Tricia Shulist

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Feb, 2021

Stories (186)

186 Stories

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“Clown Mayhem” by Tricia Shulist

CLOWN MAYHEM It was almost dinner time on Tuesday. I had just returned from the library, and was sitting on the couch in the living room, working on an assignment for school, when I heard quiet moans coming from the front hall closet. Concerned, I walked over, opened the door, and much — very, very much — to my surprise, found my roommate Callie curled up on the floor of the closet. “Callie” I said. “What’s going on?” I was immediately struck by two things. First, Callie was in the closet — a coat closet that we ...

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“Every Picture Tells a Story” by Tricia Shulist

EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY I'd purchased the old film camera last Saturday at the local United Church rummage sale. It was a vintage Nikon F-series SLR that appeared to be in mint condition. Don’t get me wrong — I love modern photography, especially with the fantastic DSLR cameras available. But, back in the day I had experimented a bit with film and had even tried developing some of my own photos, and I was still film-curious. I saw the camera as a chance to literally develop my film skills. And I do love a chal...

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“The Gift(s)” by Tricia Shulist

THE GIFT(S) “Happy Housewarming!" squealed Kara. "Your home is so beautiful!” she said, looking around as she stepped into the foyer of the house. “You’re so lucky!” She handed a lovely ficus tree that she had just bought to Marnie, her best friend, who then turned to her husband, Colin, and handed it to him so that she could give Kara a big hug. “Thanks, girlfriend! And I’m so glad you made it!” She stepped back. “Benny’s already here. Come in! Everyone’s in the family room.” Kara draped her ...

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“Snow and Science Fiction” by Tricia Shulist

SNOW AND SCIENCE FICTION “I think you should read this book.”   Marvin attempted to hand a copy of To Kill A Mockingbird to Renee, who was seated at the island in the kitchen, scrolling through her phone. “I’ve seen the movie.” “Granted it is an excellent movie, but the book is so much better,” he said, looking down at the book in his hands, remembering. “There’s more character development which allows you to understand what motivates the main characters. The descriptions of the settings are so well-done that you c...

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“One Night at Ben's Diner” by Tricia Shulist

ONE NIGHT AT BEN’S DINER I looked around the diner. I could see how the place had gotten the abysmal online reviews that it had. It was shabby. Not shabby chic, but old, rundown, nothing-new-in-the-last-fifty-years shabby.  I looked at the counter stools and the booths. The red naugahyde was ripped and torn, patched with so many different types of tape, that the seats were more tape than naugahyde. When this place was new — around the time of the dinosaurs — there must have been a lot of chrome, but not so muc...

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“Happy Wife” by Tricia Shulist

HAPPY WIFE “I remember that you said you knew where we were going. “ Faye crossed her arms across her chest, frustration and anger marring her normally placid features. “I remember you saying that you had studied the map, and didn’t need to actually bring it with us.” “That’s not what I said.” Colin mirrored Faye’s body language, crossing his arms across his chest, staring back at her. “Oh no?” said Faye, raising her eyebrows. “What exactly did you say?” “I said that I had looked at the map and had a pretty go...

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“Don't Settle!” by Tricia Shulist

DON’T SETTLE! Case Number: 202200019 Client: Acme Insurance International Day 1, February 26, 2022, 9:23 a.m. Gerald Springer, 34, claimed multiple injuries after allegedly slipping on the ice in front of 15 Woodsworth Avenue, home of Antoine Bellhouse, 66 and Carol Bellhouse, 66, on February 22, 2022. The Bellhouse home is equipped with a CCTV camera that recorded Springer walking by their property eastbound at 4:34 pm, and returning at 7:10 pm, but did not capture Springer’s alleged slip-and-fall.   On ...

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“Sweet Dreams?” by Tricia Shulist

SWEET DREAMS? “Please,” I said. “You have to be tired. Just a short sleep. Maybe even a nap.” No response. “Okay,” I said, again, “I didn’t want to have to scare you, but there are ramifications if you don’t get some sleep. It’s a big deal!” I took in a deep breath, and read from my phone. “Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, heart failure, or stroke. Those are just the big ones! There’s also obesity, depression, impairment in immunity, and l...

