Karen L

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Apr, 2020

Stories (10)

10 Stories

154 karma pts

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“Lady of all Universes” by Karen L

Submitted to Contest #50

I've made a huge mistake. But it was too late to back out now.  I took few steps forward and approached the table I’d been eyeing for ten minutes. “Hi, I’m here to check in for the Lady Universe pageant.”  “You’re competing?” the man sitting behind the table asked, raising an eyebrow. I blushed. I could never get used to the way people grimaced at my appearance, as if they couldn’t stand to look at me for more than a few seconds. “What’s your name?” he asked, bemused. “Tara Morris,” I said. He rifled through the passes on the...

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“Waiting in Hell” by Karen L

Submitted to Contest #49

Someone recently decided that Hell should be run like a human technology company. This meant that any decisions we made should be “supported by data.” The boss decided that the best way to assess whether humans were being properly tortured was to send out field researchers to interview victims.  I was nervous to receive my research assignment. But it turned out that all I had to do was pop into a victim’s torture chamber and ask a few questions like, “What is your name?” and “How do you feel on a scale from 1-10, with 1 being complete...

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“Scribbles” by Karen L

Submitted to Contest #48

A figure outlined in black rose up from a sea of scribbles on a white piece of paper. The figure, named Man, was now standing upright. His creator was still doodling absentmindedly. Pencil marks swirled around Man’s feet and up his legs. “Hey!” cried Man, looking down. “What are you doing? Stop it!” “Sorry.” The artist lifted his pencil. “That’s right! Don’t touch me again, old man!” The artist flushed. No one ever talked to God that way. Man turned away, exposing a colorless outline. Despite Man’s earlier protests, the art...

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“The Problem of Authenticity” by Karen L

Submitted to Contest #46

  As soon as I finished my first novel, I sent it straight to someone who I knew wouldn't lie to me.    My best friend Hae-won worked as a cognitive science professor at the university near my apartment. I had spent the last two weeks in agony while she read my novel, as she had refused to give any feedback until she had finished. I sat across from her now in her cramped office, waiting until she was done with her phone call. Her makeup and outfit were especially on point today. I looked away and pretended to take interest in ...

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“Into the Sunlight” by Karen L

Submitted to Contest #44

I’ll never forget the first time I conjured a flower.I was 13, standing in my childhood backyard. As I closed my eyes to feel the warmth of the sun on my face, something took root in my mind and drew my attention into the ground. An actual root formed in the dirt near my feet. When I raised my hands and opened my eyes, there was a red tulip in the ground that hadn’t been there before. “Mom!” I called. Before she could dash into the backyard to view my accomplishment, our golden retriever Nugget already had it in his mouth, gnashing the petal...

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“My New Sister” by Karen L

Submitted to Contest #43

“And then the wizard comes and summons the dinosaur monster and it stomps on everyone!"“No,” Sally said, swatting away Molly’s wizard doll and dinosaur toy. “That’s not how it’s supposed to go. This is a tea party, not some fantasy world. Don’t be stupid.”Molly stood up in a rage. “You’re stupid! I hate you!” she screamed, then ran into their parents’ empty bedroom and slammed the door. She fumbled at the lock, then flopped onto her parents’ bed.“Molly!” her mom knocked on the door. “Open up!” From the living room, their golden retriever Nug...

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“The Zodiac Program” by Karen L

Submitted to Contest #42

1Anna closed her eyes and waited for the spirit of the Rat to enter her consciousness.She certainly didn't choose for this to happen. The gods had come to her parents, promising good fortune for the family if Anna agreed to have the animals of the Zodiac share her mind. A new animal every year for twelve years. It was important, the gods said, that the animals knew how humans lived on Earth. They determined that Anna had an especially adept mind to accommodate the animals. Anna protested this idea, but her parents argued that they made sacri...

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“Zeus” by Karen L

Submitted to Contest #41

Leah fidgeted in her chair, glancing at the clock every few minutes. A patient came up to the counter to return his forms. She pasted on her best smile and did the routine: make a copy of the insurance card, return the card. The patient took his seat to wait for the doctor.Marie finally came through the door, and she breathed a sigh of relief.“Finally,” she griped, standing up and collecting her things.“Damn, what’s the rush?” Marie asked, dumping her things behind the counter. “I was only a few minutes late.”“I wanted to get to the shelter ...

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“The Treehouse” by Karen L

Submitted to Contest #40

Leaves crunch under my feet as I follow the path into the clearing. Sunlight pours through the trees, tinged with nostalgia. The funeral is starting soon, but I can’t wait to see the treehouse for the first time since I was a teenager. The cute little house is tucked into the branches of a sturdy oak, just as I remembered. Another feature I had forgotten about: a second tree leaning close to the main one, partly growing into its pathway. I take careful photos of the scenery with my phone, adjusting so the lighting falls perfectly on the...

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“Surveying Earth” by Karen L

Submitted to Contest #39

The image of Earth filled the floor-to-ceiling window. Alex stared into its swirling depths and couldn’t decide whether to think this is the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen, or good riddance. No, that was too harsh. Home would always be home, after all. She turned to study her captors and saviors, all strapped into their chairs with safety belts. They were humanoid, but had eyes that were too wide-set, and heads that were too narrow. Their skin was a deep tint of blue. Alex wondered if it was from a lack of oxygen. She was...

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Author bio

Technical writer by day, creative writer by night.