Annalisa D.

Author on Reedsy Prompts since May, 2021

Stories (61)

61 Stories

2070 karma pts

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“Undertow” by Annalisa D.

Warm droplets of water gently wash the icy chill of winter from my arms. My cheeks and jaw relax with the soothing pleasure, but my nose remains an icicle. Blue paint swirls around my feet and runs towards the drain. It’s frigid, dark nights like this when I miss my husband the most. I can still picture his face for a moment before it fades to black. A knock on the door causes me to jump and almost lose my balance on the copper tiled shower floor. It’s seven thirty in the evening, and I live in an isolated home along the shore...

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“Playing Games” by Annalisa D.

Content Warning: Some adult language and themes I wanted to be pretty. Pretty enough to make boys crazy and inspire songs, poems, and stories. That must feel so powerful. People lied and said it wasn’t all beauty, and sure, some boys loved girls with pleasant personalities. That’s another type of love, though. It’s appreciating practical value. Acceptance, not desire. Pretty people shifted the world with their presence. Changed how people acted. I craved that desperation to impress, but I looked as plain as possible...

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“The Hero” by Annalisa D.

Feeling frustrated with his day, and perhaps the world as a whole, Elijah abandoned his routine and ventured into the woods. He had never followed this trail before, and he had no idea where it would end up. None of that mattered. At that moment, his only concern was moving as far away from everything as possible.  Sweat soaked through his white button up dress shirt and the wet material irritated him. ...

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“Ride or Die” by Annalisa D.

Content warning: Blood, cursing, violence, sexual violence My head throbbed, demanding pain killers. Irritation flooded through my body. Only sleep cured my migraines, so waking up with one felt hopeless. With a sigh, I sat up and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. Then I realized I couldn’t normally do this. I kept my bed pressed against the wall, because I liked confined spaces. I looked down at the thick white comforter that also wasn’t mine. Where am I? I didn’t recognize thi...

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“Blueprints” by Annalisa D.

“So, what’s the catch?” I eyed the concert tickets that Angel handed to me, suspiciously. Front row, center seats to my favorite band would be an overly generous gift from anyone really, and Angel wasn’t a particularly generous kind of person. He kicked at something on the dusty floor. “Look, I got to let Joel go.”“Let go, like in fire?” “Yeah,” he nodded. “I mean, hey, you know he doesn’t really want to be doing this.” I think of Joel at home staring blankly into the TV screen, more like a robot...

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“Secret Weapon” by Annalisa D.

The news warned about a killer on the loose, but it’s hard to worry too much about monsters roaming around out there, when you have them inside your own home already. “A killer on Halloween? Sounds like a prank,” Dad grumbled while popping open a can of beer. “The news is all a joke.” “They’ll come for you tonight when you’re all alone,” Sadie, my obnoxious older sister, threatened. I rolled my eyes, and said, “let ‘em. Nothing I can’t handle.” Having Halloween all to myself wasn’t an issue....

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“The Halloween Party” by Annalisa D.

I’ve never believed in love at first sight, until I saw him standing there in that blood-soaked, white t-shirt. He even had that bit of blood on his chin and neck. The ghost face mask hanging from his back pocket was a nice touch. I had the biggest crush on Billy Loomis when Scream came out, and this guy looked just like him. Same gorgeous hair and brown eyes I couldn’t help but get lost in. Why do they pick such hot actors to play psychopaths? Maybe it’s to help us empathize with the victims and understand why they’d trust them. Still, t...

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“The Halloween Desk” by Annalisa D.

I loved the first morning of October each year. I had my box of Halloween decorations ready to snazz up my office cubicle. Spiderwebs to line the partition walls, a cauldron filled with candy, orange lights to sparkle around my computer, little trick-or-treater figurines, plenty of pumpkins with long, twisting stems, and a cd of creepy music to play on repeat. Every other month, I felt as invisible as a ghost haunting my work space, but this month, people stopped by my desk and acknowledged my existence. Women would stop by to...

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“Dangerously Bored” by Annalisa D.

Content warning: This is meant to be satire, so it could all be perceived as offensive and touches on many triggering topics.“Nothing makes for an exciting election season like a well-timed murder,” an old man wearing a mustard-colored cardigan says to the chubby white haired gentlemen across the booth from him. He raises his thick caterpillar eyebrows to emphasize the statement.I couldn’t help but listen in when hearing a line like that, and luckily they both spoke loudly enough to eavesdrop with ease.&n...

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“A Punch to the Face” by Annalisa D.

Vicky, my roommate, looks at me with wide-eyed horror as I step into our apartment. A package of ramen noodles slips from her perfectly french manicured fingers. “You’re supposed to be at work.” “I got fired,” I shrug, while hanging my backpack on the coat hanger. “For what?” It’s well into the afternoon but she’s in an oversized t-shirt with bedhead hair.“Punching this guy, Casey, in the face.” She gasps. “Relax, I didn’t do it.” Confusion twists her slender, spr...

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“Power Thief” by Annalisa D.

My fingertips curled over the credit card thin edge of rock, and I fought against the pain slicing into them. I glanced down and saw a small pebble jutting from the cliff face that would be just big enough for the rubber toe of my climbing shoe. They always looked like they'd snap off with my weight, but never did. The ground was miles below me. Sweat dampened my forehead as my pulse quickened. I took a deep breath an...

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“Snake Plant” by Annalisa D.

I lost my best friend to war. I'm only twenty years old and my best friend died. That feels like all anyone needs to know about me, because since the day I heard the news, it's consumed everything. I miss him. Never got to tell him how much he meant to me. Never said goodbye. The best I can do is visit the memorial in the park, which I do every night. Always at midnight so I'll be alone surrounded by the dark trees whose branches, like twisted ghoul hands, stretch out towards me.Tonight I see the shadow of a man, silhouetted by the...

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“The Tree Hollow” by Annalisa D.

            When searching for a safe place to nest my soon-to-be-born kits, I couldn’t believe my good fortune in finding such a spectacular tree hollow. Living here would put me close enough to what I affectionately refer to as my restaurant. The restaurant being a large building filled with wrinkly people who put dishes of vaguely fish flavored pebbly things out their backdoors. These fishy bites are mighty tasty. The building also has a dumpster filled with an assortment of d...

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“Somewhere Safe” by Annalisa D.

The detective across the table from me looks bored and impatient with waiting for me to spit it out. Once he knows why I’m here, I’m confident his interest will perk. I know they're desperate for the information I have, but for now, he doesn't know, so he clicks his pen and glances at his cooling coffee.  My leg shakes in a quick vibration, my fingers twirl the ends of my pink sleeves, and I look away. ...

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“First Drive” by Annalisa D.

Caleb sat on his front porch with slumped shoulders and nerves spiking from electrified energy inside him. This moment should be one of celebration, but instead his fear cast its dark shadow over the golden light of joy. "Hey man, what's wrong?"Startled from his thoughts, Caleb jumped. Then his brown eyes, sparkling with a wall of barely held back tears, glanced up at his older brother. "I got that job." "What? That's great news! Why so glum?" Andy ruffled Caleb's curly hair and then dropped next to him on t...

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Author bio

Hi everyone! My name is Anna. I love writing, reading, rock climbing, mountain biking and going on adventures with my pet ferrets.