Annalisa D.

“Adopt a Space Alien (Part Two)” by Annalisa D.

Author's note. This is a part two of what will likely be three parts total. "Thanks a lot, Bernadette, for that enthralling tutorial on ways to clean our bottoms once we've run out of the good ole tp," Burt Kelly said cheerily into the camera. He'd really taken over his role as the only news person with gusto. "Up next we have Sheila's segment on cooking inside your bunker. Delicious recipes that only require canned foods, since that's all most of us have. Before she begins, we want to remind everyone that...

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“Adopt a Space Alien” by Annalisa D.

      Fiona was feeling desperately lonely, when the television seemed to speak directly to her via advertisement like it could read her mind. The screen showed small, colorful, gelatinous creatures with large sparkling eyes. They babbled and cooed like babies, and looked at everything with affectionate wonder.            “Do you often feel alone? Do you feel like no one understands you?” The advertisement asked.    ...

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“Kiera and the Sea Dragon” by Annalisa D.

Submitted to Contest #119

CW: Abuse, Sexual Violence, Trauma        To escape the anger that burned through my veins with debilitating power, I fled to the silent house by the sea. Silence was all I had. Only the noise of waves crashing against the black rock lined shore interrupted my peace, but that sound didn’t bother me. It fueled me.             As I sat on the shore, letting icy wind pierce through my soul, I noticed ...

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“Underground Society” by Annalisa D.

 Isla needed a restart in life. She'd recently picked up a self-help book that called to her from the library's new arrivals in nonfiction shelf. In reading the book's pretentiously worded, but relatable contents, the realization she'd let her insecurity erode her potential smacked her hard. The time had come to take back control of her mediocre life and make it something of value. The only problem being that she had no idea how.Since the book had also mentioned time in nature being a way to embrace one's true self and open th...

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“The Bridge Door” by Annalisa D.

Submitted to Contest #117

CW: Sexual violence/abuse, suicide, swearing             “You’re the absolute last person I want to call, but I’m really desperate here, Elliot.” Scarlett’s voice sounded shaky over the phone. Was it emotion or a bad connection?         “What’s wrong? I’ll do anything to help.”         “You’re the only one who answered.”         I waited for her to continue.         “Can you me...

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“Human Costumes” by Annalisa D.

Submitted to Contest #117

CW mature content            Birsha’s long, black claws clutched the stopwatch so tightly I expected it to shatter. His yellow cat eyes darted back and forth, and his seaweed-like beard swayed as his head nodded side to side to a rhythm no one else could hear.         “If you keep watching it, it’ll take longer,” Kikimora hissed. Purple ooze slowly slid down her scaly, purple skin giving her the appearance of melting into...

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“The Neighbor's Basement” by Annalisa D.

CW: foul language, violence, child abuse      I stabbed a steak knife through the orange pumpkin flesh and sawed a jagged line around the stem. Warm rays of sun hugged my shoulders while I worked. The scent of burning bread from the egg sandwich Jeremy was grilling on the deck tickled my nose.           “So, you and Trent are like an official thing now?” Jeremy asked while spraying canned cheese across his sandwich. &n...

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“Breakfast with a Ghost” by Annalisa D.

Submitted to Contest #115

 CW: Swearing, blood, death     Getting a call at four in the morning on a stormy night, created an instant feeling of gut tangling dread. Luckily, I guess, I was already awake. An unusual nightmare about watching Jonah drown in an icy marsh and not being able to save him woke me with heart palpitations. In the dream, I dove under the water and desperately swam towards him but never actually moved. He floated in the murky, green-brown water in an oddly peaceful way. I swam furiously in place while the ...

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“The Mountain Prince” by Annalisa D.

      Evelina’s shimmering, rose-colored wings fluttered as she bounced from one flower head to the next in a graceful dance. Her best friend, Ingrid, clapped her hands in delight as she watched from a purple mushroom top.           “I liked this one even better than the last!” Ingrid cheered.           Beaming, Evelina leapt off the white daisy and took a bow while her feet sunk into th...

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“The Swamp Queen” by Annalisa D.

      Cayden pulled the hood of his black cloak over his head and slipped into the darkness of the forest. His movements were light and swift so that his approaching footsteps would not be heard. The haunting sound of a melancholy flute guided him towards the secret gathering that he wasn’t supposed to be in attendance for. In the darkness of the night, the twisted branches of the trees above him appeared to sway, stretch, and reach out for him. He assured himself what he saw must be an illusion due to the ee...

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“Rocky Shore” by Annalisa D.

Submitted to Contest #114

      “You want to get out of here?” Hunter asks.           My head feels light and slightly hazy from the orange flavored beers I’ve been consuming. A part of me longs to stay because I know our friend, Chase, won’t come with us if we leave. It’s hard to tell sometimes how much Chase even likes us and there’s an odd comfort in that. It’s what I expect, and it keeps me in my familiar role of constantly seeking approval. A part of me also wants to l...

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“Villain Prevention” by Annalisa D.

The dream had me so preoccupied and shaken, I barely missed the bullet headed straight for my forehead. Fortunately, the speedster Scotty kept vigilance, and shoved me aside in time. “What’s up with you, man? Now’s time to focus,” Scotty yelled over the gunfire. I couldn’t really hear him so much as I knew he yelled from the intense expression on his face as I read his lips. My ears rang, all feeling faded, and images blurred together. I threw up my hands and stopped time. Shiny bullets suspended in the air and people, like st...

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“Mushroom Monsters” by Annalisa D.

      Most people were devasted by the drought and praying for rain, but I felt much safer in those months of dry weather. The lack of rain meant the death of the deadly mushroom demons, and therefore a period of relative security and calm in my life. I’m not foolish though. I knew those dehydrated and weakened mushroom monsters were releasing their spores, creating their water vapor, and struggling to bring about their life supply of rain so they could terrorize me again. Any day now they might be successful...

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“Sunshine Springs” by Annalisa D.

Everyone said love was blind, but nothing seemed more blinding than pride. Selena stomped through the woods with anger burning in her heart, desire for vengeance itching through her fingertips, and her vision blurred with tears. Today she took the brave step of speaking out against Clarissa’s reign of terror, and instantly became a town pariah. Clarissa was the town’s sweetheart. Being a descendant of the town’s founder and daughter of the CEO of the town’s beloved Sunshine Springs, made Clarissa untouchable. Admitting that so...

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“Sometimes You Never Get an Answer” by Annalisa D.

      “You’re gonna be a janitor?” Allie asked with disgust curling on her upper lip. “Why?”           Delaying my answer, I shoved a handful of spicy, curly fries in my mouth and made a point to chew them down to total mush. The real answer would be something like I need things to be easy for a while, so I could get myself together. I needed something mindless. Something without any social interaction, because faking a smile felt close to impossib...

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