs.  That was the signal.  I quietly walked into the kitchen and took the hot whistling kettle off of the stove and poured the hot water in my flowered  “Too  Damn Hot”  mug my sister gave me for Christmas and then pushed my bowl of instant oats towa...

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“Complicated Sisterhood Love” by Marcia H.

Submitted to Contest #158

“You know that smoking is a bad habit.” James smiled  at Samatha showing his tobacco stained teeth. He walked over to her in the parking lot of the apartment building and stood next to her.  “I know. I know. But, it is a hard habit to break. I’ve been smoking on and off since I was 15. Want a puff?” Samatha asked, winking at James.  James took the lit cigarette from Samatha and took a long drag. He passed it back to her and she did the same.  “So, what are you doing out here on a cold winter’s night besides smoking?...

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“Friends Wine and Envy” by Marcia H.

Alicia sat down at her small desk in the corner of her house. She positioned the desk by the window so she could see the birds and the squirrels when she was writing. Today was her 80th birthday.  She didn’t want a big celebration. She just wanted her family to come over for dinner and some cake. Alicia loved to cook and bake and was thankful that she still could. The pot of collard greens was simmering on the stove and the ham was in the oven baking. This gave Alicia just enough time to write. Today she was going to write something spe...

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“Bayton Max Hills” by Marcia H.

 Death didn’t mean much to Bayton Max Hills. Life didn’t mean much to him either.  He woke up, showered, dressed, ate his breakfast, packed his lunch, always an apple, orange, ham or salami sandwich and a small juice drink. He walked to work the same way every day at the same time every day. He did the same work, talked to the same three people whom he could tolerate in the office, and ignored the rest. He was the boss so he had that option of ignoring people that he didn’t need to interact with, the ones who were like him and came...

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“Car Crushing Canines ” by Marcia H.

Submitted to Contest #154

“We’re running out of time!”  Lee screamed as she grabbed her friend, Addy’s hand.  The two young women ran as fast as they could through the city streets not looking behind them. They knew what was ahead of them and behind them. The morning air was full of what was happening and what was going to happen.  In one day the world that they lived in changed. The air was thicker, the tree leaves were browner, the grass was wetter. People were running and screaming in the streets. There was a new enemy that nobody ever saw coming....

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“The Four Loves of Miss Jane Pickles” by Marcia H.

Submitted to Contest #153

Jane spread out the fifty or so wedding invitations across her dining room table and looked at each and every one carefully. The last batch had mistakes and she had to send them back. She hoped that she didn’t have a problem with this batch. So far so good. She nodded her head and smiled.  “You are invited to the wedding of Miss Jane Anne Pickles and Mr. Hunter Kyle Alexander on Saturday, July 17th, 2023 at the lovely home of Mr. and Mrs. Ira Handcock. The ceremony will be held in the garden at 222 Main Street. Port Charles, NY. Pleas...

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