Tricia Shulist

“We Can Rebuild Them, We Have The Technology” by Tricia Shulist

WE CAN REBUILD THEM, WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY “Ya know, Jamie, I’m not sure that this is right the job for you.” Steve looked at Jamie, the love of his life, and waited for her acquiescence. Like she usually did. After all, he was Steve Austin, astronaut, test pilot, secret agent, bionic man. Jamie looked at him, the smile gone from her lips. “I beg your pardon?” she said. Steve shrugged. “I think that maybe I’m the best man for this assignment. No offence, but you’re a woman, and this is pretty dangerous s...

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“I'm Such An Idiom” by Tricia Shulist

I’M SUCH AN IDIOM The meeting had just ended, but Charlie and Jun were still sitting at the conference table, looking like someone had stolen their puppy. In a way, someone had. “Well, this sucks,” said Charles. Jun, who’s first language was not English, understood “suck.” It was a very common and versatile word in the English language. “Yes, Charlie, it truly does.” Charlie looked down at the presentation package that he and Jun had worked all night to perfect. He looked at the last slide frozen on the screen, ...

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“Leaving On A Jet Plane” by Tricia Shulist

LEAVING ON AN JET PLANE “Come on, come on, come on!” I said out loud, pacing back and forth across the porch. My best friend Daja had insisted on driving me to the airport, and she was now very late. I needed to be at the airport two hours before the flight, and the airport was a solid fifty minutes away. We should have been on the road forty minutes ago. Instead I was wearing a path across my front porch with my pacing. I’d called her and reminded her this morning at five-fifteen a.m., and she said everything was s...

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“She Should Have Stayed Lost” by Tricia Shulist

SHE SHOULD HAVE STAYED LOST “Hello, YoYo.” I had my back turned away from the front door, and was facing the shelves behind the front counter, restocking product. I stopped cold. I had not heard that nickname in a long, long time. Not during this century at least. In fact, I hadn’t heard that nickname since the early nineties — a time when I was a completely different person. A time I wanted to forget. I had recognized the voice, as well, and I was even less enthused to face its owner. A person I wanted to for...

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“The Grass Is Always Greener ... ” by Tricia Shulist

THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER … I looked around. This was my chance at freedom. I was tired of the same thing day-in and day-out. The same food, the same activities, the endless time spent going around in circles. Now was my opportunity to switch up my whole life; to explore the outside world. I was ready. I knew that there was more out there, and now the universe had smiled on me, and I was ready to go. I walked out through the door. Someone hadn’t latched it, and I was able to get out and flee my ca...

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“Speak Now” by Tricia Shulist

SPEAK NOW “Speak now …” I looked at my soon — very soon — to be husband. He was smiling at me. Not even worried. He looked so sure of himself, so confident. Like the day we met … ***** “Hey.” I turned and saw a tall guy looking at me. Was he looking at me? I literally did that thing where you look around behind to make sure that the person is really talking to you. I even pointed to my own chest with a finger to make sure. “Yeah, you,” he said. “You’re new here, right?” I was new...

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“Why?” by Tricia Shulist

WHY? “Brother Charles, there are two people to see you.” Brother Charles looked up from the work he had been doing at his desk, at Abbot James, surprise writ large on his face. “Me?” he questioned. He was sure that he didn’t know what this could be about. He rarely had visitors, and anyone wanting to see him called and made an appointment, or he saw them away from the Abbey. Abbot James nodded. “They are waiting in my office.” The two men walked together towards the Abbot’s office. When Brother Charles ente...

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“A Leopard and Its Spots” by Tricia Shulist

A LEOPARD AND ITS SPOTS “So, what’s the catch?” I looked across the table at Anna, my best friend. “I can’t believe that you and Kevin are inviting me to dinner at Chez Chic just because you like me. Why so fancy?” “Weeellll,” said Anna, “Kevin’s friend from university, Colin, is in town, and Kevin thought that maybe you’d like to join us, and —“ “No.” “Cami!” “No,” I repeated adamantly. “I do not do blind dates.” “It’s not a blind date.” “Are you and Kevin inviting me to a fancy restaurant to meet Kevin...

