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Suzanne Marsh

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jan, 2025

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3 Followers

11 Following

86 Stories

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A Dog Named Nick

A Dog Named Nick “I want the male runt of the litter.” I told my youngest daughter that she put the collar on the puppy. We took the puppy from our home in Louisiana to our home in New York. Several days later, the oldest daughter called and asked if we had the other female. I picked up Nick and discovered that Nick was not Nick. She had already learned her name, so Nick she was. The veterinarian’s assistant looked at the dog’s name, then at the dog: “Are you aware this is a female?” That was the wrong question to ask me: “Yes, I know it is ...

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The Man in the Blue Scarf

The Man and the Blue ScarfSuzanne MarshHe slipped silently into the shadows, listening for the sounds of regular traffic. He fingered the blue silk scarf around his neck as he thought about his attempt at suicide with a shard of glass, cutting his own throat, to keep from being tortured. He was forced to sign a document that was false. When he cut his throat, he was sure death would come quickly; instead, a guard saw him hack at his throat, just as he was passing out, they took him to a nearby hospital. He was released from the hospital. He ...

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Time Goes so Slowly

Time Goes so Slowly“Get the men up, we have a long march today. According to orders from headquarters.” The voice of a lad not yet sixteen yelled: “Hey, Sergeant, where are we goin'?” Sergeant Norbert Reed turned to glare at Private Nehemiah Johnson. The sergeant replied: “Don’t know, boy, just get your gear and prepare to march. Private Johnson was not happy about the answer, but he knew he was treading on thin ice. He joined Mr. Lincoln’s army, lying about his age; he wasn’t sixteen, he was thirteen. He was a tall, heavy-set kid; that did ...

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The Long Way Home

The Long Way Home “I can’t go home now, my mom just passed away, and my dad is trying to adjust. He also has a lady friend. I can’t impose on him.” I was frantic, going through a divorce, attempting to get my life together. I called my dad several days later, cried, and told him most of the heartbreak I was feeling. I asked if I could come home. I had to have a place to begin again. Divorce is never easy; the lies and hate are the most difficult. I packed my things and drove home to Buffalo. The divorce was ugly; I lost everything, including...

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Grandpa was a Preacher

Grandpa was a Preacher“Give me that old time religion, give me that old time religion, give me that old time religion, it’s good enough for me.” “Friends,” Grandpa Willie began, “we gathered here to pray for deliverance from evil. The evil our fathers brought onto us through their sins!” His long gray beard, balding pate, jeans, shirt, and boots that was grandpa Willie Moultree, my grandpa, and a preacher to end all preachers. Grandpa Willie preached the word of God all over the Smoky Mountains. Sometimes I can still see in my mind; grandpa ...

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Times Change and so do People

Times change, and so do People“I want to be an airborne ranger, honey, honey. I want to be an airborne ranger, babe, babe. I want to be an airborne ranger, I want to kill the charlie cong honey oh baby mine. Go to your left, your right, your left. Go to you left your right, your left.” The platoon sergeant’s boisterous voice rang in Mark Christopher’s head. He knew without asking that he was going to Vietnam, away from his family and his girl, Michelle Markham. An entire year or more away from everyone he loved. He shook himself and concentr...

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The Strange Creation

The Strange Creation I don’t know where to begin. I am a rather strange-looking creation of Doctor Knotheader. I am a laboratory mistake. The good doctor was working on attempting to make a different animal, here I am, a Gnuzeb, a cross between a gnu and a zebra. Life is not easy. I have the stripes of the zebra and the body of the gnu. I have brown and white stripes and horns. Dear me, but I am a mess. Just how did this happen? Doctor Knotheader, in his lack of wisdom, thought it might be fun to cross two of his favorite animals, hence I wa...

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Sierra's Corner

Sierra’s CornerExercise, the bane of my existence, and to me, the dirtiest word in the entire English language! I hated gym and swimming, so I skipped them. I learned about exotic diseases that most of the girls had never heard of. Those kept me out of swimming, which I really disliked. My distaste for exercise began around this time. I have no idea how I managed to pass swimming and gym, the only conclusion I have thought of is that the gym and swimming instructors did not want to have me another year! Time went on, and I became a writer an...

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I Remember When...

I Remember When….Suzanne MarshI used to dislike those words immensely, especially when I was younger. I am seventy-six; my memory works well for an old lady. I was born in October of 1949; my parents married in 1947. My mom’s wedding gown was all hand-sewn; most women today would not consider wearing a wedding gown that did not come from a bridal shop, such as David’s. Time has a way of flying by; my mom sewed a lot of my dresses, including my baptismal gown. Growing up in the late 1950’s and 1960’s was certainly not for wimpy children. We r...

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Adios Taco

Adios TacoSuzanne MarshMy name is Horace, I am a Sheep Dog, and I also have less than a week to live. I was infected with New World Screwworm. I herded sheep on the border of Texas and Mexico. My master, Jose, and I were moving the sheep to a different pasture, one with more green grass for them, and a rest for Jose and me. Harvey, the ram, decided to be stubborn. I began to herd him toward the gate. I stepped on something sharp, it was just a scratch; I had a lot of those, they are part of the job of being a herding dog. We got the sheep mo...

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The Old Woman's Moment

The Old Woman’s MomentI deplored that old woman; she always smelled like urine, her blue eyes were rheumy, and she wheezed continuously. I hated taking care of her in her home; she was not a gracious spinster; she was cruel. She insisted on having her hair done twice a week, a rather ugly dark blue hue. She complained about everything from the colors in her room to the money I was making caring for her. I made minimum wage, three dollars an hour to be exact. She made a point of that amount every Friday. I hated her more and more as time went...

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The Broken Vow

The Broken VowSuzanne MarshSister Mary Catherine, her head bowed, her habit hanging on her gaunt figure, prayed she was ready for her final vows. She wanted to be a nun since she heard the sisters singing Vespers as a small child. She wished she had been more prepared for her journey to become a nun. She took her first set of vows, at eighteen years of age, vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. She became a Novice willingly. Three years later she became a postulate and began to have doubts about her calling. The life of a Carmelite nun c...

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The Colony that Vanished

The Colony that VanishedSuzanne Marsh“Kyle Vaughn, please remain after class,” Kyle noted the determination in Professor Daniel White’s voice. Kyle heard rumors about the Professor building a ‘time machine”. Time travel was an up-and-coming thing in the scientific world. The science classes that Professor White taught were vastly more interesting to Kyle than to some of the students in the class. Once class let out, the professor and Kyle went back to his office. The professor unlocked the door to his office, motioned Kyle inside, then follo...

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Life in a Suitcase

Life in a SuitcaseSuzanne MarshEsther Levy was barely holding herself together as she turned to her husband, Samuel:“Samuel, how do I cram our life together in a suitcase. Why are the Germans sending us a call-up notice. Do you think children are hiding where they are?” Samuel put his arms around Esther:“Please, Esther, we must pack. There have been quite a few call-ups all around the neighborhood, as good citizens, we must answer. Now, please find our suitcases, so we may pack them.”Esther went to find their suitcases. After she found them,...

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The Violet Jessop Story

The Violet Jessop StorySuzanne MarshIn 1908, I finally found a position on the RMS Majestic, although I did not get the position I wanted, this will do. It is an Atlantic run, but it will help put meat on Mother’s table. The weather is cold on this Atlantic run, so I cleaned cabins in my winter coat. Third class, I walked the deck; there was ice everywhere. I am hoping to transfer to the RMS Olympic in a few months.It is a larger ship than the Majestic. The captain is Edward Smith. I understand he is quite good.I simply have not had the time...

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