Vesta Bartholomew

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Apr, 2023

Stories (20)

20 Stories

346 karma pts

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“Party Animals ” by Vesta Bartholomew

Submitted to Contest #264

       Jack sat on the stoop of his Troy brownstone, bent over and holding his head in his hands. His fingers played with his dark curly locks tinged with a hint of gray. With a sigh of impatience, he almost pulled his cell from the pocket of his black dress pants and called Yvette. He was then startled by the loud, repeated honks of his sister's truck and nearly fell off the porch. He jogged the short distance to the Ford, opened the door, and hopped in. He said to Yvette in a sarcastic tone, “On time, lik...

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“Psych 101” by Vesta Bartholomew

Submitted to Contest #260

       Amelia started her familiar routine that occurred with every breakup. She opened up a pint of ice cream-this time it happened to be Chunky Monkey. She considered a bowl but thought,”Why bother?” Amelia inserted a spoon into its creamy surface and headed towards the bedroom with the full container.          She turned on her favorite mindless home improvement show that provided background noise as she went over the details of the restaurant showdown. Y...

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“You're Just My Type ” by Vesta Bartholomew

Submitted to Contest #249

                         THURSDAY        Minerva saw from her GPS that St.Peter's was only a half-mile away as she approached the place with dread. She lived only three miles uptown, but always liked the security of punching in her destination regardless of the distance. It was especially comforting on dark and rainy nights such as this. She thought with wry humor, “I could get l...

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“Going For Broke ” by Vesta Bartholomew

Submitted to Contest #242

     Nervous, excited energy permeated every bone, fiber and nerve of Jean-Claude's body as he waited for Madame du Pompadour and her entourage to approach. He had assembled a stunning display of the finest Vincennes porcelain France would ever produce and desperately hoped Madame would find the sumptuous offerings to her taste. Jean-Claude poured his heart and soul into its manufacture and couldn't decide if the china or the mistress of Louis XV commanded the greater attention.      &nb...

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“Venus' Playpen ” by Vesta Bartholomew

Submitted to Contest #239

        Pagall -Thursday June 12 1975         Pagall leaned back in his beloved, worn brown checked recliner- his dear friend. His right pointer finger caressed the burn holes in the fabric that had been created over the decades from his occasional careless smoking. His left hand held a half-finished Camel and his penetrating blue eyes were fixated on the space just above his head. The large, yellow-brown diaphanous smoke rings, newly created, floated aloft to th...

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“A Blind Squirrel Finds a Nut” by Vesta Bartholomew

Submitted to Contest #237

       Holly and Linda sat on Holly's bed, entertained with their roommate Pam's attempts to pack her Hello Kitty suitcase at the last minute. They were hurling suggestions fast and furious about the clothing she couldn't live without for the weekend.           Holly shouted out,” The red cashmere sweater will be great for Valentine's Day and will match the color of your eyes after you've had too many Sangrias.”       ...

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“Retrograde Amnesia ” by Vesta Bartholomew

Submitted to Contest #236

       The mid-autumn day was almost as perfect as anyone could ask. The sun in a brilliant blue sky emitted a gentle warmth that tempered the slight chill of the October air. The sunlight baked the red and yellow-hued leaves of the oak and maple trees that now gave off a musky, earthy scent. The aged and somber parade of three sorrowful participants snaked around the yard, coming to a halt several times. The head of the trio stopped to gather strength to continue or to inspect landmarks of interest. It was...

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“Sneaky, Sneaky ” by Vesta Bartholomew

Submitted to Contest #235

                        MONDAY          Sarah's bright green eyes grew large-a mixture of surprise, consternation and happiness. Her fair skin flushed bright red and she exclaimed, “ Raven, say that you didn't ! “        Raven's cheeks also grew hot as she nodded up and down, even though she was responsible for this embarrassment.   &n...

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“Doing Hard Time” by Vesta Bartholomew

Submitted to Contest #234

       Leonora ran at breakneck speed through the wild untamed forest of Eastern Hemlock and White Pine trees, her long black hair streaming behind her and her brown and white spaniel, Tempus, close at her heels. Thorns and pricker bushes tore into the soft flesh of her light reddish brown skin of her face and arms but she had no time to assess the damage. She plunged without a thought into the babbling stream who had been her companion since childhood. The bottom of her expensive exquisite white gown was s...

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“There's a First Time for Everything ” by Vesta Bartholomew

Submitted to Contest #231

    Jan regained consciousness-eyes closed- with the horrible sensation of his head spinning and the room rotating at the same time. It was as if he was riding the most evil and ingenious tilt-a whirl ever invented . He didn't dare open his eyes as he puked the vile contents of his stomach that held such appeal as amber ale and cheesy nachos only hours earlier. Even in his pitiful state, he attempted to keep the vile smelling vomit as far away as possible from himself and his favorite outfit as he lay on the cold hard flo...

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“Not the G.O.A.T.” by Vesta Bartholomew

Submitted to Contest #228

    Charlie saw his potential attacker approaching sideways and from behind the rear with his excellent peripheral vision. He was ready to let loose and nail Vincent with his powerful hind legs, if the situation called for it. Charlie narrowly avoided an unprovoked assault from this new, horned interloper yesterday. He had lunged to the side at the last minute and the goat sailed right past him. It could have  been a painful head-butt collision. Those sharp horns could have ended up in a very sensitive area. Charlie ...

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“To Infinity and Beyond” by Vesta Bartholomew

Submitted to Contest #225

       Bella strutted down picturesque Warren Street, lined with its original 19th century architecture, with long strides in her killer over -the- thigh black boots. A brisk autumn wind ruffled her shoulder length honey-colored hair in a way that attracted attention and reflected the waning  afternoon sunlight. Her short black dress was only adorned with a gold belt. Her entire ensemble was put together by an on-line company who shipped outfits based on her surveys. Likewise, her makeup was applied se...

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“Riding with the Devil” by Vesta Bartholomew

Submitted to Contest #222

       Jason opened the passenger door emblazoned with black lettering advertising " F and F Antiques - PHONE 371- DEAL" . He climbed into the seat of the late model 1998 fire-red Ford-150 truck with great care and excitement, making sure he hadn't tracked in any mud. The vehicle had all the bells and whistles and a matching enclosed utility trailer hitched to the back. Freddy Foster, the proprietor of the business and deluxe transportation package, slid behind the wheel. He started the engine and pull...

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“Generally Weird ” by Vesta Bartholomew

Submitted to Contest #221

    Sir Francis begrudgingly parted from his reveries of pork pies, turtle soup and port wine and faced the reality that such delights no longer played a role in the course of his existence. In fact, he hadn't tasted such delicacies in nearly two hundred and fifty years. With a low wistful sigh that even yet contained a glimmer of hope, he quietly pushed aside the bright plastic blue tarp that had been covering him. He blinked his eyes rapidly to assess his surroundings of the utility shed in the dim morning autumn l...

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“Wamplus” by Vesta Bartholomew

Submitted to Contest #215

      Tess suddenly sat up in bed, struggling for her eyes to gain focus as she roused herself from her nightmare that had been her close companion since she could remember. Her pink rose snap-down nightshirt was bathed in sweat and her fragile heart was thumping in her chest as she grabbed her two squirt guns in her left and right pockets, displacing the kleenex. She listened very carefully and yelled, "Are you there?" Receiving no answer, she swung her legs over the side of the bed, getting...

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