Alyssa N. Vaughn
@alyssaenvy.itch.io
Author & Illustrator, Occasional Game Dev
“I don’t understand,” huffed the passenger, “Why have we stopped?”
“Checkpoint,” the cabbie grunted, “Looking for #illicit materials. Hope you’ve got your papers, miss.”
A cold blast of air made him turn to see an open door and an abandoned fur coat on the backseat, sprinkled with snow.
#vss365
“Checkpoint,” the cabbie grunted, “Looking for #illicit materials. Hope you’ve got your papers, miss.”
A cold blast of air made him turn to see an open door and an abandoned fur coat on the backseat, sprinkled with snow.
#vss365
December 11, 2025 at 4:08 PM
We were drawn out of our houses in the night, following the sound of music as though we were #bewitched. But truly, there was no magic in the piper’s song. We left willingly.
Because we knew that the true revenge was yet to come, and we wanted no part of it.
#vss365
Because we knew that the true revenge was yet to come, and we wanted no part of it.
#vss365
December 10, 2025 at 4:13 PM
We were drawn out of our houses in the night, following the sound of music as though we were #bewitched. But truly, there was no magic in the piper’s song. We left willingly.
Because we knew that the true revenge was yet to come, and we wanted no part of it.
#vss365
Because we knew that the true revenge was yet to come, and we wanted no part of it.
#vss365
“What is this?!” Isabel screeched, pointing to the pile of feathers on the mannequin. “You said my would be one-of-a-kind and totally #chic!”
The designer looked at his phone, puzzled.
“Perhaps,” he said politely, ”When placing orders by text, you could use spell-check.”
#vss365
The designer looked at his phone, puzzled.
“Perhaps,” he said politely, ”When placing orders by text, you could use spell-check.”
#vss365
December 6, 2025 at 4:19 AM
“I’d love to go to the dance with you,” Rita said politely, “But I‘ve already agreed to go with Eli.”
“No worries,“ Leon swaggered, “I‘ll tell him you changed your mind. Y’know, so you don’t have to.”
Rita blinked at him slowly.
“What a #chivalrous offer. My answer would still be no.”
#vss365
“No worries,“ Leon swaggered, “I‘ll tell him you changed your mind. Y’know, so you don’t have to.”
Rita blinked at him slowly.
“What a #chivalrous offer. My answer would still be no.”
#vss365
December 3, 2025 at 10:20 PM
“I’d love to go to the dance with you,” Rita said politely, “But I‘ve already agreed to go with Eli.”
“No worries,“ Leon swaggered, “I‘ll tell him you changed your mind. Y’know, so you don’t have to.”
Rita blinked at him slowly.
“What a #chivalrous offer. My answer would still be no.”
#vss365
“No worries,“ Leon swaggered, “I‘ll tell him you changed your mind. Y’know, so you don’t have to.”
Rita blinked at him slowly.
“What a #chivalrous offer. My answer would still be no.”
#vss365
The librarians rarely found a reason to delve into the #aphotic depths of the library basement; all of the archive materials had been moved to a climate-controlled storage unit years ago.
So when they found the door standing open, they chalked it up to a broken latch.
The first time.
#vss365
So when they found the door standing open, they chalked it up to a broken latch.
The first time.
#vss365
December 2, 2025 at 5:40 PM
“Okay,” Alina wiped the sweat from her brow, “That’s the #last box.”
Her husband stared at the mountain of cardboard cubes now dominating their living room.
“What did you order?” he asked.
She stared back.
“I thought they were yours.”
The doorbell rang, they both jumped.
“Delivery!” #vss365
Her husband stared at the mountain of cardboard cubes now dominating their living room.
“What did you order?” he asked.
She stared back.
“I thought they were yours.”
The doorbell rang, they both jumped.
“Delivery!” #vss365
November 30, 2025 at 6:07 PM
“You can make a difference! Take #action now!” shouted the woman on the corner, waving a flyer overhead.
The wind whistled through the empty streets, the rusted frames of the ancient, crumbling towers creaked ominously overhead.
She sighed. She would have to save the world by herself.
#vss365
The wind whistled through the empty streets, the rusted frames of the ancient, crumbling towers creaked ominously overhead.
She sighed. She would have to save the world by herself.
#vss365
November 20, 2025 at 6:42 PM
“Arr! Ye have two #options,” the pirate captain growled, “Ye can swear yer loyalty and join me crew, or ye can walk the plank.”
The unfortunate philosopher gulped, balanced precariously above shark-infested waters.
“Could we have a brief discussion,” he proposed, ”Of false dichotomies?”
#vss365
The unfortunate philosopher gulped, balanced precariously above shark-infested waters.
“Could we have a brief discussion,” he proposed, ”Of false dichotomies?”
#vss365
November 19, 2025 at 9:41 PM
“You’re dating someone you met in a chatroom?” Laura rolled her eyes, popping her gum loudly. “Somebody needs a #reality check.”
“He’s totally legit!” Kristen glared back. ”I saw his MySpace page and everything.”
“Yeah, right,” Laura scoffed, “And I’m going to prom with SmarterChild.“
#vss365
“He’s totally legit!” Kristen glared back. ”I saw his MySpace page and everything.”
“Yeah, right,” Laura scoffed, “And I’m going to prom with SmarterChild.“
#vss365
November 18, 2025 at 3:50 PM
The director called for a cut, glaring at his lead actor.
“I need you to dig deep,” he ground out, “What is your character’s motivation? What is his ultimate #goal in this scene?”
The actor gave a blank stare, mouth hanging open as he pondered the question.
“…a bagel?”
