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Melony Beard

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Oct, 2021

Stories (32)

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163 Followers

8 Following

32 Stories

1294 karma pts

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Peace After the Storm

Melony Beard

Submitted to Contest #163

As I stood outside the front doors of the drone factory where I'd worked for over twenty years, I stared at the furious black sky threatening any moment to release it's pent up frustration. Should I dare make a run for it without my umbrella? I thought for almost a moment too long, but as the first sprinkles fell, I realized it didn't matter if I was drenched. No one at home would care how I looked when I dragged my exhausted body through that door anyway. Certainly not him, the man I had been married to for twenty two years now. I made a ru...

38 likes

Clever Candice

Melony Beard

Submitted to Contest #150

"Oh crap," I mumbled beneath my breath as I looked down and noticed one navy and one gray sock sticking out beneath my swaying pants legs as I dashed into the office on another dreary Monday morning.It was a typical Monday from rushing to the office nearly late before sunrise to find myself alone in an empty office since I'm on the early shift.The only things different about this Monday were the extra time it took to find my keys which somehow managed to fall behind the dresser over the weekend, the mismatched socks on my feet and the fact t...

43 likes

The Hooded Stranger

Melony Beard

Submitted to Contest #149

"Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself Mom?" twelve year old Mitchell said as he tossed the oversized black duffel bag into the bed of his Dad's truck. "Mitchell, I'm 42 years old. If I'm not okay by myself for three days at my age, something is really wrong.""Awe, Mom," fourteen year old Matthew said as he leaned down to kiss my cheek, "We know you'll be okay but we can worry about you anyway."My husband Justin walked out the door in his usual hurried manner when he's preparing to leave for a trip. "What are you boys waiting on? Get ...

36 likes

Penny's Unicorn

Melony Beard

Submitted to Contest #144

I snapped a photo of the most beautiful creature I'd ever laid eyes on standing beneath a huge oak tree.She had silky white fur covering her entire body. One single horn stood on her head glowing hues of pinks, purples and blues. A long sparkling violet tail whipped in the wind as she struggled to flap her rainbow colored wings and fly away.I knew better, but I crossed the property line to get closer. I knelt beside her and patted her snowy white head. Her frightened eyes shimmered with tears. I followed her helpless gaze and that's when I s...

16 likes

Anna's New Buddy

Melony Beard

Submitted to Contest #143

Anna pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. "Why do I have to stay at the farm this summer?”Momma gently patted Anna’s arm. "We’ve already discussed this. You are eight years old. You’re too young to stay home alone.""Why can't you stay home with me like last summer?""You already know the answer. I work now that Daddy is gone. I can't afford a babysitter. I promise to visit you soon. Try to have fun."Momma turned the car onto a narrow dirt road past a rustic wooden sign which read, "Honeysuckle Farm."Frowning, Anna opened the car door a...

16 likes

The Land of Fairytales: The Lonely Unicorn

Melony Beard

Submitted to Contest #134

Not so long ago, far away from the Land of Fairytales, Loki, the Unicorn, lived in the Land of Nowhere in a field of tall grass and wildflowers with brown, black, and tan horses. Like the horses, Loki had four legs, a mane, and a tail, but Loki just didn't fit in. He had two things the other horses didn’t have, a single horn on his head and wings on his back.One day, Loki felt so lonely. He ran away and left the field of tall grasses and wildflowers behind. He galloped through the forests and plains of the Land of Nowhere, looking for a new ...

28 likes

Jesus Wore a Brown Jacket

Melony Beard

Submitted to Contest #132

Are you there, God? It’s me, Mallory. My momma is dying. I’m scared. I’ve never watched anyone die. I’ve never been without my momma either. Dear God, I know I’m grown, but I don’t feel so grown right now. On a cold, bitter January night at two in the morning, my sisters slept upstairs while I stayed downstairs with Momma. Taking care of Momma had become a twenty-four-hour job. We took shifts around the clock to take care of her, so everyone could get some rest.  Momma’s diagnosis less than two months ago had been nothing less than...

32 likes

Lily's Tea Party

Melony Beard

Submitted to Contest #128

Blonde ringlet curls bounced against rosy cheeks as Lily skipped down the hall wearing white patent shoes and a pink dress trimmed in lace on the hem.“Mr. Teddy,” Lily said as she entered the bedroom, “Today we’re having a special party.”Grabbing Mr. Teddy from the floor, she propped him in a chair at the four-seat table. “Wait right here while I prepare the tea.”Without blinking, Mr. Teddy. dressed in a single red bowtie, waited patiently as Lily retrieved four tiny cups. “You’re probably wondering why we need four cups instead of two, but ...

