Tag Archives: Short story

The Run – A suspenseful short story

Posted on by under Blog Post, Suspense/Scary

The stairs creaked as Amber Ross hurried down them. She plopped down on the bottom stair and put on her running shoes, quickly tying them as Percy, her grandmother’s cat, came slinking out of the shadows, purring loudly as he rubbed against her bare legs.

“I suppose you want me to feed you?” she whispered, as she walked to the kitchen, trailed by the meowing cat. Amber fed Percy and looked at the glowing blue clock on the microwave. She still had plenty of time to fit in a run before school started.

The kitchen light flipped on, and Amber blinked against the bright light that flooded the room.

“Off for a run?” Amber’s dad, Will, asked, as he reached past her and flipped on the coffee pot.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got time,” Amber said, “Why are you up so early?”

Her dad had lost his job at the community college just shy of six months ago. They’d lost their house three months ago. Both of those developments were why they had ended up where they currently were … living with his parents’, Don and Phyllis Ross.

“I’ve got a job interview.” Will offered, as he grabbed a mug out of the cabinet.

“Good.” Amber said, feeling a bit guilty that she couldn’t manage a more celebratory tone. She let her eyes wander over him. He looked tired, beat up from all of the crap that life had thrown his way since his wife, Amber’s mom, had received the cancer diagnosis more than two years ago. She’d been gone for a year now, and Amber’s heart still reeled every single time that she thought about her for more than a few seconds. Still, as much as her mom’s death had been wrenching for her, it had hurt just as much to watch her dad’s entire life fall apart too.

“It is good,” Will agreed, as he ran a hand over his stubble, “It’s time to get my shit together,” he winked at her, “We don’t want to live with your Gram and Gramps forever, do we?”

“We do not,” Amber grinned, “Hey, maybe you should come with me, old man,” she poked his stomach, “You haven’t been on a run in months, even with Grandpa.”

“Yeah, I’ve slacked off. I know I have. Next time, sweetheart. I promise.”

“Fine, but I’m going to hold you to it.”

“Amber, be extra vigilant,” her dad’s words stopped her as she loped towards the front door, “I saw on the news that another runner was killed just last week. That makes three now.”

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Conversations With Grandpa – A short story about love and loss

Posted on by under Blog Post, Literary Fiction

”Grandpa, why is it called Otter Lake?”

“I suppose it’s because otters make their home all around this lake. Do you know what an otter looks like, Emma?”

“Yes. I saw one in a book at the library, but I want to see one now, Grandpa. Can you get one to come over to the boat?”

“Well now, Em, I can’t say that I can, but, I tell you what, if you stay real still while I fish, we just might see one.”

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Yes, Chef – A short story about finding love in a hotel kitchen

Posted on by under Blog Post, Romance

The noise was the first thing that struck Landry Merriman as she stood just inside the swinging kitchen doors of the Chessman Hotel. It was a veritable wall of sound, with pots and pans clattering, oven doors slamming, dishwashers humming, and people yelling to be heard over all of it.

“As you can see,” Mrs. Myers said, rather loudly, “It’s a very lively place,” she slipped out into the relative quiet of the sumptuously carpeted hallway outside the kitchen, “Why don’t we finish the interview in my office, Ms. Merriman.”

Landry reminded herself to wipe the judgmental look from her face as she followed the woman down the hall and into a small, tidy room. She had never, ever seen such a horribly run professional kitchen in her career, but it wouldn’t do to be critical, until she had the job, at any rate.

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Daddy’s Friend – A scary and suspenseful short story

Posted on by under Blog Post, Suspense/Scary

“Addy, this is the second time that I’ve had to ask you to come in for dinner, so get moving. Now!” Lena Wallis let the screen door slam behind her as she raced over to the stove and pulled the pot of bubbling pasta water off of the burner just in time. She glanced at the clock on the stove and sighed in irritation. Mark was late. Again.

“Mommy, here I am,” Addy’s sweet voice came from the doorway, “Penny wanted to play longer, but she said you were mad so we should stop.”

“Penny said that, huh?” Lena took the pot over to the sink and poured the contents into the colander, “Well, at least she’s smart. Addy, go wash your hands and get ready for dinner.”

Lena took a scoop of pasta from the colander and put it into a small bowl. She stirred a tiny bit of butter into it, and added a sprinkle of salt and parmesan before taking it to the table and placing it in front of her daughter.

“Penny wants her own bowl, Mommy.”

“Penny can share yours,” Lena scowled at the rag doll that her four year old daughter had placed in the chair beside hers, “Mommy is stressed, Addy, so you and Penny need to cut her some slack, okay?”

“What does slack mean, Mommy?”

“Never mind,” Lena stirred the rest of the pasta into the skillet of meat sauce on the back burner. A burnt garlic smell suddenly permeated the room, “Shit!” she declared, as she searched for the pot holder, “I forgot about the damn garlic bread.”

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