Menu

Menu

Prompts

Contests

Stories

Blog

Directory

Contests

Magazine

FAQ

Christine Hungerford

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Aug, 2019

Stories (235)

Comments

Library

155 Followers

1 Following

235 Stories

1306 karma pts

?

Not So?

Christine Hungerford

Maya was walking in the rain.She didn’t know whether she should be out here this late,Or if she should be out here at all.Her father threw a finger in her face and yelled at her,Her mother whimpering on the living room couch.Every protest she made was silenced with a scream.Maya had had enough of the abuse.The slaps, hits and punchesTo the stomach, face and arms.Her mother, crying,Sat there on the couchRocking herself until she fell asleep.She didn’t dare grab MayaAnd call the police,For her husband would grabHer by the back of the neckAnd f...

2 likes

That's Just Not Right

Christine Hungerford

The cold wind touched me.I shivered—but it wasn’t like I was scared.No.Just the wind—right?We were outside on the back porch of a cabin.The fire flickered, crackled and popped—like Rice Krispies when the milk’s poured into the bowl.But it doesn’t deter me.I’m determined to find out the source of this breeze,Because I know it’s not wind.I said ‘wind’ but I know it’s not.I shiver—it’s fall, yes, but it’s warm outside.So how can I shiver?There must be something vile out there.I get up off my chair, turn the corner and then jump back behind the ...

0 likes

Beyond the Colors

Christine Hungerford

I jolted, real scared. “Um…” My best friend stared at me, eyes wide. “I-I don’t know. Let’s go!”He grabbed my arm, and we ran out of the abandoned, broken-down shack-like barn, escaping into the cornfield. It was Halloween, so I shivered, not just from the cold wind piercing my skin. I had a simple jacket on, but my best friend was freezing. “Hey—let’s go home.” I lead him to my house, where we built a crackling fire, roasting marsh mellows and then squishing them between two graham crackers and squares of Hershey’s chocolate before stuffing...

0 likes

People Talked About Her

Christine Hungerford

She sat on the couch away from the party, the guests whispering about her. She’s known to have talked to imaginary creatures—some all soot-black, their eyes fire-red and sunshine-yellow, others bright pink, baby-blue and icing-white, their eyes sky-blue—while at work, at the park, at Panera, at home and even on neighborhood walks. When they hear she’s discussing a book with one of the good characters, they look at her a minute, nod their head and retreat into the house, lips pursed and minds wondering. It’s like she’s still in her own fantas...

1 like

Both of Them Are Likely Different

Christine Hungerford

Nina was different than the other girls. She didn’t dye her hair, beg the first guy she met to go out with her or wear six-inch high heels. Make-up was out of the question. Lipstick? Not a chance. This girl was like a fish out of water whenever she was up on stage, the music blaring, and the girls dancing their legs off. Twirling, clacking those heels, jumping, arms waving and showing off spins and slides were just not Nina’s thing. In high school, she stayed home alone whenever the gossipy girls were out at bars, drinking until two in the...

1 like

Peacock

Christine Hungerford

Warning: Sex Scenes between a MARRIED COUPLE. Dear diary,I’m waiting. I’m waiting for someone to come and get me—like Snow White waiting for her Prince Philip. I don’t fit in—no one laughs at my jokes, and no one invites me to their birthday parties. Or sleepovers.I guess it’s because I’m always writing in you. You’re my best friend. My mom orders me to shut you, breathe the fresh air outside and socialize more. I claim I am always willing to invite the new kid over.You haven’t invited the new kid over since you were in kindergarten! She cha...

0 likes

I Miss...Her

Christine Hungerford

Please know this story has a sex scene between a MARRIED COUPLE. I am looking out at a sea, in Ireland.I am from this country—Irish I am.I miss you. I miss your auburn waves, cascading down your back. The ocean’s waves do not curl as much as yours. The river’s ripples do not impress me as much as your hair.And your eyes—hazel, right?I hope this poem finds you well.Aren’t you fishing today? I thought you might be walking down the catwalk—Poised and beautiful. Your hair—gorgeous.You're stunningly beautiful in such a sunsh...

0 likes

I Told U So!

