Nathalie Menard

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jun, 2021

Stories (7)

7 Stories

174 karma pts

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“Fickle Finger of Fate” by Nathalie Menard

Submitted to Contest #105

“Just say no.” If only I had taken the warning more seriously, I’d be in college now. That’s what people say looking back, if only I had known, if I could go back, if only… I loved him like a brother, I utterly trusted him, I knew him better than anyone … at least that’s what I thought.  I met Carl the summer between fourth and fifth grade. My family moved into the house next to where he had always lived. Our mothers were becoming acquainted over the fence when he invited me to jump on his trampoline. I was a year older than him, b...

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“Emotion Catcher” by Nathalie Menard

Submitted to Contest #104

“Are you coming tonight?”“I’d love to join you guys, but I’ll take a rain check on that.”Nicole had tried to include her new roommate in her group of friends, but every time she invited her, Anna refused. She was so serious, so quiet, her melancholic aura sometimes heavy to breathe. She felt sorry for her. If only she tried a little, she could have a much more interesting life.As far as she could remember, Anna has always led a drab life. As a child, grown-ups said that she had an old soul, that she was unusually quiet. She wasn’t the type t...

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“Killer Curve” by Nathalie Menard

Submitted to Contest #103

Inspired by a true storyIt took Jimmy days—seven days, to be exact—to muster enough courage to ask her out. He had been waiting for a sign of the Universe, a hint from Judith that would suggest she was at least curious about him. They were in the same English class last semester, but he had never paid attention to her. Just another girl at school. He had smiled absently at her when she entered the restaurant as he was coming out to deliver three pizzas. They stumbled into each other three times before being able to make their way through the...

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“Childhood Home” by Nathalie Menard

Submitted to Contest #102

During the third session, Jackie, my therapist, suggested that I turn my diary into a manuscript. It took three more sessions to convince me. I hadn’t received any training in writing, apart from my class in Quebec literature, that I took in college over thirty years ago. I deemed the task daunting.I searched the internet for workshops and contests, hoping to find something that could help me. I came across a publishing house that offered ten autobiographical writing workshops online, one per week, for $125.In the fifth workshop, the instruc...

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“Evil Machinations” by Nathalie Menard

Submitted to Contest #102

Justice is expensive, that’s why we’re saving it.Ah! Hypocrites! They plotted together, to isolate us, so that we’d believe we’re diminished! I’m sure of it! When we go to the supermarket, they hide the ripe fruits to swap them with green bananas, iron-fortified carrots and concrete apples. In the butcher’s department, they give us steaks that are tough as the sole of my boots and keep the tender pieces for themselves. It’s a conspiracy, I’m sure! The dentist tells them when we’re coming, so we have to purchase new dentures.They’re trying to...

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“It's the mole!” by Nathalie Menard

Submitted to Contest #101

The best way for Carlos to calm his nerves is through cooking. Cutting vegetables, measuring spices, and grilling pieces of meat soothe him. He tossed the guajillo, the ancho and chipotle peppers into a saucepan, and after a few minutes of stirring, the mixture perfumed the small room. The installations looked nothing like the super fancy kitchen he had at home, but the hotplate did the trick.He held a cigarillo between his lips, closing his left eye so the smoke wouldn’t sting it. He put the peppers in the blender and added some chicken bro...

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“A soup for you” by Nathalie Menard

Submitted to Contest #100

Maddie took two minutes to catch her breath. She had been running left and right  all day to lead her team. She provided every guest with a detailed program presenting the menu with two choices of soup, the speaker of the evening and the D.J. who would entertain the participants. She composed herself so as not to get caught up in the stress of pulling off the event. She had had some fears when the arrival of the big tent was delayed but eventually it was quickly raised and all was well again.  This was the first major event that ...

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Author bio

Old gal trying to make up stories.