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Suzanne Marsh

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jan, 2025

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11 Following

108 Stories

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The Silence of the Night

The Silence of the Night Suzanne Marsh “It was so terribly cold. Snow was falling, and it was almost dark.” Laura Giovanni crept slowly back to the tenement where she lived. Fear welled within her; her Da would want the money she earned working in a sweatshop. She opened the door, praying he was passed out on the floor. Her Da opened his eyes: “Where is your money, girl?” As he said that, he began to pull off his belt, folding it into a strap. She knew he meant to beat her again. She hated him; he was not her real Da, he was someone her drun...

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Burnt Offerings

Burnt Offerings Suzanne Marsh “Aunt Sue, Aunt Sue, wake up, can you cook?” Smoke was billowing out of the kitchen by the time my husband and I rolled out of the couch sleeper we had slept on the night before. Visiting my cousin was a horrible culinary experience. My cousin’s daughter was desperate, as were her brothers; they were tired of burnt offerings from my cousin. She watched in fascination as I cooked the eggs and my husband cooked the bacon. The boys came downstairs moments later: “Hey, the bacon isn’t burnt, the eggs look good, no b...

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Snow, Snow and More Snow

Snow, Snow, and More Snow Suzanne Marsh “Ma, I can’t see the barn; the snow is coming down faster than usual.” Matt Strong was ten years old the year the great snow came to Dodge City, Kansas. Jake Strong stomped his feet as he entered the small cabin: “Martha, the snow is getting deeper out there. Glad Matt and I split all that firewood this past fall. We will be warm, now, Martha, what’s for dinner?” Martha Strong was a small, dark-haired woman with blue eyes and thin shoulders. She hated Kansas; it was flat, cyclones were bad enough, but ...

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The Midnight Visitor

The Midnight Visitor Suzanne Marsh The gray stallion moved slowly, and the man in the saddle slumped. Blood covered his shoulder and his blue uniform. The man drew a deep breath before looking up to see a small farmhouse. The horse whinnied, as if it expected the occupant of the farmhouse to answer the door. A candle flickered in the window, the window opened, and a young girl looked. She noted the rider was slumped over; his blue uniform indicated he was a Union soldier. She quickly went down the stairs, opened the creaky door. The soldier ...

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Goodbye My Friend

Goodbye My Friend Suzanne Marsh “Dale was killed this morning in Incirlik, Turkey.” I stared at the phone before uttering: “What, what happened? He was just here on leave; we went to his Mom’s funeral.” The year was 1969. Dale was in the Air Force stationed in Bentwaters, England; however, upon his return from leave, he was sent to Incirlik, Turkey. He was twenty years of age; he never saw twenty-one. I was nineteen at the time, married with one child; death had invaded my world. I sat down on a wooden kitchen chair, and with fond memories, ...

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Crag Na Dun

Crag Na Dun Suzanne Marsh Fiona MacLeod stood silently on the gray rocky crag, her shawl wrapped around her thin shoulders. Thunder roared in the distance as the rain began to pelt her face with a vengeance. She quickly sought refuge behind Crag Na Dun, in a small cave opening. Fiona sat in the opening with the black shawl over her head, the same black shawl she wore every day since the death of her brother Malcolm and her father, Angus. Rumors ran rampant around Dunvegan that Edward Longshanks was near. Edward I of England was Scotland’s gr...

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Three Days in November

Three Days in November Suzanne Marsh I don’t think any of my generation will ever forget where they were; the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. I remember we were just finishing our chorus practice, and we were held up for an extra ten minutes, which did not make any of us happy. When we shuffled back into our classroom, a very excited voice came over the P.A. system it was a news report that changed all of our lives that day. The news was that President Kennedy had been shot, and he was taken to Parkland Hospi...

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Curly Sue

Curly Sue Suzanne Marsh We were on our way to dinner when my husband accidentally hit a small brown and white dog. We tried to find the owner, to no avail. The next day we took the dead dog to the SPCA. While we were there I went to look at the dogs that were available, there was Curly, in cage by herself, she looked so forlorn. She was a small black and white puppy with a curly tail, hence the name Curly. The cardio doctor told me to walk as much as possible; since my heart attack. The two other dogs we had at home were large, so I convince...

