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Amanda Lieser

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Apr, 2021

Stories (72)
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310 Followers
75 Following

72 Stories

3645 karma pts

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Fate?

Submitted to Contest #231

The film began with a sunset that blazed across the Colorado sky, pulling deep reds and oranges into the world. Violet sat holding hands with Leo. His hands were clammy, hers were, too. And he turned to her, pulling at the edges of a frayed blanket to dust away the blades of grass. She knew what was coming when he stood. The film slowed down as he reached into his back pocket and knelt. The proposal was perfect. Violet beamed. Leo beamed back at her and they sealed their love with a kiss. The screen faded to black.The next scene was of the t...

24 likes 10 comments 10
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The Issue with the Humans

Submitted to Contest #226

The Director sat behind the snow white table with the manila folder on it. It was opened to the first page with a single title, “CASE 2137,” in all red font with caps lock on. The next few pages documented the issues and incidents with dated charts from several Keepers who had been kind enough to initial each note. This meant they had all received the call and were sitting studiously in chairs outside of the meeting room. All of them watched as a group of stern council members passed them-all of them refused to make eye contact. The Keepers ...

32 likes 16 comments 16
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Sales Pitch

Submitted to Contest #224

MLM spoof with a twist. You’ve been warned. Molly pushed open the door of the conference room. It was a loud, heavy, metal one that left her fingers smelling of dust. She brushed them on her colorful leggings. The conference room wasn’t well lit, but it was in a cheap motel on the side of the highway, so Molly hadn’t expected much. It smelled of stale coffee and sugary pastries that were piled like faux gold on the table pressed against one wall. Sadie turned and smiled at her. The women embraced each other. “Thanks for comin’ out, Beau...

31 likes 19 comments 19
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Tattoo

Submitted to Contest #221

CW-mental health, substance abuse, cursing, etc“A fucking rose, Michelle? Like in that stupid, fucking movie you’re always making me watch?” his eyes narrowed at me until tiny, paper thin slits remained.I swallowed hard and nodded back at him saying, “Whatever, it’s not my body.” Henry’s eyes widened and he returned to Antoinette’s Look Book filled with various designs and images of beautiful tattoos she’d already created and inked into the flesh of the many clients before us. I pulled my elastic mouth into a smile that reached the corners o...

25 likes 11 comments 11
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Happy Anniversary

Submitted to Contest #219

At exactly 5pm Catherine heads into the restaurant. She sat in her car half an hour, waiting, but refusing to be early. She wasn’t early for Adam anymore. Before long, she is sitting at her booth, knee bobbing gently beneath her table. She stretches out her neck, feeling particularly sore before her meal. Ever since she took that wedding ring off, regular spin classes were back on the schedule. Beside her, a long, red, faux fur lined jacket. It was the first thing she bought after she walked out of divorce court and the perfect pairing for h...

26 likes 9 comments 9
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Shooting Star

Submitted to Contest #217

CW-drug useFor Antoine de Saint-Éxupery who taught me about shooting stars “Thank you! Enjoy your birthday party,” I smile at the blonde little boy with a red dinosaur shirt and blue tennis shoes as I hand his birthday cake over to his mother. I pause at the counter, my finger tips softly drumming as they make their exit past the small wooden tables and through the bakery door; the bell dings. I make my way swiftly to the door, flipping the sign to indicate closed.Bella walks from the back of the kitchen, her pink apron covered in a flurry o...

23 likes 6 comments 6
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Three Knocks

Submitted to Contest #215

CW-phobias to be triggered include-Claustrophobia, Thalassophobia, Pyrophobia, Kalampokiphobia, Apotemnophobia. Enjoy…Three knocks come to the door-all in a row-with a gentle, but adamant rhythm. Open your eyes, I think to myself. And I think they open? I am stumbling from my bedroom down the stairs-not even noticing that my husband isn’t by my side.What time is it?I can’t have slept that much. Last night was long. Yesterday was longer. I had willed myself to bed by 10pm with the images of rejection letters dancing in my head-How am I so exh...

30 likes 8 comments 8
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Teddy Bear

Submitted to Contest #212

TW: deathIt’s all your fault, you know. Picture it now, I was standing at that sparkling marble counter top, sorting through the mail, when I saw it. A thin envelope addressed to Joanne Roberts.It sat on my counter for hours while I cleaned up the kitchen, completed an online yoga workout, and took a hot shower. “Young’s Storage Company” in red letters as the header to the return address gave me plenty of info to begin searching online. “Final Notice” stamped in red across the front let me know what it was about. Still, I wanted to know the ...

