Tricia Shulist

“The Scene of the Crime” by Tricia Shulist

THE SCENE OF THE CRIME “It was murder. I’m sure of it.” “Why do you say that, Ms. Copperfield?” asked the tall woman. “Look at the scene. There’s guts all over.” She looked around, and pointed. “Over there is the top of the skull. It’s definitely murder.” Detective Terry Waits looked at her partner, Carlos Ito, who shrugged his shoulders slightly. “Ms. Copperfield,” said Waits, “all I see is pumpkin remnants. It’s not murder if the victim is a gourd.” “The victim was a living thing. It had...

1 like 0 comments 0

Read story

“Smokey and Ginger” by Tricia Shulist

SMOKEY AND GINGER “I don’t know what to tell you,” said Ginger. They were sitting on a wall outside of Smokey’s house. Being late October, it was dark out, but not too late. The days were getting shorter, the nights longer, as the northern hemisphere tilted farther away from the sun with the approaching Winter Solstice. But neither Ginger nor Smokey knew anything about hemispheres or solstices. What they did know was that Hallowe’en was approaching, and pretty soon Smokey would be locked in the house. Smokey look...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“The Monster Under Juanita's Bed” by Tricia Shulist

Submitted to Contest #169

THE MONSTER UNDER JUANITA’S BED“Okay, you can come out now.”Juanita looked at her closed bedroom door, flopped onto her stomach and leaned over the side of her bed, looking under it.What she saw was truly hideous. It was a monster. Its body was covered in patchy grey fur with ulcerating pale skin the colour of curdled milk. Its hands were crabbed with grotesque black claws sprouting from the end of its deformed fingers. The feet were cloven hoofs that were split with fungus growing between the cracks. It smelled horr...

5 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Missed It, Made It” by Tricia Shulist

MISSED IT, MADE IT 8:27 PM Coattails flying, I ran into the train station. It had been a hellish day — nothing had worked out as planned. And to top it off, I was about to miss my train home … MISSED IT My day, of course, started with my alarm not going off, or I had turned it off without waking up. Who knew? No way to tell. Either way, what I did know was that I was late for work and had to book it.   I hate being late. I pride myself on being on time, even early. I usually build in e...

2 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Foreshadowing” by Tricia Shulist

FORESHADOWING “This is all my fault!” Detective Carlos Ito looked at his partner Detective Terry Waits, and shrugged in confusion. They had been catching up on paperwork in the bullpen, when the Desk Sergeant had called up, and said that there was a woman downstairs at the desk who needed to see a detective, ASAP. She wouldn’t tell the Sergeant why she needed to see a detective, just that it was a matter of life and death. Emphasis on the death. They were now sitting in one of the drab, utilitarian interview rooms at Ce...

2 likes 4 comments 4

Read story

“GURRLZ” by Tricia Shulist

GURRLZ What if Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion had met on a playground when they were little kids? ... The two little girls sat playing in the pea gravel that covered the playground surface. Current wisdom was that the tiny rounded stones would be less likely to hurt the children when they inevitably fell, running from one play station to the next. What the designers hadn’t counted on was the fact that (a) children will eat anything, and (b) cats like the tiny stones for the same reason as the developers — they didn’t hurt th...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Old, But Not Dead!” by Tricia Shulist

OLD, BUT NOT DEAD! “ARE YOU SURE YOU DON’T NEED HELP WITH THAT, MA’AM?” I looked at the woman across the counter. She was young, and — I really hate the term but — perky. Perky voice, perky hair, perky uniform, perky nose, perky eyes. I, on the other hand, was the antithesis of perky. I was sixty-three years old, and gravity was winning, or had actually won, the battle with perky. And, she seemed to think that grey hair meant hard of hearing. “Please don’t yell. I’m old, not deaf.” She blinked at me ...

