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Mary Bendickson

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Feb, 2023

Stories (162)
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554 Followers
659 Following

162 Stories

12043 karma pts

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Moon Over Miami

Submitted to Contest #332

Moon Over Miami“Honestly, Officer. I didn't intentionally moon all the residents on Miami Street. It was an unfortunate accident. A comedy of errors, actually, you might say. An innocent incident spinning out of control. I apologize if I traumatized any unsuspecting bystanders. I simply couldn't help it. My hands were tied, er, maybe my feet were tied. Anyway, I was tangled up, you see. I can't believe you want to arrest me for... what was it again? Indecent exposure? I may be somewhat out of shape but 'indecent'? My recent weight loss may h...

22 likes 28 comments 28
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Hearts Afire

Submitted to Contest #331

Hearts AfireEnya hesitates momentarily at the mouth of her high-rise parking garage staring out the windshield of her Cadillac SUV. The winter has yet to start and already record amounts of snow are being dumped on top of piles of crinkly fallen leaves erasing yellow, gold and red hues under white frosting. Black branches of November trees etching the gray skies were being blanketed only on the north side. Planing on attending her friend, Calla's, baby reveal party she pulled out heading north and was soon swallowed by the blizzard.Thrilled ...

24 likes 39 comments 39
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Happily Ever After

Submitted to Contest #330

Happily Ever After“Where haven't I looked, yet? Gotta think like weaselly little 'Lucky Leo' and figure where he would hide his gold in this God-forsaken shabby cabin in the mountains. There has to be more than what was under the floorboards in the bedroom. Not so 'Lucky' now, are you? You fool! Thinkin' you could stand up to me and refuse to hand over your stash. A bullet between your eyes fixed your way of stinkin' thinkin'. Didn't it? Why'd poor Rachel imagine she could save you? Never had a lick of sense, that girl. Gave up a good life t...

27 likes 29 comments 29
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Sparks Fly

Submitted to Contest #329

Sparks Fly Parson Graves listened to Sheriff Claiborne's explanation why he brought Nellie-Rae Sparks to his house next to the church in Hollow Springs, Georgia so late in the evening. Sixteen-year-old Nellie-Rae shifted uncomfortably on the high wagon seat gripping her coat around herself as she watched the men discussing her fate on the front porch. The bodies of her parents still lay in the bed of the wagon, victims of a brutal attack by a gold seeking robber at their mountain cabin homestead in the woods.The only reason she survived was ...

28 likes 33 comments 33
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Gold Digger

Submitted to Contest #328

Gold Digger “Help me with these bodies before you sit down to eat. Will you, please?” Sheriff Claiborne begged Nellie-Rae's 'Uncle' Ray. She still couldn't remember her slain parents ever mentioning any uncle from her mother's side of the family. He claimed he visited ten years ago when she was six-years-old. Still recollection remained fuzzy especially in her grief stricken state finding her parents murdered in cold blood.“She's a lousy cook anyway, Sheriff. Charred the meat to be unrecognizable and no potatoes or cornbread sides.”The men b...

27 likes 17 comments 17
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To Smell A Rat

Submitted to Contest #326

To Smell A Rat Nothing but eerie, unnatural silence greeted Nellie-Rae at her usually cheery homestead when she arrived home with her cart full of butchered deer meat she'd spent the day hunting, field dressing and dragging back through the forested Georgian acreage her family owned. She even needed to salvage her share back from the greedy, drunken neighbor, Otis Crawford, when the buck wandered onto his property before it died from the injury she inflicted. She was exhausted and needed her mom to help her hang the bounty into the smokehous...

20 likes 15 comments 15
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Silence Is Golden

Submitted to Contest #326

Silence is Golden Nellie-Rae hustled as quickly as she could away from the grip of her disgusting smelly neighbor, Otis Crawford. Ducking under cover of the woods before slowing to take a breath, she continued to clutch two heavy bags of deer meat she managed to carve off the carcass of the buck she broad-headed on her property before the injured animal crossed the boundary line and died. If Otis's son, Cody, hadn't interrupted him, the greedy man would have taken a piece of her hide for claiming her own game. Nervous energy made her chuckle...

