Haley Roeder

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Oct, 2022

Stories (9)

9 Stories

177 karma pts

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“Coiled” by Haley Roeder

Submitted to Contest #283

Hybrid power plants consist of solar farms connected to powerful battery storage system. These systems can generate mind-boggling amounts of energy that aren’t affected by short-term changes in generation such as interference by clouds or the long hours of the night. Power companies have begun to search for ideal locations where the land is cheap, and the conditions are right for high-yield solar power collection. The battery facilities they store energy in are filled with thousands of thick electrical wires roped together in multicolored cy...

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“Tina's Treasures” by Haley Roeder

Submitted to Contest #229

Barnaby Mimms ran the largest scrapyard in New Haven, North Carolina. He inherited it from his father, who inherited it from his father. Barnaby’s grandfather had recently passed away and his father had retired to sunny southern California where he decided, absurdly, to take up surfing at the age of 58. Barnaby was now all alone at the age of 28, unless you counted the 350 million dollars that he kept stashed in three offshore accounts. Barnaby’s facility, Tina’s Treasures, deconstructed totaled cars for useful parts and sold them. What re...

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“Contagic” by Haley Roeder

Submitted to Contest #226

I was infected when I was fourteen. Magic is contagious. Not everyone that is exposed will become infected, just the ones with the right predisposition. The right genetic markers or certain kinds of life experiences – usually some form of trauma or abuse. Those kinds of experiences left physical remnants, damaged DNA, malfunctioning cellular machinery, and abnormal brain waves. Then, if that person is further unfortunate enough to be exposed to magic, they will become contaminated. This often manifested as a malignant magic prone to certa...

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“Mariana Trench” by Haley Roeder

Submitted to Contest #204

I gazed grimly at the wrought-iron gates of the family estate. Like my heart, they were twisted and spiked. The gates made me feel like a child again; small, insignificant, and trapped, as though the moment I passed beyond them I would be unable to return. I hadn’t been back here in the eight years since the tragic death of one of the estate staff.The death occurred when I was ten and my brother Adam was twelve. An older maid had just finished cleaning my brother’s room without his express permission. I was in my own room when I heard scream...

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“Neither Here Nor There” by Haley Roeder

Submitted to Contest #176

Jason stares at his girlfriend Kelli’s left earlobe, a habit that has gotten him in trouble more than once. He has trouble focusing, especially in times like these, when she goes on long-winded rants about something he has forgotten to do or something he has done incorrectly. It isn’t that he doesn’t care, he does! Truly. But…But.They are in Central Park sitting on a bench, surrounded by a flock of pigeons. Kelli places a hand on his arm, preventing him from retrieving the birdseed that he keeps in his pockets for just such occasions as thes...

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“A Carefully Manicured Lawn” by Haley Roeder

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #175

Hestia and her young neighbor slide the oak sapling into the gaping hole dug in the earth.“Hold it straight, now,” Hestia says gruffly as she shovels dirt around the root ball.“I can do this part, if you want? I’m younger and, uh,” the neighbor trails off as Hestia gives her best scathing look.They finish the task in silence.---40 Hours AgoHestia opens another Diet Coke, the crack and fizzle a welcome sound to her ears. She knows it will be the death of her, but it is her vice of choice, and she will gladly take it to the grave. When the aci...

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“PumpKing” by Haley Roeder

Submitted to Contest #169

An orange haze envelops the small town of Republic, Missouri every year by way of the annual pumpkin festival. Pumpkins are bought, sold, carved, smashed, and baked into pies. The crowning achievement, however, is the pumpkin growing contest that promises glory and riches to whoever can grow the largest gourd. The winner is crowned the PumpKing and receives a $1000 cash prize. The champion from the previous year must relinquish the prestigious trophy to the new victor.“He only held the title for 12 hours or so,” Deputy Shannon says as he loo...

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“Rom Com Gone Wrong” by Haley Roeder

Submitted to Contest #167

The Man I’m never early to work. I hate every moment between the second I enter the grey building on the corner of 4th and – I wish I was joking – Pleasant Street, and the moment I leave. My cube, my boss, and my coworkers can all go to hell. I’m early today because I’m going to get paid to write my resignation letter on the company’s dime without any of the usual lot of rubberneckers looking over my shoulder. Just because I have a cube and not an office doesn’t mean its okay to have a look-see whenever you please, Kevin, you prying prick. A...

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“The Weavers” by Haley Roeder

Submitted to Contest #166

Time is an illusion to most, but not to Vrijeme, and not in the usual sense. Vrijeme can touch the fabric of space-time between her fingers, a physical thing that can stretch and mold. She can pinch a piece of the cosmos and tug at it until it forms a long thin yarn and then she can weave it with other pieces until it forms a river, a building, a planet, a dog. Those are one of her favorites, dogs. Her sister Ruimte can then animate the fabric, rousing it to move and sway, breathe, and live. But after an eternity of this, Ruimte became ...

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Author bio

Mom of 2, Master's in Cell Biology, currently a drug metabolism scientist. Lover of fiction. Fantasy, horror, science are my primary genre's but I dabble in others. Would love to publish a novel some day.

Shortlisted 1 story ⭐️

Contest #175

A Carefully Manicured Lawn – read story