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MJ Brewer

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Apr, 2024

Stories (14)

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11 Followers

6 Following

14 Stories

212 karma pts

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The Loose End

MJ Brewer

Submitted to Contest #308

The road stretched out like a half-forgotten and frayed ribbon—curling, dipping, and dragging me through the vast void between farmland, ditches, and fence posts. My Prius purred along. The faint crinkle of a plastic bag—housing styrofoam food containers—shifted on the passenger seat, offering the only faint sense of purpose. Another FoodDash delivery. Yet another stranger with a superhero name, waiting on lukewarm Pad Thai and those sad little chopsticks that never break clean—because nothing says “cultural appreciation” like a 2-star cravi...

1 like

Let the Music Play

MJ Brewer

An exotic dancer having a godforsaken day can’t wait to escape to the quiet of home. Applying makeup eight times a day? No wonder we refused it off-stage, living in comfortable sweats and flip-flops. Back then, I practically wished for things, and they appeared: men, food, drink, clothing, cars—and drugs, for those who indulged. Friends? Never enough, but that never seemed to matter. I had everything.You know, it’s not like I was some dancer in a smoke-filled room with drunken jerks ogling me, either. I was a fantastic dancer with all the Go...

5 likes

A Social Faux Pas

MJ Brewer

Submitted to Contest #284

Attending a party without a date is a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions—or at least it seemed. For most, it’s embarrassing, but for me—social suicide. Skipping the event crossed my mind, but I’d spent a mint on the dress, shoes, and accessories. And don’t forget the clutch—perfectly matching my shoes. That kind of synchronicity doesn’t happen accidently. Every feminine shopper knows it’s the call of serendipity.Todd, my guy, enjoyed me on his arm like an accessory. He loved my strategically timed giggles, as he regurgitated his ridiculous...

6 likes

… And This is Now

MJ Brewer

“Ahhhhhhh!” My five-year-old brother’s wail pierced the air, breaking into sobs as he scrambled from beneath the kitchen table, hands clamped over his head, and tears pouring down his cheeks. Matchbox cars abandoned behind him.Both of my sisters, several years younger than me, quietly turned their attention from the television. Their mournful expressions as my father entered the room, a mix of relief while they watched the scene unfold, grateful it wasn’t them. Levi kept crying, his finger jabbing first at our youngest brother, then at ...

3 likes

What Goes Up…

MJ Brewer

Submitted to Contest #280

“So, what’s a single guy gotta do to get rejected by a gorgeous girl like you?” The question caught her off guard. Bree tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her fingers brushing the unruly curls she hadn’t bothered to tame. She glanced up, her eyes meeting a tall, confident man in a crisp navy suit, his grin as sharp as his tailoring. They stood alone in the office building elevator as the doors slid shut, sealing them off from the world outside. Flustered, her brows knit together as indignation bubbled up. “You can start by not ask...

9 likes

No Comment

MJ Brewer

Submitted to Contest #280

“What do you think? Do you think he’ll like it?”“Like it? Girl, he’s gonna lose his freakin’ mind. That dress is on fire. Now, what’s the plan for this— hair? You can’t just throw it in a ponytail and call it good. It needs style to really show the true you.”“I was thinking of pulling it up, sort of loose but elegant. Like this. You know what I mean.”“Mmm, I think I see it, but you know what would really set it off? Some flowers. Right here behind your ear. Add a little surprise pop. Trust me on that.”“Flowers? That’s… actually sort of adora...

12 likes

Like it was Lester Day

MJ Brewer

*SEXUAL VIOLENCE*SUICIDE*The stadium wasn’t as packed as it should’ve been. It was the last game of the season, after all, but the bleachers were only dotted with small clusters of fans. Their cheers felt thin, barely making a dent in the cool evening air. Palmer Duke stood on the mound, his jaw tight as his name stretched across his back like a brand. You know the type—it wasn’t just a name; it was legacy. His brother? Star pitcher in three years ago. His father? Practically a legend at South Ridge High.But Palmer? Let’s just say the family...

4 likes

The Hippocratic Joke, er, Oath

MJ Brewer

Science is a powerful persuader, asserting that people are innately good. I once believed wholeheartedly in humanity’s goodness, convinced that people were born good and stayed that way—unless something so terrible happened that they were left with no choice but to turn bad.The Hippocratic Oath is one of history’s oldest recorded documents, a solemn vow that obliges physicians to prioritize their patients’ welfare above all else. It honors the practice of medicine, emphasizing the duty to act in the patient’s best interest and to avoid causi...

7 likes

The Stripping Princess

MJ Brewer

Submitted to Contest #276

Growing up in an extremely sheltered environment becomes dangerous when that coddled bunny rabbit is turned loose in the woods and expected to survive. For me, this was my beginning—the start of clinging to life after my divorce. Even my husband had sheltered me from responsibility. Earn the money and hand my check over to him: bills paid, problem solved. Need money? Just ask. That is, until we divorced.Unaware of how to turn on the utilities in my new apartment, I remember sitting in the corner, knees drawn up, head down, and profusely sobb...

20 likes

The Scars that Make Us

MJ Brewer

Submitted to Contest #275

Thud. Thud. Thud. For the past eleven years, it was the same frantic race for the same minuscule amount of time. One hour. Then, she’d have to wait another 8,766.82 hours—an entire year—for the chance to funnel back to her again. But that wasn’t the worst part; with time slipping away, her opportunities were dwindling. She had exactly a dozen chances—not a baker’s dozen; twelve. She wasn’t sure how she arrived at that time-constraining conclusion, but she had, nonetheless. After that, the rest of her existence would echo in her ear...

12 likes

Love to Love You Baby!

MJ Brewer

Submitted to Contest #274

(Sexually explicit)This was the first party Carly’s mom condoned her attending, and it was going to be awesome! Thank God her friend Lizzy was such a smooth talker. If Lizzy hadn’t been there when she asked her mom, the answer would have been a flat-out “no,” without question. The precept that ‘honesty is the best policy’ was one her mother lived by, which made Carly’s little white lie feel even more risky.“Okay, let’s have a look at your costume.” Her bedroom door swung open, and her mother, dressed in her usual sweatpants and T-shirt, walt...

11 likes

A Good Dentist

MJ Brewer

Submitted to Contest #274

I’ve never been a die-hard fan of going to the dentist. I can’t imagine anyone who is and is still considered sane. It’s not because of anything that’s happened personally, but the horror stories stick with you—things like teeth being pulled without your mouth being numb enough or what about those women who find out they’re pregnant a few months later? So, when I woke up in severe pain, I kept it to myself for as long as I could. I didn’t want to go to the dentist. But the pain became unbearable, and pretty soon I had no choice. When I final...

33 likes

The Egg is Cracked

MJ Brewer

Fridays are always hectic at my house, no matter how carefully I plan them. With a full-time job, a husband with a sex addiction, and twin five-year-old boys, no one in their right mind would consider trading places with me for a day—let alone longer. I’ve often dreamed about being on that show where you trade households for a couple of weeks, except my family is awesome. That’s why this weekend is so important. My boys are celebrating their birthday tomorrow—their Big Five. So much change all at once. They’ll be going to big kid school soon...

3 likes

Mommy’s Helper

MJ Brewer

Olivia’s life had settled into simple routines. Packing, moving, staying just long enough to find another babysitter. It had been this way for years—ever since she returned from her high-powered office job one night to find her babies drenched in blood and her husband’s body nearly decapitated. The police informed her she had arrived just in time to save her children from the identical fate. Now, she worked remotely, caring for her children on her own terms. Of course, that meant moving frequently, never staying long enough to invite suspici...

5 likes