Valerie Preston

Author on Reedsy Prompts since May, 2020

Stories (123)

123 Stories

2184 karma pts

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“Precious Time Wasted - If Only We Knew -” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #190

 I wanted everyone to like me, to take me into their groups, invite me home, be my friend, but they didn’t. I learnt to put on a brave face, and act. So, I hated school. I was extremely bright so it wasn’t the work; it was the kids. I went to a school where I didn’t fit in and I felt it, from day one. I hated the teasing, being the butt of jokes and worst of all the talking behind hands, whispers and giggles that I could hear as I sat in my seat, watching. There were a few of ‘alright’ girls at St. John’s Convent but it was difficult ...

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“You Won't Spoil My Special Day No Matter How Hard You Try” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #188

She woke up excited at the prospect of the day - brilliant sunshine peeping through the side of the drawn curtains. Untangling herself from the sheets she sat up and took off the furry cat eye mask, surprised it had even stayed on all night. Adie’s mind was bursting at the seams thinking about what she had to do this morning before the big occasion. Desperate to see the girls were in the other room she threw her legs over the side of the bed and walked towards the door. She could hear laughter from the other bedroom and couldn’t wait to see...

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“If I Don't Push The Button I Won't Ever Know” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #184

I didn’t know that my dad wasn’t my ‘real’ dad until I left home. When my dad left mum and me, I also didn’t know it was the second time it had happened to her. I was the saddest kid in the world and couldn’t stop crying. I couldn’t fathom why he left. “Why would dad go off like that when we were all so happy?” I asked my mum who seemed to have gotten over her loss a lot quicker than me! “Men get bored and they’re not keen on responsibility either” she told me. I was too young to know exactly what she meant and all I could reply was “But wil...

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“A Brief Encounter” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #183

He slowly opened the envelope with a knife, neatly and precisely and pulled out the sheet of white paper. Sighing he rubbed his brow and looked off into the distance. He knew it was going to happen sooner or later but now that it was here it saddened him. He felt empty. He knew it wasn’t because he was hungry, but he made a sandwich and ate it while patting the dog. “Well mate” he said to the black and white pooch “the time has come, but don’t worry because you’ll be staying with me. We won’t be leaving each other any time soon”. He remember...

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“Paranoia or Fear – what’s worse?” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #182

‘What was that?’ she said to herself. Her breathing was getting quicker and the loud noise was reverberating in her head. She tried to breathe quietly but couldn’t. ‘Should I get up and go and look or just stay here? If I just lie still, I’m a sitting duck, or maybe a lying duck but I don’t want to go downstairs. What should I do?’ Vera felt like crying but knew that wouldn’t help. Vera lay in her bed for a couple of seconds more, just listening. She must have been straining her neck because her throat was hurting so she relaxed momentaril...

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“No Mountain to High” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #181

She turned around to take a final look at the place she had called home for the past six months. Her new found friends were all standing waving their goodbye’s. She had done all the hugging earlier. Tears had flowed and promises of ‘keeping in touch’ were said to her. Marni knew there was just one person she would keep in touch with – Jacki had taken her under her wing from the beginning and was a kind and caring friend. The others meant well but she knew in her heart that a lot of them would be back at Mincham House within a few months of l...

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“The Hand You Are Dealt” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #180

She sat on the stairs, tears streaming down her face and just watched as they fell on to and soaked the front of her jeans. Her sobs were loud, the wailing that followed full of despair. As she looked down through the laundry door and the clothes dumped in a pile on the tiles, flecks of what looked like white coconut flakes scattered on the weekly wash, a fresh wave of amger and disbelief hit her. She began to feel a little sick in her stomach and the headache over her eye was getting worse. The light was dimming when she finally stood...

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“Good Friendship Never Dies” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #174

The ravages of time affect us all. There have been lots of times when I’ve seen someone from the past and thought how old they look, and then I’ve realised that when I look in the mirror, I look just as bad! Walking through the park I crunch on the crinkled dry leaves and think that my arms look a bit like them. High above me, hanging from a branch are new leaves, soft and supple. I just sigh. When Susan and I first met it was in Primary school. From the minute she smiled at me, warmth radiating from her face, I liked her. “Hello” she said t...

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“Hidden Feelings” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #172

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 never have his name on the final copy - giving all the credit to someone else. John wouldn’t have minded though; he was th...

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“Train Ride to New Life” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #168

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 pickups between the beginning of her journey and the end of it. It didn’t matter to her. This was a train journey from one life to another. Wh...

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“Take Me Back to Dreamworld” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #167

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 “No none of those – and definitely not that dress!”. Her closet was enormous with deep shelves, drawers and hangers full of clothe...

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“I Had A Good Life” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #164

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.  Of course Libby will eventually be in a cat home, a good one, but I can’t dwell on that because it makes me feel very melancholy. I’ve organi...

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

Submitted to Contest #163

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 lady said to her, bending down and picking up the big leather bag “It’s so awkward when you’ve only got one hand”. “Thank you” she sa...

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“I Won The Battle” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #162

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 way’ she thought. ‘I could have the fish, which would be light, with the salad. I’ll ask how big the serves are’. “Excuse me” she said to a...

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“The Liquid of Life” by Valerie Preston

Submitted to Contest #160

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”. They had been out in the paddock since early morning fixing up the fences that the wild horses had destroyed. The sheep had been temporarily houses on their ne...

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