Valerie Preston

Author on Reedsy Prompts since May, 2020

Stories (100)

100 Stories

1773 karma pts

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“Hidden Feelings” by Valerie Preston

She picked up the clump of dry earth in her hand and threw it onto the wooden casket. Pale and sad faces were lined up on either side of the grave and as one person finished throwing dirt onto the dark wooden lid, the next person did the same. It was hard to imagine that there was a body in the casket and that just one week earlier he had been alive and breathing, walking around, laughing, working at a project that would...

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“Train Ride to New Life” by Valerie Preston

Chugga chugga, chugga chugga and then a sharp toot pierced the quiet air. Her head bobbed up and down as it slowly drooped, as if hypnotised by the sound and rhythm of the train. She felt herself dozing off until the horn sounded. Barbara turned and looked out of the dusty window, not knowing if the train stopped at the next station or keep going right past it. She didn’t know which stations were for pickup...

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“Take Me Back to Dreamworld” by Valerie Preston

She couldn’t decide if she should wear the red ones or the pink and silver pair. She lifted them both from her shoe rack and placed them side by side on the floor. Then rushing into the closet or ‘spare room’ as her friends called it, took the dress she was thinking of wearing down off the hanger and laid it on the bed above the shoes. After looking from the dress to the shoes a couple of times she declared aloud ...

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“I Had A Good Life” by Valerie Preston

Where I come from doesn’t matter, its where I’m going to…. I’m old and weary but I’ve had a full life. It will soon be time. I want to go with just Libby by my side – we’ve been together for so long.  I’ve left all my instructions with my bank – where my money will go and the whereabouts of my book. No-one ever got to read because I never sent it to the publishers but at least I finished it.  ...

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“I Guesss We All Have To Face it Sometime” by Valerie Preston

She sat on the park bench with her long hair blowing all over the place in the wind, feeling dazed. She pushed it back off her face and held it in her one hand while trying to get her bag open. The zip was stuck again ‘how many times have I meant to sort that zip out?’ she thought. Then just as the metal teeth connected and the bag opened, it fell onto the grass in front of her. “I’ll get it love” a kindly old lad...

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“I Won The Battle” by Valerie Preston

She was pale and still thin. Her soft skin looked translucent in the dim lightning and she signed deeply as she bent her head to look at the menu. “Bruschetta” she said out loud “now that sounds good. It says two pieces and I wonder how big they are? How about the soup? The bowl could be a large one? I don’t have to have a starter. Let’s see what the mains are?” PASTA jumped out at her from the page. ‘No wa...

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“The Liquid of Life” by Valerie Preston

He passed her the canteen and she took it hastily with her gloved hand. “Just a sip” he told her “We don’t have much left in it. They were fighting against time and the opponent was winning. “Are we going to get it done before the dust storm do you think?” she asked him, licking her chaffed and dry lips and then pulling her kerchief up. “Dunno” was his short reply – “just keep going”. T...

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“Money Isn't Everything But It Does Help” by Valerie Preston

He sat on the wooden stoop eating his jam sandwich. Opening up the two pieces of bread he inspected the inside, sighed loudly and put them back together again. “I can’t eat another jam sandwich” He said aloud “I might splurge this week and buy some ham!”. John opened up his thermos and drank a gulp of tea. It warmed him. And then he looked around at the hall he had been cleaning. The jarrah floor boa...

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“I Need to Change - a Lot” by Valerie Preston

I used to be a horrible person and not that long ago. I’ve been trying so hard to change. I know it’s only been two weeks that I’ve been trying to mend my ways but it’s very difficult when you haven’t been nice for such a long time. The main reason for me wanting to change is quite simple really. I’m lonely. Horrible people aren’t likeable. I know that first hand because my dad was and is hor...

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“I Want What You've Got” by Valerie Preston

She was grateful that someone had stopped to see if she was alright. It was a dark and lonely road. If Anthony hadn’t said what he did at the cocktail party then she wouldn’t have stormed off, taking the car and not knowing  how to get home from the country club. Whenever they went out together at night time he always drove. She never thought to look around and take in the surroundings. “I think it...

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“We Feel Things Too You Know” by Valerie Preston

“And he even washes the floor for me, AND I do believe the cat and dog” she gushed to her circle of friends, their pouting mouths ‘oohing’ and ‘aahhing’ about the latest edition to the family. “And guess what? It’s got a name! She continued looking at her amazed friends faces, adding “I will give a bottle of red to the person who guesses its name”. Meanwhile down on the floor the piece of equipment responsi...

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“Different Is Good” by Valerie Preston

I’d missed the last bus home from the club. I saw him in the park. It was very dark and frankly I felt a little scared. One minute the person was not that far away and the next whoever it was seemed to disappear. It was as if they felt me watching so scurried off – they were carrying something too. The only weapon I had to protect myself, if needed was my saxophone. Housed in its black case I gripped the ...

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“Demoliotin Doesn't Erase Memories” by Valerie Preston

The noise was deafening. Dust rose into the air, huge clouds as if suspended by invisible string, gradually dispersing high above the trees and houses dotted sparsely along the road. The area was cordoned off with steel mesh fences but you could still peer through the gaps - enough to see what was going on. She had parked her car across the other side of the road to watch the building being taken apart by ...

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“It's All Fake” by Valerie Preston

‘Now this is the kind of place I want’ she said to herself eyeing the modern two story house like a green eyed monster. ‘Look at the finish on it – it’s perfect. I love the shutters on the front windows. The immaculate garden with those large ornate pots on the wide veranda - just to die for! I could sit here all day’. Then she looked at her watch and realised that she couldn’t sit here for a minute longer or she...

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“I Changed My Look and It Changed My Life” by Valerie Preston

I always wanted to be different to who I was, to dress wildly, ‘out there’ attracting attention. But unfortunately when you’re born into the family I was then that’s not possible. My family are rich – well that is an under-statement to be honest – they are super rich. When your father owns a bank which before him his father owned and passed down, then money is no object. I lived in a luxurious house with my...

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Author bio

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