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Louise Muller

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jun, 2020

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32 Stories

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Where We Waited

Weekly Contest #367

The morning had been rushed. Jason dropped Rebecca at the station with little more than a distracted goodbye. “Have a good day,” she said, gathering her handbag and book from the footwell.“You too.”She opened the door.“Love you.”“Love you too.”Jason was already looking at the clock on the dashboard. 8:07. He had a meeting at nine. Three emails he should have answered the night before. The plumber still hadn't called him back, and somewhere between getting dressed and burning his toast, he'd remembered the presentation he was supposed to...

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The Places Between Us

Weekly Contest #367

“I need you, Kenji.”Aiko’s voice was barely a whisper.Kenji closed his eyes and leaned back in his office chair. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, Los Angeles glittered beneath him, thousands of lights stretching toward a horizon he rarely had time to notice.Damn it.The timing couldn’t have been worse.“Aiko, I have a presentation on Thursday. We’ve been working on this account for—”“I know.”Something in her voice stopped him. Kenji rubbed his forehead.When their mother died fifteen years earlier, Aiko had packed her life into two suitcase...

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Cael and the Symphony of Truth

Weekly Contest #304

Silence.For the people of Lurea, sound was a distant memory now. The new generation had never known the delight of singing, playing an instrument, or the echoes of giggles. Silence had consumed the village like a heavy fog, seeping into every crevice, muffling footsteps, and swallowing even the wind's whisper. It hadn’t always been this way. There was a time before silence fell, the happiest of times.Music danced through every corner of Lurea as villagers sang and rejoiced. Every person carried a delightful tune in their heart from the momen...

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The Sounds of Silence

Weekly Contest #301

Silence fell over the auditorium, and the sense of anticipation was palpable. All the seats had been filled, and people sat motionlessly as if in a trance waiting for her to begin playing. She took her time to get comfortable. She enjoyed this part just as much as performing itself. The second her long, slim fingers touched the piano keys, her body took over. Music flooded from her like lava from a volcano, an unstoppable force. Her performance continued undisturbed, and she forgot that the audience was even there. They didn’t matter. Now, ...

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Welcome to Cirque Obscura

Weekly Contest #291

Laughter filled the air as the clowns took control of the stage. The audience responded with applause as the clowns juggled on unicycles. Even though she had never been much of a fan of the circus, Emma felt enthusiastic. She, too, clapped with excitement as a humongous man managed to balance himself on a tiny ball, defying gravity. The show ended with a massive explosion, and the entire tent was lit up in shades of purple, pink, and blue. Masses began scurrying around like ants in the rain. The show had been much more enjoyable than she had...

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The Midnight Murders

Weekly Contest #291

“You can’t enforce a curfew on an entire gender, Cliff,” Susan responded. Her words hung in the air, drifting aimlessly toward ears that didn’t want to hear them. “Watch me, Susan,” he spat back, frustration evident in his voice. Sitting back in his chair with a huff, Cliff ran a hand through his thinning hair. It was undeniable. He looked different. Was it his coloring? His features? Or had the case changed him fundamentally, like a virus spreading relentlessly? “All I know is that I have the mayor on the phone every damn day, suggesting th...

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Binding Memories

Weekly Contest #216

The ambience of their surroundings didn’t make their meeting any less uncomfortable. Jeffrey gazed at the woman who sat across from him. She smiled faintly, picked up her dark, steaming beverage and took a small sip. Even though Jeffrey had invited her here, he had no recollection of her.  “Why did I invite her here?” he wondered to himself, questioning the outcome of this meeting. She seemed to sense his thoughts as she suddenly leaned forward, moving the small canister of sugar to the side, and said, “I’m so happy you called me, Jef...