23 likes

The Old Tattered Sign

Melony Beard

Submitted to Contest #127

They were poor. Dirt poor. An old tattered sign stood in the yard advertising Maxine's services, yet hardly anyone stopped by. Most locals knew that Maxine, better known as Maxie, knew absolutely nothing about the future. So, Maxie and her husband, Danny, depended on the occasional drunk or curious traveler to stop by and hand over money for a reading into the future, even though the only future Maxie knew was her own. With each unknowing customer, Maxie knew her future held at least a paid bill or a few groceries.When the morning sun beamed...

44 likes

The Land of Fairytales: The Kidnapped Elves

Melony Beard

Submitted to Contest #127

Not so long ago, there were three bears living in a small cottage on the edge of the north woods in the Land of Fairytales.Papa Bear slipped on his shoes. "St. Nick called and the elves have been kidnapped. I’m going to the North Pole to help find them.”"Please may I go with you?" Baby Bear asked."Not this time. This could be quite dangerous." Papa Bear opened the door. "You're much too young. Stay with your mama."Papa Bear headed out, trudging north up the snowy hill towards the North Pole.Now, Baby Bear was quite curious, and he was sure h...

18 likes

Daddy's Disease

Melony Beard

Submitted to Contest #126

Cara twirled the silver spoon through the dark red juices and watched beans swirling around in the bowl. It was tradition, Momma made chili the last night of every year, but Cara wasn't the slightest bit hungry. She glanced at the clock above the oven, it was eight in the evening and the chair at the head of the table was still empty since Daddy wasn’t home. Cara nibbled at a cracker and wondered if Daddy was sick again.It was New Year’s Eve and Daddy said he’d be home with fireworks. He promised they wouldn’t be those sticks that sparkled, ...

19 likes

Fairyville's Special Assignment

Melony Beard

Submitted to Contest #125

Easton stood on a rooftop leaning against a chimney and studied the map his father had given him. He scratched his head, wondering how he’d managed to land at the wrong house again. He recalled his father’s instructions about this special assignment. He had to deliver Jack’s first lost tooth to Pearl’s Refinery by sunrise before its magic power disappeared. Every child’s first lost tooth was more valuable at Pearl’s Refinery, because a child’s first lost tooth held the magic power needed to keep Fairyville alive.It was Easton’s first assignm...

14 likes

Jenna and Kate

Melony Beard

Submitted to Contest #124

Five-year-old Jenna gazed through the filthy panes of the kitchen window. The sky was dark. She hadn’t yet learned to tell time, but she knew the sun had risen a few hours ago. Stepping on the porch for a better look at the sky, she noticed Mom’s faded blue car still parked in the grass. Mom hadn't been home in two nights. Jenna knew because Liz, her neighbor, had taught her to count before she went away. Jenna went back inside the single wide trailer wondering if Mom had disappeared like Liz.Jenna climbed atop the stained countertop, stood ...

9 likes

The Purple Rock

Melony Beard

Submitted to Contest #123

Henry Tiller's evil heckle rose above the others. I had one simple line in the Christmas play and somehow, for the third time this week, I managed to mess that up. "It's a Christmas m... marble." I stuttered. "Miracle. Catherine. The word is miracle." Ms. Haywood's gentle voice whispered. Though the eyes in the crowd seemed to burn holes through my skin, my body shivered in the freezing air of the auditorium. I closed my eyes and tried to hide from the gawking faces staring back at me. I whispered, “Miracle.” Thankfully, it’s the la...

13 likes

One Little Secret

Melony Beard

Submitted to Contest #122

Startled, Alex sat straight up in bed and wondered if she was dreaming or if those were really footsteps in the hall. Shivering, she pulled the covers snugly around her half-dressed body and sat peering into the complete darkness. Her heart skipped a beat, and her blood went cold when she heard the raspy voice whispering through the baby monitor. "So you’re the big deal!" Forgetting she was half dressed, Alex threw back the covers and leapt off the bed sprinting across the hallway to check on the baby. By now Cody, her eighteen mon...

17 likes