#vss365
“I need you to dig deep,” he ground out, “What is your character’s motivation? What is his ultimate #goal in this scene?”
The actor gave a blank stare, mouth hanging open as he pondered the question.
“…a bagel?”
#vss365
November 17, 2025 at 4:14 PM
The two fugitives dodged through the docks as swiftly as they could, crouching between the starships.
"This way," the first said, edging up an open boarding ramp.
"You have your own #transport?" The second followed close behind.
"Well," the first settled into the cockpit, "I do now."
#vss365
"This way," the first said, edging up an open boarding ramp.
"You have your own #transport?" The second followed close behind.
"Well," the first settled into the cockpit, "I do now."
#vss365
November 15, 2025 at 9:47 PM
The two fugitives dodged through the docks as swiftly as they could, crouching between the starships.
"This way," the first said, edging up an open boarding ramp.
"You have your own #transport?" The second followed close behind.
"Well," the first settled into the cockpit, "I do now."
#vss365
"This way," the first said, edging up an open boarding ramp.
"You have your own #transport?" The second followed close behind.
"Well," the first settled into the cockpit, "I do now."
#vss365
The young man laughed nervously as he stood holding the flashlight, dodging flying clumps of dirt. The things one does for love…
“So,” he cleared his throat, “What kind of #science project is this anyway?”
His crush popped her head out of the freshly in-dug grave.
“What science project?”
#vss365
“So,” he cleared his throat, “What kind of #science project is this anyway?”
His crush popped her head out of the freshly in-dug grave.
“What science project?”
#vss365
November 14, 2025 at 8:53 PM
The customer stormed out of the fitting room, sleeves dangling and pant legs dragging.
“You said these suits were made-to-measure!” he shouted, turning red.
“Of course, sir,” the clerk bustled over to demonstrate the concealed ruler and scales. “You can #measure anything you want!”
#vss365
“You said these suits were made-to-measure!” he shouted, turning red.
“Of course, sir,” the clerk bustled over to demonstrate the concealed ruler and scales. “You can #measure anything you want!”
#vss365
November 11, 2025 at 4:50 PM
“You’re leaving? Just like that?” Jack scoffed, “What, did you join a cult?“
His wife dropped a stack of papers on the table before heading to the door. Photos of Jack and his mistress, pages of printed text messages…
“No cult,” she said, “But I do have some #literature to leave for you.”
#vss365
His wife dropped a stack of papers on the table before heading to the door. Photos of Jack and his mistress, pages of printed text messages…
“No cult,” she said, “But I do have some #literature to leave for you.”
#vss365
November 10, 2025 at 11:02 PM
“You’re leaving? Just like that?” Jack scoffed, “What, did you join a cult?“
His wife dropped a stack of papers on the table before heading to the door. Photos of Jack and his mistress, pages of printed text messages…
“No cult,” she said, “But I do have some #literature to leave for you.”
#vss365
His wife dropped a stack of papers on the table before heading to the door. Photos of Jack and his mistress, pages of printed text messages…
“No cult,” she said, “But I do have some #literature to leave for you.”
#vss365
“You can’t do that!” Eliza hissed, “Breaking and entering is against the #law!”
Ari gave her a dashing grin as sparks flew from his fingertips. The lock clicked and the door swung open of its own accord.
“Ah, but we haven’t broken anything. So surely entering is permissible?”
#vss365
Ari gave her a dashing grin as sparks flew from his fingertips. The lock clicked and the door swung open of its own accord.
“Ah, but we haven’t broken anything. So surely entering is permissible?”
#vss365
November 9, 2025 at 6:46 PM
“I have spent a lifetime studying the #geography of you,” the old man kissed his partner’s hand, “But I still get lost in your eyes.”
#vss365
#vss365
November 6, 2025 at 6:47 PM
“I have spent a lifetime studying the #geography of you,” the old man kissed his partner’s hand, “But I still get lost in your eyes.”
#vss365
#vss365
Rhea’s frown deepened as she scanned the job application.
“Sleight of hand… funambulism… astral projection?!” She looked up in confusion. “The only requirement in the listing was a high school #education!”
The receptionist coolly raised an eyebrow.
“Your school didn't cover those?”
#vss365
“Sleight of hand… funambulism… astral projection?!” She looked up in confusion. “The only requirement in the listing was a high school #education!”
The receptionist coolly raised an eyebrow.
“Your school didn't cover those?”
#vss365
November 5, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Rhea’s frown deepened as she scanned the job application.
“Sleight of hand… funambulism… astral projection?!” She looked up in confusion. “The only requirement in the listing was a high school #education!”
The receptionist coolly raised an eyebrow.
“Your school didn't cover those?”
#vss365
“Sleight of hand… funambulism… astral projection?!” She looked up in confusion. “The only requirement in the listing was a high school #education!”
The receptionist coolly raised an eyebrow.
“Your school didn't cover those?”
#vss365
The traveler lifted the imported statuette for closer inspection.
“Ah, sir,“ the shopkeeper rushed over, wringing her hands, “I think you might prefer our domesticated products.”
“You mean #domestic?” the adventurer frowned. He could hear a low growl, felt his sleeve grow damp.
“…No.”
#vss365
“Ah, sir,“ the shopkeeper rushed over, wringing her hands, “I think you might prefer our domesticated products.”
“You mean #domestic?” the adventurer frowned. He could hear a low growl, felt his sleeve grow damp.
“…No.”
#vss365
November 4, 2025 at 4:50 AM
Just posted this story on my website: www.anvaughn.com/2025/09/03/q...
September 3, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Just posted this story on my website: www.anvaughn.com/2025/09/03/q...