K. Antonio

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Sep, 2020

Stories (9)

9 Stories

6408 karma pts

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“Double Take” by K. Antonio

When he leaves, he'll take pieces of me with him: a battle scar above his left brow, a silver chain I gave him on his birthday, a button pin with the sunny state flag of New Mexico. It looks more like a flower, una flor, he said with a grin before pocketing the token from my nightstand.  The empty seat between us holds my backpack, a bucket of popcorn, a half-empty bottle of water, and strands of licorice —it also fools everyone, raises a cloak in our vicinity: don't mind us, we're j...

21 comments 21 SHORTLIST ⭐️
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“Before Beginnings ” by K. Antonio

(Content Warning: Swearing. Mentions of substance abuse.)He runs his fingers across the man's coarse, grizzled mop; finger's deep, he wonders when was the last time he had gotten it cut. His eyes look like they've seen a thousand lifetimes, he thinks to himself. The man's reflection goads and rattles them both.   If his story had a beginning, it would be somewhere in a dark alley, tucked between shadows and sagging trash bags. He'd be tossed on the floor like a sullied ra...

25 comments 25 SHORTLIST ⭐️
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“Clean” by K. Antonio

It's on days like these that I do my best to resist. My parents chat right beneath the old mistletoe, but they don't kiss; they never do, at least not anymore. My sister's with her boyfriend out on the patio, smoking a cigarette under the orange glow of the paper lanterns while our younger cousins roam the lawn, their light-up sneakers reminiscent of ambulances, their laughs undeniably innocent.The house is filled to the brim with alien relatives, and I remember that when my sister and I were children, we used to call th...

24 comments 24 SHORTLIST ⭐️
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“A Town In Between” by K. Antonio

(CW: descriptions of dead bodies)From the sea, the town would get a hefty supply of fish and seaweed, as well as strips of torn rope and ribbons, instruments, dolls, painted bottles, and even metal beams. Sometimes the tide graced the coast with a book, seemingly dry and in decent condition. Other times, the waters would unfurl in white curls and reveal a glass eye, dead armored crabs, or salt-crusted teeth.But out of all the mysteries, the lost and random things brought onto the shore, the mos...

23 comments 23 SHORTLIST ⭐️
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“The Intrusive Demon” by K. Antonio

(Content Warning: Mental illness, gore, allusions to sexual abuse and violence)I gots a demon in me; that's what Mama used to say. Mama would always be telling me that demons are all over this world, that they sneak up on little boys and girls and plant evil seeds in their heads that sprout and grow, spreading around their souls like an infection. It kinda be like when you don't wash a part of open, scabby skin; the spot around it starts to turn an ugly shade of yellow, then it gets sticky, and then you gots to ...

125 comments 125 WINNER 🏆
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“10 Years Of Space” by K. Antonio

He comes to me in pieces as I watch the stillness of space, envisioning new constellations in the array of unrecognized stars. I trace the sparks of light with my finger, connecting the dots and smudging the glass as a result.  How many stars do you think there are in space? I imagine him asking. Can there really be other ones out there as big as or even bigger than the sun? I always admired his genuine curiosity, how he viewed things with a particular interest...

130 comments 130 WINNER 🏆
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“The Other Sides Of Your Life ” by K. Antonio

(Content Warning: mentions of drug use and self-harm)We hear the pump, pump, pump of your rapid heartbeat amplified by the Doppler. Your mom and I are nervous. The doctor’s gaze is focused on the monitor; your garish, fuzzy body seems to pique her interest.Something’s wrong. I know it.Your mom’s hand tightens around mine, her fearful clutch squeezing my fingers. Her face is frozen, her eyes wide, a stretched-out expression that could easily be confused for awe.

41 comments 41 SHORTLIST ⭐️
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“Parental Teachings ” by K. Antonio

My little brother’s heavy breathing fogs up our view while his mouth sticks to the window like a cleaner fish. The room’s pretty dark, so we pulled the curtains away just a bit to see the stars, only to be disappointed by the blinding, excessive lighting of the motel sign. Our little sister, Frida, is curled up between mom and dad while Benjamin and I take shifts, staying on the lookout for the perfect car.The receptionist asked mom the length of our stay, but dad chimed in, saying it would only be a couple hours, just a...

31 comments 31 SHORTLIST ⭐️
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“Burying David ” by K. Antonio

I see a flock of white sprites falling from the sky. They are small, insignificant beings made of ice with a guaranteed lifespan of nothing more than a few seconds. My face is so close to the glass that I can feel the frigid air slip in through the small wooden openings. I see our parents outside digging up the graves. Dad’s gray overcoat is unnaturally thick, stiffening his movements, while Mom stands beside him, hovering and wearing a long black dress that dangles slightly above the frosty ground.Today resonates a bit ...

168 comments 168 WINNER 🏆
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Author bio

Copyright © 2022 K. Antonio - All Rights Reserved. Using content without written permission is prohibited.

Winning 3 stories 🏆

Contest #107
The Intrusive Demon – read story
Contest #104
10 Years Of Space – read story
Contest #77
Burying David – read story

Shortlisted 6 stories ⭐️

Contest #147
Double Take – read story
Contest #145
Before Beginnings – read story
Contest #126
Clean – read story
Contest #115
A Town In Between – read story
Contest #100
The Other Sides Of Your Life – read story