Kaitlin Oster
Bio
Professional writer.
MFA Screenwriting - David Lynch School of Cinematic Arts
Website: kaitlinoster.com
Writing collaboration or work, speaking engagements, interviews - [email protected]
Achievements (7)
Stories (37)
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The Ninth Circle
When evil took over earth, we didn’t anticipate a landscape of frozen tundra, ice, and life lost in time. I personally expected — and now find myself longing for — blazing heat and dust. We weren’t worthy of that, though. Media outlets and prominent political figures tried to blame it on environmental disasters and human irresponsibility for the Great Freeze. They pointed to scientists to back up the claims who — when put on the spot — denied any of it having to do with humans.
By Kaitlin Oster5 years ago in Fiction
The Runalongs
Another boring weekend meal at the home of Friends of a Friend of Mom and Dad. A stout housewife in heels that were either cut low or compressed under her size pushed once-a-year-used silver trays of tartlets and stuffed mushrooms in our faces with a smile embedded so deep in her apple cheeks that I swear I saw her molars. Mom graciously took or denied a bite at each pass; My boredom led to the discovery that she took from every two offers. Dad sat with a crystal glass half-full of sherry and enthusiastically engaged in banter with buzzwords such as “dividends” and “fiscal” and - my personal favorite of the evening - “fiduciary.”
By Kaitlin Oster5 years ago in Futurism
Perfectly Horrible & Unspectacular
I wrote my mom’s eulogy before she died. Well, technically, she was brain dead, and I sat on the hospital bed next to her and penned what I thought were the appropriate things to say about a dying woman. She heaved her breaths — no pitter patter — more like a see-saw with cinder blocks tied to each end. Or like two men in the Pacific Northwest in the 1800s, sawing down the mighty sequoia at a pace not unlike the amount of time it took for the tree to grow. And I sat beside the heavy, small woman and wrote on my phone’s note taking app about science projects, real estate, and how her favorite saying was that she was “sparkling,” in reference to her mood. I cried with guilt that evening, as if I sealed her fate for her; The eulogy is written, no turning back. Even though she was already brain dead.
By Kaitlin Oster5 years ago in Families
There is Only one Devil
Deeper, deeper we descended into the abyss. Before exiting topside, I stood on top of the mound of red clay and sand that accumulated from weeks of digging and watched the last of the sun drip into the horizon. It was foolish of me to hope the last of the day’s light found its way into this cavern.
By Kaitlin Oster5 years ago in Horror
Fairy bad Business
The professionally manicured lawn on the corner of Waverly and Longfellow was routinely sprayed down in order to eliminate any weeds or imperfections. The homeowner - a proud, portly man - stood like a jiggly lawn ornament and canvassed his property with great prejudice. He spent each and every weekend seeding, weeding, watering, and landscaping. Everything, as far as his sweaty eyelids allowed him to see, was green.
By Kaitlin Oster5 years ago in Futurism
Love on a Leash
Brian and I waited for his husband to show up to the brewer. I had a flight in front of me that I drank down in order of color - light to dark - and he had a lager. A young boy walked through the brewery with a tub of candy bars and said he was raising money for his after school programs.
By Kaitlin Oster5 years ago in Petlife
