Alyse Morrell

“Do Androids Dream of Herding Sheep?” by Alyse Morrell

Sheep are some of the dumbest creatures you will ever see in your life. They sure are beautiful, but if one fluff ball starts to panic because it mistakes a twig for a snake, then all the rest of them will start bleating and bouncing about. And they don’t take care of each other. For a species that likes to live as a group, they sure don’t care if one of their buddies wanders off the trail. Not like their predator counterparts, the wolf. They are as ugly as a drunkard, but clever enough to take on a group of creatures that out number them 30...

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“A Letter From Dad” by Alyse Morrell

Submitted to Contest #49

When I was a kid I practiced wrapping diapers around my sisters’ baby dolls. My mother taught me how to take care of my younger siblings, but even as they grew independent I still held the desire to care for a child. I couldn’t express this desire to my friends. It was considered “women’s work” to care for the home. Not wanting to be labeled a pansy or sissy, I just kept my fatherly ambitions to myself.  When I met your mother I knew she was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, I just don’t think God agreed with me. ...

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“P.P.C., At Your Service!” by Alyse Morrell

Submitted to Contest #49

            As I walk up the church steps, I can hear the groom reading his vows through the glass foyer doors. I burst through like a tornado in Kansas. Hope this crowd prepared for a show.             “I objeeeeeeeect!”             Gasps and stares turn towards me. The groom looks befuddled, the bride in shock. Only the pastor seems to be able to speak up.  ...

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“Write Time, Right Place” by Alyse Morrell

Submitted to Contest #47

       Geez, that’s the last time I take the hover board to the bodega for a snack. It’s my own fault for trying to look cool in front of the other zero-grav skaters, but busting my ass only a block away from my flat wasn’t worth it. I can’t blame the board for my wiping out; sure it’s old, but I’ve only been practicing for about a month on off-ground wheels. You’d think the principles would be the same as classic skateboarding, but that is where I’d be wrong. The gash on my hand will leave a scar, which wi...

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“While He's At War” by Alyse Morrell

Submitted to Contest #44

       To me, it was easy to tell them apart. All the other girls in our class would tease that the two were identical, and could only be sorted apart when you made them play sports, since Sammy was hopelessly clumsy, but to me it was always clear who was who.            When Sammy smiled, a dimple appeared on his left cheek. Tommy had a small pink scar just at the crease of his right eyelid, only noticeable when he closed them. It arched like the ...

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“From My Father's Journal, 1943” by Alyse Morrell

Submitted to Contest #36

            I’m too young for this. I shouldn’t be here. That’s all I can think right now. Sure, I’m 18, and if I hadn’t of volunteered, the draft would have taken me anyway. Better me than my twin brother, Sammy. He doesn’t have the disposition for war. Maybe I don’t either? No, he is the one to go to college, become a doctor, and save thousands of lives that way. But he can’t, not until this war is over. For now, he has to take up my place, working the corners to sell newspapers t...

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“New Memories of Old Things” by Alyse Morrell

Submitted to Contest #30

 I woke from a bad dream and felt my mother there to comfort me on the edge of my Jurassic Park themed bed. I tell her what happened in my nightmare, even though the memory is starting to become hazy at that point, but then she takes me into the kitchen. I sit down at the table, where my legs dangle above the floor, and I see through the slim doorframe that she is ruffling through the food cupboard. The lighting is still low in the room, with the only light coming from the hallway, so she must be having a hard time finding what she want...

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“Delays on the District Line” by Alyse Morrell

Submitted to Contest #23

      “Do snowflakes feel cold?” The little boy looked to be about five-years-old, but seemed much smaller buried under his scarf and jacket. The swaddled boy sat up, leaning against the back of the subway seat, blowing hot air on the freezing window.           “I don’t think they do. I think they like it,” answered his nanny, still scrolling through her phone, praying for service. By the frustrated faces of the other commuters, it looked as though they had ...

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“First Steps in Snow” by Alyse Morrell

Submitted to Contest #23

      It was our first time traveling to Angel Fire, New Mexico for a winter vacation. Well, it was our first time traveling for a winter vacation, ever. My parents decided to try something new, and instead of giving presents, they wanted to give an experience. I think they read about that on some “yummy-mummy” blog, and figured skiing would be an experience that even they could enjoy.            My sister and I were six and four, respectfully, and had been ...

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“"How do you think they got him to do that?"” by Alyse Morrell

Submitted to Contest #19

My grandfather instilled in me wisdom and insight that far exceeds any college education, while also bringing joy and laughter to my days. I spent many hours at his house while my mother worked her second or third shift in a row at the local hospital. I obtained many of his tendencies during those baby-sitting stints, like how to conserve money, cook liver and onions, and enjoy classic cinema. One tendency I did not inherit, however, was his gullibility.             We referred...

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“A Ticket to Burton-Upon-Trent” by Alyse Morrell

Submitted to Contest #18

The day felt sickeningly long to David. He sorted through his fifth box of donations for his shift, and he still had about 10 more to go. “How are there so many drop offs today?” David asked.            “It’s almost spring,” his manager told him, “most people feel like getting rid of the old this time of year. Of course they don’t realize that by Christmas, they’ve bought back almost the same amount that they’ve just dumped off. And so the cycle repeats itself.” David had only worke...

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