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Rose Winters

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Sep, 2023

Stories (13)

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Library

26 Followers

7 Following

13 Stories

304 karma pts

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Little Red Book

Rose Winters

Submitted to Contest #338

It was a beautiful, balmy day in Rosedale, but Tilly ran outside, weeping. It was moving day. Their modest ranch had been foreclosed on, and all the animals with it. Tilly’s mom said she could have one more ride on her horse, Poncho. So, Tilly saddled up and rode up to Vineyard Mountain with a packed lunch and opened the gate marked “Do Not Enter.”She listened for a moment. Sometimes Farmer Diggs would start yelling from his long driveway. Sometimes his dog, Brutus, would start barking. But today, all was quiet.She loped along on Poncho, ove...

0 likes

Secret in the Snow

Rose Winters

Submitted to Contest #331

Secret in the Snow The first flake of snow dances and weaves. I watch it intently. Snow covers so many things. Sometimes sins. There’s a dark patch of earth that doesn’t match its surroundings. About the length and width of a person. In another season the earth will lighten and the grass will grow, and secrets will be forever lost to time.Ah. The snowflake. It settles on the dark, upturned earth. I’m pleased. Let it come. If there is order in the universe, let a blizzard frost the earth. Or at least a certain forest.Here comes more.The smal...

15 likes

Seventeen Minutes

Rose Winters

Submitted to Contest #330

“What would you do if I said I love you?” Jezabel filled her cup at the water cooler and turned toward the barely familiar voice. He stood there, the guy from the mail room with the tousled dark hair. What the hell? His eyes were pink with emotion, and they were boring a hole into her soul. Well, this is awkward. She couldn’t think of anything else to break the weirdness, so she put out a hand. “I’m Jezabel.” His hands slid into his pockets. “I know.” He lowered his chin and chuckled under his breath. Address the elephant in the room. “Um… s...

5 likes

An Ocean's Wisdom

Rose Winters

Submitted to Contest #324

An Ocean’s Wisdom I stared out at the waves, mesmerized by the unfailing, constant ebb and flow.The ocean never quits.The hazy marine layer was slowly evaporating, and a patch of blue sky lit up the waters like a Christmas display, glimmering and gorgeous and infinitely fresh.The ocean never ages.The ocean had always been my closest friend, but today I felt shamed by it. Me. A quitter. An aging musician and writer who never hit that pinnacle of success.God knows I tried. I wrote hundreds of songs. Produced a musical. Wrote a stack of books, ...

4 likes

Sparkle Soliloquy

Rose Winters

Submitted to Contest #311

Sparkle Soliloquy My name is Daisy and I like sparkly things. I mean—really like them. Check out my apartment. See my bare lightbulb dangling? Yeah. No, you don’t. Because every time I “find” a sparkly necklace, I hang it on that bulb. It’s so thick with jewels that it looks like a big fat chandelier. I just love it, don’t you?How did I find the necklaces, you ask? It’s almost impossible not to. Walk with me.Okay. We’re on the street. See that lady on the phone? The one rummaging through her purse with her other hand? You probably see her fl...

3 likes

Bug-Batty—A Phobic's Guide to Hosting

Rose Winters

Submitted to Contest #238

Shauna had never hosted a writer’s group before, and she was a little nervous. She had a thousand phobias. Dirt phobias, noise phobias, and especially insect phobias. The smallest gnat would put her in a catatonic state until it was caught and removed.But she had all her ducks in a row. She had written an email invitation with very careful instructions. Once more, she reviewed those written instructions in her mind, and the reasoning behind them:1.    Park in the front of the house, not the side. (A reasonable request—the...

23 likes

A Box of Broken Crackers and a Shoelace

Rose Winters

Submitted to Contest #237

I was as broken as a box of crackers… that had been stomped on by an elephant, put in a paper shredder, and dumped down the garbage disposal. Yep. A smidge glum, you might say.The D word. It sucks.First, it's the nauseating "Oh, you poor thing." (Barfing a little as we speak, even now.)Then it's the traumatizing "I have a friend you should meet!" and "Have you tried the new dating site?" which would leave me begging for a samurai harikari sword.I wasn't ready. Men made me want to scream and run away. If a guy looked at me, I'd sort of do a D...