23 likes 20 comments 20
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Wind Beneath My Arrow

Submitted to Contest #325

Wind Beneath My Arrow She silently raised her bow and took aim. The arrow took flight at the same time a stiff October gust brushed her cheek whipping a wayward strand of dark curly hair into her eyes at the same instant it spooked her target. The young buck flinched as the arrow pierced his rear flank far from the intended kill zone. All her carefully laid plans of scoring a winter supply of meat with a single shot close to home slipped away as the dear panicked and skedaddled, limping deeper into the forest.Nellie-Rae sighed as she grabbed...

32 likes 31 comments 31
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A River Runs Through It

A River Runs Through It It looks...muddy. Rough and muddy. Why would anyone want to get in it? Certainly not to swim. Intentionally.I've been contemplating a move. A big move. A life changing move. Why? I'm peacefully retired. Content with my life in almost all ways. Only one or two nagging issues. Nothing I can't live with yet they persist to tug at my mental well-being. Even made a list of pros and cons. Cons won out. Still I look at alternatives. Do I truly want to sail away into uncharted waters this late in life? Yet, they say you only ...

13 likes 23 comments 23
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Age-Old Ritual

Age-Old Ritual Buckle My Shoe One, two buckle my shoeThat is what I used to do.Three, four not so anymore.Five, six the Velcro sticks. When Things Fall I hate when things fall on the floor,It is hard to get them anymore.It didn't used to be any trouble at all,But then I didn't use to be this tall.Short Poems by my sister, T.T. Ah! Yes! The Age-Old Ritual. Or should I be more realistic and call it what it is? The Old-Age Ritual.ADLs (Activities of Daily Living) essential tasks like bathing, dressing, eating, and toileting necessary for main...

20 likes 22 comments 22
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Battle to End All Battles

Note: Story is nearly a repeat of one from May 2024, #249. Anyone on this site then may chose to skip. Battle of the Sexes So does this mean it has finally been settled? Once and for all? Considering the debate has been raging since... well, since the beginning of time really! Who believes Adam fully forgave Eve for offering that piece of fruit? Even if they managed to populate the world nearly single-handed afterwards don't you think he harbored a little resentment for making him work so hard to feed all those hungry mouths? Must have been ...

11 likes 10 comments 10
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Twisting In The Wind

Twisting In The WindTW: Sexual activityThe senior executor held his face in his hands. Troubled he couldn't think straight. What was wrong with him? He made one more important phone call before standing to stretch. He paced his luxurious office a few times then stood at the floor to ceiling window blankly staring out at the penthouse view. In a city of eight million why did he feel so alone? Or was he too crowded yet feeling lonely? He decided he needed space. Lots of it. Turner pressed the button on the intercom. “Cancel the rest of my appo...

16 likes 22 comments 22
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Woods, Weeds and Words

Woods, Weeds and Words There's a growing darkness abounding like deep shadowy woods sucking out the light of day leaving lifeless, dank dreams devouring common sense. Thistles and thorns planting other peoples' insidious ideas choking out truth and consuming reasonable thought. Enveloping today's youth causing brooding feelings to take root. Transplanting dastardly opinions formed into words meant to maim. Devious ideologies turn into deadly actions. The time has come to confront the demonic existence, break away if being overcome by it and ...

16 likes 21 comments 21
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Iam in Charge

Submitted to Contest #318

Iam In Charge I'm in charge! Ask anyone. Everyone knows I'm in charge. Why else would all my loyal subjects answer to all my needs? They treat me as the most important being that exists. All I have to do is complain a bit and a solution is immediately provided. Heck, sometimes I only have to look like I'm about to complain and the problem is solved. They realize I'm the one running everything around here. It's a very lofty position to hold so I do try not to take advantage. I do at least try to show my appreciation.Let me go back to my earli...

28 likes 39 comments 39
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Way-Back Machine

Submitted to Contest #317

Way-Back Machine Was it my imagination or was it real? Was it truly him or did I only want it to be him? No. I didn't want it to be him. That would be too embarrassing.It was a casual shopping day so long ago I've forgotten many details. A common, at the time anyway, name brand large department store. Not even there anymore. Turned into a health clinic, I think. Not important.I was there alone. Where were all my kids? In school, I suppose. Who can get any serious shopping done with four kids in tow? Not me. Anyway, there I was in the drug st...

32 likes 20 comments 20
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