Shelby Schwartz

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Oct, 2019

Stories (14)

14 Stories

332 karma pts

?

“No You!” by Shelby Schwartz

Submitted to Contest #139

*Trigger Warning-Mental Health Abuse*“GROW UP!!” He screamed at me, angry tears rolling down his cheeks.“I act more grown up than you do.” I say back. I don’t yell or shout.“You are a fucking child. Sarah is more grown up than you are.” He snaps at me with a vicious tone.“What did I do? You come into my house yelling at me and so far I haven’t heard a reason why.” I put my hands up in defense backing slightly away from the angered demon in my front hallway.“You keep playing these fucking games. Confusing our daughter. Making her tell me thin...

Read story

“I Swear I Didn't” by Shelby Schwartz

Submitted to Contest #112

Prequel to "This is Worse":I've caused pain before, but not like this. I've done things I can't undo. I have caused other pain, but never damaged someone so much that they can't come back from it. This is worse. I wasn't even in the room. I was at the other end of the house and I come back to this. There she is laying on the hardwood floor. She is face down, her auburn hair flowing over her, and blood pooling around her. I heard her fall from my bedroom where I was laying down. Resting after a long day at my new job. She never even screamed....

Read story

“This Is Worse” by Shelby Schwartz

Submitted to Contest #110

I don't know how long I've been on this road. It seems never ending. One long road with trees on either side. The other end covered in fog. I thought I would be off it by now. I'm not sure how long I've been walking. Ten minutes, an hour. Time is nothing to me now. Especially when you can't see the sun. It's so gloomy and cold. Fog is heavy over me, I can only see a few feet in front of me. I pray a car doesn't come along and hit me. Though, that would probably be a better punishment.I left home in a rush after the accident. Though, I know n...

Read story

“But Do We Have Time” by Shelby Schwartz

Submitted to Contest #110

“We have plenty of time.” He says to me, a smile playing on his lips. He is always tries to make lighter of the situation. Sometimes it works. Other times it doesn’t. He always says we have plenty of time. I don’t think he realizes that my time is running out. “Let’s go and enjoy ourselves.” Another famous saying. He grabs my hand and drags me along with him through the amusement park. I follow him with ease, trying to catch up to his long strides. He looks back at me, blue eyes beaming with delight. Any chance we get, he takes me here...

Read story

“It's just a Cookie” by Shelby Schwartz

Submitted to Contest #71

Every year my Grandmother would bake the same cookies. They weren’t just any cookies though. My Grandmother called them Kinder Kekse. See my Grandmother came here straight from Germany when she was in her late 30’s. She was a baker, just like her mother and Grandmother before her. When the war broke out, her mother sent her out of the country. She never saw her mother or grandmother again. She did bring all of her families recipes though. She opened her own bakery and put herself into that. She put her soul into the bakery. All her children...

Read story

“But I Saw It” by Shelby Schwartz

Submitted to Contest #67

I’m driving home from the bar in my F250. It’s about 20 minutes from my old farm house. The LED’s shine brightly from my truck. Lighting up the empty roads in front of me. The moon is full tonight, adding to the brightened up area around me. It’s light enough to see the deer out in the fields. They are eating the corn that has begun to grow. If only it were hunting season. I see a nice buck out there. One I’d like to see on my wall. Right next to the others. I’m not sure the girlfriend would like that, but she also doesn’t live there. Only v...

Read story

“Through the Flames” by Shelby Schwartz

Submitted to Contest #64

His bright electric blue eyes seem flicker to a crimson red. His teeth grinding together, lips parted a low growl resonating from his deep within his throat. His hands clenched together, itching to throw a punch. His feet are shoulder with apart, ready to launch an assault. His golden hair glowing more than usual, brightening up the darkness around him. But instead his brother gets him to sit back in the booth. Only to watch the show. She stands across the bar room, leaning against the tall bar. Her tall stature and the glitter around her e...

Read story

“Apple Picking with a twist” by Shelby Schwartz

Submitted to Contest #63

Fall has finally arrived. The trees are starting to turn beautiful colors. Oranges, yellows and reds taking over for the green landscapes. The sky even seems to glow brighter. Then there is a refreshing crisp air taking away the heat of summer. Time to bring out the hoodies and light jackets. Turn off the A/C and let nature cool down the house for you with the windows open. The leaves crunch under your feet as you stroll along the sidewalk. Children raking the leaves together, getting the piles big enough to jump in. Its such a wonderfu...

