D.A. Cairns

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Oct, 2019

Stories (6)

6 Stories

120 karma pts

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“Over my Dead Body” by D.A. Cairns

Submitted to Contest #116

‘Would you like some pineapple, Michael?’ Am offered a plastic bag filled with chunky pieces of freshly cut pineapple to him with a smile which he failed to return. He was hungry but he didn’t like pineapple. That was how it started. Later she told him how rude she thought he was, and how serious and unfriendly, and he explained that he was unaware of the social convention which dictated a person take some of wh...

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“God's Flashlight Beam” by D.A. Cairns

Submitted to Contest #112

‘Good morning,’ said Andy, striding purposefully into the small pharmacy, straight in behind the counter. ‘What’s so good about it?’ said the young pharmacy assistant looking up from the magazine she was reading. ‘It’s raining’ she said but observed the sun blazing brightly outside. She stared, frowning ‘It was raining a minute ago.’ ‘It’s only water,’ replied Andy casually as he lay the box that he was carrying on the floor. The young girl studied Andy as he cheerfully went about h...

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“The Darkness of Light” by D.A. Cairns

Submitted to Contest #92

The Darkness of Light by D.A.Cairns A sliver of light pierces the blinds and scars her eyelids. She feels as though she has not slept at all, although she must have drifted away into the blissful unconsciousness of slumber at some point. Sleep eludes her despite her craving for it. Even the pills which she obtains as often as she can manage with the increased scrutiny of doctors, only provide temporary relief. The alcohol she washes them down with probably does not help. This miserable cycle is all she knows, and she chose it so she cannot...

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“Capricorn Moon” by D.A. Cairns

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #15

‘The moon rotates on its own axis a hundred times slower than the earth.’ ‘Really,’ she says. She seems interested, but logic tells the selenologist that he has insufficient experience with women to correctly determine her level of engagement. He continues because he’s afraid of silence. ‘The dark spots are craters filled with basalt which is a very dense material.’ She picks up the salt shaker and jiggles it. ‘Is basalt like table salt?’ Hoping the smile he squeezes out does not reek of condescension, he answers, ‘Basalt is a dark-colo...

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“My Amygdala” by D.A. Cairns

Submitted to Contest #9

My AmygdalaByD.A.CairnsSometimes, when it’s quiet, I can remember what my life was like before moving to Cedar Springs. When my thoughts had sharp edges, and my feelings were distinctly outlined by a shadow of self control. Before the colours began to blur, running together like water colours in rain. A time when I was in control, or at the very least, I confidently clung to the illusion of control as most of my fellow human beings do. Before moving to Cedar Springs, I was unhinging slowly, like a door which was being used as playground equi...

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“A Sympathetic Interlocutor” by D.A. Cairns

Submitted to Contest #9

A Sympathetic InterlocutorbyD.A. Cairns Decorated was the word that first came to mind when he noticed her cheeks. Breaking eye contact only very briefly because he wanted to hold her gaze as long as possible, the strange patterns on her cheeks caught his attention. They might have been scars, burn scars or, had they been located somewhere else on her body, the kind of scars left after a surgical attempt to remove tattoos. The thought intrigued him and suspended the moment of greeting in time. Suddenly aware of her soft hand inside...

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Author bio

Heavy metal lover and cricket tragic, D.A. Cairns lives on the south coast of News South Wales, in Australia where he works as a freelance writer. He’s had over 90 short stories published, and has authored six novels to date, as well as his recently released memoir, I Used to be an Animal Lover

Shortlisted 1 story ⭐️

Contest #15

Capricorn Moon – read story