17 likes

The Cat's On The Roof...

Rose Winters

Shortlisted for Contest #233 ⭐️

Jane was having the worst writing slump of her life, stuck in a perpetual merry-go-round of clichés. Her fingers tapped on the keyboard:“Boy meets girl.” She shook her head. Oh hell no.“Boy murders girl.” Too man-power-ish.“Girl murders boy.” She rolled her eyes and angrily wrote:“Grandma murders Grandpa.” Come on, think!She growled and spun her faux leather chair around, staring out the window for inspiration.Come on, muse… work your magic.The lights blinked on and off, as if in answer. Maybe it was her muse. Maybe things would be okay afte...

33 likes

War's Ember

Rose Winters

Submitted to Contest #232

War's EmberGibad clung to his fuzzy bamabat toy—what was left of it. Just a black jeweled eye hanging by sinew and a fearsome claw extended from a paw where there used to be eight. Stuffing and filth. But most importantly, a dull red patch of intact plush fur that Gibad kept pressed tightly against one ear, his other little tangerine-colored hand held against his other ear. He didn’t want to hear the bad sounds, so he’d hidden in his tiny cave.Gibad was afraid of many things. He’d been afraid that morning when Daddy and Uncle Roft had holler...

10 likes

A Glimmer

Rose Winters

Submitted to Contest #231

A GlimmerDr. Vee set down a pair of ruby pumps and lay women's undergarments on a bench. "Good morning, G-11. You have a new outfit today. You're going out of our compound."G-11 stepped out of her charging unit, pulling off her smock, her shapely pale latex legs stepping into the red heels. “How do I look?”Dr. Vee held back his amusement, averting his eyes. “Underdressed.” He handed her the bra and panties.She cocked her head. “I believe I will still be underdressed. Minimum modesty protocol states that I cover myself from armpit to six inch...

12 likes

The Fourth Wall

Rose Winters

Submitted to Contest #230

"Vomit's Better with ketchup."Keelie threw a rubber knife at Will’s head. “You’re disgusting.”“I’m serious. Watch.” Will squirted ketchup into a jar of ‘pureed squash’ baby food. “Okay, Keelie, don’t swish it around, just hold it in your mouth. No swallowing.”“As if I would.” Keelie reached down her dress and adjusted the rolled-up socks in her bra, smacking her barely pubescent hot pink lips. “For the love of the craft. Bottom’s up.” She carefully poured the mix in her mouth, trying not to wince at the slimy texture, and nodded.Glancing aro...

11 likes

A Christmas Worth Forgetting

Rose Winters

Submitted to Contest #229

A Christmas Worth ForgettingThe doorbell clanged and the whole family moaned. Everyone except Florence, who headed for the door, exasperated. “Kids, be nice to Uncle Brian. I mean it. It’s Christmas Eve, for God’s sake.”“But he’s so mean.” Jillian plopped a bowl of mashed potatoes onto the crimson tablecloth, smoothing her Christmas-colored plaid skirt.“Not mean. Just crotchety. Do as your mom says. Play nice.” Jim leaned over the golden-brown turkey, carving generous slices, his black brows furrowed in concentration.“Dad, Uncle Brian’s tota...

13 likes

What Lurks in Dreams

Rose Winters

Submitted to Contest #215

What Lurks in Dreams Location: California Dream Institute Cal woke up flushed and clammy. And furious. He’d failed again to control his dream. “That was a bad nightmare.” Dr. Kline nodded to the erratic line graph that spiked like an earthquake reading. She pulled the electrodes from his forehead. “Did you catch that bad guy you’re always after?” “Not yet. Next time.” Her ruby lips parted into that delicious smile. His tortured dreams were almost worth the reward of her fingertips on his skin. “Your pulse is still high.” She ripped...

9 likes