Rhonda Allen

“Ten Miles to Nowhere” by Rhonda Allen

Ten Miles to Nowhere I can’t believe it; it makes my heart break. I must do something, but what. I watched as he got in a car to drive away. I jumped in the taxi parked behind him and yelled at the driver “Follow that car!” – the driver said, “Hey lady, didn’t you see the off-duty sign?” “Just drive I will give you $100 above the fee, just hurry, please don’t lose him.”  “Okay Okay you got a deal” the cabbie said as he threw the car into drive “Which car are we following?” he asked. “That little tan one with the college sticke...

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“A Cookie for You” by Rhonda Allen

Submitted to Contest #155

For the past 5 years, I have lived in a cul de sac with wonderful neighbours. Everyone is so friendly, we often get together for BBQs, holidays or just coffee on the porch. Two weeks ago, I sent out invitations to everyone in the cul de sac for a cookie exchange and tonight was the night. I had received the RSVPs back, and it looked like everyone was going to come. My excitement about this evening, was not just about houseful of people expected, it was about one person, the one person I was really hoping would come or my plans would be ruine...

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“Canvas” by Rhonda Allen

Submitted to Contest #102

I love to wander around arts and craft stores, to see the diverse supplies available to create with. Easels, sketch pads, molds, paints, leather crafting, wood, ceramics and countless other mediums. The main item that always interests me the most, are the canvas’. They come in all sizes, some variety of colors, material they are made from and thickness, but the one thing they have in common is, they are all blank. I stare at them and wonder, who will take this one home? what medium will they use on it? pastels, watercolor, oil or acrylics or...

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“Reflection in Time” by Rhonda Allen

Submitted to Contest #101

 A refreshing splash of cool water on my face, same time everyday, part of my early morning routine. Dabbing the towel to my face I looked in the mirror, is that a new wrinkle, or just a crease from the pillow? I leaned in for closer inspection, just a pillow crease. Not that another wrinkle would bother me, I am glad to have gotten to this age, against all odds, I survived. Funny how the reflection of my face in the mirror seems to change, I know over time I have aged, yet sometimes I still see all the younger versions of me looking ba...

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“How to Race” by Rhonda Allen

Submitted to Contest #82

HOW TO RACE As he woke, he could feel his pulse racing, he could still hear the cheers from his dream as he crossed the finish line. It was only a dream, he had never crossed the finish line when he raced, well not when he raced using his legs. He reached up, grabbing the bar that hung down from the ceiling and pulled himself up, then reached to the side of his bed to position his wheelchair, he moved his legs off the bed, and swung his body around in one swift move "ready to roll" he hollered. Just then his mom appeared "I thought I ...

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“Positively Responsible” by Rhonda Allen

Submitted to Contest #76

Positively Responsible “Jay, I worked hard on this budget.” “I know you did Beth” “Then why don’t you want us to follow it?” “I like most of it, but there isn’t anything in it for fun” “Fun? I can tell you what isn’t fun, getting heat or electricity shut off, or no food in the house” “That’s what I mean, the entire budget is bills, bills, bills.” “That’s not true, there is a nest egg account for later” “Later, but we need to live now” “That’s what I’m trying to do, let us live comfortably” “So you are saying as long as we work and pays al...

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“10...9...8...” by Rhonda Allen

10…9…8 “Yes folks it is the end of the year and like we do every year at this time, we are counting down the top 100 songs of the year, coming in at 89 is …” the radio DJ continued. I listen to this every year even though I do not  always agree with their top ten. ‘Countdowns’ I thought, top ten is a funny thing, the ritual way society always judges life, making it so important that every place after ten was to somehow feel like they failed. In my opinion however, nothing is a failure as long as you tried, after all – rejection isn’t ...

