Michele Duess

“The Package” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #122

Looking back, I should’ve known.I shouldn't have gotten involved. But my back was to the wall. It was either do something or be beaten, if not killed. And I warned him about the gift.Let me back up and start at the beginning. I had finished working the carousel at a Christmas lights festival in Stuart, Florida. I’d seen better but it was some money to get me through winter until the start of fair season. I was in my camper hunting for the instant coffee when Tom Blanco banged on the door.“Go away!” I called.“Package for you,” he hollered bac...

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“The Defense” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #109

 I know I had to be fired, Mr. Dues, but did he have to call the cops?Yeah, yeah, still not sorry. How do I want to plead? Aren’t you the lawyer? Tell the judge...I don’t know. A reaction from the third vaccine affected my mental state. Better, call it an act of civil disobedience. Besides, I didn’t really hurt him. Gadget's lucky I didn’t have a Louisville slugger. Crybaby.Well, I guess you want to hear the story. So, relax as best you can in here. Got a cigarette by any chance? I didn’t use to smoke trust me. But 2021 isn’t shaping up...

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“My Assignment” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #105

Three of us stood in a small church just inside Atlanta. Normally I would’ve liked the high white ceiling, the loft for the choir, and organ. Fifty wooden pews lined either side of a walkway to the altar. A statue of Mary stood to the right of the altar, St. Joseph to the left. Stained glass windows should’ve caught the sunlight. But today, it was dark inside, as if the windows had been blinded. Flashlights and candles helped but only just. It was chilly but not from air conditioning, for the electric wasn’t working. The blood on the statues...

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“A course of action” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #94

 Is this 1984?It sure seemed like it. We were in a warehouse. Rows of folding metal chairs, empty metal walls, the place smelling of antiseptic and sweat. People just waiting until a nurse said they were free to go. Except I was there of my own free accord. And my smartphone beeped at me.“What are we doing with this plaster cast?” The text said This was why my jaw aches, I thought. Grinding my teeth. I had left the man explicit directions as to what to do with the cast. I wasn’t in the mood to reply, considering I had just gotten t...

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“Michel and the Rose-a Retelling.” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #86

This would make a great once upon a time story, Michel thought. Except, I’m in it. Maybe the next time someone tells you a place is haunted you’ll believe it, said a voice inside him. If there was a next time which seemed doubtful, considering who was screaming at him right this very moment. All because he’d dared to ask why he’d been captured. “Why are you in this cell?” roared the monster. “Because you stole my flowers!” Michel was amazed he could look at him without screamin...

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“The A.I.” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #82

Look at them, Dave thought.They were like animals, gathering around the water source. Scientists or not, it didn't matter. In this case, the office’s cooler and drinking machine provided nourishment, such as it was. Coffee was hard to come by in the year 2126 but there were substitutes to be had. Dave looked up at bright lights, the white walls. The office was blindingly clean, for dust could ruin the delicate machinery they worked with. He had hoped to slip by his coworkers but unfortunately, that was not to be."Dave," Sally called, coming ...

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“The Fire” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #74

In ten seconds it would be done. Soon, for better or for worse, the fire would be lit.And now, Mary thought, as she splashed the tiniest bit of fluid on the wood, what does this make me?An idiot, that's what. You're his mother. you could stop him. Do you really want him to hurt himself, to prove you right?"Of course not," she muttered."What was that?" Alex asked.Put an end to this."Nothing. Just light the fire.""Okay." Alex picked up the match box.No one thinks about what can happen in ten seconds, Mary said, realizing this herself. It’s a l...

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“What is the Soul” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #72

It was beautiful in Pompeii II. I had to give the doctor that. The village was nestled in a valley surrounded by green forests and snowcapped mountains. Dr. Mark Hughes turned away from the window and faced me. In front of us was a holoscreen. Like a river, the data flowed from the top to the bottom of the page. “You see, Reporter Elijah,” the doctor said, “by using the program Algo we can predict human behavior. It takes people’s past experiences and predic...

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“The Apology” by Michele Duess

Note: You may read Baby Blue and The Will to get the backstory.Tom looked outside on a cold, dreary day. It was cold but not enough to snow and be fun. With a sigh, he turned back to the video call. He hated them, wished people just used cell phones. But this was all the rage ever since that stupid corona crap. Vaccine or not, people never got over the video calls. Over the computer, his father in law asked why Michael needed him at this dinner. “It’s to prevent a murder,” Tom said. “Possibly. And there’s a bottle of whisky in it f...

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“An Act of Civil Disobedience” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #58

At a conference table sat two FBI agents. It was a beautiful day outside but neither noticed for looking at a tablet. “These are the interviews with the three suspects," said the woman. "Got to say they were-interesting."“Thanks Jane.” Tom reached for the lousy stuff they called coffee these days. He hated it but today he needed the caffeine. He drank, winced, and looked at his colleague. “You know what amazes me? They're not throwing each other into the sea to get a deal.” “No. I'd expect Sebastian to be protec...

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“The Will” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #57

In a large corner office of a law firm sat two men. The client sat so that he could see out the large window to the the city far below. But he didn’t notice the blue sky, the soft white clouds, or the bright sunlight coming in. He had more important things on his mind. He gestured to the lawyer sitting across from him.“You see,” said Gerald. “I told you it was straightforward. I don’t know why you didn’t want to write this in the first place.”“Because” said the lawyer, pointing at Gerald, “you’re going to have a few angry people at your fune...

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“Baby Blue Two” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #56

What was with all these tea-kettles? James couldn’t understand it. One would be bad enough. He hated tea and kettles. But here, on every burner was a kettle. And one on the warmer. All of them shrieking like someone had bottled up the soul of the river. “Tom!” he shouted, holding his ears as the sound got louder. “Tom!” His fiancé came into the kitchen. It was very narrow, perhaps four feet in width, not really big enough for two grown men. For some odd reason he was wearing a frilly apron, which norma...

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“The Orthotist” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #54

I like to walk in the forest. Today’s it winter, and the trees are like veins against the sky’s gray heart. Voices are in my head as usual. I’m taking pictures and wondering if I can make a living at photography. Maybe I should become a pilot. After all, Richard Bach makes it sound beautiful in his books. Easy. At least in a plane one can see her way clear. I can’t. I don’t know where I’m going. At least, not in my life. In fact, I was a failure in this line of work as far as I was concerned. The only thing I had going for me was p...

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“Baby Blue” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #52

Get out of Florida, they said. You have to worry about hurricanes, the heat and it’s only a matter of time before the rising tides send it back to the sea from whence it came, they said. Besides, why would you want to stay in Port Saint Lucie, Florida? Too many old people here. Right. At least old people don’t leave babies in stores. I should tell this story properly. But stories were my mother’s forte, not mine. I’m a statistician. I do the math that, I’m told, makes most people shudder and run away. And that’s fine with me. The money ...

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“Heroes” by Michele Duess

Submitted to Contest #51

“So, explain this to me again,” Sam said. “Why would you not want your superpowers? Being able to fly is pretty icy.”“What if you're afraid of heights?”“Why would you be? You can’t fall. You can use your mind to keep you off the ground.”“You don’t grip it.” Christie turned away from him.“I’m trying to understand.”Christie sat watching as Sam fished. She looked at his curly hair bright in the sun, his blue eyes. Her eyes were the color of sunlight. They’d been friends since the day he stood up to a bully that was picking on someone else. She ...

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