Allya Nosmada

“You're So Lonely” by Allya Nosmada

The start up sound of your computer played. You hear it every Monday when you begin your day at work. You settle into your chair with your third mug of coffee. Business at the top, comfy at the bottom - usually a pair of sweatpants and slippers.  “Hello.” But you did not hear the gentle voice. The login screen appears. You enter your twelve character password, always finished with an exclamation point.  “Welcome back.” You pause and take a look behind you. You could have sworn you had heard someone speaking. Maybe the TV wa...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“A Bone” by Allya Nosmada

Submitted to Contest #149

Darkness. It descended like a black veil on a widow, concealing from the eyes all things good and beautiful all while creating a sort of mystery. It was in this sudden gloom that a young woman got off the train at her stop and looked up to ponder the weather before she continued on. She wore no jacket, carried no umbrella, and wore no rain shoes; yet she did not move briskly to avoid the impending storm. She took her time, descending the station steps and exited out onto the desolate streets. On the street corner that she waited, the light f...

9 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“An Apartment” by Allya Nosmada

Submitted to Contest #148

Tom and Gloria stood outside a magnificent brick building as they waited for the broker to arrive. Tom observed his surroundings with his keen gray eyes. He took note of the make and models of all the cars parked along the tree-lined street, guessing at the year of each. He made sure to say, “how do you do?” along with a courteous nod to the people walking their dogs, keeping an eye on them long after they had passed. ‘Did they pick up after their pets?’ he wondered. Of the five or so pet owners who had passed, the answer was always ‘yes’.&n...

12 likes 4 comments 4

Read story

“Ticket for One” by Allya Nosmada

Samantha was taking forever to get back to me. Every time I checked the ticket availability, I became nervous, then frustrated by her delayed response. Finally, I decided to text her again. This time her response was prompt: Mike and I have plans.  Before I allowed that to process, I returned to the theater website and checked the seat availability. I cursed Samantha. The seats I wanted for the midnight showing had been taken. I could either wait the following day or take a seat which was a little too close to the front. I switched ba...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“The Letter” by Allya Nosmada

Simon overheard two women talking while he waited to check out at the grocery store.  “I’m serious,” said the brunette. “If you write a letter to that address, it will go to your future or past self. I’m telling you, it changed my life!” “What was the address again?” asked the blonde.  Simon pulled out his phone and took note of the address and then tucked the phone back in his pocket. As he continued to wait, he mused about what he would write about. The big question was whether he would address the letter to his past or fut...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Life Daemon” by Allya Nosmada

When I finally woke up, I was tired and achy all over my body. I did not feel like I could get out of bed. I needed another century of sleep at least to feel normal. But the alarm kept ringing and I got up to turn it off. It was another person, a type A person, who thought it was a good idea to put the alarm furthest from the bed so that the sleeper had to get up to turn it off.  With silence permeating the room again, I wanted to slide to the floor and just lay there. This weight I woke up with was just too burdensome. Who said I wan...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“I Owe You Everything” by Allya Nosmada

Whitney examined the instagram post on her phone. It was her standing next to a 6’2” man whom many women considered the hottest thing in the league right now. She chuckled at the comments: Who’s this girl?Is that Connor’s new girlfriend?What is she wearing? It’s hideous? The 90’s wants its fashion back. lol. @thottie It can’t be. It must be a fan. Connor has better taste than this. “Watcha doing?” asked a deep male voice as its owner nuzzled into the back of Whitney’s neck. “Finding some amusement from instagram.”Connor r...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“The Seed” by Allya Nosmada

Brandon watched from the couch as his girlfriend Becky came home with another trendy house plant that all the social media influencers were peddling. He knew Becky did not have a green thumb and he knew that she knew she didn’t have one either. Yet here she was coming home with another plant that was sure to die just like all the others. A waste of time, a waste of life, and a waste of money. He restrained himself from commenting. He had learned from enough senseless fights that it was not worth it. Instead, he rolled off the couch and went ...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Derek the Librarian” by Allya Nosmada

Submitted to Contest #142

When you go to the library, you expect a quiet, sweet, old lady, right? Or at least your librarian is always a woman. I don’t know why, but my librarian must always be a woman. She’s my go to when I desperately need a book and I don’t know what it is. But my librarian always knows what I need; somehow she just knows. So when I went to the library on Tuesday after work, really in need of a book, I was shocked not to find Susan, or Nancy, or even Gina who works part-time, but this Derek character. Yes, he’s talk, dark and handsome, but I ...

11 likes 6 comments 6

Read story

“Cooper’s Inn - 1 Star” by Allya Nosmada

The children in the back of the car began to wail.  “Mom, I’m tired,” complained one.  “Mom, I’m hungry,” cried another.  “Mom, I’m going to die if I don’t eat something soon!” Catherine looked at her husband, Tim whose eyes were red with dark circles beneath them. They had been driving for ten hours now for a trip that should have only taken seven. Road work plagued their journey from the moment they had left the beach, turning the highway into a single lane. Then there was an accident that brought them to a standstil...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Margaret Brown” by Allya Nosmada

Submitted to Contest #140

Charlotte Schaefer, the youngest granddaughter of Michael and Margaret Schaefer tip toed into her grandparent’s den and climbed up onto the sofa beside her granddad. She held her breath as she stared at the old man who sat erect in an arm chair in a quiet repose. “Papa?” she whispered. “Yes?” inquired the old man as he adjusted in the chair, still keeping his eyes closed as he clung to the remnants of his afternoon nap. “What is it, child?”“How did you and g-ma meet?”The old man opened one eye then the other, and shifted again in h...

16 likes 6 comments 6

Read story

“Suffering In Silence” by Allya Nosmada

March 31, 2019 Today was my best friend’s wedding. The day was perfect - the weather was sunny, the wedding venue was beautiful - Clara and Jon could not have asked for anything better. I’m so happy for them. They’re going to Cancun for their honeymoon and then after that, they are moving to Arizona, where Jon is originally from. Clara promises that she’ll keep in touch. :) April 6, 2019 Today is Lauren’s birthday. I organized a brunch for all of us, excluding Clara of course, who was still on her honeymoon. It’s weird not having her a...

1 like 0 comments 0

Read story

“Never Ending Sun” by Allya Nosmada

Helen looked out her dormitory window with a sigh. She watched several couples from her class walk hand in hand across campus. They laughed, they kissed and shared in embraces before they went their separate ways. Helen let out another sigh.  “If you sigh one more time, I will kill you.” Helen looked back over to her roommate who was hunched over her thesis, reviewing the required edits that were needed in time for submission today. She said nothing, knowing that it was the stress that was talking, and returned her attention to the ...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“The Promise” by Allya Nosmada

The house on Lost Grove Road sat nestled amongst a woody forest at the end of a private unmarked road. The house itself was a wooden structure, once painted a brilliant white, but now a faded shadow of its former glory. It was a modest home, boasting three-bedrooms, though it contained no fancy amenities or design accolades. In the late evening, Rebecca went to her husband, Michael, to show him the property.“We must buy this house,” she told him, handing him her tablet with the listing pulled up. Michael raised an eyebrow, but...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Romantic_56837” by Allya Nosmada

Submitted to Contest #136

Today is the day! You have the reminder on your calendar. The day when you finally get to meet Romantic_56837. You met online, learning about each other’s hopes and dreams, personalities, and you really can’t see yourself spending your life with anyone but Romantic_56837. Yes, it may be too early to think this way, but haven’t all your married friends said that you know when you’ve met the person you are meant to be with?You decided when making this date that you would go all out. It feels like your last good shot at love, so a good first-im...

6 likes 4 comments 4

Read story