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“Kittens in Thebes” by Tricia Shulist

KITTENS IN THEBES The two kittens stayed close to the wall, edging their way closer to the door. The door should have been closed, but it wasn’t, so the kittens saw their chance for escape. When the human standing at the door turned away, they made their move, dashing for freedom. But the human caught movement in the corner of his eye. “Hey! Stop!” He made a grab for the kittens, but they were faster. They ran down the alley, the human in hot pursuit, bellowing after them. "Stop, kittens! Stop!" The k...

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“Cat Chat -- What?” by Tricia Shulist

CAT CHAT — WHAT?“Catastrophe. Catatonic. Cataclysmic.” “What?” asked Tallulah.“Catty. Caterwaul. Catapult. Catcall.”“Fine. What’s your point?”“Well,” said Luna. “I’m just reminding you that cat is the prefix for all these words. That should give you a hint at what to expect with a cat as a pet. These are not words with great outcomes,” said Luna. “And we seem to have a difference of opinion, so I thought you could use a refresher.”“A refresher?”“Yes. You seem to think that I should ...

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“Books Can't Do That!” by Tricia Shulist

BOOKS CAN’T DO THAT! “Ashley, go clean your room.” “Argh! I hate cleaning my room!” Ashley stomped into her room. Her mother was always telling her to clean up her bedroom. She liked her room exactly the way it was — messy. But, according to her mommy, her room was a disaster zone. Just because she was a kid her mom figured that she could boss Ashley around. When she was grown up, no one could tell her to what to do! She would have the messiest room in the world! Her mom popped her head into Ash...

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“We Were Once Fifteen” by Tricia Shulist

Submitted to Contest #186

WE WERE ONCE FIFTEEN “Finally, the bell. It’s a wrap. We can leave? No one needs you until tomorrow, right?” “We can leave. Sitting around waiting for someone to tell me what to do is, to put it politely, mind-numbing.” “And ass-numbing.” “Haha! True! … Lunch?” “Sure. Where? The commissary?” “Hmmm. No, we always eat at the commissary. How about Chinese? There’s a great place not too far from here.” “Sounds good.”  ***** “Why so quiet, Charlie?” “Umm, no reas...

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“A Dragon's Treasure” by Tricia Shulist

A DRAGON’S TREASURE Gruff looked around. He was surrounded by everything that he held sacred. He paused. Everything his family held sacred. Him, not so much. There was gold, and silver, and gemstones, and rings, and bracelets, and every type of treasure a dragon could want. Problem was that Gruff didn’t really want all this treasure. What good is treasure, if you're all alone? he wondered. What he wanted was something completely different. He wanted a warmer climate. Winter was coming, and the...

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“Boys and Their Toys -- You Can Never Be Too Prepared” by Tricia Shulist

BOYS AND THEIR TOYS — YOU CAN NEVER BE TOO PREPARED There are different degrees of quiet. There’s the quiet during the night, after everyone has gone to sleep — the usual sounds that a house makes in the dark, late at night. Then there’s really quiet. The sound, or lack of sound, in that same house when the power has gone out. All the background mechanical sounds in the house are gone. Gone is the slight buzz from the nightlight in the kitchen. Gone is the quiet sound of the compressor in the fridge. Gon...

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“Barking in the Night” by Tricia Shulist

BARKING IN THE NIGHT BARK! BARK! BARK! I sat bolt up in bed, confused, looking at Barkley, my dog … pony … whatever. He’d just roused me out of a pretty sound sleep, and my heart was hammering in my chest. My head swung around, taking in my room. In the dim light from the street, everything seemed to be as it should be. Except Barkley. “Barkley! Quiet!” I hissed. He looked back at me quickly, acknowledging, his head then swivelled back to look toward the darkness of the hall. BARK! BARK!&n...

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