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The Tale of the Golden Yellow Weeping Willow

Weekly Contest #215

It is a tale as old as time, perhaps even older, I suppose. Pure evil has no recorded date of birth, you see. Deep in the forest the three teens worked hard to overcome their loss. The harsh and brutal winter had taken their mother and father the year before. This forced them to learn how to live off the land and support each other as there was no one else to care for them. Whenever Liam looked at his sister, Stella, he was amazed by how much she had grown. The golden streaks that glistened in her hair reminded him so much of his late m...

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Turning the Tables

Him  He felt twigs bend and break under his heavy boots. The forest engulfed him, removing him more from the outside world with every step he took. He loved the journey to his women. Some might argue it is much too far for a daily excursion, but the adrenaline he felt as he approached the cabin never left him wanting. He saw the small structure far on the horizon and his heartbeat quickened in anticipation. A smile spread across his face as he thought about what lies behind those metal doors. His thoughts went to his newest conquest. ...

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Quija

Weekly Contest #183

For as long as I can remember, I lived a cautious life, strictly on the straight and narrow. “Never trust something you don’t understand, Sharon,” my grandmother’s words echoed in my head. We, the Braverman women, weren’t the kind of people who lived on the wild side. We never took chances; no risks for us - ever. It is fair to say that we didn’t embrace the name Braverman as we should have, but we weren’t men after all. Maybe it was best to leave the bravery of life to the men. That is what I thought until I met Jonah. Whenever I saw him, t...

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The Locked Door

Weekly Contest #130

The key glistened as the afternoon sun kissed it lightly. It seemed to taunt me, whispering that this was what I had been waiting for, refusing to go unnoticed any longer. My sister, Mary, sat next to me. Her eyes, too, were fixed on the golden object that offered so many answers. The air around us seemed to change as expectation hung in the air. Was today the day we’d finally get to go into Dad’s locked door? For as long as I can remember, the door was forbidden. In fact, just a stare in the general direction of the room would be enough t...

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The Statement of Officer John Burkle

Weekly Contest #130

The pages reflect the little light that fills the room. They seem to beg me to pick them up and see what secrets they contain. I know what is written within, yet I burn to have my eyes glide over the words to see the story from another perspective. Finally, a clearing of the throat snaps my attention. Then, a nod, encouraging me to take hold and devour what lies ahead of me. I can no longer contain my curiosity, you see, and so, I grab the folder and begin to read.  My name is Officer Burkle, Officer John Burkle, and these are my acco...

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The Secret of the Charred Widow

Weekly Contest #130

"Promise me you'll keep on living, Mia," he whispered through strained breaths. His lips had lost their color. His eyes still shone bright with love but shared immense sadness and guilt. He felt guilty for leaving us behind. Even on his deathbed, Evan was selfless. I smiled through my tears and took a deep breath, hoping to breathe him in and keep him with me for longer.  Evan passed on a Wednesday. The weeks that followed were excruciating. People faffed, oh, how they faffed. Meals, hugs, phone calls, and flowers came with love but m...

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Grandpop's Stutter

Weekly Contest #129

“There’s s-s-something in them w-w-woods,” Grandpop whispered with the usual quiver in his voice. His eyebrows were untamed and gray. His lips trembled as they always did when he spoke about the woods. He had stuttered for as long as I could remember. My sister and I asked him about it once. “The c-c-creature in the w-w-woods took my s-s-speech,” he answered with solemn eyes,” along with your M-m-mama and G-g-grandma. No m-m-man can recover f-f-from an encounter like that.” We never knew a time before Grandpop’s stutter, a time with Grandma ...

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Intertwined Fate

Weekly Contest #128

Come, child, have a seat. Surely you have a few minutes to sit with an old woman before heading off trying to find the place where you long to go. I also got lost in these woods many times over the years. In fact, I’m very grateful that you took the wrong turn at the main road and traveled down to this neck of the woods. It’s been too long since someone has. Now, don’t worry, love, old age isn’t contagious, and I don’t bite. What’s that? Oh, yes, my tea is an interesting color indeed. Funny you should ask because I was just about to tel...

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