short story

Soft Whispers: Jill & Jake

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Soft Whispers: Jill & Jake

Jill reached for her cell phone when the alarm began to play softly.  While turning the alarm off, she sat in bed, wishing she could finish her dream but knowing it would repeat.  For some reason, the dream had come to her every night for a week stopping at the same place.  Then she would hear her alarm. While Jill showered, she thought about her dream.  She was in the library, standing in an aisle, looking at a book with a picture of a young couple on the cover.  Hearing steps approaching her, she looked up to see a young man walking up to her.  As their eyes met, Jill always felt her...

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Soft Whispers

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Soft Whispers

  When the alarm began to play softly, Jill reached for her cell phone. While turning the alarm off, she sat up in the bed wishing she could finish her dream, but knowing it would repeat again. For some reason the dream had come to her every night for a week but stopped at the same place, then she would hear her alarm. While Jill showered, she thought about her dream. She was in the library standing in an aisle looking at a book with a picture of a young couple on the cover. Hearing steps coming towards her, she looked up to see a young man walking up to her. As their eyes met, Jill...

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Jill & The Mountain

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Jill & The Mountain

Jill turned onto the dirt road that led to the house. Looking out of the car’s windshield, she could see the house up ahead and the towering Mountain that stood behind it. Stopping the vehicle for a moment, Jill slowly inhaled as she took in the breathtaking sight in front of her.  Jill was home and would soon climb her Mountain. Continuing to drive the car down the road, once Jill reached the house, she parked the car, unloaded her things, then entered the home.  Nothing had changed, and the place looked the same as the last time she had been there. It was as if time seemed to have stood...

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Southern Sweet Mint Tea

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Southern Sweet Mint Tea

As Elsa filled the small pan with water at the sink, she looked out the kitchen window, and her mind wandered back to her childhood. (How many times had she done this same routine early in the morning of a hot summer day?) When she had filled the pan with just the right amount of water, she placed it on the burner on the stove. While waiting for the water to come to a boil, Elsa opened the cabinet, grabbed the box of teabags.  She placed the right amount of teabags into her Grandmothers’ well-used teapot.  After the water began to boil, she turned off the burner and poured the hot water over...

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One More Chance

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One More Chance

                                                                                                                                                    Did that fire happen, or am I dreaming? Now I need to check myself out. My back feels solid and straight, both of my arms feel attached, my seat not burned, all four legs are still there, but I only feel one foot. I feel blistered and scorched on one side, but most importantly, I need my other foot. Without two feet, I am useless.  Maybe, I am at the end of my journey, but what a good rocking time I have had. My journey started in a barn, which...

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One More Journey

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One More Journey

Did that fire happen, or am I dreaming? Now I need to check myself out. My back feels solid and straight, both of my arms feel attached, my seat not burned, all four legs are still there, but I only feel one foot. I feel blistered and scorched on one side, but most importantly, I need my other foot. Without two feet, I am useless.  Maybe, I am at the end of my journey, but what a good rocking time I have had. My journey started in a barn, which is where my creator built me.  You know what? My creator hand-carved the wooden spooled slats that make up my back and legs, and then he carefully...

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Mirror of Conflict

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Mirror of Conflict

Leaving the courthouse, Dale walked down the steps behind Sue.  He wanted to say something to her, but he knew Sue did not want to talk to him, plus she was on the arm of another man. Once Dale got into his vehicle and started driving down the road, he felt lost in his hurt, anger, and thoughts.     What happened? Hadn’t he given her everything she had ever wanted? The more demanding Sue had become, the more he had worked, then she said he was gone too much. How could he have been so blind? Pulling his car into the bar’s parking lot, Dale remembered that this was where it had all begun. ...

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Full Circle

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Full Circle

Grace walked into her bedroom, then sat down on the stool in front of her antique dressing table.  She loved the dressing table with an attached mirror which had been her Grandma’s. It was her favorite place to brush her hair.  As Grace looked at her image in the mirror, she remembered her Grandmother’s reflection in that same mirror. She had often sat in her Grandmother’s lap while her Grandma had brushed her hair.  Memories began to flood her mind, bringing a smile to her face, and then she closed her eyes.  “Grace, come into the bedroom.  It is time for Grandma to brush your hair.”     ...

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My Writer

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My Writer

Since music is playing loudly, my writer must be in a good mood. For days she has struggled to type on my computer keyboard. She comes into the Game Room then sits down in her comfy chair in front of the table while I sit patiently waiting on my stand. I am excited at the anticipation of her beginning to write.  After she opens my lid, she stares at my keys, then shuts my lid, then says, “Sorry, not going to happen today, computer.  Dag-nabbit!” Other times she types for hours, only stopping to stretch, eat some junk food, or make a mad dash to the restroom. Of course, you can...

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The Tunnel

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The Tunnel

                                                                                            The Tunnel        It was time to begin her journey, and Elsa wondered, was she prepared? Once taking the first step onto the pathway, there would be no going back.      Elsa took a deep breath, closed her eyes then saw herself at the opening to the tunnel.  A path stretched out in front of her, leading ever deeper into the dark hollow, but in the darkness, she could see only a few feet in front of her.   As Elsa stepped on to the walkway, it began to move slowly like a conveyor belt going deeper into...

