Holly Gilbert

“The Wicked Witch” by Holly Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #277

Everyone has talked about the wicked witch of the bog. How she ate children, turned princes into frogs, enslaved princesses… They never talk about the “witch” having a good reason to go against royalty. My name is Agnes. I was the kingdom’s mage. I started young at the age of ten, I have been studying ever since I was old enough to read. My father was a powerful wizard. He taught me how to turn people into monsters, and back again. I started my job at fourteen years old. To a recently married couple. A prince and a princess. They were perfec...

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“Renovation Ghosts” by Holly Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #274

This was based on a true story. Something that happened to me and my family. It was close to the end of the pandemic, and during the pandemic, we had to renovate a house for us to move in temporarily. I was sixteen, and my mental health wasn’t at its peak at the time. I mean, moving during the pandemic, it wasn’t pleasant. We all had to help with the renovations or with babysitting my baby sister. The house we were renovating wasn’t very creepy at first. It was an old Victorian house, with asbestos and cartoon stuffed animals, but it wasn’t ...

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“Pink Teeth” by Holly Gilbert

Miss Dotty always gave Friday Marcus and her family strawberry ice-cream every summer solstice. It was a nice little tradition. The two girls, seemingly of the same age, sat on the porch. Miss Dotty had a pink dress, and pristine white gloves. Friday had cargo pants and an oversized t-shirt. They were talking about multiple things, mostly in the media category. “...so yeah. That's why I think Twilight is so overhyped.” Friday told her.   Miss Dotty nodded. “Yes. A toxic relationship does seem to degrade the concept of true love....

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“After-Midnight Snack” by Holly Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #270

Madeline opened her eyes and looked at the clock on her nightstand. It was two in the morning. The moon hung through her window. She sighed. It wasn’t time for Madeline to wake up for her job at the cafe yet. She closed her eyes again. She opened them up again. It was now two-twenty. That’s when she realized she couldn’t go back to sleep. Her stomach growled. She sat up. “Well, if I’m awake, I might as well prepare a past midnight snack!.” she told herself.   A midnight snack would be nice. It was past midnight, of course, but sti...

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“Coulrophobia” by Holly Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #246

August 2016 “It’s all fun and games until you get punched in the face. You definitely deserved that!” Sera Canister berated her brother.  The small group was driving home from a party. Sera took a detour on a road through the roads. She didn’t feel like driving in traffic. Especially after the incident at the party. Javier was in the back seat, wearing a creepy clown costume. He held a bloodied washcloth to his nose.  “This whole clown frenzy has everyone on edge and you decide to use it to your advantage! And not only that, you ...

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“Abnormal” by Holly Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #243

“You have got to be kidding me. You really think people are going to fall for that?” I looked at Doyle in disbelief. He was a human friend of mine, and not the brightest. A lover of wearing suspenders, bowties, and sandals. I know it’s weird to call him a human friend, but I’m a huldra. Not a human. I look like one, except for the cow tail. Anyways, back to Doyle: He was holding a hamster that was wearing q-tip antlers. This is one of his latest and not to mention atrocious “get rich fast” schemes. “Taya, I need a little more support. I’m t...

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“The Broken Box and the Five Pandoras” by Holly Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #242

“...What… What in the name of all that’s decent in this world have you done?” Have you ever been in a terrible situation where you messed up so badly… you left a teacher almost speechless and considered changing your identity and running away? This happened to me and four other students. My name is Cassie Gray. I am the only human being in my class. I have only one friend, who is a fairy girl who is short and round. Fairies in my world are usually the size of humans. Her name is Bernice Calm. She doesn’t really fit her namesake. She is ter...

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“Strange Bus” by Holly Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #240

I felt the breeze on my face as I walked out the door. I swear I heard my name in it.  I eyed the beach in the distance. If I could just take a seat in the sand, If I could just let my toes into the water, I’ll be able to breathe again. I looked back, making sure no one was awake. Now, any normal girl would've waited until the sun was up, but I was never considered “normal.”  I closed the door quietly, then walked down the footpath. It was three in the morning. Twilight. A magical thing happens at twilight. That’s when it appears a...

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“Miss Fox” by Holly Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #239

“You can’t run forever.” That voice echoed in Miss Fox’s brain. It was a dark night, filled with a thick fog. She loved fog. Her father used to wake her up every foggy morning to look at the pieces of the mountain range that weren't coated by fog. She pulled her black hood tighter around her head, being careful not to reveal the bumps that are her ears. Fox ears. Time had passed slowly. It started to rain. Her eyes began to grow sleepy. Then she smelled something. Coffin varnish. The hairs on her neck stood up. She had to get out of he...

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“Mercy the Immortal” by Holly Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #210

There was a crash in the back of the bus. “Hey! Don’t you dare make me come back there!” snapped Mercy.   The three pale goblins looked up at her. “He started it!”   Mercy’s red eyes flashed. “I don’t care who started it! I will finish it!” she snapped.   The smallest goblin, Twitch, a female goblin with lemon eyes and a sour personality glared at her. “Who died and made you queen?” she snapped.   Mercy whipped around. Bright red hair flying. “I could really use some silence righ...

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“Harvest Moon, Wishes, and You” by Holly Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #206

Be careful what you wish for. That was the warning that Duska had gotten from Grandma Meekam. The harvest moon sat in the sky, emanating a golden color. The moon around the canoe glistened with stars. Duska wrapped her blue cloak tightly around her yellow dress, shivering. The men around her didn’t say anything. They paddled towards the edge of the cave off of the time-frozen island. Olim. She shuddered. She had heard of frightening things about this island. The men carefully lifted her up and placed her on the rock. The leader gave Duska a ...

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“Adelaide” by Holly Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #204

When Adelaide thought about how her day would be going, going down a canyon in a popped blimp that is currently on fire was not what she had in mind. The yellow snakes on her head hissed wildly as she felt the scorching heat on her skin. Of course she was going to get a faulty blimp! Just when she was going to get the most interesting story! No one in the city ever treated a gorgon with their utmost respect and concern. Let alone, a gorgon who is also a journalist. I am not dying like this! She thought fiercely.  The blimp was being...

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“Elevator Game” by Holly Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #167

  Doctor Vicious dangles an entire bus full of children with his robotic arm. He cackles and drops the entire bus of screaming children off an eighty-foot skyscraper. All hope seemed to be lost. Then something incredible happened. The bus was caught by a teenage boy wearing blue armor and a cape. It was the Hero. The Hero lowered the bus onto the ground, while Marcy, a popular and nice girl from his school, gushed over the Hero’s kindness. The Hero flies back to Doctor Vicious, looking him dead in the eyes. “You’re rein of terro...

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“Baroness Belle” by Holly Gilbert

Submitted to Contest #161

Baroness Belle stood on the stage as everyone applauded. She wore a red silk mermaid dress and a set of pearls.“Thank you! You are all too kind!” She replied as the applause faded.  She raised a glass of rose water.“I want to thank all of you for coming to my beloved home. In honor of my father, and his father, and everyone who has owned this mansion, I welcome all of you to dance the night away under the watch of his portrait. He had always loved dancing.” she spoke.  The applause rose again. Music played. The Baroness w...

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