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Suzanne Marsh

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jan, 2025

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105 Stories

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The Black Angel

The Black Angel Suzanne Marsh 5 February 1910 Ernest, Pennsylvania Maddie Matthews rose early to begin the breakfast oatmeal. She lit the old coal stove. The wooden floor of their house in Ernest, Pennsylvania, was ice-cold. Ernest was a small town established in 1903 by the Rochester and Pittsburgh Coal Company, a “model village.” The village had two churches, a school, and a community center. Rochester and Pittsburgh Coal Company developed the site, opening four drift-type mines in the upper Freeport E coal seam and building 274 beehive co...

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The Stonekeeper

The Stonekeeper Suzanne Marsh “Arthur, come along now, son; your mum is waiting for us.” Arthur was a curious ten-year-old boy who loved to explore caves. He was reluctant to leave the last: “Dad, can’t we stay just a little longer?” His dad never could say no to his son: “Arthur, you have twenty minutes, then we really must go home.” His dad looked at his watch as Arthur ran back to the cave. As he turned to see the light at the entrance, he saw a strange blue amulet. He entered the cave, carrying the amulet, and was drawn to the sound of h...

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Blessed is the Match, The Hannah Senesh Story

Blessed is the Match, The Hannah Senesh Story Suzanne Marsh The occupant of the stone-cold prison cell, with a small, dull light bulb hanging overhead. There is no time for tears; she finds a small piece of paper on which she writes a farewell message to her mother, Katrina, then a final poem; she has been informed that her execution is less than an hour away. The letter is her final goodbye: "Dearest Mother, I don’t know what to say- only this, a million thanks, and forgive me if you can. You know well why words aren’t necessary." She hide...

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Adventure in the Big City

Adventure in the Big City Suzanne Marsh Today was the big day; I was finally fulfilling my dream of attending the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. I left home early, the traffic on the “can of worms” was horrendous, and I did not want to be late for my interview. I took Route 31 into Rochester, which was the first mistake of the day. I made a right-hand turn on Goodman Street, going toward Gibbs Street, where the school was located. Rochester is not a good place to get lost; I am living proof. All the streets surrounding the s...

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Oh Nuts Now What!

Oh Nuts Now What! Suzanne Marsh “What do you mean you, no one has the rendition of Bury Not On the Lone Prairie? I need that music for Cowboy Sunday service!” How could this have happened? I needed it now, not three weeks from now. The choir needed to practice it, the required accompanist needed the music, and it was already printed in the bulletin; there was no way I would be able to remove it from the bulletin, since our church secretary was going on maternity leave. I began searching the web; some of those were as useless as a hole in my ...

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The Dark Side of Life

The Dark Side of Life Suzanne Marsh 1890 St. Gabriel, Louisiana John Makay stood proudly, watching Mary Brovard walk down the aisle of St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church; Mary was a vision of beauty, everything John had ever wanted in a wife. The wedding was one of the social events of the year, and anybody who was anybody in Iberville Parish was there. John had planned their honeymoon to be a cruise around the world. The cruise was year-long, and when John brought Mary back to his plantation, Mayfair, everything seemed right in the world. Mary s...

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The Sins of the Brother

The Sins of the Brother Suzanne Marsh La Mar Wilson and Luis Alvarado waited patiently for Jorge Rodriguez; he had a huge game system they coveted. La Mar looked at his watch: “Hey, when is Jorge supposed to get here? he is ten minutes late already. La Mar and Luis saw the white van going slowly down the street. The lights on the van blinked twice, a signal that the two men were waiting for. The van slowly pulled up to the curb and stopped. La Mar and Luis got in. The game system was worth stealing. La Mar sat behind the driver and Luis in t...

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Who Lost Special Order 191?

