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Heather Johnsen-Gisi

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Oct, 2021

Stories (9)

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13 Followers

7 Following

9 Stories

190 karma pts

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The Hanged Man Tale

Heather Johnsen-Gisi

Submitted to Contest #326

Dear Reader, This will surely be a tale to haunt you, so please keep reading. You see, this little story was written especially for you. It was crafted especially for your eyes, intended for your delight. I initially wrote it for myself. It was too good not to share. Therefore, I will tell you the story—the story of the hanged man. I have never been much of a superstitious man, no. Folklore held little sway over me. Yet, at the village's yearly Valken Folk Carnival, destiny, it seemed, intervened. I chanced upon a fort...

3 likes

Tan Lake Cemetary

Heather Johnsen-Gisi

Submitted to Contest #321

Tan Lake offered a tranquil sanctuary, a refuge from the cacophony of society and its relentless demands. Only the pristine elements held sway: the whispering wind, the crystalline water, and the enveloping embrace of untouched wilderness. The absence of man-made intrusions—no jarring docks, no crude boat launches—preserved its serene beauty. A testament to deliberate restraint, Tan Lake remained a pristine, unspoiled paradise.On this fine afternoon, there was only silence, broken only by the heavy tread of a lone figure pushing through the ...

11 likes

Better to Worse to Better

Heather Johnsen-Gisi

Submitted to Contest #222

My name is Billy Porter and my life sucks. Or at least it did until I met my "Homeless Godfather." He wasn't my real godfather, but he was homeless. In fact, that's really all he was or all he appeared to be. Just a homeless guy. But then he really wasn't... Now I am even confusing myself. I guess in order for you to understand I'll just tell the story. Here it is from the beginning:One Monday I was really feeling sorry for myself. I hated my job at the real estate company my father owned. I was still just the secretary because Dad said I di...

7 likes

To You From Me

Heather Johnsen-Gisi

Submitted to Contest #212

Dear You, Hello old friend. I've missed you. I know we haven't talked in a while, but I've been lost. Everything is wrong and I can't fix it. I don't like to admit this, but I have written a note. A note to leave behind when I end my life. I want to, at least I've been thinking about it. It is my last resort, but I knew I had to come to you first. You are the only one who can save me! My situation is impossible! I have lost my job. I hated it there anyway, but I'm about to lose my house. My money is gone. My electricity and water have alr...

6 likes

Stories: Dark and Evil

Heather Johnsen-Gisi

Submitted to Contest #149

October 4th, 2008           The house had peeling paint, rotting shingles, and an overgrown yard. Vines climbed the front, stretching over the boarded windows. It looked like the door had been scrubbed but faded spray paint remained.           “It’s perfect, I’ll take it.”           The realtor looked at the house then back at me. “You’re serious?”     &n...

8 likes

Illusory

Heather Johnsen-Gisi

Submitted to Contest #142

Danny Groop walked down main street with heavy steps. His day couldn’t have been any worse. He had been turned down at three job interviews and somehow lost a twenty dollar bill out of his pocket. His self-esteem could not take any more blows today. And on top of it all it was raining, and he didn’t have an umbrella. Danny’s stomach growled as he passed all the scents fighting through the precipitation from the delis and cafes. But his twenty-dollar bill was supposed to pay for dinner and…it was gone. He sighed again. Four years he had ...

14 likes

Not Real

Heather Johnsen-Gisi

Submitted to Contest #134

Cyndi Chapman stared anxiously at the road in front of her. It was now noon and she had been driving since four in morning, but she didn't feel at all tired. She was on her way to visit her brother, Isaac. She had not seen her twin brother in a little over five years, since she had graduated high school, and she wondered if he had changed at all. She also worried that he wouldn’t want to see her after all this time. She had good reason to worry about this, for the last time she had seen him he had accused her of betraying him. And he was rig...

8 likes

Moving Forward

Heather Johnsen-Gisi

Submitted to Contest #131

I slip and fall on my back. This is the fourth time today. I sigh and just stare at the sky. “You all right, little bro?” Julien asks. I raise my head and look ahead at my two older brothers. They have both stopped and waited patiently. Julien was smirking. Tyler looked a little more concerned. “Yea.” I struggle to standing again, heaving the heavy backpack, and slipping on the mud a few times more before I am upright. The birds chirp mockingly in the trees as if they are laughing at me. I send a glare upwards.Julian chuckles. “You...

10 likes

Day of the Dead, Night of the Reaper

Heather Johnsen-Gisi

Submitted to Contest #117

"Do I really have to go?" I smile compassionately at the young man in front of me. "No Son, you have fortunately died on a very special night and can take your time." The young man looks around the mess of the car crash and gathered observers to the pumpkins in the yards beyond. He looked back at the people. "Why can't they see us?" "You are no longer here, my friend. Not your flesh and blood anyway. Now stop wasting time. Go see your family for I will be back at midnight." The eighteen-year-old, still dressed in a skeleton costume, nods and...

14 likes