25 likes 16 comments 16
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Field Trip Love Story

Submitted to Contest #211

My class is going on our very first real life, big boy field trip. Mama tucked me in real tight for sleep, but when I closed my eyes all I could see were dinosaurs around me. So I opened them. I slowly untucked my real tight blankies. I climbed out of bed, feeling suddenly cold in the dark. Mama turned on my night light and I use its green glow to find my way to my book case. Mama and Daddy used to read one story to me together before bed. I’m the librarian ‘cause I always pick the book.But now….now it’s just Mama or Daddy at night. ‘Cause n...

29 likes 14 comments 14
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The Eyes Have It

Submitted to Contest #207

TW-teenage relationship abuseEva found her seat and waited for Annie Mae to show up. She read through the instruction sheet at her table and pulled her wool sweater around her shoulders to help fight the bitter January cold. Annie Mae arrived, Allen in tow. His fingers laced with hers as tight as a corset. He offered Eva a smile before shoving his tongue down his girlfriend’s throat. Eva’s eyes flitted to the drying rack, the whiteboard, Ms. Wilson, hoping something would call attention to the awkwardness. “I love you,” declared Annie Mae. S...

26 likes 12 comments 12
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Happy Birthday

Submitted to Contest #203

CW: kidnapping, drugs, sex, etc“Hey, Girl,” Maya answered her phone breathlessly while negotiating her wallet back into her purse and pushing past the crowds of people entering the party store as she attempted to exit.“Wow! You sound stressed. You doing ok?” asked Phoebe. She seemed calm, cool, and collected as usual.“Cara! Come here! You have a treat already! Walk away from the candy,” said Maya.Phoebe took a breath and said, “Almost all the cupcakes are done. I have one more batch to frost for our birthday girl. All pink frosting, I promis...

38 likes 14 comments 14
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Dot, Dot, Little Dot

Submitted to Contest #200

Now Thomas hadn’t expected to be alive when the town’s time capsule was opened. Susanna turned on the TV in the sun room in time for the news segment to premiere for all of the guests at Sunset Brooke Care Home. “Mr. Wilkers, were you alive when they buried that thing?” she asked as she pulled her huge legs up so that her feet, clothed in pure white sneakers, were on the seat. It made Thomas grind his teeth together and mumble a curse. The TV screen showed a crowd of people gathered for the event. A makeshift stage had been built to the side...

30 likes 12 comments 12
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Cherry Blossom

Submitted to Contest #198

It was on a Friday afternoon that they deemed would be the best day to herd 700 high school juniors into the auditorium for the presentation from the Yearbook Company. On that Friday I followed Sammy and tried not to stare at Parker who might ask me out on a date-might ask me to prom. She still nudged my side when she caught me searching the crowds of dyed hair, shaved heads, and messy buns. We took our seat on the bleachers. The gym was decorated with posters of overly enthusiastic students in caps and gowns. A woman in stilettos with ...

26 likes 9 comments 9
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Dragonfly

Submitted to Contest #196

Dedicated to the small mountain town of Estes Park. Fall 2011The first time I sat next to Finn Frazier was in 6th grade. We sat at long art classroom tables, three students to one table. Our little feet dangled off the metal stools. Mrs. Stevenson looked like Hera. She stood tall in flowing skirts and dresses, Colorado winters be damned. She had beautiful chestnut curls that stirred envy in my 11 year old heart.“Good afternoon, class,” she greeted us after dancing like a nymph into the classroom. I caught a glimpse of a fiery red ballet flat...

35 likes 17 comments 17
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The Swing

Submitted to Contest #194

“I don’t want to go to the river,” I whispered at the note written on crumpled paper: Meet me at 4. Need to talk.  Tears pricked the back of my eyes. The sinking feeling in my chest had only grown over the last two weeks. You called less and less. My calls went to your voicemail more and more.  But I drug myself out of bed, put on some makeup and a pair of jean shorts. Mom offered to braid my hair the way you liked it when I told her I was going to our spot, but I blew her off. Sixteen was hard.  “So tell me about this...

25 likes 6 comments 6
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