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“You Ain't No Einstein!” by Tricia Shulist

You Ain't No Einstein! “You ain’t no Einstein, are ya?” Mitch just looked at Arnold “call me Arnie” Kalicki, his boss, and couldn’t help but be struck by the irony. No, thought Mitch, I’m no Einstein, but at least I can speak English. And I’m a member of Mensa. And I have two post-graduate degrees. And I’m a five-time Jeopardy champion. You sir, are a troglodyte.  Mitch sighed. But Arnie didn’t know any of that. All he just knew was that Mitch didn’t know how to use the skid lifter, or as Arnie called i...

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“Just A Boy” by Tricia Shulist

JUST A BOY Up here, in the northern climes, October is usually a brilliant month, the leaves falling from the trees, all shades of gold and crimson, swirling in the breeze. It does rain in autumn — quite a bit — but when it’s not raining, the days are marvellous with brilliant blue skies, the sun still strong enough to warm the earth. The evenings are cooler, almost crisp, preparing us for winter that awaits just around the corner. But it’s not that cold just yet, just cool enough for a jacket, or a sweater. This night it w...

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“No Good Deed” by Tricia Shulist

NO GOOD DEED … Remy walked down the stairs to the subway platform. It was rush hour, and there was a lot of jostling, and unintentional shoving. Everybody was on their way somewhere after work — to meet friends, off to a show, drinks, dinner. The work day was finished, and the exodus had begun.  Remy just wanted to go home. He was tired, and his day had been pretty crappy, what with being fired, and all. Fired wasn’t the way his boss had phrased it. He’d said “laid off,” with two weeks severance pay.&...

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“Valentine's Day -- Yuck!” by Tricia Shulist

VALENTINE’S DAY — YUCK “Valentine’s Day is the worst,’ I said.   My friend Frannie and I were sitting in a coffee shop, enjoying a cappuccino together at the end of the work day. It was Valentine’s Day, and the barista had made foam hearts on the top of our drinks. “There is no reason why it is celebrated,” I continued, “Other than to line the pockets of stores and corporations, and make people who aren’t in a relationship feel like losers. Except for the fact that it is prime season for cinnamon hearts — which a...

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“Up In the Air” by Tricia Shulist

UP IN THE AIR “I hate this.” I looked at my mother, trying not to cry.  “What do you hate, Sophia?” she asked. “I hate that we have to move, again. I hate that I’m going to have to leave all my friends, again. I hate that I have to start at a new school, again. I hate that I’m going to be the new girl, again. I hate that I’m going to a new country, again. I hate that I don’t speak the language, again. And, I hate that you’re okay with all that, because your job is sooooo important, and who gives a...

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“One For All, All For One” by Tricia Shulist

ONE FOR ALL, AND ALL FOR ONE “I can’t believe you believed that!” Sam snorted. “Even I knew it wasn’t true, and I’m the youngest.” Aaron looked at his brother, eyebrows furrowed. “How the hell was I supposed to know that you guys were liars?” Dev started to laugh. “Because we’re triplets, you moron. Didn’t you notice that we all look exactly alike?” “Not when I was seven, I didn’t.” “Dude!” said Dev, “Did you really think that Mom and Dad wanted another kid because having two at once wasn’t enough? De...

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“The Locked Door” by Tricia Shulist

THE LOCKED DOOR Azul Beard lived deep in the bayou of southern Louisiana in a huge, ramshackle house that had once been the home to the Beniot family, an important family who grew cotton and tobacco. The same family had held the property as late as the mid-twentieth century, when Bernard Benoit made a number of ill-advised investments, and the family was no longer able to afford their lavish lifestyle. Unable to pay the taxes, or pay off the second and third mortgages Bernard had taken out on the house, they had fled the lowlands fo...

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Author bio

Love reading. Trying to be a better writer. Meshing both through Reedsy.