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“E-motion” by Rhonda Allen

Submitted to Contest #58

My mind was racing ninety miles an hour, as it normally did, always so many things running around inside my brain, the kids schedules, meals, the dog, my husband, extended family, events, and todays added frustration: job interview. The company I worked for had sadly closed after many years of operation and now I was looking for a new job. I stepped into the elevator and held the door open for the little old lady with the walker, while thinking ‘come on come on, lets move it’ when she was in I asked which floor she needed, pressed both our b...

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“FLIPSIDE” by Rhonda Allen

Submitted to Contest #57

“Welcome all of you, I am Louis Burton, I am sorry for your loss, Rebecca was an amazing woman, I am sure you will all miss her greatly.” I looked around the room at the five people my long-time and dear friend Rebecca, had included in her will. She had told me the stories behind each and every one of them, and I was pretty sure I already knew which of them would not be happy about todays meeting, who really would not care she had passed, and which of them would win the game. “I have here Rebecca’s Last Will and Testament, all five of you a...

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“Ready and Not” by Rhonda Allen

Submitted to Contest #56

Charlie jumped up barking out the window, “There is someone in the path!” my son Chad called out, holding his shotgun ready. We all went to the windows to look, “Does anyone know them?” he said. I looked closely at the Asian family walking down the path, I didn’t recognize the woman or child but the man I did, he was my favorite bank teller Joe, back when the world was normal, back before the ‘New Normal’ took over. “I know him” I said “Who is he?” my husband Sam asked curiously “Our teller, don’t you remember? Even when he saw us outside th...

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“CLOAKED” by Rhonda Allen

Submitted to Contest #55

The dictionary definition is; something that covers or conceals like a piece of cloth, camouflage, disguise, mask, whitewash, obstruct, occult, paper over, screen, shroud, suppress, veil. Near Antonyms for cloaked are, bring out, present, clarify, illuminate, advertise, air, broadcast, get out, proclaim, publicize, publish, spread, bare, disclose, display, divulge, expose, reveal, show, uncloak, uncover, unmask, unveil. This definition defines how one action can be used for both good and evil, which do you use it for? Funny how much your li...

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“Grounded in Peace” by Rhonda Allen

Submitted to Contest #53

The drive always seemed to take forever, in reality it was only four and a half hours from the city. I could tell by the look on my husband face and the tension in his body, that he needed this weekend. My body was already going into relaxation mode as we entered the Northern part of the province, the scenery changing from cement and pavement, to rocks, trees and lakes, oh how I loved this feeling; so completely opposite to city life hustle and bustle, rush, rush, rush and noise. Only forty-five minutes to go and we would be there. Dobbie ou...

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“Flightless” by Rhonda Allen

Submitted to Contest #52

Although the world had advanced far beyond wilderness survival, it stopped advancing when it reached global control over humans, and free will.  My parents raised me to be prepared for this day,  we knew it would happen, it did to everyone born poor, in my generation, unless you could elude the governing bodies and escape, make it to the Oriel. You see, the government decided that the earths population was out of control, after many failed attempts at genocide, germ warfare etc. their solution was; send all able-bodied people at th...

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“Core of the matter” by Rhonda Allen

Submitted to Contest #49

The alarm rang, 6:00am. Allison rolled over and hit the snooze button, not going back to sleep she laid there thinking, Friday, the end of another week. Life was pretty routine since moving to the city, not that  life in her home town had been overly exciting, but it was worlds apart from her life now. The alarm buzzed again prompting her to get up, heading to the kitchen she made coffee and took an apple out of the refrigerator, her standard breakfast, she peeled it putting the skins in the small compost bucket on the counter, placed t...

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“Versus ” by Rhonda Allen

Submitted to Contest #48

It is said that there is a fine line between genius and insanity, between good and evil and that absolute power, corrupts absolutely. I don’t think anyone really knows what the tipping point will be that makes you cross the line, until it happens. Like most people I had always stayed in control, stayed on the right side of the line, but then suddenly I found myself on the other side, or was I.  In the beginning I questioned myself whether I was good or evil, was I a protector or a villain, I rationalized my actions with the thought of “...

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