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Suzanne Marsh

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jan, 2025

Stories (22)

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The Plan That Never Was

The Plan That Never WasSuzanne MarshThe three men listened intently for the sound of the train coming down the tracks. Sam Bass, their sharp-eyed leader, waited, his bandanna covering his face; the three gang members were ready. The gold shipment was being shipped from California, and it was worth over one million dollars. Sam Bass, a man with high pretensions, gold would be more than enough for himself and his gang members. It seemed like an eternity as they listened for the train; the anticipation of money was a good incentive. Buster McGr...

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Sierra's Corner

Sierra’s CornerSuzanne MarshExercise is the dirtiest word in the English language, at least to me it was. I hated gym classes, and swimming classes were the pits in high school. In my senior year, I discovered I was allergic to chlorine; I was given a doctor’s excuse. My road to a heart attack was underway, my twenties and thirties, and even into my forties, there were no issues. I became a Professional Seat Cover in my forties when my husband began driving a truck. I was on the truck with him for twenty-two years, and I saw many miles go by...

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Shanghaied

ShanghaiedSuzanne MarshJed Hotchkiss stepped into The Pelican Bar on Sixth Street on the docks of Portland, Oregon, and ordered a beer. He drank half the beer before he began to feel lightheaded. He lost consciousness; he found himself in a tiny cell with eight other men. He could hear women screaming. Jed had broad shoulders, as did most of the men, cramped into this tiny space. Jed, discovered, as he came to, that his boots and socks were missing. He began questioning the other men in the cell. They had all partaken of beer at the Pelican ...

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Excutitis

ExcusitisSuzanne Marsh“You have more excuses than Carter has pills,” my dad exclaimed. I began to mull over what I had done and equate it with a halfway good excuse. There were several issues I had with Dad, more like several thousand. Being an only child may seem wonderful to those with brothers and sisters; it is not. Brothers and sisters can blame each other for their follies. Being an only child, there is no one to blame; out of the ashes of blame rises a phoenix; excusitis. I became very proficient with excusitis throughout my life. Dad...

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Hidden Agenda

Hidden AgendaSuzanne MarshMary Higgins slipped quietly into the room of Peter Brady, the richest man in Queenstown, Ireland. She was tired of being his scullery maid; she wanted so much more from life. She pictured herself as an aristocratic woman, dressed in fine silk dresses, the most expensive patent leather shoes, her hair done in the latest fashion. Peter would provide her with the funds; once she had the jewels, she planned to buy a first-class ticket on the Titanic. The cost of the first-class suite was $4350 in American dollars. It h...

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Field of Honor

Field of HonorSuzanne MarshJake Matthews rode quickly over the high road toward Millington, the plantation he inherited from his father. He was not happy; he had just gotten into another argument with Malachi Edwards, whose father owned the next plantation downriver. Jake had no desire to antagonize Malachi; there always seemed to be a competitiveness. Both men wished to marry beautiful Catherine Oliver, whose father wanted to purchase Millington. Trouble arose when Catherine did not wish to marry either of them; she wanted to marry Conrad ...

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The Longest Four Hours

The Longest Four HoursSuzanne MarshBuffalo, New York, to Dayton, Ohio, is a mere four hours, except for our teenage daughter, who was not overly happy about going to Dayton for the day. We left early Saturday morning, planning to drive straight through, get the fireworks, stop for lunch, and then go home. It was an experience I will never forget. Between what time it is and how much longer, those were the two most popular ones we heard on that long four-hour drive. You would think that a teenager would be better than a two-year-old...not thi...

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He Was Expendable

He Was ExpendableSuzanne MarshFifty years ago, I shipped out to Vietnam as a dog handler. I was assigned to Lucas as his handler; we trained for ten weeks at Fort Benning, Georgia, before shipping out for Da Nang, Vietnam. I was twenty years old in 1968. Vietnam was a wretched place; humidity in the jungles, snakes like the Bamboo Viper, but most of all, it was a lonely place for the American GI. Patrolling in the jungles, I must have walked at least one thousand miles during my tour. None of us wanted to be there, but we did our duty. I was...

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A Slap in the Face

A Slap in the FaceSuzanne MarshMy mom used to say: “Time heals all wounds”. I am unsure I will heal after reading a book a close family member wrote. She betrayed me in a book that was simply drivel; the pictures were child-like scrawls. I was shocked that a prominent writing sight would allow her to publish the book. The book itself is poorly written. If I sound angry it is because I am! She thought the book would make her a great deal of money. That is a fallacy, to begin with, it is a self-published book, and she has to ...

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Dear Bill

Dear BillSuzanne MarshJune 2nd, 1943Dear Bill,What an enjoyable time I had at Mrs Swans' home; thank you for giving me your address. I hope I am not being overly presumptuous sending a little good luck Scottie Terrier. I did not ask what your assigned job is in the Army. I hope I am not being to nosy. I am curious about people in general. Mrs. Swans was so glad to see you; her son Billy is a bombardier; I am sure she told you that; are you Billy's friends? I have so many questions but no answers. Do you have a g...

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Running Late

Running LateSuzanne MarshThe interview was scheduled for eight thirty; I am not a morning person, so my alarm was supposed to go off at seven. The time was eight o’clock when I awoke. I sprang out of bed with fireman-like haste and took a two-minute shower. Quickly put on a white power suit, heels, and stockings, and put a run in the stockings. I grabbed a cup of coffee, it was a good thing I had made it the night before, I had no time to spare. I hoped I had not missed the bus which went right past the building where...

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Looking for Raphael

Looking for RaphaelSuzanne Marsh1939Dawn was just breaking, the sunrise a brilliant pink, Prince Augustyor began preparations to move several famous paintings from the family’s museum. His plan was to hide several museum pieces before the Nazi Gestapo confiscated them.“We must hurry there is much sake. Be sure to pack the Portrait of a Young Man, a veryvaluable painting by Raphael. We can wall the important paintings at Sieniawa Palace.The lesser works can be hidden in the cellars. I must...

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The Amber Room

The Amber RoomSuzanne MarshMy heart was pounding in my chest as I ran; I had stolen a highly sensitive map the Soviets had been hiding. I had to get out of the Soviet Union as soon as possible or I would be found tortured and finally executed. I had to keep moving; my American handler wanted all maps and information about a shipwreck found off the coast of Poland, the Nazi steamer Karlsruhe. It was a good possibility that the missing Amber panels as well as other parts of the ...

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The Trap

The TrapSuzanne MarshMary Rankin stood silently watching the crowd clambering to lynch Sam Pike. The crowd was getting louder; leading citizens wanted to lynch Sam, and others wanted to see him put on trial and hanged. Mary knew he was innocent, he had been with her when the bank was robbed and the head of the bank murdered in cold blood. Mary knew now if she wanted to save Sam’s life she would have to tell her father the truth about her and Sam. She stepped into the street crossing it carefully, som...

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The Spy who Loved Me

The Spy Who Loved MeSuzanne MarshMelinda Allen walked briskly toward the News Corner Bookstore, it had a small eatery where she stopped to eat upon occasion. Melinda strode into the bookstore, and she noticed a tall red-haired man. There was something about him that drew her attention. She ordered a beef sandwich, and a Coke, never taking her eyes off the man. The man noted the exotic-looking woman at a small table, they gazed into each other's eyes from a distance. Melinda wanted despera...

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