Who Lost Special Order 191 Suzanne Marsh General Robert E. Lee sent for his Assistant Adjutant General, R. H. Chilton; Chilton arrived moments after being summoned. Chilton wrote as Lee dictated Special Order 191, General Lee’s Maryland Campaign. The document had eight recipients: Generals Jackson, Longstreet, Walker, Stuart, McLaws, Taylor, and DH Hill, and President Jefferson Davis. The question was, who lost Special Order 191? 9 September 1862, Best Farm, Maryland “Hey, sergeant, looky what I found, some cigars with this here piece of pap...

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The Plan That Never Was

The Plan That Never Was Suzanne Marsh The three men listened intently for the sound of the train coming down the tracks. Sam Bass, their sharp-eyed leader, waited, his bandanna covering his face; the three gang members were ready. The gold shipment was being shipped from California, and it was worth over one million dollars. Sam Bass, a man with high pretensions, gold would be more than enough for himself and his gang members. It seemed like an eternity as they listened for the train; the anticipation of money was a good incentive. Buster Mc...

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Sierra's Corner

Sierra’s Corner Suzanne Marsh Exercise is the dirtiest word in the English language, at least to me it was. I hated gym classes, and swimming classes were the pits in high school. In my senior year, I discovered I was allergic to chlorine; I was given a doctor’s excuse. My road to a heart attack was underway, my twenties and thirties, and even into my forties, there were no issues. I became a Professional Seat Cover in my forties when my husband began driving a truck. I was on the truck with him for twenty-two years, and I saw many miles go ...

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Shanghaied

Shanghaied Suzanne Marsh Jed Hotchkiss stepped into The Pelican Bar on Sixth Street on the docks of Portland, Oregon, and ordered a beer. He drank half the beer before he began to feel lightheaded. He lost consciousness; he found himself in a tiny cell with eight other men. He could hear women screaming. Jed had broad shoulders, as did most of the men, cramped into this tiny space. Jed, discovered, as he came to, that his boots and socks were missing. He began questioning the other men in the cell. They had all partaken of beer at the Pelica...

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Excutitis

Excusitis Suzanne Marsh “You have more excuses than Carter has pills,” my dad exclaimed. I began to mull over what I had done and equate it with a halfway good excuse. There were several issues I had with Dad, more like several thousand. Being an only child may seem wonderful to those with brothers and sisters; it is not. Brothers and sisters can blame each other for their follies. Being an only child, there is no one to blame; out of the ashes of blame rises a phoenix; excusitis. I became very proficient with excusitis throughout my life. D...

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Hidden Agenda

Hidden Agenda Suzanne Marsh Mary Higgins slipped quietly into the room of Peter Brady, the richest man in Queenstown, Ireland. She was tired of being his scullery maid; she wanted so much more from life. She pictured herself as an aristocratic woman, dressed in fine silk dresses, the most expensive patent leather shoes, her hair done in the latest fashion. Peter would provide her with the funds; once she had the jewels, she planned to buy a first-class ticket on the Titanic. The cost of the first-class suite was $4350 in American dollars. It...

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Field of Honor

Field of Honor Suzanne Marsh Jake Matthews rode quickly over the high road toward Millington, the plantation he inherited from his father. He was not happy; he had just gotten into another argument with Malachi Edwards, whose father owned the next plantation downriver. Jake had no desire to antagonize Malachi; there always seemed to be a competitiveness. Both men wished to marry beautiful Catherine Oliver, whose father wanted to purchase Millington. Trouble arose when Catherine did not wish to marry either of them; she wanted to marry Conra...

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The Longest Four Hours

The Longest Four Hours Suzanne Marsh Buffalo, New York, to Dayton, Ohio, is a mere four hours, except for our teenage daughter, who was not overly happy about going to Dayton for the day. We left early Saturday morning, planning to drive straight through, get the fireworks, stop for lunch, and then go home. It was an experience I will never forget. Between what time it is and how much longer, those were the two most popular ones we heard on that long four-hour drive. You would think that a teenager would be better than a two-year-old...not t...

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