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Annalisa D.

Author on Reedsy Prompts since May, 2021

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85 Followers
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72 Stories

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Mark of Adventure

Weekly Contest #129

CW graphic injury       As we wait in line, anxiety digs its sharp claws into my rapidly beating heart, my breathing feels a little unsteady, and my legs are itching to run in the other direction. The rubber handlebar grips are slippery with all the sweat soaking my palms, but I clutch them tightly. The bike is so heavy. What if I can’t lift it? The lift moves slow enough, but I cringe imagining myself struggling to get the bike onto it. I think of people laughing or shaking their heads at how weak I am. Then, w...

13 likes 15 comments 15
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Chuck Chomsky the Chupacabra Chaser

       It baffles me when people follow the ordinary mold for life and willingly miss out on so much. Chuck Chomsky thought while steam danced up from his tea mug and painted a hazy fog across his wayfarer glasses. His eyes closed softly as the citrus aromas tingled his nose.            “Hey, Chuck! Got a good one here.” Sawyer slammed a printed-out email on Chuck’s desk.            A mission? Chu...

7 likes 10 comments 10
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Adopt a Space Alien (Part Three)

Fiona sat in a dark, empty movie theater, with Captain Mittens purring on her lap, and a fashion model mannequin sitting beside her with a paper bowl of popcorn. It had been almost a year since the Intelligent Beings of True Blue Planet 42 took over. In that time Fiona had been locked in an abandoned mall with all the remaining humans they could find through their television broadcasted message. They learned to fight and make weapons. They plotted and strategized. The last time they tried to leave the mall, the air outside was too ...

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A Way Out

If I had been on time, maybe I could have stopped this. If she hadn’t been alone, they might not have even tried to take her.  “I need to get out of here,” she mumbles between sobs and shivers. I watch her curled up on a cold metal bed, wanting desperately to wrap my arms around her and keep her warm. I know my touch will only make her colder. That’s one of the problems with being dead.  “I need a way out,” she pleads to the air. I don’t have any delusions she knows I’m here. Mostly because I’m not really even sure she knows I’m ...

10 likes 22 comments 22
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The King Who Would Not Believe in Dragons

Weekly Contest #125

King William Thomas Francis meandered through the courtyard watching blue birds land on a pink flowered tree, oblivious to the panicked yells and chants of the protesters surrounding his palace walls. The voices carried with such a strong, echoing projection, it seemed impossible to believe he couldn’t hear them, but the King’s face showed no indication he had.  A lanky man wearing clothes he had clearly outgrown scurried after the King. “King William Thomas Francis, I must have a word with you.”  “Oh what is it now?” The King gr...

18 likes 25 comments 25
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All We Need

I got the sense no one really wanted to be here. Maybe they were like me. Not wanting to sacrifice their dignity, but too desperately needing the money. We’d step onto the stage and the crowd would stare at us transfixed by wonder. They’d cheer and encourage, but not in any genuine way. It was like a whole crowd of people who want to pretend to be your friends to collect gems they can use to make fun of you later. I could picture them now in their warm, cozy living rooms with glasses of wine and bourbon, throwing back their heads with laught...

6 likes 4 comments 4
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Bleeding Snow Globe

            When I opened my door to head to class, I noticed a small black box with a sparkling black ribbon on my doorstep. I certainly wasn’t expecting a package. No one ever sent me anything. I looked both ways down the dark, empty hallways of my apartment complex. Perhaps the box was meant for someone else. I crouched down and delicately lifted it. Black glitter sprinkled across my hands. There was a tag in the shape of a spider that blended in with the black of the box. I flip...

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Adopt a Space Alien (Part Two)

Author's note. This is a part two of what will likely be three parts total. "Thanks a lot, Bernadette, for that enthralling tutorial on ways to clean our bottoms once we've run out of the good ole tp," Burt Kelly said cheerily into the camera. He'd really taken over his role as the only news person with gusto. "Up next we have Sheila's segment on cooking inside your bunker. Delicious recipes that only require canned foods, since that's all most of us have. Before she begins, we want to remind everyone that no one should be hungry. It's scar...

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Adopt a Space Alien

      Fiona was feeling desperately lonely, when the television seemed to speak directly to her via advertisement like it could read her mind. The screen showed small, colorful, gelatinous creatures with large sparkling eyes. They babbled and cooed like babies, and looked at everything with affectionate wonder.            “Do you often feel alone? Do you feel like no one understands you?” The advertisement asked.      &nbsp...

8 likes 11 comments 11
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Kiera and the Sea Dragon

Weekly Contest #119

CW: Abuse, Sexual Violence, Trauma        To escape the anger that burned through my veins with debilitating power, I fled to the silent house by the sea. Silence was all I had. Only the noise of waves crashing against the black rock lined shore interrupted my peace, but that sound didn’t bother me. It fueled me.             As I sat on the shore, letting icy wind pierce through my soul, I noticed a large cave carved in the sea cliffs a mere walk...

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Underground Society

 Isla needed a restart in life. She'd recently picked up a self-help book that called to her from the library's new arrivals in nonfiction shelf. In reading the book's pretentiously worded, but relatable contents, the realization she'd let her insecurity erode her potential smacked her hard. The time had come to take back control of her mediocre life and make it something of value. The only problem being that she had no idea how.Since the book had also mentioned time in nature being a way to embrace one's true self and open the door for...

5 likes 6 comments 6
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The Bridge Door

Weekly Contest #117

CW: Sexual violence/abuse, suicide, swearing             “You’re the absolute last person I want to call, but I’m really desperate here, Elliot.” Scarlett’s voice sounded shaky over the phone. Was it emotion or a bad connection?         “What’s wrong? I’ll do anything to help.”         “You’re the only one who answered.”         I waited for her to continue. &nbs...

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Human Costumes

Weekly Contest #117

CW mature content            Birsha’s long, black claws clutched the stopwatch so tightly I expected it to shatter. His yellow cat eyes darted back and forth, and his seaweed-like beard swayed as his head nodded side to side to a rhythm no one else could hear.         “If you keep watching it, it’ll take longer,” Kikimora hissed. Purple ooze slowly slid down her scaly, purple skin giving her the appearance of melting into a pool of slime....

9 likes 12 comments 12
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The Neighbor's Basement

CW: foul language, violence, child abuse      I stabbed a steak knife through the orange pumpkin flesh and sawed a jagged line around the stem. Warm rays of sun hugged my shoulders while I worked. The scent of burning bread from the egg sandwich Jeremy was grilling on the deck tickled my nose.           “So, you and Trent are like an official thing now?” Jeremy asked while spraying canned cheese across his sandwich.       &...

6 likes 7 comments 7
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Breakfast with a Ghost

Weekly Contest #115

 CW: Swearing, blood, death     Getting a call at four in the morning on a stormy night, created an instant feeling of gut tangling dread. Luckily, I guess, I was already awake. An unusual nightmare about watching Jonah drown in an icy marsh and not being able to save him woke me with heart palpitations. In the dream, I dove under the water and desperately swam towards him but never actually moved. He floated in the murky, green-brown water in an oddly peaceful way. I swam furiously in place while the pressure b...

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