Valerie June

“The Look in Those Eyes (Part 2)” by Valerie June

This has nothing to do with the prompt!Recap: “Quite the view? Is it not?”I’m shaken out of my reverie. My heart speeds. Someone is standing directly behind me; I can sense it. What I previously thought to be the sun, is a person’s warm breath against my neck. I know this statement to be true without turning my head.I can’t breathe. I dare not flinch or turn around, too fearful to know who is in my room and what they are to do with me.I let loose a bloodcurdling scream to call for help. I act quickly and grab the nearest object to me, a thic...

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“My Lucky Day, or Is It? (Part 1)” by Valerie June

An endless row of dirty glasses, tall cups, crystal bowls, and other metal containers line the icy metal kitchen countertop. I sigh at the sight of so many dirty dishes laying mockingly in the sink for me to wash, which will take me the majority of the night. I know my hands will crack and bleed from overworking them in the chemical soapy water, but I can’t complain, I can’t scream, and I certainly cannot whine.I wholly depend on this washing job to earn enough money to pay back my debt to Mr. Green. With this thought in mind it makes me wor...

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“Chaos at the Cafe” by Valerie June

Submitted to Contest #81

“See you soon, Mark.”A young woman ends the call and sets her phone down to place her full attention on the road. Once she’s merged onto the highway she quickly glances at the rear view mirror to check on her physical appearance before meeting with Mark. An image of dazzling dark brown eyes, defined eyebrows, long auburn bangs, and hastily applied ruby red lipstick reflects back at her. Adjusting the mirror, she looks in the back seat where her tiny yorkie puppy, Peanut, and her purse stitched in calligraphy with the words, My Angel, lay.Her...

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“Live In the Moment” by Valerie June

Submitted to Contest #80

Note: their is a glossary at the end that contains the translation of the words with a (*). Those words were originally used by the Cherokee tribe.*Sidanelv Day,I’ve finally convinced myself to write down my thoughts on paper, so here I am. I’ve also made a friend, but I'll talk about him later. First things first, I’ll begin with a solid introduction of my sidanelv.I have one witty brother, a loving mother, and a fearless father. The four of us are part of the Shoshone tribe; there is plenty of food to go around and the weather is good. Eac...

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“Torn in Two” by Valerie June

Submitted to Contest #79

“Why did he have to do this?” he asks under his breath as he rapidly writes on a piece of parchment under candlelight. “Sir, are you positive you will carry through with this?” a voice whispers in the darkness. “When have I not? You know, Paulio, that he’s absolutely forcing me to do this. I am innocent and to prove to the country that I stick to my word, it is unavoidable for me to let him off the hook,” he sighs sorrowfully until a spark of anger fastens his eye, “after all, I have a duty to perform to my kingdom and his love affair won’...

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“The Decomposers” by Valerie June

Submitted to Contest #78

    “Happy Birthday Jeffy!”     “Mae a with!” my two year old baby sister shrieks out loudly. Elle could be pretty loud when she wanted to, even for her petite size.     I blow out all eleven candles in one go and forget to make a wish. I guess there's always next year, I think.     “Open this one son!” says Dad reaching for what looks like a cup wrapped in girlish Happy Birthday pink wrapping paper. Elle’s birthday was just the month before so my presents were always wrapped in her wrap...

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“The Open Road Before Us” by Valerie June

Submitted to Contest #78

“Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road, Healthy, free, the world before me, The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.” -Walt Whitman Mountains of words. Valleys of sentences. Rivers and lakes full of alphabet fish. Meadows overflowing with paragraphs. I’ve always noticed these things, but I’ve had no one to share them with. That’s probably because I traveled too much due to my father’s job. Fun fact, I’ve never stayed in the same state for an entire year. I wasn't complaining though because I liked my life a whol...

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“Liberty” by Valerie June

Submitted to Contest #76

   In loving memory of Bubbles.Speak! Speak! Speak! I tell myself. Just move and speak, it shouldn’t be that hard. The thing is, it’s very hard. Humans don’t understand anything about anything, especially when it comes to listening. They just do, do, do and talk, talk, talk. Why can't I speak, or laugh, or walk? Why, why, why? I pause to listen to my family as they sit down at a table next to me. Listen! I shriek out furiously. I watch a little human child with short brown hair pick up a rod with buttons, or as I call it, the ...

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“Soar” by Valerie June

Submitted to Contest #74

My name was called out loud and anxiously. Everything depended on me, and if things didn’t end well, then we were doomed for failure. I took a deep inhale and closed my eyes, sensing the warm sun and feeling the cool summer breeze blow across my cheeks. If I didn’t score, it would be over. There were already two outs and if I didn’t get a miracle of a hit, then we would be done for. As I rose from the bench, I felt the complete and utter weight of my impactful odyssey rest on my shoulders. The future of my team was depending on my successful...

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“Thorns” by Valerie June

Submitted to Contest #72

Our story takes place on a blustery December day in Hyde Park, one of the most romantic places in the world, where lovebirds often tweet about, cloaked with the smell of chocolate and flowers. In a certain quaint apartment complex, there lived a daughter and father suffering under the cruel heavy weight of poverty. The daughter, Marigold, loved her father dearly and would do anything to make his life better. Since Marigold worked as a seamstress it was difficult to afford enough food to go round between them, which made the poor man come dow...

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