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Lucky Lady

Lucky Lady Suzanne Marsh August 13,2011 Neely, Missouri “This looks like a good place to stop and eat.” The truck stop had a real restaurant, not to mention a good-sized parking lot for trucks. The evening was chilly and rainy. My husband and I headed for the restaurant when we noticed a small dog running around the parking lot on three legs. The dog was running up to strangers begging for food. We already had a dog on the truck, but somehow it just didn't seem fair to the dog, especially since she was in the gas aisle, which was very close ...

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Raise the Song of Harvest Home

Raise the Song of Harvest Home Suzanne Marsh The slate gray mountains held secrets, known only to Granny Tate and the members of her sect. Granny, the youngest of Nathan Tate’s daughters, lingered for several moments near a huge cottonwood tree. She fumbled around in her apron pocket for a small tin of snuff, a habit she had, since she was a young girl. Granny stood up straight as she took the trail hidden in the cottonwood trees. She made her way to the edge of the snow-covered mountain. She breathed in the brisk cold air; she had decisions...

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Come Home Safely to Me

“Come Home Safely to Me” Suzanne Marsh The cool, soft breeze caressed my face; I could almost feel Lucas’ hand. It was a day of great anticipation for me. I went up the stairs to the widow’s walk to watch for his four-masted schooner Miss Jenny. The breeze suddenly became cold, and I wrapped my shawl tighter around my thin shoulders. Something was wrong! I could feel it in the cold breeze. Lucas’s last letter to me stated that he would be home today, May 20, 1885. Black storm clouds loomed overhead; a sign of foreboding, as the wind began to...

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Twenty Four Hours to Live

Twenty Four Hours to Live Suzanne Marsh December 7th, 1941 8 AM A bugle blared over the PA system: “Man the antiaircraft batteries.” Came a nervous voice. Silence for several moments, then a harsh voice boomed throughout Oklahoma: “All hands, man your battle stations.” A very excited voice shouted: “All hands, man your battle stations!!! On the double!! This is no drill!!! Get going—they are real bombs!!!!” ‘Dear God, has the world gone crazy?’ I was stationed aboard the USS Oklahoma. She was a good ship. My battle station was Turret Three. ...

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Ride to Infamy

Ride to Infamy Suzanne Marsh Wikmun Yanipi (Man Running), sat quietly on a mountainside. He cleared his mind. A vision began to form. There were many white eyes in blue firing at him. He set off to find the Shaman, who would aid him in discovering what this vision meant. Wikmun Yanipi, like most young men of Lakota, readied himself for the Sun Dance. The men and boys at this very moment were cutting down a ceremonial cottonwood tree. Leather tethers fasten to the tree; the ceremonial drum waited silently. His father, Chief Gall, told him of ...

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The Evil Brother

The Evil Brother Suzanne Marsh Catriona MacFarin waved sweetly as Angus MacLeod reined in his favorite horse: “Good day ta ya lassie, I have just stopped here to water my horse if that is permitted.” Catriona smiled up into the largest blue eyes she had ever seen. He watered his horse, then galloped off. Catriona turned on her heel when another horseman rode up: “Good day to ya lassie, my horseman requires water.” Catriona smiled, then placed her hand above her eyes to shade them and stare at this second stranger. The two men looked alike: r...

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The Ghostess with the Mostess

The Ghostess with the Mostest Suzanne Marsh I must stop eating ‘Dagwood’ sandwiches, just before bed; I had a dream last night that was both fun and frightening. I dreamed about meeting a woman ghost; her ghostly antics took me to another plane. I tossed and turned until midnight. I thought I heard a voice, a sweet voice, it seemed to be coming from downstairs. I was staying at the Menger Hotel in San Antonio; it is adjacent to the Alamo. The usual night sounds were coming from the Alamo, then there was a woman’s scream. I got up I was in Ro...

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