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Susan Catucci

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jul, 2022

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149 Followers
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76 Stories

2761 karma pts

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Black Noise

Weekly Contest #377

“I’m going to go mad if I don’t get some sleep.” ' Tracy was having lunch with friends. She had recently returned from her honeymoon with her new husband, Gary, and this was her first time out. “Poor thing! Honeymoon not over?” Jill tried to look sympathetic. “Love can be such a terrible burden!” Bethany rolled her eyes. “Chin up, hon. It has to let up at some point.” Amy smiled behind a glass of pinot. “Amy, careful what you wish for!” Jill laughed. Tracy suppressed a yawn. “None of the above. He snores.” “How bad?” Bethany asked. ...

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Cat in a Box

Weekly Contest #375

WARNING: References to abuse, psychological, gore. Every Halloween since Danielle had begun living on her own, she looked forward to a night out at the local pub. She dressed in black with heavy green makeup and donned a perfect, pointy witch’s hat. Long story short, she had been raised by her mother, knew nothing of her father, and bought the hat after her mother had passed away, more or less in her honor. She was fairly drunk at the time, from what she could recall. She knew her mother had not had an easy life, Dannie had not been an eas...

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When the Night Wind Howls

Weekly Contest #373

“Rose, does this young man of yours know how to tell time?” Rose swallowed the panic threatening to take over her voice. Thankfully, it was her mother who spoke. “Arthur, it’s only ten minutes. And he is meeting us for the first time. You probably don’t remember what that’s like, dear, but I think we can cut him a little slack, under the circumstances.” Rose breathed easier when her mother gave her a wink and her father resumed his reading. “I think I’ll wait for Roderick outside.” As Rose made her exit, her parents exchanged amused expre...

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Lost In Place

Weekly Contest #371

It was the giant raindrop that plunked squarely on Carey’s head that made her stop walking and really take in her surroundings. She had been moving nonstop since leaving her home, or what she’d considered home until earlier that day. She couldn’t stop replaying the scene in her head. She wasn’t sure how many times she’d have to go over it before she would fully grasp what had happened and what she should do. “It didn’t mean anything. I made a stupid mistake.” Carey held the credit card receipt by her fingertips. It was dripping with tuna...

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Sweets For the Sweet

Weekly Contest #370

Gwendolyn sat alone at the corner table of the Pit Stop Coffee Shop. She was concentrating deeply so as to not disturb the caramel design atop the whipped cream that adorned her mocha supreme grande. She deliberately sipped steadily through the peppermint candy straw and resisted the urge to bite down. Restraint was the key, she knew, if she wanted to save the best for last. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Marcie and Virginia Baker enter the shop. She quickly looked away as Marcie joined the line to order while Virginia surveyed...

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Pack Up All Your Cares

Weekly Contest #369

Leila drove cautiously, looking out for the waves of pedestrian traffic carting luggage across from the pickup area of the airport. She spotted her brother Evan exiting the baggage claim just as the car in front of her pulled out. She could feel her heart swell. Evan had a way of making things better when he was around, and Leila felt her load lighten just looking at him. Evan saw her and waved. Before Leila could put the car in park, the rear passenger door opened and Evan tossed his backpack and duffle bag onto the back seat. He quick...

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Anything is Possible

Weekly Contest #368

“Yes, of course, anything’s possible, but we’re talking probabilities here. This is a court of law, a place where answers are found based on common sense and tangible evidence. The fact of the matter is your case, on its face, is not winnable. You're looking at a lost cause, a long walk off a short pier. I just can’t put it any plainer than that.” Lily Vallee nodded once toward the officer standing guard just outside the steel door. The tiny, sweet-faced prisoner, swallowed up by the regulation beige jumpsuit, politely stood and complac...

