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Gloria Murray

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Apr, 2021

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8 Stories

133 karma pts

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A SORT OF RESOLUTION

Weekly Contest #367

1260 wds A SORT OF RESOLUTION HAPPY NEW YEAR! he shouted, a glass of scotch clinking with ice in his large hand, this man whom I had lived with for over 30 years, bore a son and daughter with, snuggled under a large comforter, turned an angry back to when he would come home, intoxicated, belligerent, or just dopey, stumbling up the stairs, relinquishing his body to the alcohol that had claimed it. He placed a slobbery kiss on my lips, trying to thrust his tongue inside that tasted bitter with scotch. His pale blue eyes darkened, glared a...

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AMANDA IN FLIGHT

Weekly Contest #345

1500wds AMANDA IN FLIGHT “HELP! HELP! I’VE GOT TO GET OFF! PLEASE, PLEASE!” My cousin Amanda is screaming and banging on the small window of the jet. We are flying to Palm Beach, Florida, where her dad passed away from a heart attack only two days ago and her mother, in a state of shock and hysteria, is waiting for her. They were my favorite aunt and uncle and Amanda was so grateful to have me go along. Being claustrophobic, she had never flown before. She is screaming so loudly now the stewardess rushes over to us. She is starched and lov...

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TWINS

1240wds TWINS Walking on legs like a zombie, eyes clouded with the film of tears, throat with a large pit stuck inside causing me to swallow over and over, I moved slowly toward the casket shrouded in white gauze and stared down into what was my face. There it was— the same dark curly hair, pinned back and, by some mortician’s handiwork, face powered white, lips like a slit on a red dress. Janice, my twin, the other part of me, lay there with eyes closed in a purple dress that had been her favorite, saved for special occasions. She had suff...

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A LIFE IN THE DAY OF

Weekly Contest #266

2134wds A LIFE IN THE DAY OF… That August morning the milk in my cereal began to curdle and form little grayish blobs. My tongue touched a painful sore on the inside of my mouth that I assumed was a canker sore. It was only 9 a.m. and the thermometer outside had already hit 90 degrees. Opening the front door of my house, the air hit me like a surge of steam, making it difficult to breathe. I rolled down the windows in the car, and then sat down in a lawn chair when I noticed its left rear tire. It looked somewhat low and, when I kicked i...

9 likes

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IN MY MOTHER'S HOUSE

Weekly Contest #164

IN MY MOTHER’S HOUSE Where I come from there are walls that cannot be torn down, couches and chairs covered in plastic that sticks to every exposed part of you, polished black speckled tiles under your feet instead of plushy rugs, window shades that flap against the sun that cannot find its way in… At the dinner table my mother stands against the small stove, stirring the chicken soup, frying the fish I won’t eat because of the bones, the bones I fear will stick in my throat. My father is silent, his face made of chiseled stone, my sister ...

8 likes

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A LIFE IN THE DAY OF

Weekly Contest #138

1973 wds A LIFE IN THE DAY OF… That August morning the milk in my cereal began to curdle and form little grayish blobs. My tongue touched a painful sore on the inside of my mouth which I assumed was a canker sore. It was only 9 a.m. and the thermometer outside had already hit 90 degrees. Opening the front door the air hit me like a surge of steam, making it difficult to breathe. I rolled down the windows in the car, and then sat down in a lawn chair when I noticed the left rear tire. It looked somewhat low and when I kicked it gave out ...

10 likes

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A SORT OF RESOLUTION

Weekly Contest #126

A SORT OF RESOLUTION HAPPY NEW YEAR! he shouted, a glass of scotch clinking with ice in his large hand, this man whom I had lived with for over 30 years, bore a son and daughter with, curled under a large comforter, turned an angry back to when he would come home, intoxicated, belligerent, or just dopey, stumbling up the stairs, relinquishing his body to the alcohol that had claimed it. He placed a slobbery kiss on my lips that tightened when the taste of alcohol was on his. His pale blue eyes darkened, glared at me; anger had overtaken t...

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CROSSED WIRES

Weekly Contest #124

1552wdct CROSSED WIRES The phone rings in Gary Schmidenbeger’s apartment. He is munching on some chips when he picks up it up. “Hello, Gary speaking.” “Hello, this is Lindsey.” “Dr. Palmer is that you?” “Who…who is this?” The woman on the other end asks. “Gary, Gary Schmidenberger.” “I don’t think I know you.” “And who are you?” “Lindsey, Lindsey Hoffmeyer and I know I don’t know you. “But you called me and I thought you were Dr. Palmer since I had left her a message earlier.” “Well, I was calling her with an emergency.” “Well, ...

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