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Waiting in Line

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Waiting in Line

    A long line of people stretched ahead of Jess. The people in front of her seemed not to be moving, but she did not care because her mind was busy remembering her journey to get here.  Had she done enough, and was she ready? Should she get out of the line and go back?      The requirements to get inside this place, and then becoming one of them were strict.  Jess smiled as she remembered how many mistakes she had made in her life before deciding to get into this lineup, but self-help, hard work, prayers, and determination had helped her to overcome those failures.       Jess knew her most...

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Mask to Mask

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Mask to Mask

Staying home was not something Elsa wanted to do.  Accustomed to being at her office from sunup to sundown was the norm for her.  The pandemic had changed everything, and everything seemed surreal.  Elsa’s apartment was modestly decorated.  If not for an insisting girlfriend, she probably would most likely not have any furnishing, except maybe a bed and chair.  Entertaining was not a priority for Elsa.  She just needed a place to come home to shower, have a glass of wine, and get some sleep.  Things were so different at her office.  Elsa had spent tons of money decorating and making her...

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The Trench Coat

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The Trench Coat

Hanging on a new hook now, but what the existence I have had. My first owner was a man.  After purchasing me, for some reason, the man took me to a tailor then instructed the tailor to add a secret pocket in my lining.  At different times, strange items hid in this hidden pocket, some heavy and some lite.  I held those items securely regardless of the weather conditions or the man’s haste. Not being much of a talker, I heard very few words from this mysterious man.  If he answered the phone, I would hang on the hook in the hall and listen to him say, “Yes, no, maybe, when, where,...

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Daddy’s Potato Soup

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Daddy’s Potato Soup

Daddy’s Potato Soup Being a child of a large family in 1950, we experienced many childhood viruses. Of course, there are now vaccines for diseases we had, such as mumps, measles, chickenpox, whooping cough, polio, flu, etc. All of these childhood illnesses did not have vaccines back in the 1950s.  We were all vaccinated for smallpox, which made an ugly sore on our arms, then once vaccinated, a clear, plastic cap covered the site with white tape holding it in place. The cover was to keep us from scratching the vaccination, possibly spreading it. Also, we took a DTP shot in the 1950s,...

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Waking You Up

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Waking You Up

  There was an aroma of coffee perking, as the alarm buzzed loudly. Elsa knew it was time to get out of bed, but she laid there thinking, with her eyes closed, before turning the alarm off. She loved the bookstore downstairs, but as the owner, she knew it had monopolized her life, keeping her robotic seven days a week. The bookstore was only open to the public Monday thru Saturday, but on Sundays, Elsa did book work and restocked the bookshelves. Knowing it was Sunday, Elsa felt even more alone than usual as she got out of bed. Since it was Sunday, Jed knew the bookstore was closed, and...

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The Pickup Truck

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The Pickup Truck

The Pickup Truck Old, rusty, and brown, that’s me. Once long ago, I was a looker before the years got to me. My four tires are nearly slick but patched so many times that it counts as more tread. Sometimes my tires look almost flat, but if you keep airing them up, they’ll get you where you’re going. Lightly pumping my brake pedal will bring you to a nice stop.  Slam on my brake, and I’ll keep on a going. Slam again, and I’ll throw you through the windshield. Being a standard, I have a clutch and a long gear shifter on the floor.  There is a round ball on the top...

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The Park Bench

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The Park Bench

  What a drab day, Elsa thought to herself as she stood at her office window. Elsa prayed the rain would stop and the skies would clear by lunchtime. The park was her refuge while eating her lunch. Elsa had a favorite bench where she sat, ate her lunch, and watched people walking by while she contemplated her past and hopes for the future. When the train stopped at the right place, Sam got off.  He had made this trip so many times in the past that he could probably do it in his sleep. As Sam made it through the rain to his office, he wondered if later in the day the rain would stop and...

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The Train Station

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The Train Station

        Tom straightened his tie then put on his hat. Why did he have to make this business trip? He hated that Train Station. He only went there when there was no other choice. Memories began flooding his mind increasing his anxiety.  She told him she would return, but he had waited hours before a policeman took him away.        Elsa put on her hat, coat and walked to her nightstand.  She carefully took the picture from its frame, looked at the small boy in the photo then gently put it into her purse.  Memories of that day long ago made tears roll down her cheeks.   Why had she fallen ill...

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The Cedar Chest

Posted by in Blog, CedarChest, short story | 18 comments

The Cedar Chest

The Cedar Chest I am a unique cedar chest.  My purpose is to keep priceless treasures safe and secure. Although other woods may grace my outside, inside, cedarwood lines my walls, bottom, and lid.  Cedarwood is a natural preservative that protects by keeping out moths and other insects. In 1964, a young woman became my new owner. She refinished my exterior, changing the color to an antique blue, and I became her hope chest. The young woman would always keep me against the footboard of her bed.  Periodically, my lid opened, and she placed unique treasures inside my cedar walls.  Happiness was...

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