Laura DePace
Bio
Retired teacher, nature lover, aspiring writer driven by curiosity and “What if?” I want to share my view of the fascinating, complex world of nature. I also love creating strong characters and interesting worlds for them to live in.
Stories (74)
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Fresh Bread
Every morning, Uncle Vinnie filled the neighborhood with the smell of freshly baked bread. The aroma floated over the bustling streets, bouncing along on the heads of the rushing men and women who were on their way, lemming-like, to work. Focused on what they were doing, on what new problems would face them when they reached their cluttered desks, they didn’t consciously acknowledge the smell of the bread. But its magical scent reached out to capture them: tickling their noses, making their mouths water, relentlessly turning them away from their harried, rushed mornings, and leading them to Uncle Vinnie’s bakery. They would arrive, bemused, confused, hypnotised by that wonderful aroma, to find themselves standing before Uncle Vinnie’s counter with no idea how they got there, or what they wanted.
By Laura DePace10 months ago in Fiction
Path to Freedom
Path to Freedom By Laura Brady DePace We huddled in the darkness, waiting for the robot troops to pass by. Holding our breath, quieting the babies as best we could. The older children, scared silent, hid their faces in their mothers’ skirts. The darkness protected us. Or so we hoped.
By Laura DePace11 months ago in Fiction
Mom's Diner - For the Birds
I grew up watching birds. My mother loved to feed the birds, and we spent many happy hours watching our feathered guests as they partook of our offerings. Mom spent a fortune filling those hungry bellies, and she had a stack of field guides at the ready to identify our visitors.
By Laura DePace12 months ago in Earth
Third Time's the Charm. Runner-Up in Through the Lens Challenge.
When I was a child growing up near Binghamton, New York, magic happened one night: the Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis - danced for us. This was a good 50 years ago, long before cell phones and Aurora Apps. This was when no one saw them coming, and we were incredibly lucky to catch them at all.
By Laura DePace12 months ago in Photography
Puzzzle. Top Story - January 2025.
The package arrived on her doorstep sometime in the night, and was waiting on the step when she opened the door to take Taco, her late husband’s tiny dog, out for a walk. It was wrapped in brown paper, and bore her first name, Amelia. No last name. And no return address.
By Laura DePace12 months ago in Fiction
Scary Stories
She had heard stories about this place, from the time she was a small child. Stories of monsters materializing out of the shadows, of hikers disappearing without a trace, of unexplained noises in the night. She had always scoffed at those stories.
By Laura DePaceabout a year ago in Fiction