Christine Hungerford

Dear Leader, Please understand that I am going through with this ritual until the very end. I don’t see all the hype. I mean, what’s to give up when you’ve got something that you’ve been hanging onto since you were a wee baby? I’ve always seen mothers, fathers and siblings—old enough to dunk the baby into the bathwater—all watch as the baby’s being put into the water. Sure, it cries, but the priest always calms it, ensuring safe and easily returned to the parents. I even yelled at the person telling me this ritual of “dunking hu...

1 like

I wouldn't have thought

Christine Hungerford

Sarai stared at the dragon made of fire. It glared at her, and she, wide-eyed, got up, backed away and balled her fists. "I'm taught to pray to our ancestors' gods. We're supposed to be protected from evil. And you show up, interrupting me!" "What you're doing is the very evil you've been told to pray for protection from! Would you rather get in huge trouble knowing you're wrong?" "How is this practice wrong? Every year after someone’s fifteenth birthday, they need guidance from the gods to guide them through the good, sticking with them...

0 likes

Why Doesn't She Listen?

Christine Hungerford

I watched as my best friend fought the cancer. She lay on the hospital bed, needles, a sick tray and tubes in her nose, around her face—twisting her into this machine-like thing. Her hair was given to Locks of Love. But I wanted my best friend to be her gorgeous, redhead self. It was so soft and sometimes even shiny, like a penny. Because she was my redhead.And, one day, had become my wife.However, Silver passed away. Her stomach saying no to the medicine, she vomited right onto the apron that had enrobed her for four years. She is now in th...

0 likes

Let's Go the Other Way

Christine Hungerford

“Cay, we can’t go that high! Mom said we shouldn’t climb more than three branches, remember?”But Cay kept climbing, higher and higher, until he was so up into the tree he said he could see a “million trees and houses!” Shane called up to him, but he couldn’t hear her. “What?” “I said—” Shane heard a branch snap, and she let go, landing on the grass with a hard thud. Shouting she’d tell Mom he couldn’t be up there without supervision or someone with him, she dashed away into the house through the back porch. Cay had watched her, eyes ha...

0 likes

Puzzling

Christine Hungerford

“Jammie Dodgers!” “She can come in. The front door’s unlocked!” He stormed out of the bathroom, angrily muttering under his breath about how no one listened to him. Jammie opened the front door. “The door’s always unlocked! Why aren’t you coming in?” The woman in a cute fall attire turned around, descending the brick front porch stairs. When Jammie followed her, saying he was sorry, she just shook her head. She got in her car, about to drive away when Jammie put a hand on her shoulder. “What do you want?”He thre...

1 like

What A Treat--Or Trick

Christine Hungerford

“Hey guys! Wait up. You’re always making me wait for you. I’m a little slow. Please don’t always run off ahead. You guys will have too much fun without me.”But Bryan and Kyle—the former Batman and latter Spiderman—had already ran, sniggering, to the next house, not bothering to look back. They have their excuses to leave me behind. By the time he received candy from a neighbor gushing about his adorable costume he said was sewn and hemmed by his mother, Bryan and Kyle were racing each other to the apartment down the stree...

1 like

I Don’t Know the Title of the Story…Does It Matter?

Christine Hungerford

“Should we go?” “Um…I—I don’t want to get into trouble—”“How old are you, five? Have some adventure! Liven up, man! Live life.”“Yeah—no wuss is going to get us to go home and go to bed!”You guys—we’re not supposed to do this. My—”“Mommy? Aw, the little boy’s mommy said he couldn’t go. Then, why are you here?”“Because you said I’d be able to drive the moped. Wasn’t that the deal?”“Don’t have a permit.”“Or license.”“Guys! We agreed!”“Get lost. You hang with us, we’ll put you through all kinds of weeds and brushes and mud and dirt.”“Want to ...

0 likes

Yeah, What A Dream!

Christine Hungerford

The zebras all got into a group so as to ward off the lions and lionesses. They all stayed together so that you wouldn’t know which zebra was which; their stripes all looked the same. The lions and lionesses weren’t out tonight; it was too dark, and even if they did hunt after dusk, no lion or rhino or giraffe could pick out the zebra that they had seen stumble, trip or fall, as every zebra had similar stripe patterns. One time, reader, a lion approached these zebras, circling them. Lionesses front, back, side right and side left. No zebra c...

0 likes