Read story

“Burning Leaves” by Shelby Schwartz

Submitted to Contest #63

By the time I stepped outside, the leaves were on fire. I don’t just mean with the colors of oranges, yellows and reds or the way they cover the ground and light up the area around them. I mean each leaf falling towards the ground, lighting up in a bright glowing flame of fire. They look like candles floating slowly down to the cold ground. As they land on top of ashes, they themselves would burn up and fall apart into soot. It covers the decaying grass as winter begins to come upon us. This happens every year. Always when the leaves ...

Read story

“Don't Go Outside” by Shelby Schwartz

Submitted to Contest #60

We are still not allowed to leave the house. They tell us that the war is over. That we won against the bloodthirsty goons that had landed on this earth years ago. Sending us to war against them for over 20 years. The Earth becoming nothing but a barren wasteland and battlegrounds. How some of us survived, I don’t know. Yet, we still can’t leave. They still think it’s too dangerous for us to go outside. We get rations weekly from the military. The only people allowed to go outside. The one my father left to go serve and has yet to come back....

Read story

“Written out” by Shelby Schwartz

Submitted to Contest #57

“I want people to dance, to laugh, enjoy the life I’ve lived.” “You just told me the other day you don’t enjoy your life.” My friend and lawyer, Jake Smock, says, dropping his pen. “That's true, but they don’t need to know that.” I grin. “We are trying to write your will. We have the opening sentence and those paying for funeral and other expenses. Who you leaving your money and personal property too?” “You in a rush?” “I have other appointments.” “Not until like noon. It’s only ten.” “You checked my schedule?” He lo...

Read story

“The End of a Generation. ” by Shelby Schwartz

Submitted to Contest #55

A family secret is a hard one to keep. Until it’s time to end the chain. The shovel clinks against small rocks as they continue to dig. Digging a deep enough hole. The light of the moon their only guide to how well they are doing. Dirt flies over their shoulder landing on the ground with a thump. As the hole gets deeper, the pile grows higher. When they feel it’s deep enough, they set down their shovel and climb out of the pit. They dust their hands off their equally dirty pants. In the shallows of the thick woods surrounding them, they grab...

Read story

“I Forgive You” by Shelby Schwartz

Submitted to Contest #54

It’s the middle of the week of the same routine. Wake up, go to school, come home, go to bed. Sure, there are some in between things, but it’s the same every day. Not something I pride myself in. It’s boring and nothing new ever happens. I wouldn’t even know what to do if something new happened. I walk the same path to school. The one behind my house, down to the creek to the bike path. That trail leads straight to school. No one around to bother me as I walk either. Its quiet except for the music playing in my pierced ears. My cowboy boots ...

Read story

“The Two Kingdoms” by Shelby Schwartz

Submitted to Contest #27

Ice crystals began to form along the pine trees that surround the gated kingdom. The one with the walls so high, you can’t see in or out. With the towers made of stain glass. They tell a story of the past. A harsh, painful one that brought the kingdom to its glory. One of respect and dignity. In that kingdom lies a prince. Young, full of grace and loyal to his people. He wears a coat of blues and reds. A crown of silver, with rows of ruby’s lining the prestige that resides upon his black locks. It was said for century’s he would be the one t...

Read story

Author bio

Hello! My name is Shelby. Yes, just like the car. I'm 31 years old and I've been an avid writer for about 8 years now. I didn't start writing until after serving 4 years in the Marine Corps. My writing journey didn't start until I read some poorly written fanfiction and realized I could probably do better. I also wasn't reading what I wanted to read. So what better way to read what you want than to write it yourself. So that is how I started out. I mainly write about death and dabble in horror. My first novel is just that. I keep it pretty clean when I write for Reedsy. But in my books I go deep into the gore and tantalizing details of a death. I have one beautiful daughter at home. As well as a puppy to keep me busy. My two cats weren't to excited when I brought him home, but my daughter was over the moon. My life can get busy, but I always find time to sit and write. It helps keep me grounded in the world we are living in. I hope you enjoy my stories and enjoy your day.