S Houette

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jun, 2020

Stories (9)

9 Stories

189 karma pts

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“They Walk Among You Now” by S Houette

As the sound of the door slamming shut behind her reverberated through the large hall, and the rhythmic tapping of boots on concrete faded into the distance, she collapsed sobbing onto the floor. But she was denied even the comfort of a good cry by the blurry flashes of gold that danced tantalisingly before her streaming eyes, brutal reminders of the circumstances that led her here and what she must now do to escape her ...

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“Sherlock Home; The Case of the Mysterious Trespasser” by S Houette

Detective H. was returning home after an arduous day at work. Luckily for him, the holidays were just around the corner and so he had the slightest skip in his step and the widest grin on his face. His break from crime was finally here! As he walked he hummed some carols under his breath and made up some lyrics of his own. He had just finished conducting a version of “The days they are dull and dreary… Yet the criminals ...

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“Artists Run in the Family” by S Houette

My great grandfather was a fairly well-known art historian who came into some money quite suddenly towards the end of his life. He used the unexpected windfall to start his own auction house. Backed by his frankly impressive credentials, and with the help of some of his colleagues, the enterprise was extraordinarily successful and he built up a vast fortune that passed on to his only son when he died. My...

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“A Matter of Honour” by S Houette

“Are not.” “Are too.” “Are not.” “Are too.” Back and forth they went, in a seemingly endless refrain. A cluster of onlookers surrounded them, watching breathlessly, silently egging them on, wondering who would be the first to concede. Finally, red faced with anger and frustration, the girl stomped hard on the ground and uttered one final, defiant “Are not!” “Prove it.” The tone was snide, mocking her, da...

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“Inchworm” by S Houette

I am standing on the sidewalk opposite the coffee house, leather bound notebook tucked under my arm, rocking back and forth nervously. I must look really strange to the passersby's, standing indecisively on the road. Eventually that was the thought that propelled me towards the door of the tiny shop. Hands shaking slightly I approached the counter. "What can we get for you today?", the cheery barista made me feel the sli...

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“Of Soup And Spies” by S Houette

Autumn was nearly at an end and the path that Mr. John Anderson usually took on his daily walks was lined with bare branched trees that had created a flaming red and yellow blanket of leaves on the ground. Despite the nip in the air, which caused his arthritis to flare up, Mr. Anderson liked this time of the year best. He felt like royalty, surrounded by his adoring subjects, as he shuffled slowly and painfully down th...

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“Overtime” by S Houette

In a moment, the orchestra switched from smooth jazz music to a high-pitched trilling. I paused mid-twirl, extremely confused, and shot the conductor a quizzical look but he shrugged and carried on unperturbed. The next thing I knew, there was a thud, and I found myself entangled in a bunch of silk sheets flailing around at the foot of my bed. The telephone rang again in the distance. I looked over at the wall clock. The...

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“Dead men tell no tales” by S Houette

Instead of the soothing sounds of the opening notes of Mozart's fortieth symphony I was woken at 6 p.m. by a torrent of shrill piercing sounds right by my ear. Somehow my blasted phone had contrived to change the alarm tone again. It seems to have an inexplicable love for the loud whine of an electric drill that no amount of twiddling with the settings can fix. On occasion it has even disguised that horrific noi...

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“In Pursuit of Tomorrow” by S Houette

I crouch among the long yellow blades of grass slowly inching my way forward as the sun beats down on me from above. A tremor runs through my body and I pause. My quivering tail, which was once a sign of excitement, now only serves as a stark reminder that I am running out of chances. We are running out of chances. I'm lightheaded with hunger, and combined with the heat, my eyes are starting to glaze over. I give...

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Author bio

My lease has expired, my thoughts are neatly packed up and stacked against the walls, the mover's van is at my door, and so my three year stint in Writer's Block comes to an end! My aim is to write at least two stories a month but sometimes life gets hectic :( Please feel free to critique as well as ask me to read your writing. I get super happy whenever the bell turns yellow!