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Etya Krichmar

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Feb, 2022

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18 Followers
11 Following

8 Stories

166 karma pts

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The Suitcase

Weekly Contest #343

The Suitcase When the phone rang, Lena almost let it go to voicemail. It was late afternoon—the hour reserved for telemarketers, wrong numbers, and news no one wanted. She stood at the kitchen counter, rinsing a teacup, watching the gray Brighton Beach light settle into the buildings across the street. The phone kept ringing. She dried her hands, then picked it up. “Hello?” Lena heard measured, careful breathing. It was not a pause but silence, until a man with an accented, formal voice asked, “Is this Elena Markovna Sokolov?” The name stru...

6 likes 0 comments 0
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Where Did I Go Wrong?

Weekly Contest #282

Where Did I Go Wrong? Ten years later, the memory loops endlessly, like a melody I can’t forget but can no longer sing. The warmth of my granddaughters’ hugs lingers on my skin, the faint scent of their shampoo teasing my senses. Their laughter echoes in my ears, only to dissolve into a haunting silence that leaves me aching for what once was. Where did I go wrong? On that fateful crisp April morning in 2015, pale sunlight cast long shadows across the driveway. My grandchildren’s tiny arms wrapped tightly around me, and their embrace lingere...

4 likes 4 comments 4
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Things Get Lost in Translation

Weekly Contest #177

On March 8, 1978, the morning after my husband's uncle picked us up from JFK Airport in Brooklyn, New York; we stood on the corner of 65th Drive and 108th Street in Forest Hills, Queens, New York, ready to explore our new surroundings. The night before, as the Soviet refugees claiming religious discrimination and clearing customs, we legally entered the United States of America. Afterward, we got into my husband's uncle's car and drove to his apartment. The falling snow was a distraction. I couldn't stop staring through the car's window as ...

4 likes 2 comments 2
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Mom, Do You Want to Hear the Bad or Good News First?

Weekly Contest #155

Mom, do you want the good or bad news first? At work, my cell phone rang. I picked up the receiver. It was my son, Jeff, a Ringling School of Arts and Design college student. He was about to complete the third year of his studies.            "Hi, Mom. How are you?"            "I am fine, and you?"            "I have something to tell you. Do you want the good or bad news first?' ...

6 likes 1 comment 1
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I Can't Believe We Are Arguing Over This

Weekly Contest #153

I Can't Believe We Are Arguing Over This On June 24th, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States of America voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, the ruling that declared abortion a constitutional right almost half a century ago. It is hard for many Americans to accept and understand the reason behind this decision. I am outraged by the reversal of Roe v. Wade. I believe that a woman's right to choose what to do with her body is her human birthright. I also feel that the court's recent decision pushed our country, which has served as a shining ...

8 likes 4 comments 4
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A Flicker of Light That Changes My World

Weekly Contest #149

A flicker of light that changed my world The neurosurgeon walked inside the office, where my friend and I anxiously awaited. Tall and handsome, he looked like a gentle giant. His thick red mane illuminated the room. He shook our hands and introduced himself as Dr. R. Taking a few steps towards the wall with a screen projector, he flipped the switch and turned my world upside down with a flicker of the light. On November 21, 2007, Dr. R. intently studied the brightly lit images of the MRI of my brain. I observed and wondered why it took h...

9 likes 16 comments 16
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Dear Past

Weekly Contest #146

Dear Past Dear Past, I write this letter to you not to complain about what happened in my life but to offer my words of gratitude. Even though you did not treat me kindly at times, you taught me valuable lessons, and for that, I am grateful.            Thank you for letting me know that at seven, I was different, and for twenty-three years of my life inside the USSR, I would not fit in or belong. On my first day of school, inside a schoolyard in Kotovsk, Ukraine, alone and lonely, I expe...

12 likes 5 comments 5
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That Old Thing

Weekly Contest #145

That Old Thing I neatly folded and put away that old thing into a drawer in my closet a long time ago. The old thing I refer to is my favorite red with the white polka dots dress. The white dots give it a character and make it look cheerful. I smile each time I look at them. My dress is still trendy today because of its ageless, classical style despite its vintage. Ever since I was a child, fashion has consumed me. I stayed on top of the latest trends throughout my life and still follow them today. I used to obsess over the Fashion Police s...

10 likes 4 comments 4
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