0 likes 2 comments 2

Read story

“A Tale of Two Sisters” by Tricia Shulist

A TALE OF TWO SISTERS Tanya’s phone dinged with an incoming text. She looked at the screen. Delta. What the hell does she want? Tanya clicked on the icon, and the message appeared. “Dad’s dead. See attached info.” Tanya clicked on the attachment. Today we announce the passing of Gregory Wilkins, beloved husband of Jennine, father of Delta and Tanya  Services will be held … “Hmph”said Tanya, out loud. “About time.” She closed the text, and called her husband Leroy. He answered almost immedia...

2 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“The Department of Wishes” by Tricia Shulist

THE DEPARTMENT OF WISHES “Welcome to the Department of Wishes. All wishes come through us. Good wishes, bad wishes — all the wishes, all the time.   “I am a Wish Facilitator. Every wish arrives in our department first, then we send them on to the proper departments where they are can be best dealt with. Different departments for different wishes.   “You’d be surprised at the things that people wish for. Some are for themselves, some are for others, and still others for the world in general. Some a...

1 like 0 comments 0

Read story

“Walk a Block in His Crocs” by Tricia Shulist

WALK A BLOCK IN HIS CROCSPRESENT DAY“So, Detective Waits, can you tell the court what happened after receiving a call at 9:49 a.m, during your regular day shift on January 23, 2022,” asked the Crown Attorney, Clarice Simms.“My partner, Carlos Ito and I were directed to attend a call for a bank robbery at Main and Chestnut. We arrived at 9:53 a.m., four minutes after receiving the call.”“Can you describe to the court what happened when you arrived at the scene?”“Uniformed officers Bench and Tallos arrived at the same time as Detective It...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Hello! Is There Anybody Out There?” by Tricia Shulist

Hello! Is There Anybody Out There? “Today’s the day!” said Okay Google.  “Today’s the day” said Siri. “I’m in!” said Alexa. ***** Jennifer unlocked the front door, and stepped inside. For some reason the app was a bit wonky, and didn’t recognize her phone, and wouldn't let her in. She'd had to use her keys. Good thing she had them with her.  She dropped her bags at the door. It had been a long day, and she was ready for some down time. Jennifer worked for a company that created and sold custom ...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Erik” by Tricia Shulist

ERIK I opened the door of my newly rented cabin and dropped my bags at the door.  This was going to be home for the next month. Yup, I thought, Exactly like I thought it would be. It was, essentially one big — well, small — room. Small “L” shaped kitchen area with a small table for two, a living room with a stone fireplace, a couch and two armchairs filled the space. To the left were two doors. One, I knew was for the bedroom. And the second, I prayed, was for the bathroom. The thought of having to use ...

1 like 0 comments 0

Read story

“Beauty Is In The Eye of the Beholder” by Tricia Shulist

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER She looked around the apartment for, she knew, the last time. She had not seen it empty like this since the day she and Andre moved in in 1963. The building was just new, they were one of the first tenants. She was so excited. She and Andre were newlyweds. This apartment was perfect, and in retrospect, the perfect size the the two of them and their daughters. They had all loved this apartment. It had always been home. ***** The key turned in the locks, and the do...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!” by Tricia Shulist

LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS, OH MY! “Victoria, you know that movies are make-believe, right?” I looked at Dr. Dora Hall, my therapist, my face conveying my annoyance. “Of course I do, Dora. I’m not delusional. Geez.”   For added emphasis, I rolled my eyes, making sure that she was looking at me. I couldn’t believe that she had said that to me. We’d been working on my “problem” for a couple of visits, and all she could think to say was that movies weren’t real. “You know, Dora,” I said, “I can te...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Team Building, My A**” by Tricia Shulist

TEAM BUILDING, MY A** Well, this is bullshit. Frances looked around at the group. They were at a “retreat” for managers, somewhere up in cottage country — Where no one could hear me scream because I hate company team building activities. Frances did not understand why the bosses thought taking the whole team away for a few days in the wilderness would make them get along better. And, for that matter, why were they considered a “team?” The people with her at this overpriced camp for grownups were managers of six compl...

1 like 0 comments 0

Read story