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Zanna Barton

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Dec, 2024

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15 Followers
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6 Stories

125 karma pts

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1794

Note: This story is an experiment in the writing style of Hillary Mantel. Noirmoutier: The guns are cleaned out and loaded, the soldiers slide on their boots, and the priests give many confessions. In a small, obscure house owned by a random woman, a bed-ridden man and his wife have a discussion. D’Elbee looks anxiously to see out the small window of the bedroom. He has not been outside in days, but it is six a.m., and he hears footprints scattered around and, in the distance, the faintest of indications of booming. The invaders are approach...

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A Future Greater than this World

Weekly Contest #336

This story deals with the theme of execution. “I am certain that is Charette, General Travot.” “How do you know it is not just another ‘Charette’?” “All the fake ones are gone already, sir. Just trust me. It’s him. . . What did I tell you? I know his face.”“He looks dead.” “No, sir, he has only fainted; I hit him on the shoulder and head, but not fatally. It’s him! It’s him! Let the whole nation celebrate, for today we have captured the most hunted man in the country!” — “Yes. . . I am Charette. . . I will surrender to Travot, him alone— he ...

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The Battle Fought in Silence

Weekly Contest #329

Nicholas had checked his homework only once so far, so going to the bowling alley was simply impossible. As advanced as Kcizky seemed to be to all the Kcizkians, they had no help for internal wars, and there was no one who understood him well enough to offer advice. But his younger sister Phoebe insisted he come along for her birthday. He never had agreed, only said it was a nice idea. Now here he was, being dragged there against his will. He stuffed as many pages of homework under his arm as he could while his adopted father hauled him out ...

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The Invisible Hero

Weekly Contest #316

When Monie was five, I began going to her house for playdates. At that time she could see me as easily as she saw her parents. She would give a silly child’s grin and point to the stuffed animal vending machine. “You try it, Grey.” She would help me use it, and then a stuffed bear would pop out. “You’re so lucky!” she would tell me. I’d smile, glad to be useful. Then one day at the park, around a year later, Monie fell from the swings. I caught her before she could hit the ground, and she thanked me profusely. She didn’t seem surprised tha...

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A Fight For Peace

Weekly Contest #313

When the clouds come around you, You will reach for the sun, When life tries to force you, stay true, You will learn to find peace when the day is done, When the danger engulfs you, don’t run. By saving their lives you will conquer all harm, When you see, you will die in my arms. The words played in August’s head as the blue sky soared above him, through the dappled leaves of the yard’s oak. He sat in its lowest branch, as he always did with his free time, content to daydream. Before he could spend time considering the words, his older sist...

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Cast of the Die

Weekly Contest #291

The pedestrians blindly followed the paths laid out for them. Some of them did not notice the path, or consider that they could deviate from it, but merrily went their way. Some observed the path, and walked along with every obedience to it. Others seemed to dream of flirting with danger, veering either to the left and the ocean or the right and traffic. Twenty-five year old May, though, wasn’t walking. She stood on the side of the dock and gazed out over the shimmering Atlantic. One question would not leave her mind: could she escape h...

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