21 likes 6 comments 6
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Balloon Boy

Weekly Contest #330

This is the stuff life is made of. Hello, Heartache. Jasper set his phone down and crossed the living room to a large picture window. The maple trees in the yard were at their autumnal peak, vibrant reds, oranges and golds. The rich green carpet of the Engstrom’s well-tended lawn completed the picture-perfect exterior of the day. Jasper’s mind was elsewhere. He was grappling with how to best manage the call he’d just received from his daughter. “Jasper? Who were you talking to?” Cindy Engstrom entered the living room, wiping her hands with...

8 likes 3 comments 3
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R.A.T.S.

Weekly Contest #329

It was, as they say, a dark and stormy night. A full moon always marked the first night of preschool at the Regional Academy of Terror and the Supernatural. Despite relentless cloud cover, this year’s moon stood sentry as lightning rumbled throughout the evening sky. This was traditionally a time of raised spirits, and the anthem howl of resident werewolves was fitting welcome as families made their way up Ghoul Hill. The school grounds boasted a monstrous haunted oak where vampire children could hang for nightly naps. Fledgling ghosts and g...

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The Girl that Wandered

Weekly Contest #327

Susie lagged behind her parents and wished to be invisible. What she suspected had begun the night before was in full force this morning. She’d first noticed when her parents had given lukewarm kisses before bed. She’d become concerned when she saw nothing pass between them during the rest of the evening, no words, not even a look. The hotel room was tight quarters and Susie couldn’t escape the discord if she tried. “Susie, catch up!” Her mother gestured with a stern hand. They were touring a national park, the second in under a week, and Su...

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Baby Be Mine

Weekly Contest #326

Our first child was well past Beverly’s due date. My paternal instincts had been on high alert for so long, I could run through “the plan” we had to get to the hospital in my sleep. Did I say sleep? I meant when I’m up at all hours warming milk and grilling cheese and pickle sandwiches. Not to brag, but I even learned I had a gift for massage. At one point, mid-Shiatsu, I swear I heard my wife sigh that she forgave me for everything, whatever that might mean. At another, I’m convinced she forgave me for anything I may ever do. I thought this...

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Her Remains

Weekly Contest #325

Hey. Your phone is buzzing. “I’m asleep.” Wake up, Isla. It might be important. “No. Go away.” You should answer it. “You’re not there.” Nice try. You answered me, right? So answer the phone. “You . . . are . . . not . . . there.” C’mon. Remember that game we played on our wedding night? “What? Wait . . . what?” Here we are at the Honeymoon Arcade. Look at that, your arm’s a toy-claw and you’re going after the biggest prize . . . “Oh my . . . stop!” Find the phone, pick up the phone and answer the phone. “I know you’re not real. You’re not t...

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Love Among the Spoils

Weekly Contest #280

Caution***References to sexual behavior*** * * * * * Chester! I am so sorry! How long have you been waiting! Hey, Becca! Relax, catch your breath. You’re well within limits. There was a major accident on I-91 that GPS failed to warn me about in time. I think it’s time to retire the bossy old windbag, typical government contraption. Anyway, so it would have been inadvertent and unforeseen, right, my being late? Breathe, Becca. I try but I can’t get used to how much of my life is determined by things utterly out of my control. Don’t y...

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We Are All Mad Here

Weekly Contest #279

**WARNING: Touches on themes of abuse and mental illness** “And so she sat on, with closed eyes, and half-believed herself in Wonderland, though she knew she had only to open them again, and all would change to dull reality.” * * * * “911, what’s your emergency?” “Hi, I’m calling from Dodgson’s Beach. A group of us came to catch some morning waves. There’s a lady locked in a car out here, looks like she’s asleep with this sick grin on her face.” “Did you try waking her up?” “Doesn’t feel right. Threw a couple pebbles at the windo...

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FAMILY OF MAN FEUD

Weekly Contest #278

**WARNING: Religious themes** Angel and Devil Messengers had spread word throughout Heaven and Hell of an upcoming event that had been designed to determine, once and for all, the fate of the world. People on Planet Earth had been left to their own devices for long enough. The present polarization of life forms had proved disastrous. God and Satan had observed from their respective vantages and reached the same conclusion. Mortals simply could not figure things out on their own and it was time for drastic measures before Planet Earth was b...

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